The 2026 Australian Darts Masters sees a mix of eight of the world's elite PDC players and eight Oceanic qualifiers battle for a total prize pool of £100,000 down under, at the WIN Entertainment Centre in Wollongong.
Gian van Veen and Jonny Clayton - who just won the New Zealand Masters - lead the elite names heading in, with Gerwyn Price, Stephen Bunting, James Wade, Josh Rock, Damon Heta, and Ross Smith all in attendance.
Representing the Oceanic region are Adam Leek, Simon Whitlock, Ben Robb, Raymond Smith, Brody Klinge, Tim Pusey, Joe Comito, and Mal Cuming.
Below we look at a breakdown of the prize money.
Prize Money Breakdown
Every player stepping up to the oche in Wollongong is guaranteed a cash payout no matter where they come from, from the £100,000 overall prize pot. The champion takes home a handsome £30,000 winner's cheque, with the first-round losers getting £1,750 each.
Here is a full breakdown:
Winner: £30,000
Runner-Up: £16,000
Semi-Finalists: £10,000
Quarter-Finalists: £5,000
First Round (Last 16): £1,750
Does Prize Money Count Toward the PDC Order of Merit?
Earnings from the Australian Darts Masters do not count toward the official two-year PDC Order of Merit world rankings, as the World Series of Darts events are classified as non-ranking invitational tournaments.
Instead, players accumulate crucial World Series Order of Merit points, which determine qualification and seeding for the season-ending World Series of Darts Finals in Amsterdam:
Winner: 12 points
Runner-Up: 8 points
Semi-Finalists: 5 points
Quarter-Finalists: 3 points
First Round: 1 point
Following the end of this weekend’s event in Australia, the next stop on the World Series of Darts is the Amsterdam Finals from September 17-20. Here, a 32-player field will go head-to-head for the silverware.
Field Context: Elite Stars vs. Local Qualifiers
The lucrative purse serves two distinct purposes across the 16-player field. For established global icons like past champion Gerwyn Price, the event offers high-stakes competition and a tasty financial reward ahead of the televised autumn majors.
For local Oceanian representatives - like Australian legend Simon Whitlock - a guaranteed £1,750 minimum payout provides vital financial support to fund their international travel and professional tour expenses.