It’s the 24th edition of this beloved event, which has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 2003 when just £124,000 was up for grabs.

The holiday park venue has hosted the competition since 2014, and fans absolutely love the festival atmosphere, with many staying on-site for the entire weekend.

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The champion walks away with a hefty £120,000, while the runner-up pockets £60,000.

Semi-finalists earn £35,000 each, and reaching the quarter-finals nets you £20,000.

What makes this tournament so brilliant is its open draw format – it’s earned the nickname “FA Cup of Darts” for good reason.

Established stars often find themselves knocked out by lesser-known players, which keeps everyone on their toes.

The top 32 ranked players enter from the fourth round with a guaranteed £3,000, but that doesn’t mean they’re safe from an upset.

The perfect leg 🤌

Danny Noppert threw a brilliant nine-darter in his victory over Dimitri van den Bergh at the UK Open earlier 👏 pic.twitter.com/ZohtC1ULwG

— ITV Sport (@ITVSport) March 6, 2026

It’s this unpredictability that fans can’t resist.

Luke Littler heads into this year’s tournament as defending champion after a dominant 2025 performance.

‘The Nuke’ absolutely demolished three-time winner James Wade 11-2 in last year’s final to claim his first UK Open title.

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He’s far from the only former champion in the mix, though.

Michael van Gerwen, who’s lifted the trophy three times in 2015, 2016 and 2020, is competing alongside two-time winner Raymond van Barneveld.

Peter Wright, Gary Anderson, Nathan Aspinall, Danny Noppert, Andrew Gilding and Dimitri Van den Bergh are all in action too – each having previously tasted UK Open glory.

UK Open 2026 full prize money breakdown

Winner £120,000
Runner-up £60,000
Semi-finalists £35,000
Quarter-finalists £20,000
Last 16 £12,500
Fifth round £7,500
Fourth round £3,000
Third round £2,000
Second round £1,250
First round £0
Total £750,000