THE BIG 180 set for bumper Paddy Power donation - pre-Christmas update

Beaton & Gurney (Kieran Cleeves/PDC)

Paddy Power's pledge to Prostate Cancer UK has smashed through the £440,000 mark – thanks to top professionals at the Paddy Power World Darts Championship.

The sponsors vowed to donate £1,000 every time a 180 is scored during the 16-day tournament, meaning there's a chance that £1 MILLION could be handed over as part of THE BIG 180 campaign.

And following the pre-Christmas action at Alexandra Palace - watched by millions across the world - players are well on their way towards breaking the record of 901 set last year.

PDC data partners Sportradar have revealed that after 64 matches, the number of 180s are 15 ahead when compared to the same stage last year, meaning the sponsors are currently on the hook for a £443,000 donation.

As part of THE BIG 180, Paddy Power, the PDC and Prostate Cancer UK are also trying to get 180,000 men to check their risk on the charity's 30-second online risk checker tool.

And figures are flying there, too, with over 66,000 men having completed the assessment - that's five times more than the same period last year.

Of those who have used the facility, which flags that age, family history and ethnicity are markers of heightened risk, almost 75 per cent discovered they were at increased risk of prostate cancer – a fact they are likely to have been unaware of prior to checking.

The Irish bookies are also handing over a specially-commissioned Ballon d'Art trophy, which will go to the player who ultimately raises the most amount of cash for Prostate Cancer UK.

The leader in the Ballon d'Art race following the first and second rounds is Hong Kong's Man Lok Leung, whose tally of 15 includes a huge 11 from his first round triumph.

However, Luke Littler is the player with the most 180s so far who is still remaining in the tournament, after landing 12 in his opening two matches.

Rachael Kane, spokesperson for Paddy Power, said: "We're nine days into the tournament and already it's thrown up some major shocks.

"But the best surprise of all has been the levels of awareness THE BIG 180 campaign has driven thanks to the backing of all of the players who are doing their best to push us towards a £1 million donation to Prostate Cancer UK."

One in eight men in the UK are diagnosed with Prostate Cancer every year. The disease, which often has no symptoms in the early stages, is curable if caught on time, making awareness of your risk vital in the battle against the most common form of cancer to effect men.

To check your risk on the Prostate Cancer UK Risk Checker site, head to the 30-second online risk checker.

For the latest updates on THE BIG 180 Campaign click here.