The PDC's annual showpiece takes place over the festive period with the world’s best arrowsmiths competing for the Sid Waddell trophy.
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.
| What: | World Darts Championship |
| Where: | Alexandra Palace, London |
| When: | Friday 15th December 2023 - Wednesday 3rd January 2024 |
| How to watch: | bet365 Live Streaming and Sky Sports Darts |
| Odds: | Outright: Michael van Gerwen 11/4, Michael Smith 7/2, Gerwyn Price 7/1, Peter Wright 10/1, Josh Rock 14/1, Jonny Clayton 18/1 |
When is the World Darts Championship?
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.
Is there a break during the World Darts Championship?
There is indeed, for three days. 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.
Where is the World Darts Championship held?
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.
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How do I watch the World Darts Championship?
Sky Sports hold exclusive television rights for every game of the World Darts Championship in the UK, although the event can also be streamed live at bet365.
What is the format of the World Darts Championship?
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.
| First round | Best of five sets |
| Second round | Best of five sets |
| Third round | Best of seven sets |
| Fourth round | Best of seven sets |
| Quarter-finals | Best of nine sets |
| Semi-finals | Best of 11 sets |
| Final | Best of 13 sets |
What is the prize money for the World Darts Championship?
Prize money for the 2023 World Darts Championship stood at £2,500,000 - the same as in each of the past four years.
The winner claimed a handsome share of £500,000 with the runner-up earning £200,000. The two losing semi-finalists pocketed a cool £100,000, whilst the four beaten quarter-finalists each took home £50,000.
Sixteen third-round losers earned themselves £25,000, whilst the 32 players who departed the competition at the second-round stage were still guaranteed £15,000 - £7,500 more than players who succumbed 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.
How many nine-darters have there been at the World Darts Championship?
There has been a total of 12 perfect legs recorded at the World Darts Championship, with Paul Lim the first to achieve it in 1990.
Lim earned a mammoth £52,000 bonus for achieving the feat - some £28,000 more than Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor received for winning the competition.
Since then, only Raymond van Barneveld (2009 & 2010), Adrian Lewis (2011 & 2014), Dean Winstanley (2012), van Gerwen (2012), Terry Jenkins (2014), Kyle Anderson (2014), Gary Anderson (2016), William Boland (2022) and Michael Smith (2023) have landed the perfect leg.
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.
Who are the favourites for the 2024 World Darts Championship?
The usual suspects are all amongst the pre-tournament favourites to claim the 2024 World Darts Championship title, but it is the three-time winner, van Gerwen, who is the current 11/4 market-leader.
The Dutchman has been beaten in the final of the Ally Pally showpiece in 2020 and 2023 and the Green Machine has not lifted the trophy since 2019. However, MVG remains at the head of the betting.
Michael Smith, who lifted the Sid Waddell trophy in 2023, is the second-favourite at 7/2, with 2021 champ Gerwyn Price a 7/1 shot.
But with a plethora of talent on show, and Ally Pally famed for its shocks and upsets over the years, the World Darts Championship really is wide-open, with the likes of Johnny Clayton (16/1), Peter Wright (10/1) and Luke Humphries (16/1) all hoping to peak at the right time.
Further down the field, Josh Rock, who is the new kid on the darting block, is available at 14/1, whilst Dirk van Duijvenbode, who has been flying on the Pro Tour, is 28/1.
Click here to view all of the 'Outright Winner' odds ahead of the 2024 World Darts Championship.
