THE PDC are delighted to announce that Betway has signed an agreement to sponsor the 2014 Betway Premier League Darts tournament, the UK & Ireland's biggest indoor sporting event.
The tournament, staged by the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC), the world’s leading darts organisation, is played over 16 consecutive Thursdays from February 6 through to May 22 in arenas across the UK and Ireland.
Darts enthusiasts from Aberdeen to Exeter and from Belfast to Brighton are able to enjoy the exciting event at their local venues, and, additionally, the tournament itself is televised and repeated on leading sports channel Sky Sports.
The PDC, chaired by leading sports promoter Barry Hearn, has successfully bought darts into the mainstream. Annually, the PDC pays out over £7m of prize money to players and provides a pathway for amateurs to make it into the big league of professional darts.
This agreement, which represents Betway’s first major sporting event sponsorship, will enhance Betway’s brand in online sports betting, especially as the event itself has a wild card element, as new players face proven professionals, adding to the possibilities for those who like to bet on sports.
Bob Dutnall, Executive Director at Betway, said: "We are delighted to announce the sponsorship of the 2014 Premier League Darts tournament.
"This sporting event, which has international appeal, has become a top event in the darts sporting calendar. The sponsorship adds to our brand in online sports betting where we are building a leading position."
PDC Chairman Barry Hearn said: "It gives me great pleasure to welcome Betway as the new title sponsor of Premier League Darts in our tenth season of this prestigious event.
"This will be the biggest ever Premier League Darts season, with 100,000 fans set to see the world's best ten players over the next four months, and with live worldwide television coverage the tournament will take the Betway brand worldwide."
The Betway Premier League Darts season begins on Thursday February 6, when the opening league night is held at the Echo Arena in Liverpool (7pm).
The ten competing players face each other once over the opening nine weeks before the bottom two players are relegated following "Judgement Night" in Cardiff on April 3.
The remaining eight players then meet each other once more in the final six league nights, before the top four progress to the Play-Offs at The O2 in London on May 22 to compete for the £150,000 first prize.
Reigning champion Michael van Gerwen's rivals for the Betway Premier League Darts title include six-time winner Phil Taylor, the 16-time World Champion, 2011 Premier League champion Gary Anderson, former World Champions Adrian Lewis and Raymond van Barneveld, Australia’s Simon Whitlock, English duo Dave Chisnall and Wes Newton and Scottish pair Robert Thornton and Peter Wright.
Latest Betway Premier League Darts Outright Odds
7/4 Michael van Gerwen
2/1 Phil Taylor
9/2 Adrian Lewis
20/1 Simon Whitlock
20/1 Peter Wright
25/1 Gary Anderson
25/1 Dave Chisnall
25/1 Raymond van Barneveld
33/1 Robert Thornton
50/1 Wes Newton
For a full range of Betway odds, visit www.betway.com
Betway Premier League Darts
Schedule & Fixtures
Week One
February 6, Echo Arena, Liverpool
Dave Chisnall v Robert Thornton
Peter Wright v Wes Newton
Raymond van Barneveld v Gary Anderson
Phil Taylor v Michael van Gerwen
Simon Whitlock v Adrian Lewis
Tickets: 0844 8000 400 or www.echoarena.com
Week Two
February 13, BIC, Bournemouth
Wes Newton v Raymond van Barneveld
Dave Chisnall v Peter Wright
Gary Anderson v Simon Whitlock
Adrian Lewis v Phil Taylor
Robert Thornton v Michael van Gerwen
Tickets: 0844 576 3000 or www.bhlivetickets.co.uk
Week Three
February 20, Odyssey Arena, Belfast
Robert Thornton v Gary Anderson
Dave Chisnall v Michael van Gerwen
Peter Wright v Phil Taylor
Wes Newton v Adrian Lewis
Raymond van Barneveld v Simon Whitlock
Tickets: 028 9073 9074 or www.odysseyarena.com
Week Four
February 27, The Hydro, Glasgow
Peter Wright v Adrian Lewis
Robert Thornton v Wes Newton
Simon Whitlock v Phil Taylor
Michael van Gerwen v Raymond van Barneveld
Dave Chisnall v Gary Anderson
Tickets: 0844 395 4000 or www.thehydro.com
Week Five
March 6, Westpoint Arena, Exeter
Peter Wright v Robert Thornton
Raymond van Barneveld v Dave Chisnall
Adrian Lewis v Michael van Gerwen
Phil Taylor v Gary Anderson
Wes Newton v Simon Whitlock
Tickets: 08444 99 99 55 or www.ticketzone.co.uk
Week Six
March 13, Capital FM Arena, Nottingham
Simon Whitlock v Peter Wright
Adrian Lewis v Gary Anderson
Michael van Gerwen v Wes Newton
Raymond van Barneveld v Robert Thornton
Phil Taylor v Dave Chisnall
Tickets: 0843 373 3000 or www.capitalfmarena.com
Week Seven
March 20, First Direct Arena, Leeds
Dave Chisnall v Simon Whitlock
Robert Thornton v Adrian Lewis
Gary Anderson v Michael van Gerwen
Wes Newton v Phil Taylor
Peter Wright v Raymond van Barneveld
Tickets: 0844 248 1585 or www.firstdirectarena.com
Week Eight
March 27, The O2, Dublin
Gary Anderson v Wes Newton
Simon Whitlock v Robert Thornton
Adrian Lewis v Dave Chisnall
Michael van Gerwen v Peter Wright
Phil Taylor v Raymond van Barneveld
Tickets: (Ire) 0818 719 377 or (UK) 0844 847 2455 or www.theo2.ie
Week Nine - Judgement Night
April 3, Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff
Adrian Lewis v Raymond van Barneveld
Phil Taylor v Robert Thornton
Wes Newton v Dave Chisnall
Gary Anderson v Peter Wright
Michael van Gerwen v Simon Whitlock
Tickets: SOLD OUT
Following Week Nine, the bottom two players from the league table are eliminated. Revised fixtures for Weeks Ten-15 will be announced following Week Nine.
Week Ten
April 10, Motorpoint Arena, Sheffield
Tickets: 0114 256 5656 or www.motorpointarenasheffield.co.uk
Week 11
April 17, GE Gas & Oil Arena, Aberdeen
Tickets: SOLD OUT
Week 12
April 24, Phones 4u Arena, Manchester
Tickets: 0844 847 8000 or www.eventim.co.uk
Week 13
May 1, NIA, Birmingham
Tickets: 0844 338 8000 or www.theticketfactory.com
Week 14
May 8, Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle
Tickets: 0844 493 6666 or www.eventim.co.uk
Week 15
May 15, The Brighton Centre
Tickets: 0844 847 1515 or www.brightoncentre.co.uk
Play-Offs
May 22, The O2, London
Tickets: 0844 856 0202 or www.axs.com
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