Luke Littler and Michael van Gerwen are set to make their final big hauls when the pair compete in the PDC World Darts Championship final on Friday (8pm GMT) at London’s Alexandra Palace.
Dutchman Van Gerwen has won huge prize money in a career that has included three tournament triumphs, while relative newcomer Littler has the highest profile in the sport and is the favorite to take the top prize.
The 17-year-old’s bankroll has swelled since reaching last year’s final, losing to Luke Humphries in front of a record-breaking UK audience of 4.8 million – Sky Sports’ highest peak ever for a non-football sporting event.
See how much money Littler and Van Gerwen stand to earn from the final, as well as a look at their net worth and how much the players have earned at each stage of the championship.
World Darts Final: How much does the winner get?
The winner of the final will be awarded £500,000, while the runner-up will receive £200,000, as Littler did last year.
Inaugural winner Dennis Priestley won £16,000 for his 1994 win at Purfleet’s Circus Tavern, where the event was held until it was moved to Alexandra Palace from 2008.
Prize money actually fell in 1995 and rose slightly in 1996 when Phil Taylor took £14,000 to win the first of his 13 titles.
English sports icon Taylor earned between £33,000 and £45,000 for his five successive wins, and windfalls rose sharply after 2001, with each champion earning £50,000 over three years, £60,000 over one year and £80,000 between £220,000.
The top prize was £200,000 until 2010, rising to £400,000 in 2018 through four incremental increases. It was £500,000 as of 2019, with Scotland’s Peter Wright on twice that amount.
Prize Fund World Darts Championship 2024
The total prize money of £2.5 million doubles competitors’ money between the first and second rounds and for each stage from the quarter-finals onwards. Here is what it looks like.
Winner: £500,000
Runner up: £200,000
Semifinal: £100,000
Quarter Final: £50,000
Fourth round: £35,000
Third round: £25,000
Second round: £15,000
First round: £7,500
Luke Littler net worth
After his unbelievable achievements as a teenager, the charismatic Littler has become one of the most marketable and recognizable names in British sport.
As well as his big wins, Littler has endorsements with carmaker Skoda, fashion house boohooMAN, Target Darts and Prestige Building Supplies, according to financial website Forbes, which named him one of the most influential people in the world under the age of 30.
The site added that it was projected to take in more than £1.2m in 2024, with its earnings including royalties and appearance fees.
“Littler’s earnings could skyrocket even more when he turns 18 in January.” Forbes he said. “It cannot legally endorse any gaming or alcohol brands, which are a large part of athletes’ portfolios.”
Meanwhile, Finance Monthly reported that the Mirror put Littler’s net worth at £700,000 earlier this month, although that seems a conservative estimate and is sure to rise very soon.
Michael van Gerwen net worth
Flamboyant Van Gerwen is arguably the biggest name in the sport besides Littler and has secured dozens of major titles since winning the World Masters as a teenager in 2006.
The 35-year-old earned £1.5million from his Championship final appearances alone, becoming the league’s youngest winner – an accolade Littler will claim if he wins – as a 24-year-old in 2014.
Van Gerwen’s prize money of more than £1.8m in 2017 is the record for a single season, according to TalkSportwith its endorsements including gaming case manufacturer POGA, decor and DIY specialists Leyland Trade, kitchen suppliers Keuken Concurrent and Van Mossel Automotive.
The former world number one has a net worth of around £6.6m, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
