Luke Littler and Michael van Gerwen are set to earn their final considerable sums when the pair contest the final of the PDC World Darts Championship on Friday (8 p.m. GMT) at Alexandra Palace in London.
Dutchman Van Gerwen has been a huge money winner throughout his career which has included three tournament triumphs, while newcomer Littler has the biggest name recognition in the sport and is the favorite to take home the top prize.
The 17-year-old’s bank balance was boosted by a run to last year’s final, losing to Luke Humphries in front of a peak UK audience of 4.8 million viewers – the highest figure ever recorded by Sky Sports broadcasters for a non-football sporting event.
Here’s how much Littler and Van Gerwen stand to gain from the final, as well as a look at their net worth and how much players have pocketed at each stage of the championship.
World Darts Final: How much does the winner win?
The winner of the final will be rewarded with £500,000, while the runner-up will receive £200,000, as Littler did last year.
The first winner, Dennis Priestley, won £16,000 for his victory in 1994 at Purfleet’s Circus Tavern, where the event was held until it moved to Alexandra Palace from 2008.
Prize money actually decreased in 1995 and increased slightly in 1996, when Phil Taylor won £14,000 for winning the first of his 13 titles.
English sporting icon Taylor earned between £33,000 and £45,000 for his five consecutive victories that followed, and the windfall increased sharply after 2001, with each champion taking home £50,000 for three years, £60,000 for one year and £100,000 between 2006 and 2008.
The top prize was £200,000 in 2010, rising to £400,000 in 2018 through four incremental increases. It has stood at £500,000 since 2019, with Scotsman Peter Wright pocketing twice that amount.
Reward fund for the 2024 World Darts Championship
The total prize money of £2.5 million doubles the competitors’ money between the first and second rounds and for each stage from the quarter-finals onwards. This is what it looks like.
Winner: £500,000
Finalist: £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
Luke Littler income
Following his barely believable exploits as a teenager, the charismatic Littler became one of the most marketable and recognizable names in British sport.
In addition to his major accolades, Littler enjoys the support of automaker Skoda, fashion giant boohooMAN, Target Darts and Prestige Building Supplies, according to financial site Forbes, which named him one of under 30 the most influential people in the world.
The site added that he is expected to earn more than £1.2 million in 2024, with his income including royalties and appearance fees.
“Littler’s earnings could skyrocket again once he turns 18 in January,” Forbes said. “It cannot yet legally endorse gambling or alcohol brands, which make up a large part of athletes’ wallets.”
Waiting for, Monthly Finances cited the Mirror as putting Littler’s net worth at £700,000 earlier this month, although this seems a conservative estimate and is certain to rise significantly again imminently.
Michael van Gerwen earnings
The flamboyant Van Gerwen is arguably the biggest name in the sport, aside from Littler, and has won 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 their youngest ever winner – an accolade Littler will claim if he beats him – at 24 in 2014.
Van Gerwen’s prize money of more than £1.8 million in 2017 is the record for a single season, according to TalkSportwith backers including gaming case maker POGA, decorating and DIY specialists Leyland Trade, kitchen suppliers Keuken Concurrent and Van Mossel Automotive.
The former world number one has a net worth of around £6.6million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
