It does not feel 345 days since Luke Humphries defeated Luke Littler to win the 2024 Paddy Power World Darts Championship.

The two mentioned have each won big TV titles over the past year, but a lot has changed in the sport since that day at Alexandra Palace.

It’s been a year where underdog stories have ruled, with surprise winners across the Pro Tour, Euro Tour and big TV events.

All that though, is now in the past. It’s time for the one they all want to win. It’s time to climb back to the top of Muswell Hill, for 16 days of more surprise and drama than you could dream of.

The doors of The People’s Palace are about to open for the world’s greatest arrowsmiths once again. Come on in, pull up your most comfortable chair, and settle down. You won’t want to leave it.

“Nothing else on the calendar scratches the surface of importance”

For the 18th consecutive year, Alexandra Palace hosts the Paddy Power World Darts Championship.

It’s easy to see why so many from around the world make the pilgrimage to it. It is the world’s biggest Christmas party, where many arrive as strangers and leave arm in arm.

It is a cliché, but whenever you walk in the venue, it just hits different. The fan zone that dwarfs anything else in the sport. The wall of noise you get from over 3,500 people having one of the best nights of their lives. The roar when something truly ridiculous happens. It’s always a spine-tingling moment.

Every single one of the 96 players taking part knows that this one just means more. Nothing else on the calendar scratches the surface of importance in comparison. The added TV exposure of the Worlds being at Christmas means that you’ll be seen on TV by more people than at any time of the year. If you’re really good, you may even break viewing records.

You could have had an outstanding year, but go out early here, the wider public may not know just how excellent you are. Similarly, put together a run and go deep in the World Darts Championship, your career could change course dramatically.

If you’re the last player standing, your life alters. For 12 months, you’re the main attraction on planet darts. You get the star on your shirt. You hold the most coveted prize of all, the Sid Waddell Trophy.

You’ll have to work for it though, and then some. First, make sure you survive the first two rounds and come back after Christmas. Then, win another two games, which could go 31 legs to get yourself into the New Year.

Normally, that would be enough to win you a title. Not this one. You must be victorious in three more games on consecutive days, over a potential 51, 61 and 71 legs.

It should be difficult to win though. After all, it’s the Worlds. The question though, is who will take that chance?

Humphries looks to repeat World Darts Championship win

The smart money suggests that Humphries should do very well again. After all, he is the defending champion and world number one, and won the World Matchplay in the summer, the second biggest tournament of the year. Plus, he took the Players Championship Finals three weeks ago, the last TV tournament before the World Darts Championship.

No one has successfully defended this tournament since 2016 though, and his opponent in the big match 12 months ago, is the pre-tournament favourite with title sponsors Paddy Power.

Littler captured the sporting world with his incredible run to the final last year, but as anyone who’s followed the sport closely since then knows, it was not a flash in the pan. He took the Premier League title on debut, before finally winning a ranked TV tournament at the Grand Slam last month. There’s also the possibility of a meeting with Fallon Sherrock in round two, which could break even more viewing records.

One thing that is certain, is that we won’t get a rematch in the final, owing to the pair being in the same half of the draw. This means the other section is wide open for someone to come through, and it features multiple World Champions.

World number two Michael Smith won this event two years ago, defeating world number three Michael van Gerwen featuring arguably the greatest leg of all time. Both have yet to win a ranked TV tournament since then, although MvG has come close on multiple occasions. The Bully Boy is defending the £500,000 on his ranking he received for winning the event this time around, while van Gerwen is aiming to take home the World Darts Championship for the first time since 2019.

Gary Anderson, the last player to successfully defend this title, is arguably throwing the best he’s ever done. Could he be a three time World Champion?

It also features Gerwyn Price, who has a horrible record in TV events over the past couple of years. He’s looking to win this event once again, as he did in 2021.

Across the draw, there are other players who’ve taken big TV titles to watch out for. Mike De Decker won the only other set play event in the World Grand Prix, with a record of winning 11 deciding legs in sets out of the 14 he played that week in Leicester. He knows how to do it under pressure, but can he do it under the biggest scrutiny of them all?

What about UK Open champion, and former semi finalist, in the shape of Dimitri Van den Bergh? Ritchie Edhouse took the European Championship this year, so can he produce once again?

There are 96 players dreaming not of a White Christmas, but of the confetti falling on 3 January 2025 as they lift the World Darts Championship.

There are lots of questions ahead of this magical tournament. Now, it’s time to find the answers.

Merry Dartmas.