Announcements

WORLD Championship semi-finalist Stephen Bunting has been handed a place in an expanded Ladbrokes Masters which takes place from January 29-31 at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes.

Normally it is a competition reserved for the sport's top 16 darts players in the world rankings - but 17th seed Bunting is among the eight extra players.

The prize money has increased to £220,000.

He will join last year's beaten finalist Michael Smith and 6th seed Dave Chisnall in the tournament.

As an additional carrot for the players, the tenth Premier League place has been held back until after the Masters.

It is a place that Smith, Chisnall and Bunting will all covet.

Peter Wright will defend his title in this year's Masters, having defeated Clock Face thrower Smith in the 2020 tournament to end Michael van Gerwen's five-year reign as champion.

Play will commence on Friday January 29, with the players ranked 9-24 following the World Championship playing off in the first round as the extended format begins.

Clashes at that stage will include Bunting against Joe Cullen, with both having impressed at the World Championship recently - with the winner progressing to play new World Champion Gerwyn Price.

Smith will play Adrian Lewis - with the winner playing World Championship runner up Gary Anderson.

Premier League champion Glen Durrant will play Mervyn King, while 2020 Grand Slam winner Jose de Sousa faces Jonny Clayton, who partnered Price to World Cup glory for Wales.

The world's top eight players will then enter at the second round stage on Saturday January 30, with play to be split across two sessions on the day.

Alongside Price's tie with Cullen or Bunting, Wright will open his title defence against either Krzysztof Ratajski or Simon Whitlock, while five-time Masters champion Van Gerwen plays De Sousa or Clayton.

2014 Masters winner James Wade, the only other former champion in the field this year, will play either World Matchplay champion Dimitri Van den Bergh or Chris Dobey.

The tournament will then conclude on Sunday January 31 with the quarter-finals in the afternoon session and the semi-finals and final in the evening session.

The 2021 Ladbrokes Masters will be held behind closed doors at the Marshall Arena due to current restrictions.

Worldwide coverage will be led by host broadcaster ITV4 in the UK and Ireland, as well as through RTL7 in the Netherlands and DAZN in various global territories, as well as through the PDC's global broadcasters, for PDCTV Rest of the World Subscribers and through matchroom.live.

Draw Bracket

(1) Gerwyn Price v (16) Joe Cullen/(17) Stephen Bunting

(8) Gary Anderson v (9) Michael Smith/(24) Adrian Lewis

(4) Rob Cross v (13) Glen Durrant/(20) Mervyn King

(5) Nathan Aspinall v (12) Ian White/(21) Mensur Suljovic

(2) Michael van Gerwen v (15) Jose de Sousa/(18) Jonny Clayton

(7) James Wade v (10) Dimitri Van den Bergh/(23) Chris Dobey

(3) Peter Wright v (14) Krzysztof Ratajski/(19) Simon Whitlock

(6) Dave Chisnall v (11) Daryl Gurney/(22) Jeffrey de Zwaan

First Round Draw

(16) Joe Cullen v (17) Stephen Bunting

(9) Michael Smith v (24) Adrian Lewis

(13) Glen Durrant v (20) Mervyn King

(12) Ian White v (21) Mensur Suljovic

(15) Jose de Sousa v (18) Jonny Clayton

(10) Dimitri Van den Bergh v (23) Chris Dobey

(14) Krzysztof Ratajski v (19) Simon Whitlock

(11) Daryl Gurney v (22) Jeffrey de Zwaan

Prize Fund

Winner - £60,000

Runner-Up - £25,000

Semi-Finalists - £17,500

Quarter-Finalists - £10,000

Second Round Losers - £5,000

First Round Losers - £2,500

Total - £220,000