The World Matchplay is the second biggest tournament on the PDC Calendar for the amount of money earned towards the world rankings with the prize fund being at £700,000 this time around.

This is £200,000 more than in 2018 and this makes winning the event a double edged sword with Gary Anderson and Mensur Suljovic now having to defend that money they won two years ago.

Anderson has to defend £115,000 and could fall to his lowest position on the PDC Order of Merit in six years of 12th. While he gains £10,000 for being in the line-up, which is more than two years ago, he will lose almost a quarter of his prize money in the world rankings if he loses early.

Suljovic similarly was in the final in 2018 losing to Anderson and received £55,000 for that. Now a final spot yields £70,000 and a semi-final place £50,000 so the stakes mean he has to likely reach the semi-finals.

Stephen Bunting, Mervyn King, Max Hopp, Darren Webster, John Henderson, Kim Huybrechts, Steve West, James Wilson, Steve Lennon, Kyle Anderson, Jelle Klaasen and Richard North are going to fall down the rankings anyway.

They were involved two years ago, but are missing this edition. Especially for Webster that is a loss, because he was in the quarterfinals two years ago and for King who failed to qualify for the first time since 2007.

One player who does benefit though is Michael van Gerwen. The World Number One hasn't had the best time of it during this event in recent years and as a result is defending less. Gerwyn Price could take over as World Number Two as well if he wins the title; that is if Peter Wright loses first round.