The 2025 Blåkläder Flanders Darts Trophy, held from August 29 to 31 at the Antwerp Expo in Belgium, has drawn darts fans from across the globe to witness a star-studded field compete for a share of a £175,000 prize fund. As the tenth stop on the PDC European Tour, the tournament offers a top prize of £30,000, with players like teenage sensation Luke Littler and in-form Stephen Bunting among the favorites to claim the coveted title. With a stacked lineup and a series of upsets already reshaping the draw, the race for the prize money has added an extra layer of excitement to an electrifying weekend at the oche.
The prize structure for the Flanders Darts Trophy 2025 is designed to reward progression through the tournament’s stages. The winner will pocket £30,000, while the runner-up earns £12,000. Semi-finalists take home £8,500 each, and quarter-finalists secure £6,000. Players reaching the third round, like Littler and Bunting, are guaranteed £4,000, while second-round exits yield £2,500. First-round losers receive £1,250. Notably, due to changes in the 2025 PDC rules, seeded players who lose in the second round do not have their prize money credited to the Order of Merit, though qualifiers who become seeds due to withdrawals retain their earnings. This structure ensures that every match carries significant financial stakes, particularly for top seeds like Littler, who entered as the number one seed, and Bunting, the third seed, both of whom advanced to the last 16 on August 30.
Littler, the 18-year-old reigning PDC World Champion, made a triumphant return to European Tour action after skipping most German events earlier in 2025. Fresh off a Players Championship win and dominant performances in Australia and New Zealand, he delivered a 6-0 whitewash over Ireland’s Dylan Slevin in the second round, hitting all six of his double attempts for a perfect checkout rate. “Six out of six on the doubles, I don’t usually get that, so I’m very happy,” Littler said, his confidence buoyed by the Antwerp crowd’s support. “When I came up on stage, it just felt like home. I love coming here.” His performance, which included a 101.12 average, sets him up for a third-round clash with Ryan Searle, with a potential £6,000 quarter-final prize in sight. Littler’s 2025 season has already been lucrative, with £618,500 earned from major events, including £500,000 from his World Championship triumph in January. A win in Antwerp would add to his growing fortune and further solidify his status as darts’ brightest star.
Stephen Bunting, meanwhile, has been a revelation in 2025, cementing his place among the sport’s elite with five PDC titles this year, including the International Darts Open and two World Series events. His second-round performance against Joe Cullen was a masterclass, averaging over 107 and hitting five 180s in a 6-1 rout. “I just thought to myself, don’t let myself down, refocus like I’ve done,” Bunting said, reflecting on his ability to stay composed under pressure. His last-16 matchup against Josh Rock promises a high-scoring thriller, with the winner guaranteed at least £6,000 and a shot at the semi-finals’ £8,500 prize. Bunting’s resurgence, marked by a climb to world number four, makes him a serious contender for the £30,000 top prize, especially after his commanding form in Copenhagen’s Nordic Darts Masters, where he won 8-4 against Rob Cross.
The tournament has already seen its share of shocks, with top seeds like Michael van Gerwen, Dave Chisnall, Peter Wright, and Rob Cross falling in the second round, opening the door for players like Littler and Bunting to capitalize. Local hero Mario Vandenbogaerde, the only Belgian to reach the last 16, earned £4,000 with his 6-3 win over Jonny Clayton, while James Wade’s 6-3 victory over Kim Huybrechts also secured him a third-round spot and £4,000. The absence of Luke Humphries, Nathan Aspinall, and Gary Anderson, who withdrew before the event, and Gerwyn Price, sidelined by a hand infection, has made the path to the final more unpredictable, increasing the stakes for remaining players.
For Littler, a potential championship run could net him £30,000, adding to his already impressive earnings and boosting his PDC Order of Merit ranking, where he sits at number two behind Humphries. Bunting, with his consistent 2025 performances, could use a deep run to close the gap on the top three. As the Antwerp Expo prepares for Sunday’s final day, with matches broadcast live on DAZN and PDC.TV, the prospect of Littler or Bunting lifting the trophy—and the £30,000 cheque—has fans on the edge of their seats. With both players in top form, the Flanders Darts Trophy is poised for a dramatic finish, where precision, nerve, and a touch of luck will determine who claims the biggest share of the prize pot.
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