Wolverhampton’s WV Active Aldersley was once again filled with jubilant faces as darts lovers from around the UK rushed to take their seats for the beginning of the darts spectacular.
Christmas elves, TV characters and human walking beers, there was no end of costumes at this year’s darts event, with many coming for the unique good vibes alone.
The first-day of the event saw Rowby-John Rodriguez cause a major upset with his victory over the reigning champion Luke Humphries – however, that didn’t seem to stop many of his fans from having a good time.
The darts event is a widely anticipated event for many, with the competition taking a prime spot in many people’s calendars.
The second day of the event will see a further 16 group games take place including a series of heavyweight clashes as the champion Humphries takes on three-time finalist James Wade in a crucial Group A showdown.
Three-time champion Michael van Gerwen will also play two-time runner-up Gary Anderson in another clash, as teenage sensation and fan favourite Luke Littler takes on the UK Open champion Dimitri van den Bergh.
The sports hall at Aldersley has become the home of the PDC Grand Slam of Darts event since the tournament moved there in 2018, with fans and players saying it has become a favourite for its noise and atmosphere.
The event sees more than 20,000 people come to Aldersley during the week to watch, with many of the sessions already being sold out.
Talking prior to the beginning of the event, chief executive Matt Porter said: “We’re delighted to be back in Wolverhampton, and the Grand Slam of Darts is always one of the highlights of the year.
“It’s encouraging to see fans coming in record numbers to WV Active Aldersley.
“We get great support from Wolverhampton Council and have worked with the venue to increase capacity this year, and we’re excited ahead of one of our annual highlights.”
For more information on the event and to keep up to date with the latest scores, visit the PDC website.
