The recent Darts World Championship has set a record prize fund, with the winner receiving one million pounds (approximately 1.14 million euros), doubling the previous year's 500,000 pounds. Despite the increase, top players like Michael van Gerwen, a three-time world champion, criticize the prize money distribution, claiming it is unfair. Van Gerwen argues that the winner's share should be at least half of the total prize pool, criticizing the current system where the runner-up receives only 400,000 pounds. He emphasizes that the current structure allows the champion to potentially skip many other tournaments, which he considers problematic. Van Gerwen proposes a points-based system similar to tennis to ensure fairer distribution across tournaments. PDC officials defend the current prize structure, stating that the increased prize money highlights the sport's growth and that the system is designed to motivate participation in the World Championship. Critics, including other players and experts, believe the prize distribution favors the winner excessively and calls for reforms to create a more balanced and equitable system.