Sir Chris Hoy has teamed up with Paddy Power who have pledged to pay a bonus of £180,000 for every nine-darter at the World Darts Championship. 

‘The Bigger 180’ campaign, which will run for the entirety of the tournament running from December 15 to January 3, aims to ‘smash the silence around men’s health’ and motivate men to to take action before it’s too late. 

Hoy, a six-time Olympic gold medallist, tragically revealed in October that his prostate cancer diagnosis is terminal and he has been given between two and four years to live. 

‘This isn’t about medals or records,’ the 48-year-old said. ‘It’s about saving lives. If sharing my story gets just one person to check their risk or book a screening, then it’s all been worth it.’

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the UK, with 1 in 8 men diagnosed during their lifetime. Every 45 minutes, another man loses his life to the disease.  

Hoy, who recent admitted that if he had tested earlier, he believes the disease would have been caught quicker, revealed that he had no symptoms and only sought help when it was too late. 

Six-time Olympic gold medallist Sir Chris Hoy has teamed up with Paddy Power ahead of the World Darts Championship

The bookmaker has pledged to pay a bonus of of £180,000 for every nine-darter during the competition

Luke Littler, the runner up in the 2024 event, is amongst the stars who are set to be involved in the tournament

‘I didn’t have any symptoms until it was too late,’ he explained. ‘By the time I felt pain, it wasn’t in my prostate anymore – it was secondary cancer in my bones. If I’d thought to check earlier, maybe I’d have caught it in time. That’s why this campaign is so important – so others don’t end up in the same situation.’

As part of ‘The Bigger 180’ campaign, Paddy Power will also donate £1,000 to Prostate Cancer UK for every 180.

This year’s donation is expected to exceed the £1million raised by the bookmaker in 2023-24 as part of their The Big 180 campaign. 

Following record TV viewing figures last year, Sky Sports has joined as a new partner of The Bigger 180, using their huge reach to help the cause.

The £180,000 bonus for each nine-darter will be split equally between Prostate Cancer UK, the player who throws the perfect leg, and deneme bonusu veren siteler one fan in the crowd at Alexandra Palace.  

‘Paddy Power’s always been about grabbing attention, and this time, it’s for something life-changing,’ added Hoy. ‘They’re using their platform not just to entertain but to save lives, and that’s something I’m proud to be part of.

‘The nine-dart bonus is a stroke of genius. It celebrates the players’ talent while turning it into something much bigger—a chance to make a real difference.’

Luke Littler, the runner up in the 2024 event, is amongst the stars who are set to be involved in the tournament.

Luke Humphries will be determined to retain the World Darts Championship trophy

Reigning champion Luke Humphries will also be determined to make a major impact again.

Matt Porter, the Professional Darts Corporation chief executive, said: ‘The BIG 180 was darts’ biggest-ever charity partnership and it’s exciting to see this grow even further for the 2024/25 Paddy Power World Darts Championship.

‘The BIGGER 180 will directly benefit the TRANSFORM trial, and given the amazing standard produced by players during 2024, we could not only see a record number of 180s hit during the event but also multiple nine-darters!’

The funds raised will support Prostate Cancer UK’s TRANSFORM trial, a groundbreaking research project that will find the best way to diagnose prostate cancer early and pave the way for a national screening programme.

Chris Hoy