World Professional Darts Championship Explained

The World Professional Darts Championship is one of the most important tournaments in the darts calendar. Originally held as an annual event between 1978 and 1993, players then broke off into two separate organisations after a controversial split in the game. Each organisation, the British Darts Organisation (BDO) and the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) then arranged their own World Championships, the former in January the latter in December. As a result, there was no longer a unified world champion in the sport for nearly three decades.

The BDO version dated back to 1978, when it was held at the Heart of the Midlands nightclub, Nottingham. The following year it moved to the Jollees Cabaret Club, Stoke, where it stayed until 1985. From then until 2019 it was held at the Lakeside Leisure Complex at Frimley Green, Surrey. In 2020 the tournament was held at The O2 Arena in London. The BDO went into liquidation in 2020 and the World Darts Federation announced later that they would be creating their own version of a World Championship, returning to the Lakeside Leisure Complex. [1] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, their version didn't get underway until 2022.[2] Since qualification for the BDO version was always based on WDF rankings, most of the player pool and legacy of this new version of the World Championship is based on the old BDO system.

The PDC version has been running since 1994 after "the split", with a field of players containing all active previous World Champions from the BDO. It was originally staged at Purfleet's Circus Tavern, Essex, before moving to its current home Alexandra Palace, London, for the 2008 World Championship.

Men's winners

British Darts Organisation

See main article: article and BDO World Darts Championship.

YearWinnerScoreRunner Up
1978 Leighton Rees11–7 (legs) John Lowe
1979 John Lowe5–0 Leighton Rees
1980 Eric Bristow5–3 Bobby George
1981 Eric Bristow5–3
1982 Jocky Wilson5–3 John Lowe
1983 Keith Deller6–5 Eric Bristow
1984 Eric Bristow7–1 Dave Whitcombe
1985 Eric Bristow6–2 John Lowe
1986 Eric Bristow6–0 Dave Whitcombe
1987 John Lowe6–4 Eric Bristow
1988 Bob Anderson6–4 John Lowe
1989 Jocky Wilson6–4 Eric Bristow
1990 Phil Taylor6–1 Eric Bristow
1991 Dennis Priestley6–0 Eric Bristow
1992 Phil Taylor6–5 Mike Gregory
1993 John Lowe6–3 Alan Warriner
1994 John Part6–0 Bobby George
1995 Richie Burnett6–3 Raymond van Barneveld
1996 Steve Beaton6–3 Richie Burnett
1997 Les Wallace6–3 Marshall James
1998 Raymond van Barneveld6–5 Richie Burnett
1999 Raymond van Barneveld6–5 Ronnie Baxter
2000 Ted Hankey6–0 Ronnie Baxter
2001 John Walton6–2 Ted Hankey
2002 Tony David6–4 Mervyn King
2003 Raymond van Barneveld6–3 Ritchie Davies
2004 Andy Fordham6–3 Mervyn King
2005 Raymond van Barneveld6–2 Martin Adams
2006 Jelle Klaasen7–5 Raymond van Barneveld
2007 Martin Adams7–6 Phill Nixon
2008 Mark Webster7–5 Simon Whitlock
2009 Ted Hankey7–6 Tony O'Shea
2010 Martin Adams7–5 Dave Chisnall
2011 Martin Adams7–5 Dean Winstanley
2012 Christian Kist7–5 Tony O'Shea
2013 Scott Waites7–1 Tony O'Shea
2014 Stephen Bunting7–4 Alan Norris
2015 Scott Mitchell7–6 Martin Adams
2016 Scott Waites7–1 Jeff Smith
2017 Glen Durrant7–3 Danny Noppert
2018 Glen Durrant7–6 Mark McGeeney
2019 Glen Durrant7–3 Scott Waites
2020 Wayne Warren7–4 Jim Williams
Since 2022: WDF World Darts ChampionshipProfessional Darts Corporation

See main article: article and PDC World Darts Championship.

YearWinnerScoreRunner Up
1994 Dennis Priestley6–1 Phil Taylor
1995 Phil Taylor6–2 Rod Harrington
1996 Phil Taylor6–4 Dennis Priestley
1997 Phil Taylor6–3 Dennis Priestley
1998 Phil Taylor6–0 Dennis Priestley
1999 Phil Taylor6–2 Peter Manley
2000 Phil Taylor7–3 Dennis Priestley
2001 Phil Taylor7–0 John Part
2002 Phil Taylor7–0 Peter Manley
2003 John Part7–6 Phil Taylor
2004 Phil Taylor7–6 Kevin Painter
2005 Phil Taylor7–4 Mark Dudbridge
2006 Phil Taylor7–0 Peter Manley
2007 Raymond van Barneveld7–6 Phil Taylor
2008 John Part7–2 Kirk Shepherd
2009 Phil Taylor7–1 Raymond van Barneveld
2010 Phil Taylor7–3 Simon Whitlock
2011 Adrian Lewis7–5 Gary Anderson
2012 Adrian Lewis7–3 Andy Hamilton
2013 Phil Taylor7–4 Michael van Gerwen
2014 Michael van Gerwen7–4 Peter Wright
2015 Gary Anderson7–6 Phil Taylor
2016 Gary Anderson7–5 Adrian Lewis
2017 Michael van Gerwen7–3 Gary Anderson
2018 Rob Cross7–2 Phil Taylor
2019 Michael van Gerwen7–3 Michael Smith
2020 Peter Wright7–3 Michael van Gerwen
2021 Gerwyn Price7–3 Gary Anderson
2022 Peter Wright7–5 Michael Smith
2023 Michael Smith7–4 Michael van Gerwen
2024 Luke Humphries7–4 Luke Littler

By player

The following sortable table lists all winners of both versions of the World Championship (correct as of 5 January 2024).

PlayerTotaldata-sort-type="number" data-sort-type="number" PDC
Phil Taylor16214
Raymond van Barneveld541
Eric Bristow55
Martin Adams33
John Lowe33
Michael van Gerwen33
John Part312
Glen Durrant33
Gary Anderson22
Peter Wright22
Ted Hankey22
Adrian Lewis22
Dennis Priestley211
Scott Waites22
Jocky Wilson22
Bob Anderson11
Steve Beaton11
Stephen Bunting11
Richie Burnett11
Rob Cross11
Tony David11
Keith Deller11
Andy Fordham11
Christian Kist11
Jelle Klaasen11
Scott Mitchell11
Gerwyn Price11
Leighton Rees11
Michael Smith11
Les Wallace11
John Walton11
Wayne Warren11
Mark Webster11
Luke Humphries11

By country

The following sortable table lists all winners of both versions of the World Championship (correct as of 20 February 2024).

PlayerTotalBDOPDC
472819
1064
734
541
312
11

Highest average progression

AverageSeedPlayerScoreOpponentStageYear
97.493 Leighton Rees6–3 Alan EvansQF
99.005 John Lowe2–0 Tony Brown1st1984
100.29unseeded Keith Deller2–4 John LoweQF1985
100.80unseeded Phil Taylor5–0 Cliff LazarenkoSF1990
102.631 Dennis Priestley3–0 Jocky Wilson1st1993
103.981 Phil Taylor6–0 Dennis PriestleyF1998
105.033 Phil Taylor3–0 Reg Harding1st1999
105.872 Phil Taylor6–0 Alan WarrinerQF2000
107.462 Phil Taylor7–0 John PartF2001
111.212 Phil Taylor6–1 Shayne Burgess2nd2002
114.051 Michael van Gerwen6–2 Raymond van BarneveldSF2017

Women's winners

World Darts Federation (formerly British Darts Organisation)

See main article: BDO World Darts Championship and WDF World Darts Championship.

YearWinnerScoreRunner Up
2001 Trina Gulliver2–1 Mandy Solomons
2002 Trina Gulliver2–1 Francis Hoenselaar
2003 Trina Gulliver2–0 Anne Kirk
2004 Trina Gulliver2–0 Francis Hoenselaar
2005 Trina Gulliver2–0 Francis Hoenselaar
2006 Trina Gulliver2–0 Francis Hoenselaar
2007 Trina Gulliver2–1 Francis Hoenselaar
2008 Anastasia Dobromyslova2–0 Trina Gulliver
2009 Francis Hoenselaar2–1 Trina Gulliver
2010 Trina Gulliver2–0 Rhian Edwards
2011 Trina Gulliver2–0 Rhian Edwards
2012 Anastasia Dobromyslova2–1 Deta Hedman
2013 Anastasia Dobromyslova2–1 Lisa Ashton
2014 Lisa Ashton3–2 Deta Hedman
2015 Lisa Ashton3–1 Fallon Sherrock
2016 Trina Gulliver3–2 Deta Hedman
2017 Lisa Ashton3–0 Corrine Hammond
2018 Lisa Ashton3–1 Anastasia Dobromyslova
2019 Mikuru Suzuki3–0 Lorraine Winstanley
2020 Mikuru Suzuki3–0 Lisa Ashton
2022 Beau Greaves4–0 Kirsty Hutchinson
2023 Beau Greaves4–1 Aileen de Graaf
Professional Darts Corporation

See main article: PDC World Championship and PDC World Darts Championship.

By player

The following sortable table lists all winners of all versions of the World Championship (correct as of 10 December 2023).

PlayerTotalWDF (BDO)PDC
Trina Gulliver1010
Lisa Ashton44
Anastasia Dobromyslova33
Mikuru Suzuki22
Beau Greaves22
Francis Hoenselaar11
Stacy Bromberg11

By country

The following sortable table lists all winners of all versions of the World Championship (correct as of 10 December 2023).

PlayerTotalWDF (BDO)PDC
1616
33
22
11
11

Youth winners

The British Darts Organisation scores are sets, while the Professional Darts Corporation scores are legs.British Darts Organisation

YearWinnerScoreRunner Up
2015 Colin Roelofs3–0 Harry Ward
2016 Joshua Richardson3–2 Jordan Boyce
2017 Justin van Tergouw3–2 Nathan Girvan
2018 Justin van Tergouw3–1 Killian Hefferman
2019 Leighton Bennett3–0 Nathan Girvan
2020 Keane Barry3–0 Leighton Bennett
Professional Darts Corporation (current sponsors: Winmau)
YearWinnerScoreRunner Up
2011 Arron Monk6–4 Michael van Gerwen
2012 James Hubbard6–3 Michael van Gerwen
2013 Michael Smith6–1 Ricky Evans
2014 Keegan Brown6–4 Rowby-John Rodriguez
2015 Max Hopp6–5 Nathan Aspinall
2016 Corey Cadby6–2 Berry van Peer
2017 Dimitri Van den Bergh6–3 Josh Payne
2018 Dimitri Van den Bergh6–3 Martin Schindler
2019 Luke Humphries6–0 Adam Gawlas
2020 Bradley Brooks6–5 Joe Davis
2021 Ted Evetts6–4 Nathan Rafferty
2022 Josh Rock6–1 Nathan Girvan
2023 Luke Littler6–4 Gian van Veen

References

See main article: world championships.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 6 June 2021. Darts is Coming Home! Lakeside World Championship 2022. DartsWDF. World Darts Federation. en.
  2. Web site: Lakeside WDF World Championships 2022 - Rescheduled . 15 December 2021. World Darts Federation. 15 December 2021.