Coral Bookmakers to Sponsor Players Darts Championship 2009

London, UK (PRWEB) January 27, 2009 -- Coral - the UK's leading online bookmakers - (http://www.coral.co.uk) is to sponsor the Players Darts Championship, to be held at the Circus Tavern in Essex at the end of the January.

The inaugural coral.co.uk Players Championships will feature the top 32 players from the 2008 Players Championship Order of Merit battling for £200,000 in prize money.

The new sponsorship agreement with leading bookmakers Coral sees the two organisations team up for the first time with the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC).

The tournament is set to be screened live on ITV4 from 30th January until 1st February. The tournament sees darts return to the Circus Tavern in Purfleet, Essex - the former home of the PDC's World Championship.

"We're delighted to welcome Coral as the headline sponsor for the www.coral.co.uk Players Championship," said PDC Chairman Barry Heam.

"We thank them for their support of this new event, and their backing is a reflection of the interest this event has created in the sport."

Keith Hawkins, Managing Director of Gala Coral Remote Gambling, said: "Everyone at Coral is delighted to be involved with this exciting addition to the darts calender.

"We're looking forward to three days of exciting, top class action from one of the sport's most recognisable venues.

"Betting on darts and gambling online has exploded in recent years, and it's entirely fitting that coral.co.uk is sponsoring the Players Championship."

The winner of the coral.co.uk Players Championship will win £50,000, while the runner up will walk away with £25,000. Those who reach the semi finals of the tournament will receive £12,500 while quarter finalists will win £8,500 in prize money. Those who are knocked out in the second round will be awarded £4,000 while those who leave the tournament in the first round will leave with £2000.

Tickets for the coral.co.uk Players Championship are still available from the Circus Tavern Box Office on 01708 863838 or 01708 867271. Tickets can also be purchased at www.pdc.tv.

For the latest odds on the darts visit: (http://www.coral.co.uk/playerschamp)

coral.co.uk Players Championship Schedule of Play

Friday January 30

First Round

Afternoon Session

1.00pm - Vincent van der Voort v Chris Mason

1.35pm - Colin Lloyd v Jamie Caven

2.10pm - Ronnie Baxter v Tony Eccles

2.45pm - Terry Jenkins v Wayne Jones

3.20pm - Mervyn King v Felix McBrearty

3.55pm - Colin Osborne v Andy Smith

4.30pm - Dennis Priestley v Steve Maish

Tickets £15

Evening Session

6.15pm - Kevin Painter v Alex Roy

6.50pm - Alan Tabern v Adrian Lewis

7.25pm - Andy Hamilton v Peter Manley

8.00pm - James Wade v Steve Beaton

8.35pm - Robert Thornton v Mark Dudbridge

9.10pm - Phil Taylor v Michael van Gerwen

9.45pm - Raymond van Barneveld v Andy Jenkins

10.20pm - Denis Ovens v John Part

10.55pm - Mark Walsh v Wayne Mardle

Tickets £20

Saturday January 30

Second Round

Afternoon Session

1.00pm - Tabern/Lewis v Thornton/Dudbridge

1.35pm - Priestley/Maish v Ovens/Part

2.10pm - Osborne/Smith v van Barneveld/A Jenkins

2.45pm - Wade/Beaton v Painter/Roy

3.20pm - King/McBrearty v Walsh/Mardle

3.55pm - Baxter/Eccles v T Jenkins/Jones

4.30pm - Lloyd/Caven v Hamilton/Manley

5.05pm - Taylor/van Gerwen v van der Voort/Mason

Tickets £20

Quarter-Finals

Evening Session

6.15pm - Priestley/Maish/Ovens/Part v Tabern/Lewis/Thornton/Dudbridge

7.25pm - Wade/Beaton/Painter/Roy v Osborne/Smith/van Barneveld/A Jenkins

8.35pm - Baxter/Eccles/T Jenkins/Jones v King/McBrearty/Walsh/Mardle

9.45pm - Taylor/van Gerwen/van der Voort/Mason v Lloyd/Caven/Hamilton/Manley

Tickets £25

Sunday February 1

Afternoon Session

1.00pm - Semi-Final

Not Before 3pm - Semi Final

Tickets £25

Evening Session

7.15pm - Final

Tickets £30

coral.co.uk Players Championship Format

First Round - Best of 11 legs

Second Round - Best of 11 legs

Quarter-Finals - Best of 17 legs

Semi-Finals - Best of 25 legs

Final - Best of 31 legs

coral.co.uk Players Championship Prize Fund

Winner £50,000

Runner-Up £25,000

Semi-Finalists £12,500

Quarter-Finalists £8,500

Second Round Losers £4,000

First Round Losers £2,000

High Checkout £2,000

Total £200,000

About Gala Coral:

Gala Coral (http://www.coral.co.uk) operates over 1600 licensed betting offices throughout the UK, as well as offering online sports betting and casino gaming (http://www.coral.co.uk/casino/) . The company also owns the Romford, Brighton and Hove greyhound stadia.

###