Paddy Power is once again donating £1,000 to Prostate Cancer UK for every 180 scored at the 2024/25 PDC World Darts Championship.
This year, there’s also an exciting £180,000 bonus on the table every time a player achieves a nine-darter.
With Sky Sports joining as an official partner, the campaign is now rebranded as “The BIGGER 180,” aiming to ‘harness the combined power of darts’ biggest players and platforms to spread awareness and drive action’.
Laura Kerby, CEO of Prostate Cancer UK, commented: “We’re thrilled to team up with Paddy Power again for The BIGGER 180. Last year’s campaign was phenomenally successful – raising an incredible £1 million, getting record numbers to check their risk, and making a significant impact on men and their loved ones.
“With The BIGGER 180, we’re setting our sights on reaching even more men across the UK. The funds we raise will move us closer to a future where all men have access to regular, accurate tests – potentially saving thousands of lives.”
The announcement follows the success of last year’s “The Big 180” initiative, which raised £1 million to support the charity after 914 180s were hit, with Paddy Power rounding up the final donation to a seven-figure sum.
As the operator stated: “Here’s the #realtalk – Paddy’s doing all this because one-in-eight men will face prostate cancer in their lifetime. Your risk is even higher if you’re over 50, Black, or have a family history of the disease.”
“Most men don’t show symptoms in the early stages, and currently, there’s no screening programme inviting men for regular tests. That’s why too many men are dying from prostate cancer – finding it early, when it’s easier to treat, is key to saving lives.”
Partners aim to inspire at least 180,000 men to take the lifesaving risk checker this year. You can check your risk in just 30 seconds here: prostatecanceruk.org/darts-risk.
A Sky Sports spokesperson noted: “Being part of The BIGGER 180 campaign is a privilege, especially after witnessing last year’s outstanding efforts and funds raised. We look forward to leveraging Sky’s platforms to broaden the campaign’s reach and drive meaningful change to help save lives.”
This year, the campaign’s goal is to surpass last year’s totals, with funds going towards Prostate Cancer UK’s TRANSFORM trial.
TRANSFORM is described as the most ambitious prostate cancer screening trial ever, seeking the best method to diagnose the disease early and lay the groundwork for a national screening programme that could save thousands of lives.
Matt Porter, Professional Darts Corporation CEO, concluded: “The BIG 180 was darts’ largest-ever charity initiative, and it’s exciting to watch it grow further for the 2024/25 Paddy Power World Darts Championship.
“The BIGGER 180 will directly benefit the TRANSFORM trial. With the incredible standard displayed by players in 2024, we might not only witness a record number of 180s but also multiple nine-darters during the event!”