World Darts Championship final result & highlights as Smith hits nine darter in stunning win over Van Gerwen

Michael Day

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World Darts Championship final result & highlights as Smith hits nine darter in stunning win over Van Gerwen image

Michael Smith defeated Michael van Gerwen 7-4 and hit a nine-dart finish in one of the greatest finals ever staged at the Alexandra Palace to win the 2022/23 PDC World Darts Championship.

After runner-up finishes in 2019 to Van Gerwen, and to Peter Wright here twelve months ago, it is Englishman Smith's maiden world championship title and it comes nearly ten years after winning the youth version. He claims £500,000 and also goes to the top of the world rankings for the first time in his career.

A final featuring this season's top two players, three-time winner Van Gerwen - who whitewashed his opponents in the quarter and semifinals - continued his momentum by breaking to win the opening set.

However, the next set would be historic as Smith nailed a nine-darter in the third leg to raise the roof in North London. Incredibly, it came straight after Van Gerwen had missed double 12 for perfection himself in the same leg. Following in the footsteps of Adrian Lewis here in 2011, Smith became the second player ever to hit a nine-dart finish in a world final.

Smith went on to win the set against throw and then held in set three to go in front. Mighty Mike responded and the pendulum swung again as he took the next two sets for the lead, although a resilient Smith broke back once more at the first opportunity to level.

Set seven would prove to be pivotal. Van Gerwen had two set darts to win it in straight legs, but Bully Boy Smith countered, hitting a 130 checkout in the fourth leg before securing the decider.

That set steal turned out to be a catalyst for the confident 32-year-old as he chalked up six of the next seven legs to move 6-3 up in sets and just one away from glory.

Like the champion he is, Van Gerwen mounted a comeback, reducing his arrears by holding throw in a deciding leg in set 10. His recovery continued to gather pace as he broke Smith at the start of set 11 and opened up a two-nil lead as he threatened to get the match back on throw.

Smith, though, regrouped with impeccable timing, breaking back to force a deciding leg which he started with six perfect darts before nailing double eight to become the new world champion and world number one.

Having registered a brilliant 22 180s and an average of just over 100, Smith becomes the 11th different winner of the PDC World Darts Championship in the 30th edition of the event.

Relive all the drama from a thrilling final at Alexandra Palace below.

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World Darts Championship final updates, highlights as Michael Smith stuns Michael van Gerwen 

All times GMT

10:31pm: Congratulations Michael Smith - you are the World Darts Champion and the World Number One!

It looked like Van Gerwen was conjuring up a comeback as he broke Smith in the opening leg of Set 11 and then held to open up a 2-0 lead.

However, Smith responded by claiming the next three legs in a row, nailing double eight in the deciding leg having started with six perfect darts.

The Englishman banks £500,000 and also goes to the top of the world rankings for the first time in his career.

10:24pm: MICHAEL SMITH IS THE 2022/23 PDC WORLD DARTS CHAMPION! (Result: Smith 7-4 Van Gerwen)

10:12pm: Van Gerwen wins Set 10 to hold on (Smith 6-4 Van Gerwen)

The three-time champ is not done yet! In a set where every leg went with throw, MVG hits double 16 after Smith had a small chance to checkout 167 for the title.

We carry on, although it's Smith's throw in Set 11...

10:03pm: Michael Smith ONE SET AWAY (Smith 6-3 Van Gerwen)

The Grand Slam champion is relentless here! Smith wins set eight in straight legs - his fourth set on the spin - and he is one away from winning the world title!

9:53pm: Smith OPENS up a two-set advantage (Smith 5-3 Van Gerwen)

Michael Smith - who has now hit 17 180s by himself - wins a third consecutive set (3-1) to go 5-3 up. It is the first time in the match there has been two sets between the players.

Is the Bully Boy now the favourite to win the title?

9:41pm: SMITH TURNS SET 7 ON ITS HEAD (Smith 4-3 Van Gerwen)

What else is going to happen in this incredible match? Van Gerwen had two darts to win set seven in straight legs, but missed.

Smith got on the board, hit a clutch 130 checkout in leg four, and then won the fifth to move back in front.

This contest keeps flipping - will someone create a cushion?

9:33pm: Smith BREAKS BACK (Smith 3-3 Van Gerwen)

Smith is holding firm here and levels up the contest at 3-3. The first three legs of set six all went against throw but Smith pinned double 10 in leg four on throw to secure it.

9:20pm: MVG BREAKS to go back in front (Smith 2-3 Van Gerwen)

Brilliant stuff from the 33-year-old Dutchman since going 2-1 down - he's now 3-2 up!

Van Gerwen trailed 2-1 in set five before hitting a 10-darter on throw and then breaking in the decider to take the advantage again. Will he fully capitalise by holding in set six, though?

9:11pm: Van Gerwen LEVELS (Smith 2-2 Van Gerwen)

This is getting ridiculous. Both players are averaging well over 100 (Smith - 106.31, Van Gerwen - 103.88) and there have been 17 180s.

MVG typically responds to that barrage from Smith, though, claiming set four in straight legs. The three-time winner broke his opponent in leg two with a double-double finish.

9:03pm: Smith takes the lead (Smith 2-1 Van Gerwen)

What a match this is! Smith is taking it to favourite Van Gerwen here. He wins set three, 3-1, to move in front.

Potential to be the greatest world final of all-time?

8:56pm: Perhaps the greatest leg ever seen, Smith is only the second player in history to hit a 9-dart finish in a world final. Adrian Lewis in 2011 was the first.

8:52pm: Simply one of the greatest sets of darts YOU WILL EVER SEE!

After the first two legs went with throw, both players hit 6 perfect darts at the start of leg three.

Van Gerwen then hit two treble 20s but missed double 12 for the perfect leg. HOWEVER, Smith responded by popping treble 20, treble 19 and double 12 to raise the roof at the Ally Pally!

Smith followed up that break of throw by holding in the next leg to win the set and level the match up at one set all.

Game on here!

8:50pm: WOWWWWWWW! MICHAEL SMITH HITS A 9-DART FINISH!!!!

8:42pm: Van Gerwen BREAKS Smith in First Set (Smith 0-1 Van Gerwen)

Van Gerwen needed several darts in leg two with his throw to open his account - eventually pinning double one - but Mighty Mike finished the set in style, breaking Smith in leg three and then winning the set, 3-1, with leg four. Two 180s thrown by each player already.

8:32pm: Both players have made their walk-ons. Will it be world title number four for Van Gerwen, or number one for Smith?

Smith throws first in the opening set.

8.20pm: Both players came to this tournament in brilliant form.

Van Gerwen has won four major titles in 2022 - the Premier League, World Matchplay, World Grand Prix and Players Championship Finals.

After two bitter final defeats in the UK Open and European Championship earlier in the year, Smith won his maiden major TV title in November at the Grand Slam.

8:00pm: Are we due a deciding set final tonight?

Four of the 29 PDC World Darts Championship finals have gone to a deciding set - 2003, 2004, 2007 and 2015. They all featured Phil Taylor, although he was on the losing side three times.

There have also been four whitewash finals - 1998, 2001, 2002 and 2006. Again, a certain Mr. P. Taylor was involved in all these matches - although he won each one.

Not long to go now until the 2023 final...

7:45pm: What are the odds?

Unsurprisingly, Van Gerwen starts the match as a warm 2/7 on shot with SkyBet to win a fourth world title tonight.

Throughout the tournament, Smith (44) has hit 12 more 180s that Van Gerwen (32), although bear in mind that he has played several more sets during the championship so his 2/5 odds of hitting the most 180s this evening may not be as value as it sounds.

During last night's semi-finals, Smith hit a checkout of 161 and Van Gerwen struck the biggest possible - a 170. It's 2/1 tonight with SkyBet that there will be a checkout of over 160.5 in the match.

7:25pm: The 30th PDC WDC Final

Only 10 players have ever won the PDC World Darts Championship since the event was first held in 1994 - will Michael Smith be the 11th?

Dennis Priestley defeated Phil Taylor 6-1 in the inaugural final, but it's fair to say that The Power responded pretty well as he went on to claim the title a staggering 14 times.

Following legendary darts commentator Sid Waddell's death in 2012, a new world championship trophy was made and named in his honour. Either van Gerwen or Smith will be lifting it tonight.

7:10pm: The World Number One spot will be decided

As if the world title and a £500,000 payday weren't enough, tonight's winner will also go to the top of the world rankings.

Van Gerwen is looking to regain the WN1 spot while Smith is trying to reach the summit for the first time in his career. In the PDC World Rankings, prize money is also translated into points. You can view this year's world championship prize money here.

No pressure, lads!

6:55pm: MICHAEL VAN GERWEN - ROAD TO THE FINAL

Three-time winner Michael van Gerwen came to the Ally Pally as the tournament favourite and he has lived up to expectations with several sizzling performance en route to the final, hitting three-figure averages in all five of his matches.

Mighty Mike eliminated Lewy Williams 3-0 first up before coming through a stunning match with Mensur Suljovic, 4-2, in the last 32.

The Dutchman then defeated compatriot Dirk van Duijvenbode 4-1 and inflicted whitewashes against Chris Dobey (5-0) in the last eight and Dimitri Van den Bergh (6-0) in the last four.

Van Gerwen has dropped just three sets in five matches - absolutely incredible!

6:40pm: MICHAEL SMITH - ROAD TO THE FINAL

Number four seed Smith defeated youngster Nathan Rafferty 3-0 in his opening match before coming back from 3-1 down to oust Martin Schindler 4-3 in the last 32.

The 32-year-old Englishman then produced an average of 103.25 - his best of the tournament, so far - as he dispatched Masters champion Joe Cullen 4-1 in the last 16.

In the new year, Smith saw off Stephen Bunting 5-3 in the quarter-finals and won the final four sets to end the historic campaign of Gabriel Clemens, 6-2, last night in the semis.

6:20pm: IT'LL BE ALL-MIKE ON THE NIGHT

We're less than two hours away from the biggest match in darts - the 2022/23 PDC World Darts Championship Final.

Van Gerwen is appearing in his sixth world final and looking for his fourth win after victories in 2014, 2017 and 2019.

Michael Smith will be hoping it's third time lucky as he aims to achieve his dream of being a world champion. The Bully Boy lost to Van Gerwen in the 2019 title match and to Peter Wright twelve months ago.

6pm: Hello, and welcome to The Sporting News' live coverage of the World Darts Championship final! 96 players are down to just two as Michael Smith and Michael van Gerwen battle it out for the Sid Waddell trophy. It's set to be a cracker of a final... let's get going with some build up!

World Darts Championship TV channel, live stream

  UK USA Canada Australia New Zealand
Time 12:30 / 19:00 GMT 07:30 / 14:00 ET 07:30 / 14:00 ET 23:00 / 18:00 AEST 01:00 / 20:00 NZDT
TV channel Sky Sports Darts  — — Fox Sports Sky Sport
Streaming Sky Go app DAZN DAZN Foxtel/Kayo Sky Sport

*Table above indicates afternoon and evening session start times

Viewers can also log in to subscription service PDCTV to watch the action throughout the Championship (excluding UK, Germany, Austria and Switzerland based subscribers).

Michael Day

Michael Day Photo

Freelance contributor for The Sporting News UK.