Damon Heta sent Alexandra Palace into meltdown on Friday afternoon after he struck a sensational nine-dart finish triggering a £60,000 payout to a random fan in the crowd at the PDC World Darts Championship.
The stunning moment came during his second-round clash against English player Luke Woodhouse.
The 37-year-old had gone down a set against Woodhouse, who broke him in the fifth leg to clinch the first exchange 3-2.
For this year’s PDC World Darts Championship, Paddy Power are paying out a total of £180k for every nine-darter scored during the tournament, with the funds to be split three ways.
The player who throws the perfect leg will receive £60k, a lucky fan at Alexandra Palace will also be handed a £60k cheque, while the betting company are also set to donate £60k to Prostate Cancer UK, the official Charity partner of the tournament.
A fan in the audience who was wearing a yellow trilby hat and a Christamas-themed blazer was chosen as the lucky winner of the huge cash prize. Hilariously another fan had been seen holding a sign behind the man that read Wayne Mardle’s iconic ‘I can’t spake’ line, which the legendary darts commentator had said following Michael Smith’s nine-darter at the 2023 World Championships.
Paddy Power are also donating £1,000 for every 180 thrown during this Year’s championship as part of their Bigger180 campaign.
Damon Heta hit a sensational nine-dart finish on Friday afternoon at Alexandra Palace
Heta’s perfect leg was the second nine-dart finish at the tournament. As of this morning, Paddy Power had raised £522,000 for charity with 462 180s having been struck at the tournament before the start of this afternoon’s session.
But Heta, who is ranked ninth in the world, hit back in the second term with an outstanding passage of play, going 2-1 up with a stunning nine-dart finish, before rounding pulling level with Woodhouse to win the second set 3-1.
The 37-year-old Australian, who hails from Perth, leapt around the stage in jubilation, even at one point appearing to jump off the stage.
His opponent, Woodhouse, looked just as excited as Heta did, jumping up and down on the stage in elation, before showing his class, giving the Aussie star a huge and a handshake.
Heta’s highest finish at the World Darts Championship came earlier this year, where he was knocked out in the last 16 back in January.
More to follow…