PDC World Matchplay darts 2022: prize money breakdown, betting odds and previous winners

The 2022 edition of the PDC World Matchplay Darts is back on screens this weekend as the very best players in the world compete for the Phil Taylor Trophy.

Named after the legendary 16 time winner of the event, the Winter Gardens in Blackpool will once again be the stage for the 29th edition of the major tournament.

The field is made up of 32 of the best players in the world and features no less than six previous winners and a further two former finalists in the ranks.

Here is everything you need to know about the early betting odds for the tournament as well as the prize money up for grabs and the history of the competition.

Who is the favourite to win the 2022 PDC World Matchplay Darts?

Michael van Gerwen, who appeared in three consecutive finals and won the competition back-to-back in 2015 and 2016, is the pre-tournament favourite.

He is closely followed by defending champion and world number one Peter Wright and former World Champion Gerwyn Price - who has previously only made it as far as the quarter-finals in Blackpool.

Here are the early top ten in the pre-tournament betting market:

• Michael van Gerwen 6/1
• Peter Wright 7/1
• Gerwyn Price 7/1
• Jonny Clayton 8/1
• Michael Smith 8/1
• Luke Humphries 11/1
• Dimitri van den Bergh 11/1
• Rob Cross 11/1
• Danny Noppert 11/1
• Gary Anderson 25/1

Further down the market, 2007 winner James Wade is priced at 33/1 while Adrian Lewis (who lost to Phil Taylor in the 2013 final) is 66/1.

PDC World Matchplay Darts prize money

The winner of the 2022 PFC World Matchplay will not only take home the Phil Taylor trophy but also a significant cash prize of £200,000.

That is considerably less than the £500,000 that the winner of the World Championships receives, but is still amongst the highest prizes in the sport.

The overall prize fund for the tournament is £800,000 with the runner-up taking home £100,000 and the two beaten semi-finalists receiving £50,000 each.

Quarter-finalists get £30,000 while it’s £15,000 for going out in the second round and £10,000 for losing in the first.

PDC World Matchplay Darts previous winners and history

There have been 28 editions of the competition ahead of the 2022 event and the legendary Phil Taylor reached the final in 17 of them, losing just once to Michael van Gerwen in 2016 - two years before his retirement.

The Dutchman is tied with another legend of the game, Rod Harrington, in second on the all time standings list with two title wins.

Out of the players taking part this year there are five more previous champions: James Wade, Gary Anderson, Peter Wright, Dimitri van den Bergh and Rob Cross.

All of those players have won one title each but Wade has been a finalist on six of his 16 appearances in Blackpool.

Michael Smith and Adrian Lewis are the two other players who have reached finals without winning while Mensur Suljović and Richie Burnett are two other active players to have reached a final that did not qualify this year.