2026 World Darts Championship: Bally Bet's Definitive Guide

The PDC World Darts Championship has returned, and with 20 days of drama, 128 players taking part and the largest prize fund in history, it’s bigger and better than ever. 

Avid darts fan or on the lookout for something exciting to watch over Christmas? Either way, here's what you need to know about one of the sport’s biggest events. 

When & where is the World Darts Championship? 

The excitement gets underway from 7 p.m. this Thursday, and the final will take place at 8 p.m. on Saturday the 3rd of January. There are matches every day throughout this period, with the exception of Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve. 

The championship takes place at Alexandra Palace, which as a venue has become synonymous with world class darts since it first hosted the event in 2008.  

Looking to watch the action on TV? The World Darts Championship will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event, with further coverage available on the Sky Sports Darts channel from the 10th of December.  

How this year’s World Darts Championship format works 

This year’s competition sees 128 players taking part, which is a considerable leap from last year’s 96-player format.  

All players start from round one, though the top 32 players have been seeded to make sure elite players only go head-to-head later in the tournament. 

Matches are played in a set format, with the number of sets needed to win the match increasing as the tournament progresses. Sets are either played to the best of five legs or first to three as per the list below. Each leg starts at 501 points.  

The number of sets required to win increases as the tournament progresses: 

1. Rounds One & Two: best of five sets (first to three) 
2. Rounds Three and Four: best of seven sets (first to four) 
3. Quarter-finals: best of nine sets (first to five) 
4. Semi-finals: best of 11 sets (first to six) 
5. Final: best of 13 sets (first to seven) 

If a deciding set reaches 2-2 in legs, it must be won by two clear legs. If the final set score reaches 5-5, a sudden death leg will determine the winner.  
 

Check out our Darts Betting page for a closer look at how legs, sets and scoring works. 

Who's taking part?

The 128 participants have earned their spots through the various qualification routes. The top 40 players in the PDC Order of Merit rankings have automatically qualified, closely followed by the next 40 highest-ranked players in the PDC Pro Tour Order of Merit rankings. And the remaining 48 spots were filled by players from a range of international qualifiers like the Development Tour, Challenge Tour and Women’s Series. 

Luke Littler enters the tournament as world number one after last year’s triumph, where he defeated Michael van Gerwen 7-3 to become the youngest world champion ever. 

Luke Humphries sits at number two, still highly regarded to do well after going out to Peter Wright in the fourth round of last year’s tournament and thereby having his title defence cut short.  

Van Gerwen takes third place, and the three-time champion will be looking at adding a fourth title to his collection having reached his seventh final this January. 

Popular World Darts Championship markets 

There’s plenty of betting markets to choose from for the PDC World Championship, but don’t just take our word for it. Head to the Darts section on-site and see for yourself. 

With us, you can bet on: 

• Match winner 
• King of the Oche (match winner, highest checkout and most 180s) 
• Set handicap and correct set score 
• Nine-dart finishes 
• 170 checkouts 

And many more besides.  

World Darts Championship prize money breakdown 

This year’s total prize pot stands at a staggering £5 million, and the competition’s winner pockets £1 million from that pot. 

The prize money the runner-up, semi-finalists and quarter-finalists take home is nothing to be sniffed at, either. Respectively, that’s £400,000, £200,000 and £100,000 each. 

Those going out in earlier rounds leave with a considerable amount, too. Here’s the full breakdown of the £5 million prize pot: 

1. Winner: £1,000,000 
2. Runner-up: £400,000 
3. Semi-finalists: £200,000 
4. Quarter-finalists: £100,000 
5. Round Four losers: £50,000 
6. Round Three losers: £35,000 
7. Round Two losers: £25,000 
8. Round One losers: £15,000 

And £60,000 goes to any player that pulls off a nine-dart finish. 

What’s different about this year’s World Darts Championship? 

A few things distinguish this year’s event from previous ones.  

We’ve already mentioned it, but one major difference is the inclusion of 128 players, up from 96 players. To account for the increase in numbers and avoid packing a schedule too tightly, this year’s tournament starts four days earlier than before, meaning its total duration extends just over a month. 

The jump from £500,000 to £1 million for the eventual winner is an emphatic change, and makes clear just how lucrative the event is. Similarly, the total prize fund this year is £5 million, up from £2.5 million. 

Unlike in previous years, where seeded players joined in the second round, they will take part in the first round alongside everyone else. 

The 2025/26 World Darts Championship will be the last instalment held at Alexandra Palace’s West Hall. From next year onwards, 70,000 extra fans can witness the excitement for themselves when the tournament moves to the larger Great Hall.   

How many nine-dart finishes have there been at the World Darts Championship? 

There have been sixteen nine-dart finishes in the tournament since Raymond van Barneveld threw the first in 2009. Last year, Damon Heta threw the second nine-darter of the competition against Luke Woodhouse, after Christian Kist threw the first against Madars Razma. 

Van Barneveld is one of two players to have hit two nine-dart finishes in the tournament; the other being Adrian Lewis.

Checking out 

Wrapping up a thrilling year of action, the PDC World Darts Championship is 20 days’ worth of elite competition that sees legacies defined. Expect drama from the first round, with underdogs aiming to cause upsets while veterans vie for the title.  

The focus will surely be on Littler, who fans will hope can defend his title, though the larger field of players creates an opportunity for breakthrough performances and unexpected runs.  

With a staggering £5 million in the prize pot and fans from around the world tuning in, the stage is set for another unforgettable championship. And whether you’re backing your favourite or counting the 180s, the Worlds Darts Championship will deliver the excitement. Don’t miss it.  

Take a look at the Bally Bet blog for even more sports betting content ranging from how-to guides and coverage of upcoming events to overviews of current promotions we've got going on. 

All offers mentioned correct at the time of writing but may be subject to change.