Players hit 1,127 maximums at the 2025-26 Paddy Power World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace. The old record was 914.
The mechanics here are simple. Paddy Power pledged £1,000 for every 180 thrown, so the count alone produced £1,127,000 for Prostate Cancer UK. The pledge was part of the bookmaker’s Even Bigger 180 campaign, which had already raised more than £2 million over the previous two years.
Where the rest came from
A second scheme, Darts of Destiny, pushed the total higher by encouraging public donations across the UK and Ireland. One randomly chosen supporter got to step on stage before the final and try to score 180 or more with nine darts for a £180,000 prize. Curtis Griffiths, a 27-year-old electrician from Wrexham, narrowly missed. He left with £5,000, and the scheme brought in another £123,000 for the charity.
Together, that put the campaign’s donation at £1.25 million this year. The figure should rise. Paddy Power is making 1,127 commemorative dartboards available in selected shops in exchange for donations to the Darts of Destiny JustGiving page. Across three years of sponsorship, its contribution to Prostate Cancer UK now stands at £3,277,780.
Awareness and research
More than 145,000 men completed Prostate Cancer UK’s online risk checker during the tournament. Around 113,000 of them were identified as higher risk and encouraged to take the next steps.
Sir Chris Hoy, the six-time Olympic champion and a campaign ambassador, was at Alexandra Palace to present Luke Littler with the Sid Waddell Trophy and the Ballon d’Art award. “It’s incredible to see the Even Bigger 180 campaign raise over £1 million, it’s mind-blowing,” he said. He said the money would make a “tangible difference” to men and families affected by prostate cancer.
Part of it will go toward Prostate Cancer UK’s TRANSFORM trial, which aims to develop a safe and effective national screening programme.
