These top players have the most money to defend at PDC World Darts Championship

The World Darts Championship is the biggest and most important darts tournament of the year, and at this event players can also earn the most prize money. The prize money earned then stays in the world rankings for two years.

So that also means that the money earned by participants at the 2023 World Darts Championship will soon disappear from the rankings. These are the players who will have to defend the most prize money in the coming months.

Michael Smith crowned himself world champion in 2023, so for "Bullyboy" the most money is at stake. At the time, Smith collected 500,000 pounds for winning the world title. The amount Smith has to defend is 56 percent of the amount currently on his ranking. The Englishman is currently second in the world rankings, but is fifteenth in the virtual rankings after the World Darts Championship. Smith could therefore theoretically fall outside the top-16 in a disappointing tournament.

In the 2023 World Championship final, Smith won against Van Gerwen, who thus must defend 200,000 pounds. For "Mighty Mike," that's 25 percent of his total sum on the PDC Order of Merit. Nevertheless, he is still virtually third in the world rankings after the World Darts Championship.

Dimitri van den Bergh and Gabriel Clemens were the losing semifinalists in 2023. They then grabbed 100,000 pounds in prize money. Certainly Clemens will have to perform well, because a poor World Championship will see 'The German Giant' drop out of the top-32. Van den Bergh could also drop quite a few spots, but did good business earlier this year by winning the UK Open. That title earned him 110,000 pounds.

Chris Dobey, Gerwyn Price, Stephen Bunting and Jonny Clayton were eliminated in the quarterfinals two years ago and must defend £50,000. Reigning world champion Luke Humphries then only made it to the last sixteen and thus only has to defend 35,000 pounds. The same goes for Alan Soutar, Joe Cullen, Kim Huybrechts, Josh Rock, Dirk van Duijvenbode and Rob Cross. Jose de Sousa also made it to the last sixteen during the 2023 edition, but failed to qualify this time. That means De Sousa is going to business 35,000 pounds in the world rankings anyway.

£500,000 Michael Smith

£200,000 Michael van Gerwen

£100,000 Gabriel Clemens

£100,000 Dimitri van den Bergh

£50,000 Chris Dobey

£50,000 Gerwyn Price

£50,000 Stephen Bunting

£50,000 Jonny Clayton

£35,000 Joe Cullen

£35,000 Alan Soutar

£35,000 Luke Humphries

£35,000 Kim Huybrechts

£35,000 Josh Rock

£35,000 Dirk van Duijvenbode

£35,000 Rob Cross

(£35,000 Jose de Sousa)