QUICK ANSWER
The PDC World Darts Championship has been held every December/January at Alexandra Palace since 2008, having moved from the Circus Tavern in Essex where the first 14 editions were played. Phil Taylor won a record 14 PDC world titles. The event carries the sport’s single largest prize fund and most-watched broadcast of the darts calendar.
The Split That Created the PDC
In 1993, a group of top professionals broke away from the British Darts Organisation to form what became the PDC. The BDO held its championship at Lakeside Country Club in Surrey; the rebel circuit staged its own at the Circus Tavern in Purfleet, Essex, starting in 1994.
For years, the rivalry between BDO and PDC was fierce. The BDO had tradition; the PDC had Phil Taylor — arguably the greatest sportsman you’ve never heard of if you don’t follow darts. Taylor won the first PDC championship and kept winning, accumulating 14 world titles before his retirement in 2018.
Circus Tavern to Alexandra Palace
Circus Tavern Era (1994–2007)
- Intimate venue, ~500 capacity
- Dominated entirely by Phil Taylor (11 titles in this era)
- Prize fund grew from £16,000 to £485,000
- Taylor’s live nine-darter in 2002 put PDC on the sporting map
- Passionate pub darts crowd atmosphere
Alexandra Palace Era (2008–present)
- 3,000–3,500 capacity theatre in North London
- Fancy dress crowds became a global signature
- Prize fund exceeded £3 million by 2026
- First non-Taylor champion: Raymond van Barneveld (2007)
- MvG dominance: Van Gerwen won in 2014, 2017, 2019
PDC World Champions — Full Roll of Honour
| Year(s) | Champion | Titles | Notable Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994–2002, 2004–06 | Phil Taylor | 11 | Unbeaten in finals for first decade |
| 2007 | Raymond van Barneveld | 1 | First non-Taylor PDC champion |
| 2008 | John Part | 1 | Third different champion in history |
| 2009, 2012–13 | Phil Taylor | 3 | Career total: 14 world titles |
| 2010–11 | Adrian Lewis | 2 | Back-to-back champion |
| 2014, 2017, 2019 | Michael van Gerwen | 3 | Highest average in final history (114.05) |
| 2015–16, 2018 | Gary Anderson | 2 | First Scottish PDC champion |
| 2020, 2022 | Peter Wright | 2 | Won first title at age 49 |
| 2021 | Gerwyn Price | 1 | First Welsh PDC champion |
| 2023 | Michael Smith | 1 | Hit a nine-darter in the final |
| 2024 | Luke Littler | 1 | Youngest finalist at 16; won the year after |
Records and Milestones
Nine-Darters
Phil Taylor hit the first televised nine-darter in darts history at the 2002 World Championship. Michael Smith became the first player to hit a nine-darter in the final itself, doing so in 2023 on route to his title victory.
Highest Averages
Michael van Gerwen’s 114.05 three-dart average against Gary Anderson in the 2016 semi-final remains one of the highest recorded in championship history. Averages above 110 are rare; above 100 in finals is elite territory.
Prize Money Growth
The winner’s cheque has grown from £16,000 in 1994 to £500,000 in 2026. A first-round loser at the 2026 event earns more than the 1994 champion received in total. The full prize fund now exceeds £3 million across all 96 players.
World Championship seedings are determined by the PDC Order of Merit — check the world rankings to see how current players are positioned heading into the next championship.
WHY THIS MATTERS
The PDC World Championship isn’t just the sport’s biggest event — it’s the moment that defines careers and shapes the entire ranking landscape for two full years. A world title is worth £500,000 to the winner, an amount that will sit on the Order of Merit for two full seasons, establishing an almost impenetrable ranking floor.
KEY TAKEAWAY
Three decades of PDC World Championships have produced some of sport’s greatest individual narratives — Taylor’s dominance, MvG’s genius, Littler’s teenage rise. The championship shapes the PDC ranking landscape for two full seasons after it’s played. It’s not just a tournament; it’s the foundation of the entire professional ranking system.
