The Masters Darts: Dates, schedule, draw bracket, history & how to watch

The Masters takes centre stage this weekend with 24 of the world's best players battling it out for darting supremacy in Milton Keynes and a top prize of £65,000 on offer for the weekend's winner.

It may be a non-ranking event, but it is one of the biggest tournaments of the year and continues to increase in popularity.

The tournament started in 2013 in Edinburgh, but in 2015 it moved to the current venue – the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes.

Chris Dobey is the defending champion after overcoming Rob Cross in last year's final, but will he successfully defend his crown or could we even see a new name on the coveted trophy?

Here's everything you need to know ahead of the PDC spectacle.
 

The Masters Darts - Dates

The Masters event takes place over three days, with the 2024 edition beginning on Friday 2nd February running through to Sunday 4th February.

There will be seven matches on the final day, starting with the four quarter-finals, then two semi-finals and the final.
 

The Masters Darts - Draw Bracket

Top Half:

(1) Luke Humphries v Stephen Bunting/Ross Smith 
(8) Peter Wright v Jonny Clayton/Krzysztof Ratajski 
(4) Nathan Aspinall v Dirk van Duijvenbode/Ryan Searle 
 Daryl Gurney v Joe Cullen/Josh Rock 

Bottom Half:

(2) Michael van Gerwen v Chris Dobey/Andrew Gilding 
(7) Danny Noppert v Dave Chisnall/Martin Schindler 
(3) Michael Smith v Dimitri Van den Bergh/James Wade 
(6) Rob Cross v Damon Heta/Gabriel Clemens
 

The Masters Darts - Schedule & Results

Friday February 2nd 
(19:00 - 23:00 GMT)
8 x First Round

Dirk van Duijvenbode v Ryan Searle 
Jonny Clayton v Krzysztof Ratajski 
Dave Chisnall v Martin Schindler 
Damon Heta v Gabriel Clemens 
Dimitri Van den Bergh v James Wade 
Chris Dobey v Andrew Gilding 
Joe Cullen v Josh Rock 
Stephen Bunting v Ross Smith 


Saturday February 3rd
Afternoon Session (12:45 - 17:00 GMT)
4 x Second Round

Danny Noppert v Dave Chisnall/Martin Schindler 
Rob Cross v Damon Heta/Gabriel Clemens 
Peter Wright v Jonny Clayton/Krzysztof Ratajski 
Daryl Gurney v Joe Cullen/Josh Rock 

Evening Session (19:00 - 23:00 GMT)
4 x Second Round

Nathan Aspinall v Dirk van Duijvenbode/Ryan Searle 
Luke Humphries v Stephen Bunting/Ross Smith 
Michael van Gerwen v Chris Dobey/Andrew Gilding 
Michael Smith v Dimitri Van den Bergh/James Wade 


Sunday February 4th
Afternoon Session (12:45 - 17:00 GMT) 
4 x Quarter-Finals 

Evening Session (19:00 - 23:00 GMT) 
2 x Semi-Finals 
Final
 

The Masters Darts - Venue

The first Masters Darts tournament was back in 2013, with that edition and the following year held at the Royal Highland Centre in Edinburgh.

The 2024 tournament will be the 10th occasion that the event will be at the Marshall Arena, with Milton Keynes hosting the Masters since 2015.
 

The Masters Darts - How to watch

Bet365's Sports Live Streaming service will be showing all of the action from MK, meaning you don’t have to miss a single leg of action throughout the three days.

Meanwhile, ITV4 will also be televising the tournament through the fifth round of action.

Most wins in the Masters Darts

Michael van Gerwen has enjoyed the most success of any other player at the Masters Darts, with the Dutchman racking up five tournament victories.

Not only has he won five Masters titles, but they all came in a row from 2015 to 2019, twice beating Raymond van Barneveld in the final.

No other player has won multiple Masters titles to date and ‘Mighty Mike’ will be looking for a sixth title in 2024.
 

Masters Darts - History

The Masters featured the top-16 players from 2013 to 2020, before the organisers increased the field to 24 - with the top-eight seeded players going straight through to the second round.

Phil Taylor was the first ever Masters winner in 2013, when he comfortably beat Adrian Lewis 10-1 in the final.

James Wade made it another English success the following year, with the ‘The Machine’ beating countryman Mervyn King 11-10 in the final.

Van Gerwen then dominated the tournament over the next five years, before Peter Wright ended the Dutchman’s run with victory in 2020.

Jonny Clayton was the first Welsh winner, averaging 104.10 in his 11-8 final victory over Mervyn King – a two-time beaten finalist - in 2021.

In 2022, Joe Cullen was a surprise winner with the Yorkshireman running out an 11-9 victor over Dave Chisnall, while Chris Dobey won the event in 2023 after beating Rob Cross 11-7 in the final.