DARTS might not seem like a likely way to make millions, but the top stars are rolling in cash from the sport.
Legend Phil Taylor announced his retirement from competitive darts and will only play for a final 12 months – like Elton John on a retirement tour.
Nicknamed “The Power”, Taylor is one of the best known British players on the circuit.
And during his time in the sport, he has racked up a £7.6million fortune thanks to his throwing skills.
He bagged his first prize pouch worth £24,000 in 1990, and has been adding more winnings to his bulging bank balance ever since.
Taylor, 63, was the first professional darts player to bag a £1million prize pot.
But despite his prowess in the game and international fame, he’s not actually the richest man on the circuit.
We look at the richest players in the darts world.
Dutch professional Michael van Gerwen is the richest player in the history of the sport.
The 34-year-old started playing darts at just 13 and has used it to make himself incredibly wealthy as the world’s No.2.
Appearing to take notes from footballers, he has bagged himself a stunning wife in former hairdresser Daphne Govers, who he wed in 2004.
The pair use his earnings to fund a lavish lifestyle for themselves and their two children — often holidaying in Ibiza.
In the last year they have also jetted off to New York City, and Curacao in South America.
Michael took a break from darts earlier this year to have an operation on his jaw and dental work done to fix on-going issues.
When not on the circuit, he spends time with his family and often takes the kids on outings.
Scottish player Gary Anderson is the third-richest man in the darts world.
He claims to have honed his skills during his time as a pub landlord before deciding to go professional.
The 52-year-old used to be the BDO and DWF number one thanks to his skilled throws.
He’s won 73 events, including 12 major titles, and tops up his £4million prize pot earnings with lucrative partnerships including Rix Motors and Unicorn Darts.
By his side through his meteoric rise has been long-term partner Rachel Ford, who he married in a secret wedding last year.
The pair invited guests to their nuptials under the guise of a birthday party for the darts ace.
Despite his international profile, Gary hates the fame that comes with his sport. He also didn’t want to become flash after winning £250,000 in 2015.
“Nah. I’m still the same old Gary. I’m quite strange like that. I just wanted to forget about it and move on to the next one,” he told The Guardian.
“When I get asked to sign anything I never add ‘world champion’. If people ask what I do I say: ‘I play darts.’ They’ll ask: ‘Are you any good?’ I’ll say: ‘Sometimes.’ You get some superstars but not me.”
Peter Wright might have been world number one, but he’s far from taking the top spot on this rich list.
The Scotsman, 53, goes by the nickname snakebite and has amassed a fortune of £3.6million since starting professional darts in 1995.
Wright married his partner Joanne, a hairdresser, in Las Vegas, and she manages his finances for him.
The star said: “Nine times out of 10 I’m overdrawn. I’m probably the poorest darts player who’s world number 1.
“My prize money gets paid into my wife’s company account, and I’m paid a wage. Jo sorts out the business side for when I retire.
“My opportunity to play darts is because my wife and her father backed me from the beginning.
“When I got to my first ‘Worlds’ final in 2014 I was going to give darts up as we had no money left. Jo didn’t realise I’d spent it all, and I knew I needed to win before she found out.
“We didn’t even own a house and Jo was the only one who sponsored me to cover my playing expenses such as flights, hotels, and entry fees.
“That’s why she takes control of all the money now.”
James Wade, 40, is tied with Wright in fourth place on this rich list.
He’s married to former “walk-on” girl and stunning model Sammi Marsh, with whom he has two young sons.
The Machine’s wealth comes from the 38 PDC titles he has won, and he’s netted £440,000 from prize pots in the last two years.
He is aware that he’s not as appealing to sponsors as other players thanks to his behaviour in the arena.
He said: “I’ve done my bit to promote myself and the sport at times, and my record is better than 90 per cent of PDC players in terms of trophies and titles won.
“Maybe I’m not as marketable as others – and that’s okay, I understand that.
“I’ve tried jumping up and down, making a show of myself in front of the cameras, but I’m not that person. It was false.
“I’d like to be that ‘fashionable’ commodity but I’m just fortunate to be a person who’s sometimes quite good at playing darts.”
He has boosted his profile by working with Bipolar UK and regularly talks about his experience with the condition.
Dutch sure-shot Raymond van Barneveld is another player who is fond of a lavish holiday in Ibiza.
He regularly visits with his wife Julia Evans, who is 18 years his junior.
The pair got together after Raymond’s marriage to ex-wife Silvia broke down in January 2019.
He proposed to Julia during a luxurious trip to Paris and married in Cyprus earlier this year.
A photo posted on his Instagram shows the pair standing on a clifftop at sunset, with the bride in a stunning white dress with a very long veil.
Brit Adrian Lewis might only rank at 43 in the world for his darts skills, but he can comfort himself with his enormous bank balance.
The 38-year-old has won £2,500,000 during his 12-year career and tops up those earnings with sponsorship deals.
He has partnered with Twyford Bathrooms and Geberit during his career. Earlier this year he announced he is taking a break from professional darts.
Adrian is married with two children and spend much of his earnings on fishing trips.
His wife Sarah has a chronic illness that the couple have not named, but it often takes a strain on the family. He said it was a reason for his decision to break from darts this year.
In 2016 Adrian said: “I’ve got a lot of personal problems right now. My wife Sarah has been in and out of hospital for 18 months.
“She’s been back in with serious kidney problems over the past few weeks.
“I’m very worried about her. I don’t want to go into any further detail, but it’s very hard at the minute. That puts a fair bit of pressure on my home life.”
Welsh player Gerwyn Price has bagged £1,176,750 in prize money over the last two years.
The 38-year-old has then topped up his bank balance with sponsorship deals including Valley Water, Stevly Windows, and Red Dragon Darts.
Instead of frittering away his millions on shopping sprees and holidays, he has been building a property empire.
In 2022, he said: “I’m building my own property which I’m hoping to get finished by February or March, but I’m not doing any more after that.
“I might invest in properties which are already done up, but otherwise I’m not doing anything else.”
Price is married to Bethan, who he met when he was 17, and the pair have two children together.
He recently splashed his cash on two custom chairs upholstered in old darts Premier League shirts.
They were created for his personal man cave, which also consists of a cinema room, pool table and his own darts strip.
Aussie Simon Whitlock, known as The Wizard, has used his skills at darts to earn millions.
During the course of his career he has bagged £2,149,499 from winning competitions.
He has then topped up his earnings with sponsorship deals including Winmau dart boards and CEL Electrical.
Whitlock has been married twice and has three sons from his previous wives.
The star has previously admitted he straightens his beard and had to get his hair rebraided every few months, which takes nine hours, to keep his signature look.
