2023 World Darts Championship Betting Guide & Tips

The PDC World Darts Championship has been the biggest event of the professional darts calendar ever since its establishment in 1994. Famed for its crazy antics and excitable fans, it's unsurprising that this event attracts a huge amount of World Darts Championship betting.

World Darts Championship Betting Odds, Promotions, Tips & Predictions

This year’s tournament will take place between the 15th of December and the 3rd of January at the Alexandra Palace in London for the 16th time, marking the event's 30th anniversary. With this mind, it’ll surely be a memorable one to watch and bet on!

World Darts Championship Betting Odds 2023

With a great warm-up tournament in the Cazoo Grand Slam of Darts (starting and ending in November), these dart players will all be at the top of their game.

*Subject to change

World Darts Championship Betting Tips & Predictions 2023

With the tournament set to kick off on the 15th of December, the favourites are clearly emerging. This can be seen in the odds, as a gap has formed between the top three and the rest of the players.

The current top three in the world and the winners of the last four editions, Michael van Gerwen, Gerwyn Price, and Peter Wright are surely the ones to watch this year.

World Darts Championship Betting Promotions 2023

Looking for a free bet to use on this tournament? Have a look at the top three promotions available:

GB

Best Betting Sites for the World Darts Championship

#1 The Pools	Competitive World Darts Championship Odds Myriad of sportsbook promotions Superb sports coverage	READ The Pools REVIEW SEE OFFER	T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY 18+, UK only. Deposit and place a minimum £10 cash bet at single or accumulated odds of 1/1 or greater and we will give you 1 x £5 in free bets plus an extra 3 x £5 Free Bets the following day. Applies to first cash bet only. Free bets credited as 4 x £5 bets to use on 3x Any sport & 1x Virtuals. Cashed Out, Void or Draw No Bet wagers do not qualify for this promotion. 1 x £5 Free Bets are credited upon qualifying first bet settlement, other free bets credited by midday the day after your first bet settles. 7-day free bet expiry. Available once per customer. This offer cannot be combined with any other promotion. Full T&C's apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad
#2 Parimatch UK	Competitive World Darts Championship odds Trending bets, enhanced accas & boosted markets Multitude of account controls	READ Parimatch UK REVIEW SEE OFFER	T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY T&C`s: 18+, New customers only. Opt in, bet £10 on any sports (odds 2.00+) in 7 days. No cash out. Get 4x£5 sports free bets for set markets (odds 2.00+), which expire in 7 days. Offer is valid from 10:00 UK time on 16/01/2023. Card payments onlyT&Cs Apply | begambleaware.org | Please gamble responsibly. . Click for full T&Cs. BeGambleAware.org #ad
#3 BetUK	Emphasis on responsible gambling Football-focused sportsbook Great World Darts Championship offering	READ BetUK REVIEW SEE OFFER	T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY T&C’s Apply. New cus only. Opt-in & deposit req. 7 days to deposit and stake £10 minimum bet at odds of 1/2 (1.5) or greater to qualify. Max 3x £10 free bets credited on bet settlement. Free bets must be used on 4 or more selections with selection odds of 1.3 or greater. Free bets are non-withdrawable and stake not returned with winnings. 7 day expiry. 18+ BeGambleAware.org #ad
#4 BetVictor	Wide selection of darts markets Very good World Darts Championship betting odds Bet £10 Get £40 + 100 in free spins	READ BetVictor REVIEW SEE OFFER	T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY 18+ New customers only. Opt in, bet £10 at odds 2.00+ within 7 days, no cashout. Get 3x £10 Free Bets, set events at odds 2.00+. Plus a £10 Slot Bonus, selected games, wager 20x to withdraw max £250. Plus 100 Free Spins. 100 Free Spins have no wagering. Bonuses and Spins expire in 7 days. Card payments only. Please Gamble Responsibly. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad
#5 bet365	Darts livestreaming Variety of darts competitions Good offering of World Darts Championship markets	READ bet365 REVIEW SEE OFFER	T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY 18+ - Offer for new customers at bet365. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad
#6 Sportingbet	Consistent World Darts Championship odds User-friendly platform Mainstream and niche markets available	READ Sportingbet REVIEW SEE OFFER	T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY 18+ | New players only | Available until 23:59 GMT 31.12.2025 Each challenge has its own TCs. Eligible Bets must be placed for each respective Challenge during the Promotional Period including the following: ACCA, Football, In-Play, and Casino. Each challenge has its own set of TCs and can only be completed 1x. Available to claim: 20 Free Spins, £10 Free Bet, 50% Back up Free Bet up to £20, £10 Casino Bonus when you wager £50+. If all are completed you will receive Max £20 Free Bet to be used on any sport. Gamble Responsibly. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad
#7 Kwiff	Supercharged World Darts Championship odds Great selection of promotions Excellent customer service	READ Kwiff REVIEW SEE OFFER	T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY The Promotion operates as a £/€20 Surprise Bet when you place a bet of at least £/€10 on any market with odds greater than or equal to 1/2 as your first bet. The Promotion is only valid to: (a) new customers; (b) customers aged 18 years or over. To qualify for the Promotion, participant must deposit and place a £/€10 bet as their first bet on any market (excluding each way) in the sportsbook with odds greater than or equal to 1.50. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad
#8 10bet	Fantastic World Darts Championship odds Great betting offers Fast and easy to navigate	READ 10bet REVIEW SEE OFFER	T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY 18+ begambleaware.org; New bettors get 50% of deposit up to £50; Once per household; Min deposit £15 (no Skrill/Neteller); Wager a total of 8 times deposit + bonus, with max qualifying bet stake equal to your initial bonus amount; Bonus expires after 60 days; Min odds of 4/5 on singles, or 2/5 per leg for acca; Some bet types excluded; See full terms; Terms apply; 18+ #ad
#9 LeoVegas	Popular bookmaker Good World Darts Championship markets Great sports offering	READ LeoVegas REVIEW SEE OFFER	T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY Key terms - New players only. Claim by placing a min deposit £10 via "My Offers" page within 30 days. Skrill/Neteller deposits excl. 7 days to stake max £10 in-play. Max. extra winnings £100. 18+ | BeGambleAware.org | LeoSafePlay.com | Play responsibly! Full T&Cs apply BeGambleAware.org #ad
#10 BoyleSports	Variety of World Darts Championship markets Decades of experience Native mobile app for iOS and Android	READ BoyleSports REVIEW SEE OFFER	T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY *New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Mobile only. £20 in FREE Bets (FB) as £10 in sports bets & a £10 casino bonus (CB). Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. FB applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. FB 7 day expiry. 1 FB offer per customer, household & IP address only. Payment restrictions. 14 days to accept £10 CB, then active for 3 days. CB 5x wagering & max redeemable £100. Game restrictions apply. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. 30 days to qualify. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad
#11 Coral	Competitive & consistent odds Huge emphasis on esports & specials Great World Darts Championship pre-match coverage	READ Coral REVIEW SEE OFFER	T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY 18+ New UK+ ROI Customers only. Deposit & Bet min £5 as first bet at minimum odds 1/2 to qualify for 1x £20 Free Bet. Certain deposit methods and bet types excluded. Free bet valid for 7 days, stake not returned. Restrictions apply. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad
#12 Quinnbet	Competitive odds Fantastic World Championship offers Wide range of markets	READ Quinnbet REVIEW SEE OFFER	T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY If your account has Sportsbook losses at the end of your first day's betting, QuinnBet will refund 50% of your losses as a Free Bet up to £25 (min 3 bets) Plus 10 Free Spins on Asgard Warriors. Even if your account is up, you're guaranteed a £5 Free Bet Plus 10 Free Spins provided you place at least 1 bet of £10 or greater at the minimum odds. T&Cs apply | 18+ New UK Customers Only | Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad
#13 SBK	Mobile-only sportsbook Great offers for the World Darts Championship Various payment methods accepted	READ SBK REVIEW SEE OFFER	T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY New UK, IE & Malta customers only. Min £10/€10 first deposit using Debit Card. Place a bet of £10 at min odds of 1.5. Free bets expire in 90 days. Full T&Cs apply. 18+. BeGambleAware.org #ad
#14 bwin	Part of world's largest gaming group Well-known World Darts Championship bookmaker More than 20 million customers	READ bwin REVIEW SEE OFFER	T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY 18+ | New UK players only | Min deposit req. £10 | Certain deposit methods excluded | Place 1 sport bet (3+ selections) | Excl Horse Racing | Min stake £10 | Max stake £20 | Min Odds 2/1 (3.0) | Max FreeBet £20 for football only | FreeBet valid for 7 days | FreeBet stake not returned | Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad
#15 Paddy Power	Wide variety of World Darts Championship betting markets Bet £20 and get it back if it loses Brilliant customer support & live chat	READ Paddy Power REVIEW SEE OFFER	T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY New Customer Offer. Place your FIRST bet on any Sportsbook market and if it loses we will refund your stake in CASH. Max refund for this offer is £10. Only deposits made using cards will qualify for this promotion. T&Cs apply. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad
#16 Smarkets	Industry-low commission fee of 2% Great Exchange offering the World Darts Championship Modern, slick website	READ Smarkets REVIEW SEE OFFER	T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY 1. Once the bonus is credited to your account, losses will be refunded up to the bonus amount. 2. You must deposit at least the qualifying deposit of £20 (or currency equivalent) in a single amount with your first deposit to be eligible for the rebate. 3. To withdraw rebated funds, you must bet at least the qualifying deposit on any combination of markets within the promotional period; otherwise, rebated funds will be forfeited. 4. Unused bonuses expire after seven days of being credited to a user account and will be removed after this period. 5. Users making their first deposit by Skrill, NETELLER, PayPal or a virtual/prepaid card will not qualify for this promotion. 6. The sign-up offer is strictly limited to one per individual, family, household address, email address, same payment account number, and shared computer. 7. This promotion cannot be used in conjunction with any other sign-up promotion. 8. Smarkets Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad
#17 Ladbrokes	Boost your PDC darts odds Regular free £1 bets Bet £5 get £20 as 4 x £5 bets	READ Ladbrokes REVIEW SEE OFFER	T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY 18+ New UK+IRE Customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first 5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 = 4x 5 free bets. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. No cashout, restrictions + Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad
#18 William Hill	Great for World Darts Championships betting Many amazing offers & promotions Bet £10 get £30 in free bets, credited as 3 x £10 bets	READ William Hill REVIEW SEE OFFER	T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY New customers using Promo code H30 only, Min £10/€10 stake, min odds 1/2, free bets paid as 2 x £15/€15, free bets credited after settlement of first qualifying bet, free bets will expire 30 days after the qualifying bet is placed, payment method/player/country restrictions apply. See full terms below. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad
#19 Luckland	Quick & easy betting process Consistent & fair World Darts Championship odds Plenty of room to grow	READ Luckland REVIEW SEE OFFER	T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY NEW CUSTOMERS ONLY. MAX ONE £25 FREE BET. MIN QUALIFYING STAKE £15. QUALIFYING BETS MUST BE PLACED AT ODDS OF 1/1 (2.00) OR GREATER. PAID AS BONUS TOKEN WITH MIN 4/5 (1.80) ODDS REQ. SKRILL, NETELLER & PAYPAL ARE NOT ELIGIBLE. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad

5 Reasons to Bet on the World Darts Championship

Popular World Darts Championship Betting Markets

World Darts Championship betting has become hugely popular among fans of the sport. While the Premier League Darts and the World Matchplay are the other huge majors, nothing comes close to this tournament. This means fantastic betting opportunities are ripe for the picking, many of which can be found at the best darts betting sites listed above.

A bet on the outright winner of the tournament is exactly that: a wager placed on the darter that you believe is the most likely to win the World Darts Championship. While bookmakers’ odds are a good indicator of those most likely to do well, sometimes, there can be surprise winners. An example of this took place in 2018, when a largely unknown Rob Cross beat legend Phil Taylor in the World Darts Championship final.

Applying to the tournament as a whole or to a solitary match, this betrefers to the average score a player gets each time they step up to the oche. The highest score they can get with three darts is 180, by landing in the triple 20 zone three times. While no player will ever get 180 every time they step forward to throw, we can tell how well they are throwing by calculating an average score – the higher, the better.

If  you correctly predict a player to post the highest average, you have a winning bet. This is a particularly good market for in-play betting.

As we mentioned above, the highest possible score that can be made with three darts is 180. In professional darts, these are scored with a fair frequency, but someone always hits more than anyone else, making it a perfect betting market. Again, this is a bet that can be applied to either the match or the tournament as a whole. 

The Bull, or Bullseye, is the centrepiece of a dartboard. While the rules of darts stipulate that players must finish their checkout on a double, if a player leaves themselves with 50 to finish, then they can choose to check out on the bull. Many online bookmakers will offer a price on there being more bull finishes in a session or day than a nominated amount; for example, ‘over three bull finishes in an evening session, 5/2'. This is perfect for World Darts Championship betting, where there are multiple sessions a day in the early rounds.

There are only two ways to end a leg of darts: a double or a bull. A double is fairly straightforward as long as you’re left with an even number, which is 40 or lower. Considerably harder is ending on a bullseye, which is the smallest area on the board. This will nab you 50 points.

Therefore, the most points achievable to end a leg of darts is 170. This wager works the same way as the 180 bet – to achieve this checkout, players must hit two triple 20s and finish on the bullseye, which is known as “The Big Fish”. Therefore, you need to predict how many times a 170 is hit in a tournament or game.

History of the World Darts Championship

The first ever PDC World Darts Championship took place in 1994, and was won by Dennis Priestly. Along with 15 other big name darters, Priestly had been instrumental in the breakaway from the British Darts Organisation (BDO) and subsequent formation of the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC), originally called the World Darts Council (WDC). 

The liquidation of the BDO meant the end of the of the BDO World Darts Championship. However, the World Darts Federation (WDF) went on to create their own World Championship, with the inaugural competition taking place in April 2022. The latter is obviously still in its infancy, though, so it is dwarfed by the PDC Darts World Championship in terms of stature and prestige.

The Champions

At the time of writing, a total of 10 players have been crowned world champions. After Dennis Priestly won the inaugural competition in '94, Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor took his revenge and then some, winning the next eight in a row, defeating Priestly four times in five finals in the process.

Things took a turn when Canadian John Part beat Phil Taylor in 2003, ending the latter's reign of dominance. However, Taylor did go on to win the next three after that. In 2007, Raymond ‘Barney’ van Barneveld beat Phil Taylor to win his only World Championship. Up until this point, Taylor had played in every final ever played in the tournament, totalling 14.

Taylor went on to win a further three titles, winning a total of 14 championships and appearing in 19 finals. No has even come close to Taylor's dominance since. Having said that, one man who has begun his ascent to the top is Michael van Gerwen, who has won three championship titles so far: in 2014, 2017, and 2019.

Other notable winners include Adrian Lewis (2011, 2012) and Gary Anderson (2014, 2015) who won both their title on the bounce, as well as John Part (2003, 2008) and most recently Peter Wright (2020, 2022) who have been crowned twice. Rob Cross (2018) and Gerwyn Price (2021) join the ranks of one-time winners.

Triple Crown

The World Champion is the crown jewel in the triple crown of Darts. Much like in snooker, the Triple Crown is awarded to any player who across their entire career has won the three major darts tournaments. These include the Premier League, the World Matchplay, and, of course, the World Championship.

Only three players have completed this feat, with their wins illustrated in the table below. Phil Taylor is the only player to have achieved it in a single season, twice, in 2006 and 2010.

James Wade, the 5th seed, is the only contestant who stands to achieve a Triple Crown by winning this upcoming tournament. At 60/1, the odds may be stacked against him – but he can’t be ruled out of the running either.

Venue

The first PDC World Darts Championship was held at the famed Circus Tavern in Essex, where it remained until 2007. It was then moved to the Alexandra Palace in North London. The fans are definitely a huge highlight during the final, as they all dress up in a carnival-like manner, causing the event to resemble a party. This highlight was missing in 2020, as, due to concerns surrounding the pandemic, the event was held in its regular North London venue without an audience.

Prize Money

While the total prize in the inaugural competition was £64,000, this amount has increased drastically over the years – so much so that the the current prize pot is a staggering £2,500,000! This is split between all the participants of the event as follows:

Recent World Darts Championship Winners

Cazoo World Darts Championship Nine-Darters

One of the most challenging skills to pull off is a nine-darter. Equivalent to bowling a perfect 300 or achieving a maximum break in snooker, it is rarely achieved.

In fact, throughout the 30-year history of the competition, there have only been 13 nine-dart finishes. Van Barneveld and Adrian Lewis have achieved the feat twice.

World Darts Championship – Key Stats

Upcoming Sporting Events

Similar Tournaments to the PDC Darts World Championship

• 12th –  20th November 2022, PDC Grand Slam of Darts: Serving as a kind of warm-up for the World Championship, this event runs for a week in Wolverhampton and opens with a group stage.
• 25th – 27th November 2022, Player Championship Finals: This will take place at Butlin's Resort in Minehead.
• 2nd February – 20th April 2023, PDC Darts Premier League: One third of darts’ unofficial Triple Crown, along with the World Championship and the World Matchplay, this event runs weekly through the spring months and will, in 2022, stage its playoffs in Newcastle rather than London.
• 15th – 23rd July 2023, PDC World Darts Matchplay: Second only to the World Championship in darting importance, this event is held each July at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.

ThePuntersPage Final Say

Over the years, the PDC World Darts Championship has become one of the biggest sporting occasions in the UK, commanding a growing global audience. When the PDC broke off from the BDO in the early '90s, it effectively shed its '80s pub game persona, reinventing itself as a newer, more attractive version of darts. As such, World Darts Championship betting only adds to the thrill of watching an immensely enjoyable tournament!

Written by Jeremy Sant Fournier View all posts by Jeremy

Jeremy is a die hard Evertonian and a massive sports fan. If he’s not watching Everton, he’s either playing football or watching whatever sport he can find on TV. With a keen interest in sports betting, sports writing is a match made in heaven.

jeremy@thepunterspage.com

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