2023 European Championship (darts) explained

Tournament Name:2023 Machineseeker European Championship
Dates:26–29 October 2023
Venue:Westfalenhallen
Location:Dortmund, Germany
Organisation:Professional Darts Corporation (PDC)
Format:Legs
Prize Fund:£500,000
Winners Share:£120,000
High Checkout:170 Chris Dobey
(second round)
Prev:2022
Next:2024

The 2023 Machineseeker European Championship was the sixteenth edition of the Professional Darts Corporation's European Championship tournament, which sees the top players from the thirteen European tour events compete against each other. The tournament took place from 26 to 29 October 2023 at the Westfalenhallen in Dortmund, Germany.[1]

Ross Smith was the defending champion, having beaten Michael Smith in the 2022 final.[2] He became the fifth consecutive defending champion to lose in the first round after a 6–3 defeat to Ricardo Pietreczko.

Peter Wright won the tournament for the second time after beating James Wade 11–6 in the final.[3] [4] [5]

Prize money

The 2023 European Championship had a total prize fund of £600,000, up from £500,000 in 2022.

The following is the breakdown of the fund:

Position (no. of players)Prize Money
(Total: £600,000)
Winneralign=center (1)align=center £120,000
Runner-Upalign=center (1)align=center £60,000
Semi-finalistsalign=center (2)align=center £40,000
Quarter-finalistsalign=center (4)align=center £25,000
Last 16  (second round)align=center (8)align=center £15,000
Last 32  (first round)align=center (16)align=center £7,500

Qualification

The 2023 tournament continued the established qualification system whereby the top 32 players from the European Tour Order of Merit qualified for the tournament. The Order of Merit is solely based on prize money won in the thirteen European tour events during the season.

As with the previous editions, players were drawn in a fixed bracket by their seeded order with the top qualifier playing the 32nd, the second playing the 31st and so on.

The following players qualified for the tournament:

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Machineseeker European Championship. Professional Darts Corporation. 15 October 2023.
  2. Web site: Phillips. Josh. Ross Smith sensationally wins first TV title at Cazoo European Championship . . 15 October 2023.
  3. Web site: Gorton. Josh. Wonderful Wright seals second European Championship crown . . 30 October 2023.
  4. Web site: European Championship: Peter Wright beats James Wade to win second European title in Dortmund . . 30 October 2023.
  5. Web site: European Championship: Peter Wright secures title with victory over James Wade in Dortmund . . 30 October 2023.