CHARITY BOOST FOR NINE-DARTER AT WILLIAM HILL WORLD DARTS CHAMPIONSHIP
WILLIAM HILL are to make charity donations of £9,000 to both Haven House Children's Hospice AND Parkinson's UK for every nine-dart finish achieved at the 2015 William Hill World Darts Championship.
The tournament's new title sponsors will celebrate any perfect legs which are hit during the William Hill World Darts Championship, which is being held at Alexandra Palace in London from December 18-January 4, with a double charity donation.
They have pledged to donate £9,000 per nine-dart finish at this year's event to both Haven House Children's Hospice and Parkinson's UK - meaning that they would pay out £18,000 for each perfect leg!
Haven House Children's Hospice, based in north London, is the official charity of the PDC, and provides specialist care for young children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions.
Parkinson's UK, who are supported by Sky Sports presenter Dave Clark, are the UK's leading support and research charity for Parkinson's, dedicated to finding a cure and improving life for everyone affected by the condition through cutting edge research, information, support and campaigning.
"This is a wonderful gesture from William Hill and will benefit two great charities," said PDC Chairman Barry Hearn.
"Haven House is a fantastic place and one which has enjoyed a great partnership with the PDC with over £350,000 raised in the past three years, while Dave Clark's support of Parkinson's UK is helping to raise their profile within sport.
"Last year, we saw Terry Jenkins and Kyle Anderson both hit nine-darters at Ally Pally and we also saw two nine-darters in 2013, from Dean Winstanley and Michael van Gerwen, so we're odds-on to see a couple more this year - we'll be keeping our fingers crossed!"
Haven House Chief Executive Mike Palfreman said: "Haven House is delighted that William Hill will be supporting the hospice through its charity partnership with PDC at the William Hill World Darts Championship this year.
"We're really looking forward to being part of the tournament and thank William Hill for this very generous pledge."
Sky Sports presenter Dave Clark added: "I'm delighted that William Hill will be donating £9,000 to both Parkinson's UK and Haven House if there's a nine-darter during the tournament.
"I'd like to say a massive thank you to William Hill, and don't be too surprised if you see me going wild in the studio when there's a nine-darter!"
There have been seven previous nine-dart finishes in the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace, with Raymond van Barneveld hitting the first in 2009 and another in 2010.
Adrian Lewis then hit a perfect leg in the 2011 final against Gary Anderson, with Winstanley and van Gerwen achieving the feat two years later and the 2014 event seeing Jenkins and Anderson land nine-darters within an hour of each other in a memorable afternoon.