2024 UK Open: Schedule, format, defending champion, prize money and where to watch

There is a grand prize of £110,000 waiting for the winner this weekend as some of the best players in the world compete in the latest PDC major event.

Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen, Luke Littler, Michael Smith and a plethora of other stars will be in action.

Below, Planet Sport looks at the format of the event, the all-important schedule, a look at the defending champion, prize money and, of course, where you can watch the matches unfold.

 

UK Open format

There are 160 players taking part in the UK Open who will enter the competition incrementally. In the first round, 64 players enter the field, with match winners joining 32 new entrants in the second round.

The same will happen in the third round, leaving 64 players in the fourth round at which point the PDC’s biggest stars will enter the frame.

The knockout format will continue until we are down to the final two players.

 

UK Open schedule

The action gets underway on Friday, March 1, with first, second, third and fourth round matches.

Saturday will see fifth and sixth round contests, while Sunday will see the culmination of the event with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final.

 

UK Open defending champion

Andrew Gilding stunned the darting world last year as he powered to the 2023 UK Open title.

Goldfinger’s first and only major PDC title came courtesy of a nail-biting 11-10 victory over Michael van Gerwen in Minehead.

 

UK Open prize money

Winner - £110,000
Runner-up - £50,000
Semi-final - £30,000
Quarter-final - £15,000
Last 16 - £10,000
Last 32 - £5,000
Last 64 - £2,500
Last 96 - £1,500
Last 128 - £1,000

 

Where to watch the UK Open

Darts fans will be able to follow the action on ITV across all three days of the tournament.