"If you get beat you get nothing - but you still have to pay for your flights, hotels & taxis" - Van Barneveld calls for first round losers money on PDC Pro Tour

As darts continues to soar in global popularity - with rising TV ratings and record-breaking prize money at the top - one of the sport’s most iconic figures is raising a red flag. Raymond van Barneveld, five-time world champion and veteran of the game, says too many professional players are being left behind.

Now 58 and with millions in prize money to his name, Van Barneveld has issued a clear message to the PDC: it’s time to offer better financial support to lower-ranked players who struggle to make a living in the sport.

"The prize money for all the majors is fantastic but they have to start thinking about the other players as well," he told Online Darts. "Because if you're not in a major, only 32 players are involved in that, and if you're not involved in these tournaments, it's almost impossible to qualify for the World Matchplay. It's very hard to go to the Grand Prix from there, you have to do really well."

While top-ranked players compete in sold-out arenas and cash six-figure checks, the bulk of professionals compete on the PDC Pro Tour, where rewards are far more modest - and the risks, greater. At those events, players who lose in the first round earn nothing, despite covering their own travel and accommodation costs.

"So I was thinking, if they would have done more prize money in the Pro Tour events, where everyone is, you have 128 players, there's nothing you get for the first round. If you get beat, you get nothing - but you still have to pay for your flights, your hotels, your taxis. I think the PDC have to look into that," explains the Dutch darting icon.

He believes small changes could have a major impact, especially for players who don’t regularly qualify for televised events. "Maybe £250 for starters and if you win, £1250 or £1000, which will make all the players happier. Sometimes you do 34 Pro Tours and if you lose a lot of them you won't get paid anything. Your hotel needs to be paid, your travel needs to be paid and that goes really fast because everything is getting expensive," 'Barney' says. "We've got 128 players, They top you up £250 - give the £250 on the 64 losers. Every day you will still earn £250. That will mean that possible players in the future can look after themselves instead of going straight to management. I think they have to look into that because it costs a lot of money."

Van Barneveld’s appeal comes just weeks after the PDC announced major increases to prize money - though mostly concentrated at the top of the game. The winner of the PDC World Darts Championship will receive £1 million in early 2026 for example. The Premier League Darts will also offer £1.25 million in prizes, including £350,000 for the champion.