Luke Littler and his fellow competitors are set to compete in Riyadh next week for a chance to win $200,000 (£149,000) by achieving a nine-dart finish followed by a ‘golden bull’. This event marks the first time the World Series of Darts will be held in Saudi Arabia, featuring eight PDC Tour representatives against eight Asian Tour representatives in a lucrative two-day tournament starting on Monday.
The prize for hitting a nine-darter is $100,000 (£74,700), with the opportunity to double it by throwing one ‘golden’ dart at the bullseye, making it the largest reward ever offered for a nine-dart finish in the sport. Luke Littler, who recently secured a record £1 million prize for winning the World Championship and signed a lucrative 10-year contract worth £20 million with his darts supplier, is eager to showcase his skills once again after throwing nine perfect darts in a previous World Series event in Bahrain.
This new incentive in darts mirrors the format of the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship, which includes the “Riyadh Season golden ball” offering a $1 million (£760,000) bonus for achieving a 167 break. The golden ‘Riyadh Season ball’ is strategically placed on the snooker table and remains until a maximum break of 147 becomes impossible in a frame.
Former World Championship semi-finalist Mark Webster highlighted the potential earnings at stake, emphasizing the $200,000 prize awaiting any player who can hit a perfect ten-dart finish. Joining Littler in Riyadh are Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen, Gian van Veen, Gerwyn Price, Stephen Bunting, Nathan Aspinall, and Danny Noppert, all currently competing in the Bahrain Masters following Littler’s recent World Championship victory.
During the Bahrain Masters, Littler showcased his skills by executing a 170 ‘Big Fish’ check-out to advance to the quarter-finals, where Humphries, Van Veen, Van Gerwen, Bunting, and Aspinall also progressed. This exciting event in Riyadh promises high stakes and fierce competition as darts enthusiasts gear up for the action-packed tournament.