The first world professional darts championship was staged by the British Darts Organization (BDO), with sponsorship from Embassy Darts, an equipment supplier, at Heart of the Midlands Night Club, Nottingham, England, in 1978. The winner's prize was £3,000.
The tournament moved to Jollees Night Club in Stoke from 1979 through 1985. Since 1986, it's been hosted by the Lakeside Country Club in Frimley Green, Surrey.
Embassy dropped its sponsorship in 2004 and Lakeside picked it up. Through the years, participation and prize money have expanded continually. First prize in 2004 was £50,000.
In 1992, a group of darters formed the World Darts Council (WDC), primarily to win more publicity for the sport. Because the BDO refused to recognize the WDC, however, the new organization began its own world championship tournament in 1994.
The WDC was renamed the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) in 1997.
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| Year | Winner | Score | Runner-up |
| 1978 | Leighton Rees, Wales | 11-7 | John Lowe, England |
| 1979 | John Lowe, England | 5-0 | Leighton Rees, Wales |
| 1980 | Eric Bristow, England | 5-3 | Bobby George, England |
| 1981 | Eric Bristow, England | 5-3 | John Lowe, England |
| 1982 | Jocky Wilson, Scotland | 5-3 | John Lowe, England |
| 1983 | Keith Deller, England | 6-5 | Eric Bristow, England |
| 1984 | Eric Bristow, England | 7-1 | Dave Whitcombe, England |
| 1985 | Eric Bristow, England | 6-2 | John Lowe, England |
| 1986 | Eric Bristow, England | 6-0 | Dave Whitcombe, England |
| 1987 | John Lowe, England | 6-4 | Eric Bristow, England |
| 1988 | Bob Anderson, England | 6-4 | John Lowe, England |
| 1989 | Jocky Wilson, Scotland | 6-4 | Eric Bristow, England |
| 1990 | Phil Taylor, England | 6-1 | Eric Bristow, England |
| 1991 | Dennis Priestley, England | 6-0 | Eric Bristow, England |
| 1992 | Phil Taylor, England | 6-5 | Mike Gregory, England |
| 1993 | John Lowe, England | 6-3 | Alan Warriner, England |
| 1994 | John Part, Canada | 6-0 | Bobby George, England |
| 1995 | Richie Burnett, Wales | 6-3 | Ray van Barneveld, Netherlands |
| 1996 | Steve Beaton, England | 6-3 | Richie Burnett, Wales |
| 1997 | Les Wallace, Scotland | 6-3 | Marshall James, Wales |
| 1998 | Ray van Barneveld, Netherlands | 6-5 | Richie Burnett, Wales |
| 1999 | Ray van Barneveld, Netherlands | 6-5 | Ronnie Baxter, England |
| 2000 | Ted Hankey, England | 6-0 | Ronnie Baxter, England |
| 2001 | John Walton, England | 6-2 | Ted Hankey, England |
| 2002 | Tony David, Australia | 6-4 | Mervyn King, England |
| 2003 | Ray van Barneveld, Netherlands | 6-3 | Ritchie Davies, Wales |
| 2004 | Andy Fordham, Eng | 6-3 | Mervyn King, England |
| 2005 | Ray van Barneveld, Netherlands | 6-2 | Martin Adams, England |
| 2006 | Jelle Klaasen, Netherlands | 7-5 | Ray van Barneveld, Netherlands |
| 2007 | Martin Adams, England | 7-6 | Phil Nixon, England |
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| Year | Winner | Score | Runner-up |
| 2001 | Trina Gulliver, England | 2-1 | Mandy Solomons, England |
| 2002 | Trina Gulliver, England | 2-1 | Francis Hoenselaar, Netherlands |
| 2003 | Trina Gulliver, England | 2-0 | Anne Kirk, Scotland |
| 2004 | Trina Gulliver, England | 2-0 | Francisca Hoenselaar, Netherlands |
| 2005 | Trina Gulliver, England | 2-0 | Francisca Hoenselaar, Netherlands |
| 2006 | Trina Gulliver, England | 2-0 | Francisca Hoenselaar, Netherlands |
| 2007 | Trina Gulliver, England | 2-1 | Francisca Hoenselaar, Netherlands |
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| Year | Champion | Second Place | Third Place |
| 1994 | Dennis Priestley, ENG | Phil Taylor, ENG | Steve Brown, USA
Peter Evison, ENG |
| 1995 | Phil Taylor, ENG | Rod Harrington, ENG | Peter Evison, ENG
John Lowe, ENG |
| 1996 | Phil Taylor, ENG | Dennis Priestley, ENG | Jamie Harvey, SCO
John Lowe, ENG |
| 1997 | Phil Taylor, ENG | Dennis Priestley, ENG | Eric Bristow, ENG
Peter Evison, ENG |
| 1998 | Phil Taylor, ENG | Dennis Priestley, ENG | Keith Deller, ENG
Rod Harrington, ENG |
| 1999 | Phil Taylor, ENG | Peter Manley, ENG | Shayne Burgess, ENG
Alan Warriner, ENG |
| 2000 | Phil Taylor, ENG | Dennis Priestley, ENG | Peter Manley, ENG
Dennis Smith, ENG |
| 2001 | Phil Taylor, ENG | John Part, CAN | Dave Askew, ENG
Rod Harrington, ENG |
| 2002 | Phil Taylor, ENG | Peter Manley, ENG | Dave Askew, ENG
Colin Lloyd, ENG |
| 2003 | John Part, CAN | Phil Taylor, ENG | Kevin Painter, ENG
Alan Warriner, ENG |
| 2004 | Phil Taylor, ENG | Kevin Painter, ENG | Bob Anderson, ENG
Wayne Mardle, ENG |
| 2005 | Phil Taylor, ENG | Mark Dudbridge, ENG | Bob Anderson, ENG
Wayne Mardle, ENG |
| 2006 | Phil Taylor, ENG | Peter Manley, ENG | Wayne Jones, ENG
Wayne Mardle, ENG |
| 2007 | Raymond van Barneveld, NED | Phil Taylor, ENG | Andy Hamilton, ENG
Andy Jenkins, ENG |
| 2008 | John Part, CAN | Kirk Shepherd, ENG | Wayne Mardle, ENG
Kevin Painter, ENG |
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This page last updated Monday, 14-Apr-2008 13:56:25 PDT
http://www.hickoksports.com/history/wdartschampions.shtml
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