Major darts competitions: The biggest darts events in the world
DARTS is a sport that continues to go from strength to strength.
Tournaments are held throughout the year, featuring the world’s top and up-and-coming players. Increasing prize money is up for grabs too, ensuring that competition for places is fierce.
On this page, we will discuss the standout darts events from around the world. Meanwhile, we will also outline the top bookies for betting on darts in the UK.
Top 10 biggest darts competitions
- PDC World Darts Championship
- Betfred World Matchplay
- Unibet Premier League Darts
- Grand Slam of Darts
- BoyleSports World Grand Prix
- Ladbrokes UK Open
- Players Championship Finals
- European Championship
- World Series of Darts
- World Cup of Darts
A closer look at the most important darts competitions
We will now take a closer look at the top biggest darts competitions, including their history, format and location:
1. PDC World Darts Championship
Established in 1994, the PDC World Darts Championship is the pinnacle of the sport. Having been held at Circus Tavern up until 2007, the event now takes place at the famous Alexandra Palace in London.
With a prize pool of £2.5 million, the 96 players involved dream of following in the footsteps of the likes of Phil Taylor, Michael van Gerwen and most recently, Michael Smith. The final is played over the best of 13 sets.
2. Betfred World Matchplay
Launched in 1994 was World Matchplay. Held at Winter Gardens in Blackpool, the event is one of three that make up the Triple Crown. Played in a legs format and involving the top 16 players in the world, the winner of the World Matchplay walks away with £200,000. Michael van Gerwen beat Gerwyn Price 18-14 to win in 2022.
3. Unibet Premier League Darts
Dating back to 2005, Premier League Darts is another leading competition organised by the PDC. As the third part of the Triple Crown, the event has grown quickly over the years, with a £1 million prize pool now featuring.
The tournament featured just 8 players in 2022, with van Gerwen again coming out on top. A legs format is again used, with knockout matches being held in different European venues. Competing players are determined by the Order of Merit and wildcards.
4. Grand Slam of Darts
Established in 2007, the Grand Slam of Darts has been held in Coventry since 2020. Organised by the PDC, the event offers the winner £150,000 in prize money. Entrants include winning players from major darts competitions as well as those who make it through a qualifying event. Michael Smith won in 2022, while Josh Rock made a name for himself with a 9-dart finish. Phil Taylor won the first three titles from 2007-2009.
5. BoyleSports World Grand Prix
Launched in 1998, the World Grand Prix is a PDC event that is held annually at the Morningside Arena in Leicester. Played using a sets format, £600,000 is handed to the winner, with BoyleSports being the current sponsor.
Players must score 501 to win a leg, played in a “double in, double out” format. 32 players are involved in all, including the top 16 from the Order of Merit. Van Gerwen was the winner in 2022.
6. Ladbrokes UK Open
Founded in 2003 and held at Butlins, Minehead, the UK Open is a ranking Major darts competition organised by the PDC. Known as the “FA Cup” of darts, 160 players begin the tournament, with the top 32 in the Order of Merit entering at the fourth round stage.
The event is worth £450,000 in prize money, with the winner walking away with £100,000. Andrew Gidling upset van Gerwen in the final in 2022, with the UK Open being played using a legs format.
7. Players Championship Finals
Launched in 2009, the Players Championship Finals is one of the newer darts events from the PDC. Offering prize money worth £500,000 in total, a legs format is used. 64 players compete in total, with Butlins in Minehead being the current host venue. Van Gerwen won three out of four titles between 2019-2022, taking his total to 7 in the process.
8. European Championship
Featuring the top 32 players from the European PDC Order of Merit, the European Championship is held annually at the end of October. The venue changes almost by the year, with German, Dutch and Austrian cities having featured to date. Worth £500,000 to the winner, Ross Smith got the better of compatriot Michael Smith to win the event in 2022.
9. World Series of Darts
The World Series of Darts was established in 2013. Using a legs format, the PDC-organised event is played between May-November each year. The World Series has been hosted by 10+ venues so far, with the Poland Darts Masters set to take place in 2023. The top eight ranked players qualify automatically.
10. World Cup of Darts
First held in 2010, the World Cup of Darts is a team event that comes with a prize fund of over £500,000. From 2023, 40 nations will compete, made up of 12 groups of 3. The winning country from each group will move on to the second round, joined automatically by the top four ranked nations.
Doubles matches are to be played throughout the competition, with the World Cup of Darts offering something a little different to other events. Australia won in 2022 thanks to Simon Whitelock and Damon Heta.
The history of darts competitions
Professional darts competitions first took place in the 1970’s, under the guidance of the British Darts Organisation (BDO). Tournaments took place in the UK for the most part, before the PDC was founded in 1992. The BDO World Championship was established in 1978, before the PDC took over in 1994. While BDO events were often broadcast by the BBC, SkySports is now the leading broadcaster for darts in the UK.
What is the PDC?
The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) was established in 1992 and now has over 220 members. The organization is the biggest governing body in darts, with promoter Eddie Hearn now being the Chairman.
The PDC is based in Essex, England, with the authority being the brains behind many of the biggest darts tournaments, including the World Championship, UK Open and World Matchplay. The PDC also has its own ranking system, based on player performance. 30+ members of staff help the company to keep on top of things.
Are there alternatives to PDC?
The PDC is not the only darts authority in operation today. The World Darts Federation (WDF) was founded in 1974 and now has 70 full members, including Australia, France, Germany and the United States. Both male and female players compete in WDF events, such as the Dutch Open, German Masters and Malaysian Open.
What is the biggest darts competition in the world?
Without a doubt, the PDC World Darts Championship is the event that dominates the calendar. Held annually at Alexandra Palace in London, the World Darts Championship involves 32 players and offers a prize fund of £2.5 million. The competition runs from December to January, with England’s Michael Smith having come out on top in 2023.
Who is the best darts player in the world right now?
There is little to separate the best darts players in the world. The rankings are a good indicator as to who has been the best form of late. Michael Smith, Michael van Gerwen and Peter Wright regularly battle it out at major tournaments. Meanwhile, Gerwyn Price, Rob Cross and Luke Humphries are among the other players who are inside the top 10 in the PDC Order of Merit.
Who is the best darts player in the UK?
Fresh from his win at the 2023 World Championship, Michael Smith is currently regarded as the best darts player from the UK. The 32-year-old is nicknamed “Bully Boy” and has reached 10 PDC Major finals to date, having also won the 2022 Grand Slam of Darts.
What are the biggest darts leagues in the world?
Darts leagues are increasingly common. Operating differently to standard knockout events, players are guaranteed a number of matches, as they battle it out for the top position in the standings. The Premier League of Darts is perhaps the best known, with others also taking place annually. Below, we take a closer look at the biggest darts leagues:
Premier League Darts
Launched in 2005, Premier League Darts is an event that takes place weekly between February and May. Organised by the PDC, the league features eight players. A total prize pool of £1 million is up for grabs, with the winner taking home £250,000. The top 4 players from the Order of Merit qualify automatically. Michael van Gerwen is the reigning champion.
What is the prize money for the biggest darts competitions?
With darts having grown significantly over the years, players competing at major competitions do so for increasing amounts of money. The PDC World Darts Championship has a total prize pool of £2.5 million, with the winner walking away with £500,000.
Meanwhile, the winner of the World Matchplay receives £800,000, while there is £200,000 for the runner-up here. Another financially attractive darts tournament is The Masters, which features a total prize fund of £250,000.
Can I bet on the biggest darts competitions?
Thanks to online bookmakers, it is now easy to bet on darts competitions from around the world. You can place pre-match, live and outright bets on all players involved. Odds vary between bookies, while you can take advantage of multiple promotions when placing bets.
What are the most popular darts betting markets?
A variety of markets are available on darts betting sites. As you would expect, the match winner is the most popular. However, you can also find handicap, highest checkout, 9 dart finish, first 180, double result, score after 4 legs and outright tournament winner.
Where can I bet on the top darts competitions?
We will now take a closer look at our favourite bookies for darts betting in the UK, including their bonuses and additional features:
1. BetUK
BetUK offers excellent coverage of darts, while offering some of the best odds around. A large number of competitions are available to bet on, including everything from the PDC World Championship to the Modus Darts Super Series. Match winner, highest checkout, most 180’s and total legs are among the standout markets. You can also claim £30 in free bets when registering an account with BetUK.
2. Rhino.bet
Another bookie with extensive darts coverage is Rhino.bet. The Premier League, World Championship and World Matchplay are among the events found here, with odds being competitive across the board. Rhino.bet also offers a number of prop bets, including first-time winner, winning nationality and to reach the final.
3. Unibet
Unibet offers live streaming of selected darts tournaments. Meanwhile, high-profile matches come with 60+ markets, including correct score, checkout specials and player specials. Odds are again competitive, with useful statistics accompanying many matches too. Unibet is also known for its appealing promotions, with many being eligible to those betting on darts.
Which bookie has the best darts competition odds?
There are some bookies that stand out when it comes to darts betting odds. You can easily check where the best prices lie ahead of tournaments. However, it may be worthwhile signing up with multiple bookies so that you can always utilise the best odds. BetUK regularly offers leading prices, while also delivering enhanced odds on selected matches.
Our top 5 tips for betting on the biggest darts competitions
There are no guarantees that you will make money from betting on darts. You can improve your chances of success by understanding all the betting terms and following our expert tips below:
- Do your homework - It has never been easier to find useful pre-match darts information and statistics online. So, before confirming any bet, ensure that you look at the order of merit, recent results, head to head records and more.
- Watch live - While it is also entertaining, watching darts matches live will make it easier to follow your selections. As a result, you may choose to cash out a bet early.
- Place in-play bets - It is often easier to find value when browsing live darts markets. This is because you can bet on one of the top players to overturn a deficit or another outcome after the opening dart has been thrown.
- Be responsible - Set yourself a budget first and remember to only ever bet what you can afford to lose. On top of this, never chase your losses!
- Claim bonuses - Generic sportsbook promotions and deals specific to darts are found online today. So, when the terms and conditions are favourable, be sure to take advantage.
About the author
James Fuller
James is an experienced copywriter with over a decade’s worth of experience in the casino industry. He is an avid sports fan, following football, tennis, Formula 1 and golf in particular.
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