£100,000 FOR 2010 BDO LAKESIDE WORLD PROFESSIONAL MEN’S DARTS CHAMPION

LAKESIDE COUNTRY CLUB, FRIMLEY GREEN, SURREY

SATURDAY, JANUARY 2 to SUNDAY, JANUARY 10, 2010

The 2010 Lakeside World Professional Men’s Champion will receive a cheque for £100,000, and the total prize fund for the Championships will be £325,000 – making it the richest ever in the history of the most prestigious Championships in World Darts.

It’s a fitting reward for the players from over thirty countries around the globe who have competed for the right to be in the final field of 32 men and 8 women in the BBC televised Championships from January 2nd to 10th, 2010.

"What a fantastic way to celebrate the 25th year that the BDO has staged the World Pro at Lakeside!", says Olly Croft, Managing Director of BDO Enterprises Ltd, "We are delighted that Bob Potter’s commitment and support of these great Championships remains as strong as ever.

"We first came to Lakeside in 1986 and 2010 marks the twenty-fifth consecutive year that Bob has made Lakeside Country Club the undisputed home of world darts. But more than that, since Lakeside became main title sponsor in 2004, the winning cheque for the Men’s Champion has doubled to a life changing six-figure sum. It represents a marvellous commitment to BDO darts and coincides with the wonderful news that BBC TV Sport is extending its exclusive contract with the BDO to broadcast the World Pro until 2013.

"In addition, John Smith’s and Jackpotjoy.com continue as official Lakeside and BDO shirt patch sponsors respectively, and the World Pro continues to maintain the history of darts at the highest possible participation levels. It is a true world event seen by the biggest TV audiences for darts anywhere in the world.

."We are proud that the World Pro offers not only a wonderful mix of well-known players and emerging talent on an annual basis, but also the finest officials in world darts, the world’s premier broadcaster and the No.1 venue in World Darts.

"What a winning combination!"

Played at Lakeside Country Club, Frimley Green, Surrey - ‘the home of World Darts’ – from Saturday, January 2nd to Sunday, January 10th, 2010, the Men’s World Professional Championship will celebrate thirty-three years of continuous coverage on BBC (1978 to 2010), while the Women’s World Professional Championship will be staged for the tenth consecutive year (2001 to 2010).

"Of course, I am delighted that Lakeside is continuing as main title sponsor of these great Championships for the sixth consecutive year", says Bob Potter, OBE, proprietor of the Lakeside Complex.

"The atmosphere is truly unique, and we are privileged to play host to some of the world’s top players – men and women – who produce ever-increasing standards of darts excellence year after year.

"The increase in prize money reflects our ongoing commitment not only to the Championships, but also to the BDO and its players and officials, together with BBC TV Sport, who combine to provide us with top-of-the-bill darts year after year".

The extensive TV coverage by BBC Sport is complemented by Red Button and online coverage of every dart thrown for digital TV viewers. In addition, thanks to deals signed by the BDO’s international TV distribution partner BBC Worldwide, coverage of the event will be seen throughout Europe on Eurosport, and throughout Asia on Eurosport Asia. Coverage of the whole tournament will also appear on SBS-6 in Holland.

This provides the most diverse TV exposure for any darts Championship anywhere in the world, and collectively produces the biggest global TV audiences for darts.

2010 PRIZE MONEY - MEN:

CHAMPION: £100,000

Runner-up £30,000

Semi-Finalists £11,000 x 2

Q/Finalists £ 6,000 x 4

2nd Round £ 4,250 x 8

1st Round £ 3,000 x 16

TOTAL: £258,000

WOMEN:

CHAMPION: £6,000

Runner-Up £2,000

Joint 3rd £1,000 x 2

Joint 5th: £ 500 x 4

TOTAL: £12,000

Highest Checkout:

Men & Women: £3,000

9-Dart 501

Men & Women: £52,000

TOTAL AVAILABLE PRIZE FUND: £325,000

For more information on the British Darts Organisation:

Lakeside website: