The PDC's annual showpiece takes place over the festive period with the world’s best arrowsmiths competing for the Sid Waddell trophy, and we've got everything you need to know about the winter showpiece.

The tournament, which has been running since 1994, was previously known as the WDC World Darts Championship prior to the World Darts Council voting to break away from the BDO to form the PDC in 1997.

For the first 13 years of its existence, the fabled Circus Tavern played host to the World Darts Championship before it was switched to London's Alexandra Palace, amidst huge growth in the sport, in 2008.

Phil Taylor, recognised as the best darts player in the sport’s history, notched a remarkable 16 world titles, with his most recent success coming back in 2013, almost a quarter of a century after his maiden triumph.

Michael ‘Bully Boy’ Smith, heads into the 2024 edition of the tournament as the title-holder, having overcome Michael van Gerwen to claim his first world crown in 2023.
 

World Darts Championship Date

The 2024 edition of the competition will get underway on Friday 15th December 2023, with the final taking place on the evening of Wednesday 3rd January 2024.

The opening two rounds of action will take place up until Saturday 23rd December, with the remaining rounds, up until the final, commencing following the three-day Christmas break.

World Darts Championship: Draw, schedule, where to watch on TV & results
 

World Darts Championship Christmas break

Following the conclusion of the final second-round matches on Saturday 23rd December, the remaining competitors will enjoy a three-day break over Christmas, before the action gets back underway on the afternoon of Wednesday 27th December.
 

World Darts Championship Prize Money

Prize money for the 2024 World Darts Championship remains at £2,500,000 - the same as in each of the past four years.

The winner will claim a handsome share of £500,000 with the runner-up earning £200,000. 

The two losing semi-finalists will pocket a cool £100,000, whilst the four beaten quarter-finalists can each expect to take home £50,000.

The eight players beaten in the fourth round will still land an impressive £35,000, with the sixteen third-round losers earning themselves £25,000,.

The 32 players who depart the competition at the second-round stage are still guaranteed £15,000 - £7,500 more than players who succumb to defeat in the first round. 

The PDC has continued to increase prize money, as the sport has grown, and it’s possible that 2024’s numbers will top those of the previous year.
 

World Darts Championship Venue & Location

London’s Alexandra Palace has played host to the competition for the past 15 years, with the 2024 edition being the 17th staging of the competition at the iconic venue.

Prior to 2008, the World Darts Championship was held at the Circus Tavern in Purfleet, with the venue then being deemed too small given the growing popularity and booming commercial aspects of the tournament.
 

How to watch the World Darts Championship?

Sky Sports hold exclusive television rights for every game of the World Darts Championship in the UK.

Click the link below for all TV details including confirmed schedules and start times:

World Darts Championship: Draw, schedule, where to watch on TV & results
 

World Darts Championship format

There are 96 players expected to compete in the 2024 World Darts Championship with the 32 highest ranked players on the PDC Order of Merit (the PDC world rankings) automatically earning a place in the second round of the competition.

The 32 highest ranked unqualified players on the PDC Pro Tour Order of Merit start in the first round alongside 32 qualifiers from around the world.

The format of the competition sees players battling out best-of-five sets games in the first and second rounds, with that increasing as the tournament progresses until the final which could stretch across a total of 13 sets.

Who has won the most World Darts Championship titles?

Taylor dominated darts for over two decades, notching up a remarkable tally of 16 World Darts Championships, including eight successive wins between 1995 and 2002.

He followed that up with victories in the 2004, 2005 and 2006 editions too, before adding to his unprecedented tally courtesy of successes in 2009, 2010 and, finally, in 2013.

In total, Taylor reached 19 finals from his 25 appearances at the World Darts Championship, 14 more than modern-day stars van Gerwen and Gary Anderson, who have both reached the showpiece five times.

In terms of victories, the legendary Eric Bristow and van Barneveld both tasted glory on five occasions, with Martin Adams (BDO), John Lowe (BDO), van Gerwen, John Part (BDO & PDC) and Glen Durrant (BDO) notching three titles.

A plethora of other players, including Anderson, Peter Wright, Jocky Wilson and Adrian Lewis are two-time world champions.
 

Mark Mothershaw

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