What is the World Series of Darts?

The World Series of Darts is an annual PDC tournament that is designed to make the sport more popular around the world. It comprises five qualifying tournaments in America, Europe and Australasia, and culminates in the World Series of Darts Finals.

It is not one of the seven ranked majors to take place over the course of the year, but is one of six non-ranking television tournaments.

When is it?

The qualifying tournaments consist of the US Masters and German Masters in July followed by the Brisbane Masters, Melbourne Masters and New Zealand Masters in August.

The World Series of Darts Finals then usually take place over the first weekend in November. The 2020 tournament will be played 18-20 September.

Where is it played?

The 2019 Finals were played in Amsterdam, having previously been hosted in Vienna and Glasgow. The 2020 Finals will be held at Salzburgarena in Salzburg, Austria.

Who takes part?

Each qualifying tournament pits a mixture of top-ranked PDC players against local qualifiers in a knockout format, with points awarded depending on how far they progress.

The top eight players in the World Series Order of Merit are guaranteed a place in the Finals, with a further 16 players either qualifying through other means or being invited by the PDC.

What is the format?

The eight automatic qualifiers get a bye straight to the second round, and are seeded in separate halves of the draw. The other 16 players are then drawn against each other in the first round in a fixed bracket.

First-round and second-round matches are best of 11 legs. Quarter-finals and semi-finals are all best of 19 legs, with the final best of 21 legs.

Can I watch it on television?

The entire tournament is broadcast live on the ITV4.

What is the prize for winning?

The total prize pot for the 2019 tournament was £300,000, with £70,000 going to the winner and £30,000 to the runner-up.

Who are the previous winners?

Michael van Gerwen is the reigning champion after winning his fourth title in 2019, beating fellow Dutchman Danny Noppert in the final.

James Wade is the only other player to have lifted the trophy after beating Michael Smith in 2018.

Visit Betway's darts betting page.