Darts Fan Offered Life-Changing £180,000 Prize Live on Stage
In a spectacular move blending high-stakes sport with charitable giving, bookmaker Paddy Power has unveiled a breathtaking new initiative. One randomly selected darts supporter will be given the chance to win £180,000 live on stage at Alexandra Palace. The catch? They must score 180 points using nine darts.
The incredible opportunity, part of the 'Darts of Destiny' campaign, will see a fan plucked from the crowd on Saturday, January 3. Entry is secured by donating via the campaign's JustGiving page, which is raising crucial funds for Prostate Cancer UK.
Massive Prize and Wider Charitable Impact
The scale of the potential windfall is staggering. The £180,000 prize is a mere £20,000 less than the amount received by the losing semi-finalists in the World Darts Championship itself. This bold challenge is the latest component of Paddy Power's ongoing partnership with the charity, a collaboration that has already generated more than £2 million over the past two years.
This initiative is a key feature of 'The Even Bigger 180' campaign for the 2025–26 season, which enjoys support from the Professional Darts Corporation and Sky Sports. The overarching goal is to significantly boost fundraising efforts throughout the tournament.
The charitable drive extends far beyond the single on-stage challenge. As part of the wider campaign, Paddy Power will once again donate £1,000 for every 180 scored by the professional players. Furthermore, the tournament’s nine-dart bonus makes a return. For each perfect leg achieved, a sum of £180,000 will be shared equally between the player who threw it, Prostate Cancer UK, and a lucky fan in the audience.
Building on Past Success and a Vital Health Message
Last year’s event was boosted by nine-dart finishes from professionals Christian Kist and Damon Heta, helping to push the total raised for the charity to an impressive £1.027 million.
The sporting accolades continue with the return of the Ballon d’Art trophy, awarded to the player who throws the most 180s in the tournament. The current holder is World Champion Luke Littler, who landed 76 last year. He will face stiff competition from Luke Humphries, who previously won the prize with 73 maximums during the initiative's inaugural run in 2024.
Beyond the prizes and the money, the campaign carries a profoundly important public health message. Paddy Power and Prostate Cancer UK are making a concerted push to encourage 180,000 men to check their risk of prostate cancer during the tournament. This call to action comes after more than a quarter-of-a-million men already used the online risk checker in the campaign's first two years.
The urgency cannot be overstated. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, with one man dying from the disease every 45 minutes. The charity is urging men to assess their risk online by answering three simple questions.
Money raised from this year's activities will be directed toward the charity's TRANSFORM trial. This is the largest and most ambitious prostate cancer screening study undertaken in the UK in two decades. The trial will evaluate a combination of PSA blood tests, genetic saliva tests, and fast MRI scans to determine the most effective method for early detection, ultimately laying the groundwork for a national screening programme.
A spokesperson for Paddy Power said: 'Most people can only dream of hitting 180 at Ally Pally - but this year someone will get the chance to actually do it and walk away £180,000 richer, all for a truly brilliant cause.' They added, 'We hope Darts of Destiny will encourage more men to take the super-easy risk checker, as well as help continue to fund life-saving research for Prostate Cancer UK.'
Laura Kerby, Chief Executive of Prostate Cancer UK, emphasised the campaign's impact: 'This campaign has had an incredible impact in making men across the UK more aware of their risk of prostate cancer, and what they can choose to do about it.' She highlighted the silent nature of the disease, noting it often has no symptoms in its earlier, more treatable stages. She concluded, 'Thanks to the incredible efforts of the PDC players, backed by Paddy Power, the funds raised will go towards supporting game-changing research like our TRANSFORM trial. That will help us find the missing pieces we need to build a safe and effective screening programme for all men.'
