Luke Littler and Michael van Gerwen can earn their latest hefty sums when the pair compete in the PDC World Darts Championship final on Friday (20:00 GMT) at London’s Alexandra Palace.
Dutchman Van Gerwen has been a major prize-winner throughout a career that has included three tournament triumphs, while relative newcomer Littler has the biggest profile in the sport and is the favorite to take home the top prize.
The 17-year-old’s bankroll was boosted by a run in last year’s final, when he lost to Luke Humphries in front of a record UK audience of 4.8 million – Sky Sports’ biggest ever for a non-football sporting event.
Here’s how much 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 pocketed 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, just like Littler last year.
Inaugural winner Dennis Priestley earned £16,000 for his 1994 win at Purfleet’s Circus Tavern, where the event was held until it moved to Alexandra Palace from 2008.
Prize money actually fell in 1995 and rose slightly in 1996, when Phil Taylor took home £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 wins that followed, with profits soaring after 2001, with each champion winning £50,000 for three years, £60,000 for one year and £100,000 in between in 2006 and 2008.
The top prize was £200,000 until 2010, rising to £400,000 in 2018 through four incremental increases. As of 2019, it was £500,000, with Scotsman Peter Wright raising twice that amount.
Prize fund of the 2024 World Darts Championship
The total prize pool of £2.5 million doubles contestants’ money between the first and second rounds and for each stage from the quarter-finals onwards. Here’s what it looks like.
Winner: 500,000 pounds
Runners-up: 200 thousand pounds
Semi-finals: 100,000 pounds
Quarter-final: 50 thousand pounds
Fourth round: 35 thousand pounds
Third round: 25,000 pounds
Second round: 15,000 pounds
First round: 7500 pounds
Luke Littler net worth
After his barely convincing achievements as a teenager, the charismatic Littler became one of the best-selling and most recognizable names in British sport.
As well as his hefty prize money winnings, Littler has endorsements from carmaker Skoda, fashion house boohooMAN, Target Darts and Prestige Building Supplies, according to financial website Forbes, which named him one of the world’s most influential people under 30.
The site added that he is predicted to earn more than £1.2m in 2024, with his earnings including royalties and appearance fees.
“Littler’s earnings could increase even more after he turns 18 in January,” Forbes he said. “It cannot yet legally endorse gambling or alcohol brands, which are a large part of an athlete’s portfolio.”
meanwhile, Monthly Finance he was quoted by the Mirror as putting Littler’s net worth at £700,000 earlier this month, although that appears to be a conservative estimate and is certain to rise significantly again soon.
Michael van Gerwen net worth
The fiery Van Gerwen is arguably the biggest name in the sport aside from Littler and has secured dozens of major titles since winning the 2006 World Masters as a teenager.
The 35-year-old earned £1.5million from his Championship final appearances alone, becoming its youngest-ever winner – an accolade Littler will claim if he beats him – as a 24-year-old in 2014.
Van Gerwen’s prize money of more than £1.8m in 2017 is a single-season record, according to TalkSportwith its backers including games case manufacturer POGA, interior design 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 the figures Celebrity Net Worth.
