World Darts Championship sponsor Paddy Power to donate £1,000 to Prostate Cancer UK for every 180 hit during 2024 tournament; Dennis Priestley is an ambassador; we’re back for the World Darts Championship from December 15, 2023 to January 3, 2024 – live on Sky Sports
Last Updated: 12/12/23 1:13pm
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Dennis Priestley became the first ever winner of the World Championship, thrashing Phil Taylor 6-1 in the final
Dennis Priestley became the first ever winner of the World Championship, thrashing Phil Taylor 6-1 in the final
When the Paddy Power World Darts Championship announced their partnership with Prostate Cancer UK, there was none more proud than ambassador Dennis Priestley.
Priestley won his World Darts Championship title 31 years ago when the event used to be held at the Circus Tavern, beating his long-time friend and fellow PDC founder Phil Taylor in a 6-1 thrashing.
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Paddy Power set the darting world abuzz when it announced that the treble 20 bed would change from its traditional red this year but that was all in jest with the real intent of the ‘Big 180’ campaign revealed.
The Irish bookmarkers will donate £1,000 to Prostate Cancer UK for every 180 hit and with a total of 901 maximums being struck during last year’s World Darts Championship, it is hoped that will be smashed this year at Alexandra Palace with a potential £1m being donated.
“Well, it’s a fantastic bit of news and so generous, it’s unbelievable. It’ll make a massive difference to what the prostate cancer charity will be able to do,” Priestley told Sky Sports.
“I’m confident the lads will do that and probably in their conscious mind and instead of going for treble 19 with the last dart, they’ll stick up at the 180 for an extra £1,000.”
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Watch the first ever leg of the World Championship in the 1994 edition as Dennis Priestley took on Jocky Wilson
Priestley was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2007 but made the decision to continue to play on the PDC Tour while undergoing treatment, only withdrawing once in what was a “traumatic” period for him.
“We were actually in Cyprus, and I got a phone call telling me. I don’t suppose it was the ideal way to receive the bad news, but that’s how it happened,” he added.
“I just took it as being a normal thing to do. I never gave it a thought. I did have to stop playing on one tournament in Ireland. I’d beat somebody and then I felt ill.
“So, I did withdraw, but that’s the only time I did withdraw from the tournament.”
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As one of the founding members of the PDC, Priestley is an integral reason why darts has grown into the spectacle it has today which culminates at the Alexandra Palace every December and January.
However, he admits back in the days when all players used to share their wages after a tournament, he never would have believed what it has grown into, with the winner of the World Darts Championship taking home £500,000.
“I didn’t, otherwise I wouldn’t have sold my shares early doors in PDC, definitely didn’t think it,” Priestley said.
“I honestly thought that once Phil Taylor actually dropped away from the scene, thought it might go backwards, but it’s not, it’s gone mega forwards.
“Barry Hearn cost me a fortune by not letting us share anymore.
“Whether Phil would have cancelled the agreement to share wages anyway, I would have thought so, but no, the money is obviously a big plus and it’s shown by the new faces and the youngsters coming through.”
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Priestley is now firmly focused on this year’s competition and is excited to see how some names do, especially the in-form and favourite Luke Humphries.
“Well, I’m obviously excited to see how Luke gets on because he’s won the three tournaments leading up to it, so that that will create massive pressure.
“Also to see the youth final that was a great piece of television. The young Luke Littler. Yeah, it was brilliant to see. And he was such a natural.
“I believe the winner will come from one of the top players, not like in my time when I won my first one at 80/1.
“I don’t think that’s going to happen for a little while. There’s so many good top players.
“I mean, obviously I’d like to see Luke (Humphries) come through, carry on his amazing run, but I think probably just this time, just might be a hurdle too far with him, with him winning the last three.
“I think that’s heaped massive pressure, but it would be nice to see how Luke copes with it.”
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