Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.
The PDC Paddy Power World Darts Championship 2024/25 is underway as Alexandra Palace delivers its usual thrills over the festive period.
Luke Humphries is back and ready to defend his title after triumphing over teenage sensation Luke Littler in the final in January – with a potential rematch set for the semi-finals.
As the Littler effect sweeps across the sport, ‘The Nuke’ enters this year’s championship as favourite, with ‘Cool Hand Luke’ and former world champions Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson among the main contenders.
Mike De Decker and Michael Smith suffered shock early exits, with Ritchie Edhouse one to watch with 96 players competing for the iconic Sid Waddell Trophy and a £2.5m prize pot. Here’s everything you need to know about this year’s championship:
Here’s everything you need to know about this year’s championship:
World Darts Championship full schedule
Saturday December 21
Afternoon Session (12.30pm)
Karel Sedlacek 0-3 Rhys Griffin (R1)
Richard Veenstra 0-3 Alexis Toylo (R1)
Brendan Dolan 3-0 Lok Yin Lee (R2)
Chris Dobey 2-0 Alexander Merkx (R2)
Evening Session (7pm)
Danny Noppert v Ryan Joyce (R2)
Raymond van Barneveld v Kenny/Buntz (R2)
Luke Littler v Ryan Meikle (R2)
Damon Heta v Connor Scutt (R2)
Sunday December 22
Afternoon Session (12.30pm)
Ryan Searle v Matt Campbell (R2)
Dirk van Duijvenbode v Madars Razma (R2)
Joe Cullen v Wessel Nijman (R2)
Ritchie Edhouse v Ian White (R2)
Evening Session (7pm)
Martin Schindler v Callan Rydz (R2)
Ross Smith v Paolo Nebrida (R2)
Gary Anderson v Jeffrey de Graaf (R2)
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Dylan Slevin (R2)
Monday December 23
Afternoon Session (12.30pm)
Krzysztof Ratajski v Veenstra/Toylo (R2)
Andrew Gilding v Martin Lukeman (R2)
Josh Rock v Sedlacek/Griffin (R2)
Jonny Clayton v Mansell/Goto (R2)
Evening Session (7pm)
Gian van Veen v Ricardo Pietreczko (R2)
Daryl Gurney v Hempel/De Zwaan (R2)
Dave Chisnall v Ricky Evans (R2)
Rob Cross v Scott Williams (R2)
Friday December 27
Afternoon Session (12.30pm)
3x Third Round
Evening Session (7pm)
3x Third Round
Saturday December 28
Afternoon Session (12.30pm)
3x Third Round
Evening Session (7pm)
3x Third Round
Sunday December 29
Afternoon Session (12.30pm)
3x Third Round
Evening Session (7pm)
1x Third Round, 2x Fourth Round
Monday December 30
Afternoon Session (12.30pm)
3x Fourth Round
Evening Session (7pm)
3x Fourth Round
Wednesday January 1
Afternoon Session (12.30pm)
2x Quarter-Finals
Evening Session (7pm)
2x Quarter-Finals
Thursday January 2 (7.30pm)
Semi-Finals
Friday January 3 (8pm)
Final
Results so far
Sunday December 15 (7pm)
Thibault Tricole 3-1 Joe Comito (R1)
Jermaine Wattimena 3-0 Stefan Bellmont (R1)
Kim Huybrechts 1-3 Keane Barry (R1)
Luke Humphries 3-0 Thibault Tricole (R2)
Monday December 16
Afternoon Session (12.30pm)
Wesley Plaisier 3-2 Ryusei Azemoto (R1)
Luke Woodhouse 3-0 Lourence Ilagan (R1)
Alan Soutar 1-3 Kai Gotthardt (R1)
James Wade 0-3 Jermaine Wattimena (R2)
Evening Session (7pm)
Niels Zonneveld 3-1 Robert Owen (R1)
Connor Scutt 3-0 Ben Robb (R1)
Cameron Menzies 1-3 Leonard Gates (R1)
Gerwyn Price 3-0 Keane Barry (R2)
Tuesday December 17
Afternoon Session (12.30pm)
James Hurrell 3-0 Jim Long (R1)
Kevin Doets 3-1 Noa-Lynn van Leuven (R1)
Ryan Joyce 3-1 Darius Labanauskas (R1)
Mike De Decker 1-3 Luke Woodhouse (R2)
Evening Session (7pm)
Jeffrey de Graaf 3-1 Rashad Sweeting (R1)
Ricardo Pietreczko 3-0 Xiaochen Zong (R1)
Ryan Meikle 3-2 Fallon Sherrock (R1)
Peter Wright 3-1 Wesley Plaisier (R2)
Wednesday December 18 (7pm)
Evening Session (7pm)
Jim Williams 3-2 Paolo Nebrida (R1)
Madars Razma 3-1 Christian Kist (R1)
Ricky Evans 3-2 Gordon Mathers (R1)
Nathan Aspinall 3-1 Leonard Gates (R2)
Thursday December 19
Afternoon Session (12.30pm)
Chris Landman 1-3 Lok Yin Lee (R1)
Callan Rydz 3-0 Romeo Grbavac (R1)
Martin Lukeman 3-1 Nitin Kumar (R1)
Gabriel Clemens 1-3 Robert Owen (R2)
Evening Session (7pm)
Nick Kenny 3-0 Stowe Buntz (R1)
Mensur Suljovic 2-3 Matt Campbell (R1)
Scott Williams 3-1 Niko Springer (R1)
Michael Smith 2-3 Kevin Doets (R2)
Friday December 20
Afternoon Session (12.30pm)
Stephen Burton 0-3 Alexander Merkx (R1)
Wessel Nijman 3-2 Cameron Carolissen (R1)
Ian White bt Sandro Eric Sosing due to late withdrawal (R1)
Stephen Bunting 3-1 Kai Gotthardt (R2)
Evening Session (7pm)
Mickey Mansell 3=1 Tomoya Goto (R1)
Florian Hempel 3-1 Jeffrey De Zwaan (R1)
William O’Connor 1-3 Dylan Slevin (R1)
Michael van Gerwen 3-0 James Hurrell (R2)
How to watch?
You can watch the PDC Paddy Power World Darts Championship 2024/25 on Sky Sports’ dedicated darts channel from 15 December, with a live stream on Sky Go and Now TV.
World Darts Championship Format
Final: Best of 13 sets
Semi-Final: Best of 11 sets
Quarter-Final: Best of nine sets
Fourth Round: Best of seven sets
Third Round: Best of seven sets
Second Round: Best of five sets
First Round: Best of five sets
Pre-tournament odds
Luke Littler 7/4
Luke Humphries 11/4
Gary Anderson 10/1
Michael van Gerwen 10/1
Mike De Decker 18/1
Gian van Veen 28/1
Michael Smith 28/1
Rob Cross 28/1
World Darts Championship prize money
Winner: £500,000
Runner-Up: £200,000
Semi-Final: £100,000
Quarter-Final: £50,000
Fourth Round: £35,000
Third Round: £25,000
Second Round: £15,000
First Round: £7,500
Total: £2,500,000
Who are the top seeds?
Luke Humphries (1), Michael Smith (2), Michael van Gerwen (3), Luke Littler (4), Rob Cross (5), Dave Chisnall (6), Jonny Clayton (7), Stephen Bunting (8), Damon Heta (9), Gerwyn Price (10), Dimitri Van den Bergh (11), Nathan Aspinall (12), Danny Noppert (13), Gary Anderson (14), Chris Dobey (15), James Wade (16), Peter Wright (17), Josh Rock (18), Ross Smith (19), Ryan Searle (20), Andrew Gilding (21), Martin Schindler (22), Joe Cullen (23), Mike De Decker (24), Dirk van Duijvenbode 25), Daryl Gurney (26), Gabriel Clemens (27), Gian van Veen (28), Ritchie Edhouse (29), Brendan Dolan (30), Krzysztof Ratajski (31), Raymond van Barneveld (32).
