James “The Machine” Wade is a unique figure in the world of professional darts.
When he’s not winning major tournaments he relaxes by mending motors — here’s everything you need to know about his life, career and net worth.
James Wade was born in Aldershot, England, on April 6, 1983.
The Machine has won the UK Open, World Matchplay and World Grand Prix during his illustrious career.
However, things might have been very different for the current world No. 16.
In 2021, James said: “Without the PDC and Sky Sports, I’d still be a mechanic playing darts in the pub.
“I’m grateful for the lifestyle and the opportunities they have given me.
“I’ve done my bit to promote myself and the sport at times, and my record is better than 90% 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.
“And I’d like to be popular — because you don’t have to be a world-beater to win recognition.
“Wayne Mardle never won a world title, but he was good at dancing, the Hawaii Five-0 act and he was really popular.
“Was he a better player than me? No — but he proved that it’s not all just about landing a dart in a tiny little target the size of a paper clip.”
James’ darts journey began at a young age, showing promise in local tournaments before turning professional in 2001 at the age of 18.
He made an immediate impact by reaching the final of the British Classic.
After switching from the BDO to PDC, James’ breakthrough came in 2006 when he made a sensational run to the final of the World Matchplay.
Without the PDC and Sky Sports, I’d still be a mechanic playing darts in the pub
James Wade
He went on to hit an astonishing three nine-dart finishes during that calendar year.
In 2007, James won the World Matchplay, beating Terry Jenkins in the final.
This made him the youngest player ever to claim this prestigious title at the age of 24 — a record since broken by Michael van Gerwen and Luke Littler.
He went on to win multiple major titles in the following years, including:
What sets James apart from his peers is his enduring passion for mechanics.
Despite his success in darts, he has never lost touch with his roots as a mechanic.
James worked as a car mechanic before turning professional and continues to maintain his interest in the field.
In 2022, he said: “Ever since I was young, my dad has taught me about cars and we always worked in the garage together.
“Even when I climbed up the world rankings and was battling Phil Taylor and winning top titles, I relaxed by working on cars at the garage.”
James’ impressive record includes:
In October 2018, he married Sammi Marsh.
In 2018, the couple welcomed their first child, a son named Arthur, who was born shortly after their marriage.
They welcomed a second son named Alfred in August 2022.
The Wades’ keep their family life relatively private, but James has often expressed how important family is to him amidst his busy career.
James has been very open about his struggles with mental health, particularly his bipolar disorder.
He serves as a patron of Bipolar UK, using this platform to raise awareness about the condition and related issues.
In December 2018, James was criticised for his “thuggish” and “bullying” antics when he screamed in the face of Japanese opponent Seigo Asada after defeating him at the oche in the World Darts Championship.
Following the incident, James released a statement saying: “I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely apologise for my actions.
“Seigo Asada is a great player and I would like to say sorry to him, the fans and the PDC.
“Anyone that has followed my professional career will know that this was very out of character for me and I am disappointed in myself with the way I acted both on the stage and in my interviews after the match.
“I was fighting a battle with myself before I even got on the stage due to a hypo-mania episode which can happen to me at any time and no-one is more upset than I am about what happened.
“I would like to again apologise and hope that people can understand how remorseful I am.”
According to CelebrityNetWorth, James has amassed an impressive fortune of £2.4million as of November 2024.
His earnings come from tournament winnings, sponsorships and media appearances.
He will be hoping to add to his net worth at the upcoming World Darts Championship, taking place at Ally Pally between December 15, 2024 and January 3, 2025.
