The BDO Gold Cup[1] began in 1978 and was held in Stoke.

[2] It was broadcast on the BBC until 1982, with the 1983 tournament blacked out due to a technicians' strike.

ITV took over from 1984-1988, and BSB/BSkyB's The Sports Channel/Sky Sports covered the event from 1990-92.

It was then broadcast in 2008 on Setanta Sports in the UK, after a brief stint on the short-lived channel Wire TV (1994-95).

At the end of its existence, the event was staged at the Magna Centre, Rotherham, England.