It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Santa’s elves buzz busily around reading everyone’s Christmas wish lists. A busy throng of people shuffle through packed crowds, laden with brimming shopping bags full of treats, wide-eyed and wearied. Everyone scans the TV guides awaiting the must-watch movie at Christmas. Die Hard of course!

People are getting ready to follow their Christmas traditions, such as putting out a mince pie and a glass of sherry for Santa and a carrot for Rudolph. Or having KFC for Christmas dinner (Japan), munching on deep-fried caterpillars (South Africa), the burning of the Gävle goat (Sweden), roller skating to Christmas mass (Venezuela) and the mysterious Christmas pickle (North America).

But wait…what is this commotion? Raucous singing. Plastic glasses clacking. Cash registers resonating. The beeps of payment terminals. Online betting sites buzzing out the best odds to the selfie generation’s smartphones. Nod and smile at Super Mario and wave at a Smurf. Superman strolls alongside Captain America and Snow White. Four traffic cones walk by, singing about not wanting to go home or go to work.

This only means one thing! It’s time for the Paddy Power World Darts Championship at the ‘Ally Pally’ (Alexandra Palace in London for non-darts afficionados). Put on your sunglasses before you switch on the TV and ramp up the volume. Wait for the barrage of 180s and hope for a nine-darter or two.

This is THE new Christmas tradition. Cue walk-on music…

From barrels to bullseye

Darts is a sport synonymous with pubs and passionate fans. With a rich history dating back centuries, we can trace back its origins to medieval England. Soldiers used shortened arrows or crossbow bolts to improve their aim, competing for fun. Then early darts were thrown at the bottoms of wine barrels, which evolved into wooden dartboards marked with rings.

The game became standardised in the late 19th century. Brian Gamin, a carpenter from Lancashire, is credited with creating the now iconic dartboard numbering system in 1896. The skilful layout reduced the impact of luck by punishing inaccurate throws with low scores. Shortly after this, pubs adopted darts as a staple of their entertainment offerings, and the sport gained widespread popularity. In the early 20th century, leagues and organised tournaments shaped darts to becoming a profession sport by the 1920s. The invention of the steel-tipped dart took the skill level to a different planet, bringing more precision to the game. Creating the ‘oche’ cemented the sport’s pub heritage (‘oche’ is the line from which players throw).

The 1970s and 1980s marked a golden era for darts, driven by larger-than-life personalities like Eric Bristow and Jocky Wilson. Televised matches brought darts into the homes of millions, making it a global phenomenon. The sport’s popularity surged again in the 1990s with the establishment of the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC). This created a platform for elite-level competition and greater prize money, attracting big TV contracts and vast viewing audiences.

Today, the PDC World Darts Championship, held annually over Christmas at Alexandra Palace, is the pinnacle of the sport. With roaring crowds, thumping walk-on music, a new generation of players hope to follow in the footsteps of the now retired legendary sixteen times champion of the world, Phil “The Power” Taylor.

Elvis has left the building

Darts is as much about the spectacle as it is the game. This is thanks to its colourful nicknames and its iconic walk on music. And for those of us old enough to remember, it’s about the unforgettable commentary of Sid Waddell and his legendary lines.

Sid Waddell, affectionately known as the “Voice of Darts,” was a legendary sports commentator who brought iconic and unparalleled wit, passion and creativity to a game he loved. His enthusiasm burst through the speakers on TVs around the world. He had an exceptional ability to turn darts into pure theatre and it is no surprise he helped elevate darts into a mainstream appeal.

Although Sid Waddell passed away in 2012, his impact on darts remains unmatched. The PDC named the World Darts Championship trophy after him in 2013, cementing his darts immortality.

Here are ten Sid Waddell quotes:

1. “When Alexander of Macedonia was 33, he cried salt tears because there were no more worlds to conquer. Bristow’s only 27.”
2. The atmosphere is so tense, if Elvis walked in with a portion of chips, you could hear the vinegar sizzle on them.
3. “It’s like trying to pin down a kangaroo on a trampoline.”
4. “William Tell could take an apple off your head. Taylor could take out a processed pea.”
5. “That’s the greatest comeback since Lazarus.”
6. “That was like throwing three pickled onions into a thimble!”
7. “It’s like Dracula getting out of his grave and asking for a few chips with his steak.”
8. “This lad has more checkouts than Tescos.”
9. “If we’d had Phil Taylor at Hastings against the Normans, they’d have gone home.”
10. “There’s only one word for that: magic darts!”

Dancing in the streets

Players’ nicknames and walk on music are almost as entertaining as the game itself. Walk-on music became a staple of darts in the 1990s, giving players an opportunity to showcase their personalities. Nicknames have long been associated with darts players. From “The Crafty Cockney” (Eric Bristow), to Luke “The Nuke” Littler, if you are serious about darts, you need an iconic nickname. Here are ten of the best that have not been mentioned yet:

1. John “Darth Maple,” Part
2. Simon “The Wizard” Whitlock
3. Raymond “Barney” van Barneveld
4. Wayne “Hawaii 501” Mardle
5. Steve “The Adonis” Beaton
6. James “The Machine” Wade
7. Dennis “The Menace” Priestley
8. Andy “The Viking” Fordham
9. Ted “The Count” Hankey
10. Martin “Wolfie” Adams

Top 10 walk on songs:

1. Nathan “The Asp” Aspinall: “Mr Brightside” by The Killers.
2. Phil Taylor: “The Power” by Snap!
3. Peter Wright: “Don’t Stop the Party” by Pitbull.
4. Michael Smith: “Shut Up and Dance” by Walk the Moon.
5. Fallon Sherrock: “Last Friday Night” by Katy Perry.
6. Michael “Mighty Mike” van Gerwen: “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes.
7. Wayne Mardle: “Hawaii Five-O Theme” by The Ventures.
8. Raymond van Barneveld: “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor.
9. Daryl “Superchin” Gurney: “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond.
10. John Part: “The Imperial March” from Star Wars

The Power leaves an enduring legacy

When you talk about the best darts player ever, there is only one name mentioned. Phil “The Power” Taylor. His 16 World Championship titles are unmatched. In a recent interview with Sky Sports, Barry Hearn, Chairman of Matchroom Sport, said:

“Phil Taylor was a one-man game-changer. He elevated darts to levels we never thought possible and inspired a generation to dream big.”

Taylor’s dominance revolutionised darts. Sky Sports darts presenter Emma Paton agrees. “He didn’t just dominate”, she said. “He brought darts into living rooms around the world. His achievements gave the sport credibility and proved it wasn’t just a pub pastime.” Phil “The Power” Taylor’s legacy continues to inspire the new generation of players. While it is a lucrative sport and the rewards for dedication are high, players will chase his records, hoping to etch their names in the annals of darts history. With a cool £500,000 (€580,000 / $635,000) for the winner and £200,000 for the runner-up, this is another incentive to create a new legacy. Here are the latest odds to win the tournament:

180 degrees of talent

The name on everyone’s lips in 2024 is Luke “The Nuke” Littler. After making history as the youngest-ever player to win a PDC Development Tour title at just 16 years old. In the 2023/24 PDC World Darts Championship, Littler made a remarkable debut, reaching the final as the youngest player ever at 16. He faced Luke Humphries in the final but was defeated 7–4.

This performance catapulted Littler into the spotlight, marking him as a rising star in the darts world. Barry Hearn has called him the “start of a talent tsunami” in the sport, highlighting his potential to dominate in the years to come.

All the players at this year’s PDC World Darts Championship will aim high and the tournament promises to produce fireworks. Reigning champion “Cool Hand” Luke Humprhries will hope his grip doesn’t slip from the Sid Waddell trophy. Seasoned veterans like three time former champion of the world MVG (Michael van Gerwen), two time former champion “Snakebite” Peter Wright, former two time champion, and “The Flying Scotsman” Gary Anderson will hope for more silverware to add to their trophy cabinets. Former champion “Bully Boy” Michael Smith is hard to live with when he’s in form. Never count out the “Ice-Man” and former champion Gerwyn Price.

The rising stars are hot on the heels of darting greatness. World Grand Prix champion Mike De Decker has had a stellar year and is certainly one to watch. Current UK Open champion Dimitri van den Bergh proved he can be dangerous if his game clicks and the 2024 Masters champion Stephen Bunting has the skills and game to go all the way.

Luke Humphries, tipped for success, commented in the Daily Mail, “The competition is the toughest it’s ever been, but that’s what makes it exciting. You have to bring your A-game to every match.” Luke Littler has drawn comparisons to Phil Taylor himself. As Barry Hearn told Sky Sports:
“Luke Littler is just the start. We’re on the brink of a talent tsunami in darts, and it’s thrilling to see young players breaking through.”

The field this year is a mix of veterans aiming to reclaim glory and young talents eager to prove themselves on the biggest stage.

Planet darts is more than just a game

Darts has travelled a long way from its humble pub origins. The days of players on stage with a cigarette in one hand and a pint in the other, while the audience sat quietly in the dark, are long gone. The sport has entered a bold new era, embracing innovation and pushing boundaries with its expanding business model. As Barry Hearn aptly puts it:

“Darts is not just a game. It’s a global sport now. The audience is younger, more diverse, and more engaged than ever before.”

Sky Sports presenter Emma Paton echoes this sentiment, shedding light on the sport’s professional transformation. “Players today are athletes. They train, analyse their stats, and use technology to gain a competitive edge. It’s a completely different world from what it was 30 years ago.”

In recent years, the PDC opened the World Championship at the Ally Pally to greater inclusivity, allowing women to compete alongside men. This opened the sport to a new generation of fans and in 2019, Fallon “Queen of the Palace” Sherrock made history by becoming the first woman to win a match at the World Darts Championship.

Surprisingly, one of the top women’s players in the world decided not to compete at Ally pally in order to be ready to defend her WDF World titles. Doncaster prodigy “Beau n Arrow,” Beau Greaves, aged 20, earned a spot, but having won a hat-trick of WDF titles, wants to focus on winning the next one. This leaves Sherrock and the first transgender darts player to qualify for the biggest event, Noa-Lynn van Leuven, to fly the flag for women’s darts.

Darts is the new festive tradition

Darts is now established as much of a festive tradition as mince pies and mulled wine and national lottery scratchcards. Whispers are that even Santa asked for a dartboard this Christmas. at Alexandra Palace is now a must-watch event during the festive season. This is an event where you can watch the crowd and the darts. As Emma Paton explains, “There’s nothing quite like Ally Pally at Christmas. The atmosphere is electric. The costumes, the chanting, and the drama. It’s pure entertainment.”

The championship combines tradition and spectacle, making it the perfect holiday event. The joyous atmosphere has made darts an essential part of many fans’ holiday celebrations. Where else will you see a giant penguin, the characters from Thunderbirds and a giant dartboard in one room?

What makes darts so beloved during the holiday season? Barry Hearn sums it up best:

“Darts brings people together. Whether you’re at Ally Pally or watching at home, it’s a celebration of skill, fun, and camaraderie.”

The sport’s relatability also plays a role. Emma Paton adds, “Everyone has thrown a dart at some point. It’s easy to understand, but the skill on display at the professional level is mind-blowing.”

From sudden-death legs to walk-on music that rivals concert entrances, darts offers a unique mix of precision and party spirit. And for many, it’s this perfect balance that makes it the ultimate Christmas tradition. The Paddy Power World Darts Championship starts on Sunday, December 15. Don’t miss it!

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