DARTS sponsor Paddy Power will donate £1million to the charity Prostate Cancer UK after world championship players scored 180 a record 914 times.
The bookmaker had pledged £1,000 for every maximum but today announced it would round up to the seven-figure sum.
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Winner and new world champion Luke Humphries, 28, also said he will donate some of his £500,000 winnings to the cause after his partner’s dad’s brush with the disease.
The world number one won the “Ballon d’Art” award for scoring the most 180s in the tournament, with 73 in total and a stunning 23 in the final alone.
Teen prodigy Luke Littler, who lost the final 7-4, ranked second with 63.
Humphries said: “My father in law has battled prostate cancer.
“It was early stage so it can be managed and monitored.
“He caught it early and that’s testament to the fact that checking your risk does matter. He did and it might have saved his life.
“I will donate a bit from the prize money because it is very, very close to my heart.”
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Paddy Power’s Big 180 campaign also drove thousands more blokes to the charity’s online cancer risk checker, with more than 92,000 visits during the tournament.
Laura Kerby, chief of Prostate Cancer UK, said: “It’s been a magical few weeks and with every iconic shout of ‘180’ we have made a huge difference to men affected by this disease.
“We’re thrilled at the success of the campaign and it’s hugely encouraging that 92,634 people have completed our online risk checker.
“A massive thanks to Paddy Power.
“It’s been essential viewing from start to finish, and has almost certainly saved lives too.”
Prostate cancer is the most common type in men and more than 52,000 blokes are diagnosed every year in the UK.
Three quarters survive for 10 years or more but catching it early is key.
The risk is higher for men who are over 50, black or have a family history of the disease.
Quickly check your risk with Prostate Cancer UK’s online tool.
What Are the Symptoms of Prostate Cancer?
According to the NHS, symptoms of prostate cancer can include:
- needing to pee more frequently, often during the night
- needing to rush to the toilet
- difficulty in starting to pee (hesitancy)
- straining or taking a long time while peeing
- weak flow
- feeling that your bladder has not emptied fully
- blood in urine or blood in semen
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
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- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chase their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
- Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
- Gamble Aware – www.begambleaware.org
For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.