The Senior Darts World Championship took place for the third time this year and was once again a resounding success. Launched only in 2021, players over 50 can now finally play their own World Championship.
But that doesn't mean that people over 50 are inferior to the greats of darts. A German player also participated in the 2024 Senior Darts World Championship and even made history .
Of course, you can find out everything you need to know about senior darts from us.
When does the Darts Seniors World Championship start?
Although the Senior Darts World Championship is only taking place for the third time, it has always been held at the beginning of the year, in February . Last year, the 2023 Senior Darts World Championship also took place in February.
Although darts for seniors has been relatively unpopular until now, there are so many players worldwide that a World Championship is essential . Even the legends with their dart nicknames eventually get older and certainly want to keep sinking their darts into the board for a long time to come.
It was actually only officially announced in April 2021 that the first World Senior Darts Championship would take place in 2022. However, this does not mean that darts history has not yet been made here.
ModusDarts and Snooker Legends are leading the charge to organize this special event for darts players over 50. In the first year, renowned players such as Phil Taylor , Martin Adams, and John Lowe announced their participation.
In addition to the three dart legends, 21 other players took part in the 2022 Senior Darts World Championship.
Where will the Senior Darts World Championship be broadcast?
Unfortunately, we fans in Germany have a real problem. Because it's not being broadcast here.
If you still don't want to miss out on the special World Championship, you can purchase an event pass for a few dollars on Dartconnect and watch the Dart Seniors World Championship broadcast live.
You can also find out everything you need to know about the Over 50s World Cup here.
Who won the 2023 Senior Darts World Championship?
This year's Senior Darts World Championship, held at the Circus Tavern in Purfleet, saw John Henderson emerge victorious . He beat Collin McGarry 5-0 , leaving McGarry virtually no chance .
More darts knowledge: Robert Thornton won the last two events. At the 2023 Senior Darts World Championship, Thornton beat Richie Howson 5-2 and in 2022, he beat Martin Adams 5-1.
Darts for seniors is becoming increasingly popular, which is why a German participated for the first time this year. Manfred Bilderl not only participated in the Senior Darts World Championship for the first time, but he was also the first German to do so.
He was so full of adrenaline that he actually made history. At the Circus Tavern in Purfleet, England, he defeated darts legend Phil Taylor 3-2 in his first match dart, thus reaching the round of 16 .
Taylor certainly imagined his last Darts World Championship differently. Even though he retired in 2018, he participated in the Senior Darts World Championship and announced before the World Championship that he would retire afterward .
Just by taking part in the World Championship, Bilderl has already secured 900 euros and was certainly dreaming of the winner's prize money of 30,000 pounds , which is a good 35,000 euros.
Did you know that he has “ Run Boy Run ” by Woodkid as his darts entrance music ?
How much is the prize money at the Senior Darts World Championship?
The prize money is of course much lower than in the regular World Championship. The winner will receive a total of 30,000 pounds .
- 1st round already £750
- and in the 2nd round £1,000 .
- £2,000 awaits in the quarter-finals
- and £4,500 in the semi-finals.
- The runner-up will be rewarded with a whopping £13,000 .
- That's a total of £80,000 that will be distributed to the seniors.
Anyone who qualifies can receive a nice amount of cash in the first round. 16 players will receive a wildcard from the organizer . These 16 darts players are automatically seeded and qualified .
Then there are ten players who are there via direct invitation and there are six more places that will be played out in qualifying tournaments .
More darts knowledge : The most important thing is that none of the darts players can be under 50 years old . Furthermore, none of the players can hold a PDC European Tour card.
Last but not least, the two best players from the PDC Order of Merit money list as well as the two best players from the World Senior Darts Tour points rankings are added.
Senior darts as a hobby: Why the sport is so popular
Senior darts is becoming increasingly popular. This is due in no small part to the fact that more and more top players are reaching a certain age but aren't planning on retiring. Furthermore, darts has become increasingly established in recent years and has even made its way to Germany .
The two German players Gabriel Clemens and Martin Schindler , who are now very well known, caused an absolute hype last year.
But darts has many other advantages for seniors . After all, practically everyone has played darts at some point. This is why many older people are discovering this social game for themselves . The advantages are, of course, undeniable.
Socializing: Darts is, among other things, a solitary sport , but it's also a great group sport . Even if you don't have a friend or acquaintance nearby, it's now possible to play darts online with friends and acquaintances.
Most people meet at a club or pub to play darts together. Grandparents and parents can also play with their grandchildren, who may have a great darts career ahead of them and want to attend PDC Qualifying School , as a way to spend time together as a family.
Concentration-enhancing: Playing darts also helps improve concentration. Those who aim to hit the individual targets need utmost concentration to hit the target. This is especially true when it comes to ending the game, which usually happens in a doubles game. To further improve concentration, you can also play bullseye darts . This not only requires concentration , but also skill and precision , which you can definitely improve by aiming at the bullseye .
No stamina required: Another positive aspect is that you don't need a lot of stamina. Between throws, you can sit down and rest your legs if you're not feeling so strong. You can also recover when it's not your turn.
Maintains motor skills: Darts have another absolute advantage that you shouldn't forget. Throwing darts maintains your motor skills . This is especially important if you have problems with your finger joints , for example. Exercise is always good and can help alleviate these problems .
Conclusion
As you can see, you're far from being old just because you're over 50. Darts for seniors is a big thing , and in many cities, you have the opportunity to meet like-minded people and indulge in your hobby.
If you don't have any darts players nearby, you can always meet up online to throw a few darts together. But don't forget that many young people have also taken up darts as a hobby, and many parents or grandfathers play with their grandchildren to spend some quality time together and have fun.
Even if you can't watch the Senior Darts World Championship live on German television, you have the opportunity to follow the games via Dartconnect - perhaps together with your darts-loving family or friends and acquaintances.
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