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, held at London’s Alexandra Palace, attracts a huge amount of World Darts Championship betting.
- Tournament Structure of the World Darts Championship
- Best Betting Sites for the World Darts Championship
- World Darts Championship Betting Odds, Promotions, Tips & Predictions
- 5 Reasons to Bet on the World Darts Championship
- Popular World Darts Championship Betting Markets
- History of the World Darts Championship
- Recent World Darts Championship Winners
- Cazoo World Darts Championship Nine-Darters
- Upcoming Sporting Events
- Similar Tournaments to the PDC Darts World Championship
- World Darts Championship Betting FAQs
- ThePuntersPage Final Say
Tournament Structure of the World Darts Championship
The PDC World Darts Championship takes place each year from around the middle of December, with the final being held on or just after New Year’s Day. The tournament usually lasts for 17 days, in which there are 28 sessions. At the oche, play is a straightforward seeded knockout competition, in which matches get longer as the tournament progresses.
The first and second rounds are played to the best-of-five sets. The following two rounds are the best-of-seven sets, the quarter-finals are the best-of-nine sets, the semi-finals are the best-of-11 sets, and the final is played to the best-of-13 sets. Each set consists of five legs.
The field is made up of 96 players; the top 32 world darts players, by order of merit, are automatically seeded into the second round of the tournament, while the rest enter from the first round. Ranking is based on the amount of prize money won over a period of two years.
As of 2013, apart from a cheque for £500,000, the winner also receives the Sid Waddell Trophy, named after the legendary “Voice of Darts” commentator who passed away in 2012.
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#1
 William Hill
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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 |
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#2
 Ladbrokes
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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 |
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#3
BetVictor
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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 |
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#4
 Betfred
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T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY
• New UK customers only. Register using the promo code BETFRED60, deposit, and place first bet of £10+ on Sports (cumulative price Evens+) within 7 days of registration. • First bet must be on Sports. £20 in Free Bets to be used on Sports, £10 in Free Bets to be used on Lotto, and 50 Free Spins (20p per spin) credited within 48 hours of bet settlement. • Further £20 in Free Bets credited 5 days after settlement. Bonuses have a 7-day expiry. Payment restrictions apply. SMS verification and/or Proof of I.D and address may be required. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad |
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#5
Paddy Power
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T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY
18+ New customers only. 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 £20. Only deposits made using cards or Apple Pay will qualify for this promotion. T&Cs apply. Paddy's Rewards Club: Get a £10 free bet when you place 5x bets of £10+. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad |
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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.
| Player | Odds* | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Michael van Gerwen | 10/3 | Betfred |
| Gerwyn Price | 6/1 | William Hill |
| Peter Wright | 7/1 | Bet UK |
| Michael Smith | 14/1 | Paddy Power |
| Luke Humphries | 16/1 | Betfred |
| Dimitri van den Bergh | 18/1 | SpreadEX |
| Jonny Clayton | 18/1 | Paddy Power |
| Josh Rock | 20/1 | William Hill |
| Nathan Aspinall | 33/1 | Betfred |
| Danny Noppert | 40/1 | Ladbrokes |
| Rob Cross | 40/1 | Paddy Power |
| Dave Chisnall | 40/1 | BetVictor |
| Joe Cullen | 40/1 | Betfred |
| Dirk van Duijvenbode | 40/1 | Bet UK |
| Gary Anderson | 50/1 | Unibet |
*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.
MVG has won three titles, his last being in 2019. He’s been on hot form after having won the Premier League, World Matchplay, and World Gran Prix. This year, he could become only the second player to win a triple crown in a single season.
‘The Iceman’ is the top seed in the event, which is a great indication to his chances of going all the way. With a favourable starting position, it is all in his hands to go the distance.
Seeded second, 'Snakebite Wright' might end up facing Michael van Gerwen in the semi-final. The current world-number-two will be doing his utmost to retain his title, and he definitely has what it takes to do it.
World Darts Championship Betting Promotions 2023
Looking for a free bet to use on this tournament? Have a look at the top two promotions available:
- PDC partner BoyleSports’ £40 bet bundle welcome pack is a great way to get started with World Darts Championship betting.
- Another great World Darts Championship betting promotion is being offered by tournament sponsors William Hill. Newcomers can help themselves to 3 x £10 free bets, which adds up to a total of £30 to bet on the darts with!
5 Reasons to Bet on the World Darts Championship
- The World Darts Championship is the biggest event in darts.
- With a £2.5 million prize fund, it is the richest too.
- Plenty of crazy fans will be watching along with you.
- Many of the world’s best darters will be taking part.
- The tournament is a UK Christmas tradition.
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.
- To Win Outright Betting
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.
- Highest Average Betting
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.
- Most Maximums (180) 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.
- Finishes on the Bull Betting
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.
- Highest Checkout Betting
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.
| Player | Total | World Championship | World Matchplay | Premier League |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phil Taylor | 36 | 14 | 16 | 6 |
| Michael van Gerwen | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| Gary Anderson | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| James Wade | 2 | 1 | 1 |
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:
| Tournament Round | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| Total | £2,500,000 |
| Winner | £500,000 |
| Runner-Up | £200,000 |
| Semi-Finalists | £100,000 |
| Quarterfinalists | £50,000 |
| Fourth Round Losers | £35,000 |
| Third Round Losers | £25,000 |
| Second Round Losers | £15,000 |
| First Round Losers | £7,500 |
Recent World Darts Championship Winners
| Year | Winner | Score (Sets) | Runner-Up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Peter Wright | 7-5 | Michael Smith |
| 2021 | Gerwyn Price | 7-3 | Gary Anderson |
| 2020 | Peter Wright | 7-3 | Michael van Gerwen |
| 2019 | Michael van Gerwen | 7-3 | Michael Smith |
| 2018 | Rob Cross | 7-2 | Phil Taylor |
| 2017 | Michael van Gerwen | 7-3 | Gary Anderson |
| 2016 | Gary Anderson | 7-5 | Adrian Lewis |
| 2015 | Gary Anderson | 7-6 | Phil Taylor |
| 2014 | Michael van Gerwen | 7-4 | Peter Wright |
| 2013 | Phil Taylor | 7-4 | Michael van Gerwen |
| 2012 | Adrian Lewis | 7-3 | Andy Hamilton |
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.
| Year | Player | Round |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Raymond van Barneveld | Quarter-Final |
| 2010 | Raymond van Barneveld | 2nd Round |
| 2011 | Adrian Lewis | Final |
| 2013 | Dean Winstanley | 2nd Round |
| 2013 | Michael van Gerwen | Semi-Final |
| 2014 | Terry Jenkins | 1st Round |
| 2014 | Kyle Anderson | 1st Round |
| 2015 | Adrian Lewis | 3rd Round |
| 2016 | Gary Anderson | Semi-Final |
| 2021 | James Wade | 3rd Round |
| 2022 | William Borland | 1st Round |
| 2022 | Darius Labanauskas | 1st Round |
| 2022 | Gerwyn Price | Quarter-Final |
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.
World Darts Championship Betting FAQs
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We believe that the best World Darts Championship betting sites are William Hill, Ladbrokes, and Betfair.
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The PDC World Darts Championship is held at the Alexandra Palace in North London.
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Every session of the World Darts Championship can be viewed live on Sky Sports.
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The World Darts Championship is set to take place between the 15th of December 2022 and the 3rd of January 2023.
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The final field is around 96 players, with the top 32 players being seeded into the second round.
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Yes, most of the top bookies will offer this for individual games, as well as an outright for the tournament as a whole.
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!
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.