Littler to headline 2024 US Darts Masters line-up in New York

Luke Littler will make his bet365 US Darts Masters debut at Madison Square Garden later this year, with the eight PDC representatives now confirmed for the World Series of Darts event in New York.

Teenage trailblazer Littler has created global headlines over recent months, reaching the World Championship final before landing a nine-darter on his way to celebrating Bahrain Darts Masters glory on his World Series debut in January.

The 17-year-old sensation will now set his sights on a second World Series of Darts crown when the sport’s biggest names take on eight North American representatives in The Theater at Madison Square Garden on May 31 & June 1.

2024 World Champion Luke Humphries, the world number one, and reigning champion Michael van Gerwen will headline the star-studded 16-player field, alongside former US Darts Masters winners Michael Smith and Nathan Aspinall.

Three other former World Champions – Peter Wright, Gerwyn Price and Rob Cross – will also return to ‘The Big Apple’, as the PDC visits New York for a third consecutive year.

 

PDC Tour Card Holders Matt Campbell, Jules van Dongen and Danny Lauby will head up the eight North American competitors, with Grand Slam of Darts quarter-finalist Stowe Buntz assured of qualification following his 2023 CDC Continental Cup triumph.

The 2024 CDC Cross-Border Challenge winner will also earn a place in the field following April’s event in Michigan City, Indiana, along with a further three players from the CDC Qualifiers, which are set to take place from May 17-19.

Alongside the US Darts Masters, the bet365 North American Championship will also be staged on Saturday June 1, as the eight North American competitors go head-to-head for that title and a spot in the 2024/25 Paddy Power World Darts Championship.

CLICK HERE TO BOOK TICKETS FOR THE 2024 US DARTS MASTERS
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2024 bet365 US Darts Masters & North American Championship
May 31-June 1, The Theater at Madison Square Garden, New York

Session Schedule
Friday May 31 (1900 local time)
bet365 US Darts Masters first round

Saturday June 1
Afternoon Session (1300 local time)
bet365 North American Championship quarter-finals, semi-finals & final

Evening Session (1900 local time)
bet365 US Darts Masters quarter-finals, semi-finals & final

2024 bet365 US Darts Masters field
PDC Representatives
Luke Humphries
Michael van Gerwen
Michael Smith
Nathan Aspinall
Gerwyn Price
Rob Cross
Peter Wright
Luke Littler

North American Representatives
Matt Campbell
Jules van Dongen
Danny Lauby
Stowe Buntz
2024 CDC Cross-Border Challenge Winner
3x CDC Qualifiers

Article by Josh Gorton/PDC

Top Darts Stars Converge on Michigan City for the Second Annual Cross Border Darts Challenge

HEADLINE EVENT IN NEW VENUE REIGNITES RIVALRY BETWEEN US AND CANADA, AIMS TO ATTRACT DIE-HARD SUPPORTERS AND CASUAL FANS ALIKE

TICKETS ON SALE AT TICKETSOURCE.US/CHAMPDARTS

MICHGAN CITY, INDIANA – Uptown Social, Michigan City’s premier historic entertainment venue, will play host to the best darts players on the continent for the second annual Cross-Border Darts Challenge, presented by Championship Darts Corporation, April 12 and 13, 2024. Eight Americans and eight Canadians will take the stage to compete for national glory, a minimum of $12,000 in prize money, and a berth in the largest darts event in North America – the US Darts Masters –taking place in New York City May 31 – June 1.

This invitational event kicks-off the tenth year of the Championship Darts Circuit – North America’s professional darts tour – and will provide darts enthusiasts and new fans alike the opportunity to experience the energy and passion that makes darts truly “the biggest party in sports!

VIP ticketholders will have exclusive access to a Friday afternoon pre-tournament reception to meet players like three-time World Champion, John “Darth Maple” Part, World Grand Slam Quarterfinalist, Stowe “The Neon Nightmare” Buntz, and World Seniors Darts Masters Champion, “Excalibur” David Cameron.

“We’re excited to work with Uptown Social and the City of Michigan City to bring this headline event to a fantastic new home,” said Peter Citera, CEO of Championship Darts Corporation, “the rich history and intimate nature of Uptown Social is the ideal backdrop to showcase our players and the top darts competition North America has to offer.”

Friday evening will feature eight first-round “USA vs. Canada” clashes with the winners advancing. The action will resume on Saturday with the quarterfinals and conclude with the crowning of an individual champion and the awarding of The Nations Cup to the country with the most match wins in the tournament.

“Being chosen to host the second annual Cross-Border Darts Challenge is a true honor,” said Jeremy Rossi, COO of Uptown Social, “the upcoming tournament promises to showcase our premier venue and our wonderful city, propelling it into the spotlight it rightfully deserves.”

Terry Greetham, Director of Special Events for the City of Michigan City adds, “Michigan City is proud to play host to the Cross-Border Darts Challenge and the Championship Darts Corporation. Uptown Social is the perfect venue to launch what we believe will be a long-standing event in our community.”

Uptown Social will also be featured as the home of the World Championship in the upcoming feature film, Bulls, directed by Dan Meyer with filming set to begin at the venue immediately following the conclusion of the Cross Border Darts Challenge.

Tickets for the Cross-Border Darts Challenge start at $22.50 plus applicable fees and are onsale to the general public at ticketsource.us/champdarts.

About Championship Darts Corporation:
Championship Darts Corporation (CDC) owns and operates the Championship Darts Circuit, North America’s professional darts tour, consisting of 14 regular season tournaments leading into The Continental Cup Tour Finals Championship. We are the official North American affiliate of the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) – the global head of professional darts, which stages events across the world with over $17 million in prize money. CDC provides the exclusive path to the World Darts Championship, World Series of Darts, World Cup of Darts and other major international events for US and Canadian players. The company also focuses on the next generation of players, running two youth tours to provide exclusive opportunities to play internationally via our affiliation with both the PDC and Junior Darts Corporation (JDC). Further information is available at www.champdarts.com. 

About Uptown Social:
Uptown Social provides a unique blend of historical luxury and contemporary comfort, offering a versatile space where individuals can gather, socialize, and tailor their experience. Guests have the opportunity to explore various areas such as the lounge, event space, covered patio, and iconic courtyard. Within these spaces, patrons can savor signature cocktails, book the venue for private events or weddings, and partake in live concerts or other special events.

About Bulls

Set in the beautiful and picturesque Uptown Arts District in Michigan City, IN, “Bulls” tells the hilarious and inspiring story of how two brothers, who own a struggling bar and play on their mediocre pub dart team, end up with a chance to play for the World Darts Championship. Hank and Austin are certain that they have no chance against the best Darts Team in the world, but with the help and support of family, friends and their community, they not only start to believe in themselves, but that they may have a chance to win.

Championship Darts Corporation Partners with ALT Sports Data as Exclusive Sports Betting Data Provider

Chicago, IL, January 22, 2024– Championship Darts Corporation (CDC), North America’s premier darts organization and official Global Affiliate of the Professional Darts Corporation, is thrilled to announce a partnership with ALT Sports Data, the leading provider of sports betting data and analytics solutions within the emerging sports universe. The agreement will see ALT Sports Data become the global exclusive distributor of wagering data for all events run by CDC.

2024 marks the 10th anniversary season of the Championship Darts Circuit – the continent’s only professional darts tour – and this partnership adds a new dimension to an already-significant moment in darts history. ALT Sports Data will leverage its deep expertise to provide comprehensive pre-match and in-game wagering data to sports-betting operators, enabling them to offer best-in-class experiences to darts fans. Further, CDC will become the first North American-based darts organization to offer live wagering on its events, creating opportunities for the company to both deepen ties with existing supporters as well as connect with new audiences to grow its global fan-base.

“This partnership will transform the way fans interact with the CDC Tour. We know they love the statistics and scoring data they already consume. ALT Sports Data will enhance that by providing another avenue for folks to immerse themselves in our product and fulfill the longtime demand to introduce betting on North American darts. The fact that we’re launching at a time when interest in darts and sports betting in general are at an all-time high is icing on the cake.”

  • Peter Citera, CEO, Championship Darts Corporation

CDC will provide access to its live scoring data via DartConnect, the official scoring app of the Championship Darts Corporation. A newly-built interface between DartConnect and ALT Sports will ensure that data is passed virtually in real-time, preserving the highest level of wagering integrity demanded by betting operators worldwide.

“Acknowledging the global appeal of competitive darts and the significant appeal by sports bettors, we are excited to partner with the premier North American professional darts organization. We look forward to providing a compelling and high-quality product to sportsbook operators through this partnership.”

  • Todd Ballard, Co-Founder and CMO, ALT Sports Data

Fans can look for the initial data framework to be in place in time for the Cross Border Darts Challenge event held in Michigan City, Indiana on April 12-13, with the entirety of the project completed ahead of the second Tour weekend in July.

Berth in Final Stage at PDC Q-School to be Awarded to CDC Tour Points Champion

The Professional Darts Corporation has published revised Order of Merit Rules for 2024 and Championship Darts Corporation is delighted to announce that this year’s CDC Tour Points Champion will receive an automatic berth in the Final Stage at 2025 PDC Q-School! Our representative will join those from the other PDC Global Affiliate Tours (PDC Nordic and Baltic, PDC Asia, Dartplayers Australia and Dartplayers New Zealand) in attempting to secure a two-year spot on the PDC Pro Tour.

Players from the Global Affiliate Tour network (other than those from PDC Nordic and Baltic) will be able to choose whether to attend the UK or European Q-School, but must still register via the PDC entry system. Should the Tour Points Champion decline the invitation, it will pass to the runner-up.

The 2024 CDC Main Tour kicks off in Indianapolis the weekend of May 17-19.

SouLGa Dances His Way Back to the Winner’s Circle in Indianapolis

Leonard Gates, fresh off his World Seniors Matchplay title, has won the Winmau Blade 6 Championship in Indianapolis, Indiana, cruising through the day with a 31-4 record and besting David Cameron 7-2 in the final. The win is Gates’ second of the season and the final was a rematch of the second-round (and instant classic) match between the two Titans of Tungsten at the Seniors.

Gates was in complete control all day, starting with a 5-0 thrashing of Anthony Romero, followed up with a 6-2 victory over Ryan Vander Weit. He completed his run to the fina with back-to-back whitewashes, 6-0 over Jason Brandon in the quarterfinals and 7-0 over the #1 seed, Alex Spellman, in the semifinals.  Cameron, playing in his second final in as many days, also started his day in dominant fashion, defeating Rick Allred 5-1 with a 102.52 average, before blanking Joey Lynaugh 6-0. In the quarterfinals he won a back-and-forth affair against Danny Lauby 6-4, then overcame a 5-2 deficit to Jacob Taylor in the semifinals, winning the last 5 legs on the trot to secure a 7-5 victory.

As the 2023 Championship Darts Circuit came to a close, three players have booked spots at the 2024 PDC PaddyPower World Darts Championship:

  • Alex Spellman finished as the top American player, and will make his World Championship debut. He is also the winner of the 2023 Jay Tomlinson Trophy – awarded each year to the top-ranked player in the CDC Tour standings.
  • Thanks to a strong final weekend, David Cameron leapt into top spot for the Canadians and will make his second straight appearance in London, looking to improve upon his second-round exit to Danny Noppert last December.
  • The final player to qualify is Stowe Buntz. He was the highest-ranked CDC Tour player not otherwise qualified and will also take the Ally Pally stage for the first time.

Alex Spellman led the way with a 93.36 average, narrowly edging out finalists Leonard Gates and David Cameron. Gates would lead the tournament with 12x 180s and also topped the field with 47% success rate on checkouts.

David Fatum connected on the big fish, checking out a 170 finish against Keith Way in their second round match.

Finals
Leonard Gates (5) 7-2 David Cameron (2)

Semifinals
Leonard Gates (5) 7-0 Alex Spellman (1)
David Cameron (2) 7-5 Jacob Taylor (3)

Quarterfinals
Alex Spellman (1) 6-1 Larry Butler (8)
Leonard Gates (5) 6-0 Jason Brandon (13)
David Cameron (2) 6-4 Danny Lauby (7)
Jacob Taylor (3) 6-4 David Fatum

The top-16 players on the 2023 Championship Darts Circuit will take the stage at the Continental Cup Tour Finals Championship, October 20-21 in New York City, with a berth in the Grand Slam of Darts and the 2024 US Darts Masters on the line. Tickets will be available soon at champdarts.com!

Article by Brian Fraser

Excalibur Victorious in DartConnect Derby

The CDC’s stars came out to shine on Saturday, with 7 of the top 8 reaching the quarterfinals of the DartConnect Derby. With everything on the line, Canada’s David Cameron emerged victorious with a 7-3 victory over fifth seed Stowe Buntz in the final.

The entire bracket was fraught with World Championship implications as the fight to represent the USA and Canada at the 2024 PDC PaddyPower World Darts Championship continued. In the semifinals, American point leader, Alex Spellman, was defeated by fellow countryman and rival Stowe Buntz while David Cameron – who was in a three-way battle for the Canadian top spot with Jacob Taylor and Jim Long – survived a last leg decider against The Gentleman to advance.

The win for Cameron, his first of the 2023 season, moves him into a big lead amongst the Canadians. He now sits 12 points ahead of Jacob Taylor and 14 ahead of Jim long, with 18 points available Sunday. He started Saturday with three comfortable wins, 5-0 over Rick Allred, 6-1 over Jason Brandon, and 6-1 over Danny Lauby, prior to his nail biting 7-6 victory over Long in the semifinals.

Stowe Buntz, who sits second on the American points list – 10 behind Alex Spellman and 6 ahead of Danny Lauby – sailed comfortably through his first three contests as well, winning 5-3 over Michael Nguyen, 6-1 over Chuck Puleo, and 6-1 over Leonard Gates before meeting Spellman in the semifinals. Even though he fell 7-5 in that semifinal, he extended his lead over Lauby for the wild card spot at the Ally Pally. The top American and top Canadian at the conclusion of the Tour will earn their spot at the Worlds, as will the highest-ranked player not otherwise qualified, regardless of nationality.

Danny Lauby secured the highest average in event 11, with a brilliant 94.74. He’ll look to keep that going Sunday to hold out hope for a return to the Palace. David Cameron was untouchable on his checkouts, converting 48%. Jim Long notched 7x 180s and Jacob Taylor had the highest checkout, with a 161.

Finals
David Cameron (2) 7-3 Stowe Buntz (5)

Semifinals
Stowe Buntz (5) 7-5 Alex Spellman (1)
David Cameron (2) 7-6 Jim Long (6)

Quarterfinals
Alex Spellman (1) 6-2 Gary Mawson (9)
Stowe Buntz (5) 6-1 Leonard Gates (4)
David Cameron (2) 6-1 Danny Lauby (7)
Jim Long (6) 6-5 Jacob Taylor (3)

The players meet one last time, for the Winmau Blade 6 Championship, which is the 12th and final event of the season. Coverage beginning at 11:00 am eastern from, Indianapolis, Indiana. At the end of the day, the top American and Canadian player, along with the next highest ranked player, will earn their spots at the 2024 PDC World Championships in December. The current points list can be found on champdarts.com.

 

Article by Brian Fraser

Ferocious Jackal Claims Magic Darts Masters Title

“The Jackal,” Alex Spellman, was dominant on Friday, cruising to victory in the Magic Darts Masters in Indianapolis. After finishing as a bridesmaid to Stowe Buntz twice in Toronto, he would face a new challenger – “Soulja” Leonard Gates – here in Indiana. Gates came into today fresh off of his win at the World Seniors Matchplay last weekend, but Spellman would not be denied. He opened with a 10-darter, and maintained a 100+ average throughout the final, sealing the title with a 127 out for a 12 darter in leg 10. The 7-3 victory earned Spellman his third title of 2023.

Stowe Buntz, who stormed up the leaderboard by winning the past three events, saw his 17-match win streak snapped at the hands of Gates in the quarterfinals.

Leonard’s day was almost finished before it began as he survived a last leg decider against Rick Allred, in his first match. He would find his shot after that, dispatching seeded players Joey Lynaugh (6-1) and the aforementioned Buntz (6-2) before whitewashing Canadian Jake MacMillian (7-0) in the semis.

Spellman cruised to the finals without facing a deciding leg. He opened with a 5-1 victory over Chris Caldwell, and followed it up with a tidy 6-3 win over Jason Brandon. In the quarterfinals, he outplayed an in-form Danny Lauby, winning 6-3, then upped his game yet another level, knocking off JT Davis in the semifinals 7-4, averaging 93.98. He fell behind in that match 2-0, before rattling off 6 straight legs to take control of the match.

In the race for spots at the 2024 PDC Paddy Power World Darts Championship, Alex Spellman extended his lead over fellow Americans Stowe Buntz and Danny Lauby, while Canadian David Cameron closed the gap on Jacob Taylor. The top American and Canadian at the conclusion of Event 12 will earn their ticket to London in December, as will the highest-ranked player not otherwise qualified, regardless of nationality.

Alex Spellman had the top average for the tournament with 92.70, three points higher than Jim Long. He also connected on a tournament-high nine 180s and led the way in finishing, converting 41% of his checkout attempts.

Finals
Alex Spellman (2) 7-3 Leonard Gates (4)

Semifinals
Leonard Gates (4) 7-0 Jake MacMillan
Alex Spellman (2) 7-4 JT Davis

Quarterfinals
Jake MacMillan 6-2 David Cameron (1)
Leonard Gates (4) 6-2 Stowe Buntz (5)
Alex Spellman (2) 6-3 Danny Lauby (7)
JT Davis 6-4 Ryan Vander Weit (14)

The players reconvene on Saturday for event #11, the penultimate event on the tour, as they vie for critical points in the Dart Connect Derby beginning at 12:00 Eastern from Indianapolis.

Three-Peats and Nine-Darters and Records, OH MY!

It was a perfect Sunday afternoon for Stowe Buntz, Ross Snook and darts fans across the continent as Weekend 3 on the 2023 Championship Darts Circuit came to a close.

Buntz completed a clean-sweep on the weekend with a 7-2 victory over Jim Long in the final of the Galaxy Gold Cup, making him the first player in CDC history to claim a trifecta of CDC Tour event titles in a single weekend. He averaged 91.28 in the final and went 31-12 in legs on the day.

But that wasn’t the only piece of history made.

Ross Snook became the first player to hit a perfect nine-dart leg on a CDC Main Tour event live-stream, pinning Double 12 in the third leg of his last-64 match against Cashmere Ventura. This on Snook’s first weekend of CDC play this season following open-heart surgery earlier in the year. While it came in a losing effort, “The Rock” was smiling from ear-to-ear after the match, feeling that it was a huge milestone in his recovery and a big step towards returning to top form.

Buntz opened his bid for a third consecutive title with a 5-1 victory over Eugene Schmitt before overcoming 12th seed Doug Boehm and 13th seed Chuck Puleo, both by a 6-4 score. He then outclassed an out-of-sorts Danny Lauby 7-1 in the semis to book his tie with Long in the final.

For his part, the 6th-seeded Long began his journey with a 5-1 victory over Justin Fawcett and followed it up with a tight 6-4 victory over the aforementioned Cashmere Ventura. He then caught fire, defeating 3rd seed Jacob Taylor (6-4) and 2nd seed David Cameron (7-2), gaining ground on the two Canadians ahead of him in the standings. Long almost added a nine-darter of his own along the way, just missing the double twelve against Jacob Taylor.

Buntz connected on an incredible 47% of his checkout attempts on Sunday, while his finals opponent, Jim Long, led the way with 9x 180s. Jules Van Dongen recorded the highest average with 93.37, and the highest checkout belonged to Alex Spellman, with a 164 against Sylvain Bourdeau.

 

Finals

Stowe Buntz (5)  7-2  Jim Long (6)

Semifinals

Stowe Buntz (5)  7-1  Danny Lauby (8)
Jim Long (6)  7-2  David Cameron (2)

Quarterfinals

Danny Lauby (8)  6-4  Ryan Vander Weit (16)
Stowe Buntz (5)  6-4  Chuck Puleo (13)
David Cameron (2)  6-0  Keifer Durham
Jim Long (6)  6-4  Jacob Taylor (3)

The final weekend of the 2023 Championship Darts Circuit tour takes place September 8-10 in Indianapolis, Indiana, where the culmination of the tour will determine the Canadian and American representatives at the 2024 PDC PaddyPower World Darts Championship, as well as the field for the 2023 CDC Continental Cup.

 

Article by Brian Fraser
August 13, 2023

Back-to-Back for Buntz

Stowe Buntz continued his winning ways in Toronto on Saturday, standing atop the field as the Hitkor Heritage Tournament Champion one day after securing his maiden CDC Title. Buntz defeated Alex Spellman in the finals for the second consecutive day, this time breaking Spellman’s throw in the last leg decider to capture the title 7-6. Both players are earning valuable points in the race to the Ally Pally with berths in the PDC PaddyPower World Darts Championship to be awarded at the conclusion of the 2023 CDC Tour.

Buntz was in even finer form on Saturday, starting his campaign with a 5-1 victory over Justin Fawcett before dismantling Gary Mawson 6-2. He was uncontested in the quarterfinals and semifinals, defeating top-seed Jacob Taylor 6-1 and 4th seed Leonard Gates 7-2, respectively, to set up the rematch with Spellman.

Spellman also never faced a match dart on his road to the final. He defeated Ross Snook 5-2, Joey Lynaugh 6-3, and Larry Butler 6-4 to reach the semis. Once there, Spellman made short work of the 7th seed, Danny Lauby, winning 7-2 and averaging nearly 89.

It was a second consecutive early exit for Chuck Puleo, who was again retired in the last-32. It was also the second consecutive date with no Canadians in the final – a rarity on the CDC Tour this year. If there were a “Man of the Match” award, it would have gone to Jules Van Dongen who fired a blistering 116.34 average against Jeremiah Millar in a 5-1 win. For his part, Millar averaged almost 95 in the losing effort – the second straight weekend he bowed out to a CDC record-setting average by The Dutch Dragon.

Van Dongen led the field in average on the day, with a 104.72 average across his two matches. He also set the pace for checkouts, converting 50% of his attempts with Stowe Buntz right behind with a 45% success rate. Leonard Gates and Doug Boehm each connected on 8x 180s, while Van Dongen had the high out with a 158.

Finals

Stowe Buntz (8)  7-6  Alex Spellman (3)

Semifinals

Stowe Buntz (8)  7-2  Leonard Gates (4)
Alex Spellman (3)  7-2  Danny Lauby (7)

Quarterfinals

Stowe Buntz (8)  6-1  Jacob Taylor (1)
Leonard Gates (4)  6-4  Jim Long (5)
Danny Lauby (7)  6-2  David Cameron (2)
Alex Spellman (3)  6-4  Larry Butler (6)

Article by Brian Fraser
August 12, 2023