World Champion Luke Littler Helps Paddy Power Set New Charity Record

Paddy Power continued to dominate on the oche at the World Darts Championship, and that was largely down to the exploits of newly-crowned winner Luke Littler. Yes, Paddy Power managed to raise a record £1.25 million for Prostate Cancer UK as part of its Bigger 180 campaign.

The initiative was based on donating £1,000 to the charity for every 180 thrown during the tournament. Across the competition, 1,127 maximums were struck, representing a new Championship high, and this, in turn, helped spread greater awareness of prostate cancer.

Making a big difference

Before the start of the 2026 World Championship, Paddy Power confirmed that it had signed a six-year extension to remain as the tournament’s title sponsor. Paddy Power has also been unwavering in its commitment to pledging money to Prostate Cancer UK. A further £123,000 was raised through Paddy Power’s Darts of Destiny initiative, giving the fans the chance to throw a 9-dart leg for the good cause.

Across the three years of sponsorship, Paddy Power has donated more than £3m to Prostate Cancer UK. More importantly, the initiative increased public engagement, with more than 145,000 men completing a check, of which 113,000 were deemed higher risk and urged to consult their GP.

A ‘life-changing partnership’

From a purely financial perspective, Paddy Power cashed in during the tournament and were able to write out some big cheques. Prostate Cancer UK Chief Executive, Laura Kerby, hailed Paddy Power’s work, and labelled the World Championship as an ‘unforgettable tournament’.

She said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to collect our biggest cheques yet, and a massive thanks to Paddy Power and all the players for their record-setting efforts.

“It’s been a tournament to remember with some simply staggering scoring helping us raise an unbelievable £1,127,000 - one 180 at a time. That’s £3,154,000 raised across three years now, and that will help change the game for men. This really has been a life-saving partnership with more than 400,000 men completing our risk checker during the last three campaigns.

“We’re so grateful to Paddy Power, whose incredible donations are supporting our revolutionary TRANSFORM trial. This is the future of screening, which will find the missing pieces we need to build a safe and effective screening programme for all men, to catch prostate cancer early and save thousands of lives.”

Luke Littler showcases his excellence

Littler once again came to the fore, clinching back-to-back world titles at Alexandra Palace in London. His ferocious scoring saw him clock up 73 individual 180s, clinching the Ballon d’Art trophy for most maximums notched up, and his efforts contributed immensely to the Prostate Cancer UK totaliser.

Apart from displaying incredible levels of consistency, blitzing past the Dutch sensation Gian van Veen 7-1 in the Final, Littler collected a cheque for £1m. He also joined an exclusive club of Phil Taylor, Adrian Lewis, and Gary Anderson as the only players in PDC history to win consecutive World Championship crowns.

Bar set high

Soon, the PDC will turn its attention to the Premier League campaign, which gets underway next month, and you can expect a flurry of bets to be placed at the UK’s best darts betting sites. However, as far as Paddy Power is concerned, they will be looking further ahead.

After breaking a record for Prostate Cancer UK, Paddy Power won’t be resting on its laurels. Instead, they will be exploring how to eclipse their charity contribution for the 2027 edition of the World Championship.