Phil Taylor calls time on his legendary career at the oche at this year's PDC World Darts Championship.

The Power is set to play in his final professional tournament when he walks out at Alexandra Palace in London later this month.

Taylor, 57, is the most successful tungsten thrower in history with 16 world titles to his name - but faces an uphill task if he wants to bow out with one final crown.

Michael van Gerwen is in the form of his life and comes into the tournament as the overwhelming favourite with William Hill.

But what odds can you get on everyone else? Who plays on which night? And how can you watch?

Here's all you need to know ahead of the tournament...

Phil Taylor is playing his final-ever professional tournament (

Image:

PA)
Van Gerwen comes into the competition in top form (

Image:

LAWRENCE LUSTIG)

When does the tournament take place?

The first arrow is thrown on Thursday December 14.

The final, where the 2018 world champion will be crowned, takes place on New Year's Day.

What TV channel is it on?

Sky Sports once again have the full rights to show the tournament.

The action will be shared across their Main Event, Action and Arena channels.

Raucous crowds return to Ally Pally for the darts this winter (

Image:

Steve Welsh William Hill)

Are there any tickets left?

There are a limited amount of tickets left for the World Championships.

To see which dates you can purchase, head on over to the PDC website's ticket page here.

What are the odds?

  • Michael van Gerwen 8/13
  • Phil Taylor 5/1
  • Gary Anderson 6/1
  • Rob Cross 8/1
  • Jamie Lewis 14/1
  • Raymond van Barneveld 22/1

Odds from William Hill

  • Outright Winner
  • To reach the final
  • Nationality of the winner
Anderson heads into the tournament as the second favourite (

Image:

Matchroom FREE TO USE PICTURES)

What is the schedule?

First round

Thursday December 14 (7pm)
Steve Beaton 3-1 William O'Connor
James Wilson 3-1 Krzysztof Ratajski
Michael van Gerwen 3-1 Christian Kist
Gerwyn Price 3-0 Ted Evetts

Friday December 15 (7pm)
Seigo Asada 2-1 Gordon Mathers (P)
Stephen Bunting 1-3 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Phil Taylor 3-1 Chris Dobey
Rob Cross 3-0 Seigo Asada

Saturday December 16
Afternoon Session (12.30pm)
Brendan Dolan 2-0 Alan Ljubic (P)
Benito van de Pas 1-3 Steve West
Mervyn King 3-2 Zoran Lerchbacher
Robert Thornton 3-1 Brendan Dolan

Evening Session (7pm)
Jeff Smith v Luke Humphries (P)
Joe Cullen 2-3 Jermaine Wattimena
Jelle Klaasen 1-3 Jan Dekker
Gary Anderson 3-0 Jeff Smith

Sunday December 17
Afternoon Session (12.30pm)
Kenny Neyens 1-2 Jamie Lewis (P)
Alan Norris 3-0 Kim Viljanen
Kyle Anderson 3-1 Peter Jacques
Jonny Clayton 0-3 Jamie Lewis

Evening Session (7pm)
Willard Bruguier 1-2 Cody Harris (P)
James Wade 2-3 Keegan Brown
Dave Chisnall 0-3 Vincent van der Voort
Ian White 3-1 Cody Harris

Monday December 18 (7pm)
Kai Fan Leung 0-2 Paul Lim (P)
Mensur Suljovic 3-0 Kevin Painter
Daryl Gurney 3-1 Ronny Huybrechts
Mark Webster 2-3 Paul Lim

Tuesday December 19 (7pm)
Aleksandr Oreshkin 0-2 Kevin Munch (P)
John Henderson 3-0 Marko Kantele
Raymond van Barneveld 3-0 Richard North
Adrian Lewis 1-3 Kevin Munch

Wednesday December 20 (7pm)
Xiao Chen Zong 0-2 Bernie Smith (P)
Michael Smith 3-2 Steve Lennon
Simon Whitlock 3-1Martin Schindler
Justin Pipe 3-2 Xiao Chen Zong/Bernie Smith

Thursday December 21 (7pm)
Cristo Reyes 1-3 Toni Alcinas
Kim Huybrechts 0-3 James Richardson
Darren Webster 3-2 Devon Petersen
Peter Wright 3-1 Diogo Portela

Second round

Friday December 22
Afternoon Session (12.30pm)
Price 4-1 White
Van der Voort 4-0 Beaton
Dekker 2-4 Van den Bergh

Evening Session (7pm)
Suljovic 4-2 Thornton
G Anderson 4-1 P Lim
Van Gerwen 4-0 Wilson

Saturday December 23
Afternoon Session (1pm)
Brown 4-2 Lerchbacher
M Smith 3-4 Cross
West 4-1 Wattimena

Evening Session (7pm)
Gurney 2-4 Henderson
Taylor 4-0 Pipe
Van Barneveld 4-1 K Anderson

Wednesday December 27
Afternoon Session (12.30pm)
Whitlock 1-4 D Webster
Norris 1-4 Richardson
Munch 1-4 Alcinas

Evening Session (7pm)
Wright1-4 J Lewis

Third Round
Van der Voort 1-4 Van Barneveld
Van Gerwen 4-2 Price

Thursday December 28
Afternoon Session (12.30pm)
Alcinas 0-4 D Webster
Suljovic 0-4 Van den Burgh
Henderson 1-4 Cross

Evening Session (7pm)
J Lewis 4-1 Richardson
Taylor 4-0 Brown
G Anderson 4-2 West

Quarter-Finals

Friday December 29

Afternoon Session (12.30pm)
Robert Cross 5-4 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Darren Webster 0-5 Jamie Lewis

Evening Session (7pm)
Michael van Gerwen 5-4 Raymond van Barneveld
Phil Taylor 5-3 Gary Anderson

Semi-Finals

Saturday December 30 (7.30pm)

Robert Cross 6-5 Michael van Gerwen

Jamie Lewis 1-6 Phil Taylor

Final

Monday January 1 (8pm)

Robert Cross 2-7 Phil Taylor

Alexandra Palace will be rammed full of darts fans (

Image:

Getty Images)

What is the competition format?

Preliminary Round - Best of three sets
First Round - Best of five sets
Second Round - Best of seven sets
Third Round - Best of seven sets
Quarter-Finals - Best of nine sets
Semi-Finals - Best of 11 sets
Final - Best of 13 sets

All sets are the best of five legs.

A tie-break would be in operation in all matches other than the preliminary round.

Any match which goes to a deciding set must be won by two clear legs.

If the score in the final set reaches 5-5, a sudden-death leg will be played.

Odds collected from Betfair

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