Curtain up for the big darts show

This Thursday evening it starts at the legendary Alexandra Palace (also known by the nickname Ally Pally) in London. We answer the most important questions in advance.

How is the game mode? There are a total of 96 players. The best 32 players according to the world rankings have already been seeded for the second round. The tournament starts on Thursday (20 p.m.), the final will take place on January 3rd. With the exception of Christmas Eve, the two Christmas holidays and New Year's Eve, games are played every day; on most days there are games in the afternoon and evening.

In contrast to most other darts tournaments, the World Cup is played in set mode. In the earlier rounds you have to win three sets, in the final you have to win seven. To win a set, players need three legs, i.e. three rounds in which they get from 501 points to zero with as few arrows as possible. A round must end with a hit in a double field. To win a round you need at least nine darts. However, the nine-darter is very difficult and relatively rare, although there have already been a few of them at the World Cup.

Who is favorite to win? The world number one Gerwyn Price from Wales is one of the favorites, as is the Scot Peter Wright, who won the 2022 World Cup. The Dutchman Michael van Gerwen has not been number one in the world for some time, but he can also be trusted to win the title. After a weaker year in 2021, he has recently shown great improvement. For darts expert Elmar Paulke, the Dutchman is the favorite to win. England's Michael Smith, a finalist at the previous World Cup, is also repeatedly mentioned as a contender.

How many women are there? Three women are competing at the World Cup. In addition to world champion Greaves, Lisa Ashton and Fallon Sherrock (all England) are there. Sherrock's participation is controversial. The world darts association PDC had basically given her a ticket to the world championship. The association quickly changed the qualification guidelines for the tournament and increased the number of fixed starting places for women from two to three. Sherrock is particularly easy to market for the PDC because she became the first woman to defeat two men at the World Cup in December 2019.

Which other players should you keep an eye on? Steve Beaton (58) is particularly experienced. The Englishman, nicknamed “The Bronzed Adonis” in reference to his tanned complexion, is already playing in his 32nd World Cup in a row. Five-time champion Raymond van Barneveld is also there. He had already ended his career, but celebrated his comeback just a short time later. However, a crowd favorite failed to qualify. “Darts grandpa” Paul Lim (68) is not there. Germany's former leader Max Hopp failed to qualify for the World Cup for the second time in a row.

How much is the prize money? The tournament is endowed with 2,5 million pounds, which is around 2,9 million euros. The winner receives half a million pounds, around 580 euros.

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Curtain up for the big darts show

The Darts World Championship is entering its 30th edition - the 16 champion will be searched for over a total of 3 days of competition until January 2023rd. Here we provide our readers with the necessary background knowledge.

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