Mode, prize money and favorites check: this is what you need to know about the 2024 World Darts Championship

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The largest tournament of the darts year starts on Friday, December 15 with 96 participants and ends with the final on Wednesday, January 3, 2024. Because the event continues into the new year, it is officially called the 2024 World Cup.

The game has taken place at Alexandra Palace – better known as Ally Pally – in the north London borough of Haringey since 2007. The leisure and recreation park also hosts other sporting events, such as the Snooker Masters. At the World Darts Championship, the Ally Pally can accommodate around 3,200 fans, who will probably have a big party every day.

Unlike the other major tournaments, the World Cup is played in sets. All first and second round matches will take place until December 23, in which a player must win three sets. To win a set, three legs must be won.

In the third round and the round of 16, “Best of 7” is played, so four sets must be won. It takes five winning sets in the quarter-finals, six in the semi-finals, before seven sets need to be won in the final to secure the ‘Sid Waddell’ trophy.

Whoever lifts the trophy can look forward to a compensation of 500,000 pounds (about 550,000 francs). The finalist will receive 200,000 pounds (approximately 220,000 francs). The remaining prize money (in CHF):

• Semi-final: 110,000 francs
• Quarter-final: 55,000 francs
• Round of 16: 38,500 francs
• 3rd round: 27,500 francs
• 2nd round: 16,500 francs
• 1st round: 8250 francs

There is also extra prize money for those who throw at least two so-called “ninth darts” (perfect legs) during the tournament. If a player succeeds, he will receive an additional £50,000.

There are two names you cannot ignore: Michael van Gerwen (34) and Gerwyn Price (38). The Dutchman has already become world champion three times (2014, 2017 and 2019) and has become an indispensable part of the darts scene. The same goes for former rugby player Price, the Welshman won the World Cup title in 2021.

The best Swiss darts player Stefan Bellmont (34) also confirms that the two are among the top favorites: “You should always have them on the bill.” But the man from Zug also brings another name into the game that is even more important to him: “Luke Humphries is certainly the top favorite.” With the World Grand Prix in October, the Grand Slam of Darts in November and the Players Championship Finals the following week, the Englishman recently won three major tournaments, the first of his career.

“Bully Boy” Michael Smith defeated van Gerwen 7-4 in the final a year ago, the final went down as one of the best in history. In the third leg of the second set, the Ally Pally boiled over after Van Gerwen initially missed the nine-darter and a few seconds later Smith took the perfect leg.

Things did not go particularly well for the defending champions this year. In 2023 there was only one tournament victory at the Players Championships and one on the European Tour, the two tournament series of the Pro Tour within the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC). However, Bellmont believes that Smith should also be a force to be reckoned with: “He has been a bit under the radar lately, but he will be fully ready for the World Cup.”

Bellmont, who narrowly missed out on participating in the World Cup for the first time (lost in the semi-finals of qualifying), names a few players who could have a say in the title, such as Stephen Bunting (38), Dave Chisnall (43) and Josh Rock (22). But he also says: “In recent years, things have become increasingly tight at the top. It’s very open.”

The current world number 140 believes Josh Rock can “create a sensation”. This also includes world junior champion Luke Littler (16), who “you should definitely keep an eye on”. The Swiss, who has a lot of contact with German darts professionals, could also imagine that someone from our northern neighbor could go far – like Gabriel ‘Gaga’ Clemens (40) who reached the semi-finals last year.

One of them: Ricardo Pietreczko. The 29-year-old, who goes by the nickname “Pikachu”, sensationally won the German Darts Championship in October. In the semi-finals he defeated Michael van Gerwen and in the final he defeated two-time world champion Peter Wright (53). “Pietreczko is capable of winning a few rounds,” Bellmont said.

Source : Blick