THE PDC's new European Tour will offer around €500,000 in prize money across five tournaments in 2012.
The European Tour events, each offering £82,100 in prize money with £15,000 to the winner, will be 64-player tournaments held across three days in Vienna, Berlin, Dusseldorf, Stuttgart and Egmond-aan-Zee.
Each tournament will see the top 32 players from the PDC Order of Merit who enter automatically placed into the first round, with the remaining 32 places to be filled by a combination of Qualifiers.
The first round of each tournament will feature two stages across two sessions on Friday, before play is solely on one main stage on Saturday and Sunday.
Friday will feature the first round split across two sessions in the afternoon and evening, with the second round being played on Saturday.
The third round will be played on Sunday afternoon, with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final being played on Sunday evening.
The top 32 players from the PDC Order of Merit who enter qualify automatically for the first round and are seeded from 1-32 for the first round draw, with the 32 qualifiers drawn at random.
The tournament will be played in a bracket format following the first round, and all games are the best of 11 legs. The schedule of play for each tournament will be announced following the draw.
European Tour - Event Information
Qualifiers
The top 32 players from the PDC Order of Merit who enter will automatically be placed in the main draw for the first round.
There will be 20 players who win through from a UK Qualifier, which is open to Full and Associate PDPA members from the UK or outside Europe.
A further eight players will win through from a European Qualifier, which will be open to Full, Associate and Day PDPA members who are not from either the UK or the host nation.
The final four places will come from the Host Nation Qualifier, which is open to Full, Associate or Day PDPA members from the country which is staging the respective European Tour event.
Full, Associate and Day PDPA members from outside Europe are able to choose whether to play in the UK or European Qualifier.
Entry for all players is £100 or €120, with non-PDPA members required to pay a €15 Day Member supplement. Players will be informed following the close of entries whether they are in the top 32 or need to compete in a Qualifier.
Spectator Tickets
Tickets for all European Tour events are available through the PDC Europe website at www.pdc-europe.net.
Event Format
Friday 1pm-5pm
Board One - 8x First Round Matches
Board Two - 8x First Round Matches
Friday 7pm-11pm
Board One - 8x First Round Matches
Board Two - 8x First Round Matches
Saturday 1pm-5pm
8x Second Round Matches
Saturday 7pm-11pm
8x Second Round Matches
Sunday 1pm-5pm
8x Third Round Matches
Sunday 7pm-11pm
Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals & Final
Prize Money
Each European Tour event will offer the following prize money:
| Position | £ Prize Money | € Approx |
| Winner | £15,000 | €18,000 |
| Runner-Up | £7,500 | €9,000 |
| Semi-Finalists | £5,000 | €6,000 |
| Quarter-Finalists | £3,000 | €3,600 |
| Last 16 Losers | £1,500 | €1,800 |
| Last 32 Losers | £1,000 | €1,200 |
| Last 64 Losers | £200 | €240 |
| Last 128 Losers | £100 | €120 |
| Total | £82,100 | €98,520 |
Prize money at all stages will be paid in £ sterling and will count towards the PDC Order of Merit, ProTour Order of Merit and European Order of Merit.
Entries
The PDC will take entries for the UK Qualifier and from players who are already inside the top 32 of the PDC Order of Merit. This is available through the PDC Online Entry System.
Players wishing to compete in the European Qualifier or the Host Nation Qualifier must enter via PDC Europe at www.pdc-europe.net.
Key Dates
European Tour 1 - Austrian Darts Open
Entry Deadline: Tuesday March 27 (2pm) - CLICK HERE TO ENTER ONLINE FOR TOP 32 & UK QUALIFIER
UK Qualifier: Friday April 13 (7pm) Barnsley Metrodome
Host Nation Qualifier: Saturday March 31, Eisenstadt
European Qualifier: Saturday April 7, Huerth, Cologne
Draw: Friday April 13 (following UK Qualifier)
Main Tournament: Friday April 27-Sunday April 29, Arena Nova, Wiener Neudstadt
Click here for full Event 1 Information
European Tour 2 - German Darts Championship
Entry Deadline: Tuesday May 8 (2pm) - CLICK HERE TO ENTER ONLINE FOR TOP 32 & UK QUALIFIER
UK Qualifier: Friday May 25 (7pm), K2 Centre, Crawley
Host Nation Qualifier: Friday June 1, Bruehl, Cologne
European Qualifier: Saturday June 2, Bruehl, Cologne
Draw: Monday June 4
Main Tournament: Friday June 22-Sunday June 24, Tempodrom, Berlin
Click here for full Event 2 Information
European Tour 3 - European Darts Open
Entry Deadline: Tuesday June 12 (2pm)- CLICK HERE TO ENTER ONLINE FOR TOP 32 & UK QUALIFIER
UK Qualifier: Friday June 15 (7pm), Community Hall, Birmingham NIA
Host Nation Qualifier: Saturday June 23, Berlin (morning pre ET2)
European Qualifier: Saturday June 23, Berlin (morning pre ET2)
Draw: Monday July 2
Main Tournament: Friday July 6-Sunday July 8, Maritim Hotel, Dusseldorf
Click here for full Event 3 Information
European Tour 4 - German Darts Masters
Entry Deadline: Tuesday July 31 (2pm) - CLICK HERE TO ENTER ONLINE FOR TOP 32 & UK QUALIFIER
UK Qualifier: Friday August 3 (7pm), Moorways Centre, Derby
Host Nation Qualifier: Friday August 3, Huerth, Cologne
European Qualifier: Saturday August 4, Huerth, Cologne
Draw: Monday August 6
Main Tournament: Friday September 7-Sunday September 9, Glaspalast, Sindelfingen (near Stuttgart)
Click here for full Event 4 Information
European Tour 5 - Dutch Darts Masters
Entry Deadline: Tuesday September 25 (2pm) - CLICK HERE TO ENTER ONLINE FOR TOP 32 & UK QUALIFIER
UK Qualifier: Friday October 5 (7pm), Citywest Hotel, Dublin
Host Nation Qualifier: Saturday September 29, Rosmalen, Netherlands
European Qualifier: Saturday October 13, Bruehl
Draw: Monday October 15
Main Tournament: Friday October 25-Sunday October 28, Hotel Zuiderduin, Egmond-aan-Zee
Click here for full Event 5 Information
FAQ
I'm a Full or Associate PDPA Member from the UK - what do I do?
All UK-based PDPA members should enter through the PDC Online Entry System.
You will either go straight into the first round of the main draw (if you are in the top 32 players who enter) or into the UK Qualifier.
I'm a Full or Associate PDPA Member from Europe - what do I do?
All Europe-based PDPA members should enter through PDC Europe, either for the European Qualifier or - if the event is in their home country - the Host Nation Qualifier.
You will either go straight into the first round of the main draw (if you are in the top 32 players who enter) or into the relevant European or Host Nation Qualifier.
For instance, a Dutch player would enter the European Qualifier for Events 1-4, but enter the Host Nation Qualifier for Event 5.
I'm a Full or Associate PDPA Member from outside Europe - what do I do?
You would need to choose to enter either the UK Qualifier or the European Qualifier.
You will either go straight into the first round of the main draw (if you are in the top 32 players who enter) or into the relevant UK or European Qualifier.
I'm from outside the UK but not a PDPA member - what do I do?
You can enter either the European Qualifier or - if the main event is being held in your country of residence - the Host Nation Qualifier.
Your entry will be subject to a €15 Day Member supplement.
I'm from outside the UK but not a PDPA member - what do I do?
You can enter either the European Qualifier or - if the main event is being held in your country of residence - the Host Nation Qualifier.
Your entry will be subject to a €15 Day Member supplement.
I'm ranked in or around the top 32 of the PDC Order of Merit - what do I do?
You should enter the event as normal (either through the UK route or European/Host Nation Qualifier route) and you will be informed after the entry deadline as to whether you are in the first round of the main draw, or need to play in the respective Qualifier.