bwin are to sponsor the Grand Slam of Darts under a new two-year contract with the PDC to back November’s cross-code event in Wolverhampton.
The Grand Slam of Darts was introduced in 2007 and sees 32 players from both the PDC and BDO systems competing across nine days, with a round-robin group phase followed by a knockout stage.
Won for the past two years at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall by Michael van Gerwen, the tournament has also seen Phil Taylor, Scott Waites and Raymond van Barneveld lift the prestigious trophy over the past decade.
This year’s Grand Slam of Darts, to be held from November 11-19, will be the first sponsored by leading online betting and gaming company, bwin, under a new partnership with the Professional Darts Corporation.
“It’s great to welcome bwin as the new title sponsor for the bwin Grand Slam of Darts,” said PDC Chairman Barry Hearn. “Their previous sponsorship of the World Cup of Darts came at a time of huge growth for that event in Germany in 2014 and 2015.
“Their backing of the Grand Slam of Darts will not only showcase the brand across nine days of fantastic darts in Wolverhampton, but provides worldwide exposure through Sky Sports and our international broadcast partners.”
Prize money for the bwin Grand Slam of Darts will increase to £450,000 in 2017, with the first prize rising to £110,000 for the eventual champion following the nine days of action at the Wolves Civic.
Adam Lewis, CMO of bwin said: “We’re delighted to become the title sponsor of the bwin Grand Slam of Darts. It is a huge tournament that continues to grow in popularity every year, with an ever-increasing international reach.
“Darts is enjoying a huge boom and it’s great for us to link up once again with the PDC to sponsor this prestigious tournament.”
The bwin Grand Slam of Darts will be broadcast live on Sky Sports from November 11-19 2017 from the Wolverhampton Civic Hall.
Tickets for the bwin Grand Slam of Darts will go on sale later in 2017. Full details will be announced at www.pdc.tv/tickets once confirmed.
About bwin
bwin offers live betting and online gaming on a wide range of sports, casino games and poker through its website www.bwin.com, including markets on over 90 sports.
bwin have also previously enjoyed sponsorships across a wide range of European football clubs and leagues, Moto GP, tennis, handball, the World Equestrian Games and kitesurfing, as well as being the title sponsor of the bwin World Cup of Darts in 2014 and 2015.
bwin is the leading sports betting brand of GVC Holdings PLC. For more information about bwin, visit www.bwin.com or follow @bwin on Twitter.
About the PDC
The Professional Darts Corporation was formed in 1993 and is the leading professional body in the sport, offering an £11.2 million global circuit. Professional tournaments are held globally each year in the UK, Ireland, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Gibraltar, Dubai, China, Australia and New Zealand, alongside affiliated tours in Australia, New Zealand, China, Russia and the Nordic & Baltic region.
The bwin Grand Slam of Darts was introduced in 2007 and is staged annually during November at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall (“Wolves Civic”), with 24 PDC qualifiers joined by eight representatives from the British Darts Organisation (“BDO”). The tournament will offer a record £450,000 in prize money in 2017.
bwin Grand Slam of Darts
Roll of Honour
| 2007 | Phil Taylor |
| 2008 | Phil Taylor |
| 2009 | Phil Taylor |
| 2010 | Scott Waites |
| 2011 | Phil Taylor |
| 2012 | Raymond van Barneveld |
| 2013 | Phil Taylor |
| 2014 | Phil Taylor |
| 2015 | Michael van Gerwen |
| 2016 | Michael van Gerwen |
2017 Prize Money
| Winner | £110,000 |
| Runner-Up | £55,000 |
| Semi-Finalists | £28,500 |
| Quarter-Finalists | £16,000 |
| Second Round Losers | £10,000 |
| Third in Group | £5,000 |
| Fourth in Group | £3,000 |
| Group Winner Bonus | £2,500 |
| Total | £450,000 |