Megan Wellens
Digital Sports activities Journalist @MegWellensX
World Darts Championship sponsor Paddy Energy to donate £1,000 to Prostate Most cancers UK for each 180 hit throughout 2024 match; Dennis Priestley is an envoy; we’re again for the World Darts Championship from December 15, 2023 to January 3, 2024 – dwell on Sky Sports activities
Final Up to date: 12/12/23 1:13pm
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Dennis Priestley turned the primary ever winner of the World Championship, thrashing Phil Taylor 6-1 within the closing
Dennis Priestley turned the primary ever winner of the World Championship, thrashing Phil Taylor 6-1 within the closing
When the Paddy Energy World Darts Championship introduced their partnership with Prostate Most cancers UK, there was none extra proud than ambassador Dennis Priestley.
Priestley received his World Darts Championship title 31 years in the past when the occasion was held on the Circus Tavern, beating his long-time good friend and fellow PDC founder Phil Taylor in a 6-1 thrashing.
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Check out among the greatest checkouts from World Championship Finals from 1995 to 2007
Paddy Energy set the darting world abuzz when it introduced that the treble 20 mattress would change from its conventional crimson this 12 months however that was all in jest with the true intent of the ‘Huge 180’ marketing campaign revealed.
The Irish bookmarkers will donate £1,000 to Prostate Most cancers UK for each 180 hit and with a complete of 901 maximums being struck throughout final 12 months’s World Darts Championship, it’s hoped that shall be smashed this 12 months at Alexandra Palace with a possible £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 informed Sky Sports activities.
“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 primary ever leg of the World Championship within the 1994 version as Dennis Priestley took on Jocky Wilson
Priestley was recognized with prostate most cancers in 2007 however made the choice to proceed to play on the PDC Tour whereas present process therapy, solely withdrawing as soon as in what was a “traumatic” interval 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, however that is the one time I did withdraw from the match.”
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Six weeks after winning his first major darts title, Luke Humphries secured another with victory in the Grand Slam of Darts – could he now go one step further with victory at the World Championships?
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 did not, in any other case I would not have bought my shares early doorways in PDC, undoubtedly did not assume it,” Priestley said.
“I truthfully thought that when Phil Taylor truly dropped away from the scene, thought it would go backwards, but it surely’s not, it is gone mega forwards.
“Barry Hearn cost me a fortune by not letting us share anymore.
“Whether or not Phil would have cancelled the settlement to share wages anyway, I’d have thought so, however no, the cash is clearly a giant plus and it is proven by the brand new faces and the kids coming by means of.”
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Wayne Mardle says Luke Humphries is the ‘future of darts’ and looks ahead to his chances at the World Championship
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.
“Nicely, I am clearly excited to see how Luke will get on as a result of he is received the three tournaments main as much as it, in order that that may create huge strain.
“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 imagine the winner will come from one of many high gamers, not like in my time after I received 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 imply, clearly I would prefer to see Luke (Humphries) come by means of, keep on his superb run, however I believe in all probability simply this time, simply is perhaps a hurdle too far with him, with him profitable the final three.
“I think that’s heaped massive pressure, but it would be nice to see how Luke copes with it.”
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