Michael Smith (Simon O'Connor/PDC)

Smith continues title defence, as Van Gerwen & Littler ease through

Paddy Power World Darts Championship

Reigning champion Michael Smith continued the defence of his Paddy Power World Darts Championship title with victory over Madars Razma on Wednesday

Ross Smith (Simon O'Connor/PDC)

Smith: "I believe I can win it!"

Paddy Power World Darts Championship

Ross Smith insists he is capable of lifting the coveted Sid Waddell Trophy in January, after he opened his Paddy Power World Darts Championship campaign with victory over Niels Zonneveld.

Luke Littler (Simon O'Connor/PDC)

Paddy Power World Darts Championship: Five of the best pre-Christmas games

Paddy Power World Darts Championship

Stephen Bunting (Kieran Cleeves/PDC)

Stats update following Paddy Power World Darts Championship second round

Paddy Power World Darts Championship

The 2023/24 Paddy Power World Darts Championship has featured 64 matches before the Christmas break - here we look at the top stats from the sport's showpiece event so far.

Paddy Power World Darts Championship - THE BIG 180 (PDC)

Tribute paid to stars as THE BIG 180 heads for massive Paddy Power donation

Paddy Power World Darts Championship

Prostate Cancer UK Chief Executive Laura Kerby has paid tribute to the stars of the Paddy Power World Darts Championship for their fundraising efforts so for in THE BIG 180 campaign at the event.

Beaton & Gurney (Kieran Cleeves/PDC)

THE BIG 180 set for bumper Paddy Power donation - pre-Christmas update

Paddy Power World Darts Championship

Paddy Power's pledge to Prostate Cancer UK has smashed through the £440,000 mark – thanks to top professionals at the Paddy Power World Darts Championship.

Stephen Bunting (Kieran Cleeves/PDC)

Brilliant Bunting lays down a marker, as Evans dispatches Aspinall

Paddy Power World Darts Championship

Stephen Bunting produced the performance of the Paddy Power World Darts Championship so far to book his place in round three at Alexandra Palace, as Ricky Evans dispatched sixth seed Nathan Aspinall in sensational style on Saturday.

Michael Smith (Kieran Cleeves/PDC)

2023/24 Paddy Power World Darts Championship post-Christmas schedule

Paddy Power World Darts Championship

The post-Christmas schedule of play for the 2023/24 Paddy Power World Darts Championship third round has been confirmed.

Steve Beaton (Simon O'Connor/PDC)

Beaton buoyant ahead of Gurney clash

Paddy Power World Darts Championship

Steve Beaton will return to the Alexandra Palace stage this afternoon, as he battles two-time quarter-finalist Daryl Gurney for a place in the third round of the Paddy Power World Darts Championship.

Raymond van Barneveld (Kieran Cleeves/PDC)

Van Barneveld & Dobey progress as heroic Hempel stuns Van den Bergh

Paddy Power World Darts Championship

Raymond van Barneveld and Chris Dobey produced superb performances to progress to round three at the Paddy Power World Darts Championship.

Friday December 13 (1900 GMT)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Jelle Klaasen 3-1 Kevin Burness (First Round)
Kim Huybrechts 3-2 Geert Nentjes (First Round)
Luke Humphries 3-1 Devon Petersen (First Round)
Michael van Gerwen 3-1 Jelle Klaasen (Second Round)

Saturday December 14
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Darius Labanauskas 3-0 Matthew Edgar (First Round)
Yuki Yamada 3-1 Ryan Meikle (First Round)
Luke Woodhouse 3-0 Paul Lim (First Round)
Luke Humphries 3-2 Jermaine Wattimena (Second Round)

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Mark McGeeney 3-1 Matt Campbell (First Round)
Zoran Lerchbacher 3-2 Jamie Hughes (First Round)
Darin Young 3-1 Raymond van Barneveld (First Round)
Kim Huybrechts 3-0 Rob Cross (Second Round)

Sunday December 15
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Kyle Anderson 3-2 Xiaochen Zong (First Round)
Ciaran Teehan 3-0 Ross Smith (First Round)
Brendan Dolan 3-0 Nitin Kumar (First Round)
Darius Labanauskas 3-1 Ian White (Second Round)

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Jose Justicia 3-0 Arron Monk  (First Round)
Danny Baggish 3-2 Andy Boulton (First Round)
James Richardson 3-2 Mikuru Suzuki (First Round) 
Luke Woodhouse 3-1 Michael Smith (Second Round)

Monday December 16 (1900 GMT)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Callan Rydz 3-2 Steve Lennon (First Round)
William O’Connor 3-0 Marko Kantele (First Round)
Vincent van der Voort 3-0 Keane Barry (First Round) 
Gary Anderson 3-0 Brendan Dolan (Second Round)

Tuesday December 17
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Ryan Searle 3-2 Robbie King (First Round)
Cristo Reyes 3-2 Lourence Ilagan (First Round) 
Noel Malicdem 3-0 Rowby-John Rodriguez (First Round) 
Krzysztof Ratajski 3-1 Zoran Lerchbacher (Second Round)

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Ritchie Edhouse 3-1 Boris Koltsov (First Round) 
Damon Heta 3-0 Jose De Sousa (First Round)
Fallon Sherrock 3-2 Ted Evetts (First Round) 
Jeffrey de Zwaan 3-2 Darin Young (Second Round)

Wednesday December 18
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Ron Meulenkamp 3-0 Ben Robb (First Round) 
Seigo Asada 3-0 Mickey Mansell (First Round)
Harry Ward 3-2 Madars Razma (First Round)
Stephen Bunting 3-2 Jose Justicia (Second Round)

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Nico Kurz 3-1 James Wilson (First Round)
Josh Payne 3-0 Diogo Portela (First Round)
Benito van de Pas 3-2 Gabriel Clemens (First Round) 
James Wade 3-0 Ritchie Edhouse (Second Round)

Thursday December 19
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
2x First Round, 2x Second Round
Justin Pipe 3-2 Benjamin Pratnemer (First Round)
Jan Dekker 3-2 Ryan Joyce (First Round) 
John Henderson 3-0 James Richardson (Second Round)
Steve Beaton 3-1 Kyle Anderson (Second Round)

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
4x Second Round
Chris Dobey 3-2 Ron Meulenkamp (Second Round)
Danny Noppert 3-2 Callan Rydz (Second Round)
Dave Chisnall 3-1 Vincent van der Voort (Second Round)
Gerwyn Price 3-2 William O’Connor (Second Round)

Friday December 20
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
4x Second Round
Darren Webster 3-0 Yuki Yamada (Second Round)
Mervyn King 3-2 Ciaran Teehan (Second Round)
Jonny Clayton 3-0 Jan Dekker (Second Round)
Ricky Evans 3-1 Mark McGeeney (Second Round)

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
4x Second Round
Nathan Aspinall 3-1 Danny Baggish (Second Round)
Nico Kurz 3-1 Joe Cullen (Second Round)
Max Hopp 3-2 Benito van de Pas (Second Round)
Peter Wright 3-2 Noel Malicdem (Second Round)

Saturday December 21
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
4x Second Round
Seigo Asada 3-2 Keegan Brown (Second Round)
Simon Whitlock 3-0 Harry Ward (Second Round)
Ryan Searle 3-0 Steve West (Second Round)
Adrian Lewis 3-2 Cristo Reyes (Second Round)

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
4x Second Round
Daryl Gurney 3-0 Justin Pipe (Second Round)
Glen Durrant 3-0 Damon Heta (Second Round)
Fallon Sherrock 3-1 Mensur Suljovic (Second Round)
Dimitri Van den Bergh 3-0 Josh Payne (Second Round)

Sunday December 22
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
3x Third Round
Stephen Bunting 4-0 Jonny Clayton
Darius Labanauskas 4-2 Max Hopp
Nathan Aspinall 4-3 Krzysztof Ratajski

Evening Session (1900)
3x Third Round
Steve Beaton 4-2 James Wade
Kim Huybrechts 4-2 Danny Noppert
Michael van Gerwen 4-0 Ricky Evans

Monday December 23
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
3x Third Round
Luke Humphries 4-2 Nico Kurz
Adrian Lewis 4-3 Darren Webster
Dimitri Van den Bergh 4-2 Luke Woodhouse

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
3x Third Round
Jeffrey de Zwaan 4-3 Dave Chisnall
Gary Anderson 4-3 Ryan Searle
Peter Wright 4-2 Seigo Asada

Friday December 27
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
3x Third Round
Simon Whitlock 4-1 Mervyn King
Glen Durrant 4-2 Daryl Gurney
Chris Dobey 4-2 Fallon Sherrock

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
1x Third Round
Gerwyn Price 4-0 John Henderson
2x Fourth Round
Nathan Aspinall 4-2 Gary Anderson
Michael van Gerwen 4-0 Stephen Bunting
 
Saturday December 28
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
3x Fourth Round
Darius Labanauskas 4-2 Steve Beaton
Luke Humphries 4-1 Kim Huybrechts
Dimitri Van den Bergh 4-3 Adrian Lewis
 
Evening Session (1900 GMT)
3x Fourth Round
Peter Wright 4-3 Jeffrey de Zwaan
Glen Durrant 4-3 Chris Dobey
Gerwyn Price 4-2 Simon Whitlock
 
Sunday December 29
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
Quarter-Finals
Nathan Aspinall 5-3 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Peter Wright 5-3 Luke Humphries
 
Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Michael van Gerwen 5-2 Darius Labanauskas
Gerwyn Price 5-1 Glen Durrant
 
Monday December 30 (1900 GMT)
Semi-Finals
Peter Wright 6-3 Gerwyn Price
Michael van Gerwen 6-3 Nathan Aspinall 

Wednesday January 1 (1900 GMT)
Final
Peter Wright 7-3 Michael van Gerwen

Format
First Round - Best of five sets (no tie-break)
Second Round - Best of five sets
Third Round - Best of seven sets
Fourth Round - Best of seven sets
Quarter-Finals - Best of nine sets
Semi-Finals - Best of 11 sets
Final - Best of 13 sets

A tie-break will be in operation in all round from the second round onwards, where the final set must be won by two clear legs. If the score reaches five-all, the 11th leg will be a sudden-death leg.

Prize fund
Winner - £500,000
Runner-up - £200,000
Semi-final - £100,000
Quarter-final - £50,000
Fourth round - £35,000
Third round - £25,000
Second round - £15,000
First round - £7,500
£100,000 bonus for any player who hits two nine-dart finishes in the tournament