World Darts Championship 2024: how much money does the champion earn?

The World Darts Championship is scheduled at Alexandra Palace in London from December 15, 2023, to January 3, 2024.

The Prize money breakdown

The championship offers a total prize money of £2.5m and the Sid Waddell Trophy.

The championship winner will receive £500,000, while the runner-up will earn £200,000. Semi-finalists will each be awarded £100,000, quarter-finalists will receive £50,000, and fourth-round and third-round losers will get £35,000 and £25,000 respectively. Moreover, players who lose in the second round will receive £15,000, and first-round losers will be awarded £7,500.

The cost of being a professional darts player

At the PDC World Championships, dart enthusiasts often wonder about the financial aspect of the prestigious event. Addressing the curiosity around earnings, one darts player, Matthew Edgar, took to YouTube two years ago to provide insights into the monetary details associated with participating in such tournaments.

A player who advanced to the second round of the 2021 World Championships disclosed that the standard prize money for that stage is £15,000. However, the player provided a breakdown of various costs that impact the final winnings.

The first item on the list was a £300 fee to the PDPA (Professional Dart Players Association), which amounts to two percent of the prize money. The PDPA plays a vital role in supporting players’ mental health and other professional needs. Additionally, players must pay a yearly fee of £500 for association membership, which is deducted from their prize money if they qualify for the World Championships. The Darts Regulation Authority (DRA), responsible for enforcing rules in the sport, also imposes an annual affiliation membership fee of £50, deducted from the prize money for the World Championships.

After factoring in all deductions, the player’s remittance from the prize money amounted to £13,126. However, the player further discussed additional expenses incurred during the tournament.

Hotel costs were approximately £80 per night, totaling £560 for the seven nights the player spent during the competition. Other expenses were estimated at £200, including food, travel, and miscellaneous costs. He mentioned that the expenses may have been slightly higher, especially considering London prices.

Considering all expenses, the player calculated a total expense of £1,874, leaving a net earnings figure of £13,126. This amount is pre-tax, and the player with additional tax, approximately 20%, has to apply it when filing taxes as a self-employed individual or limited company.