Michael ‘Bully Boy’ Smith suffers from arthritis

Former darts world champion Michael ‘Bully Boy’ Smith has revealed the ongoing toll arthritis has taken on his game. Despite his determination to stay competitive, the condition has contributed to disappointing results in major tournaments, including several high-profile exits this year.

Earlier this year, the English darts champion revealed to the public that he’s been severely suffering from arthritis. It mainly affects his dominant hand, which he uses for darts.

‘I've had it for a few years now. It was always when it was winter, so I thought it was just the cold affecting it.’ he said during an interview. ‘But it just keeps getting worse and worse. My wrist will start swelling up and the constant pain where I can't bend it, so it is getting a bit difficult.’ he added, further enforcing that he cannot play like he used to in the past.

He even suspected his previous injury was making it worse. ‘It was there because I broke both my wrists when I was 19, so it was going to catch up with me eventually. I think it has now.’ he said. Like winning jackpots in Casinos.com, he never knew when it would happen to him.

In 2023, he defeated a lot of big names, such as Michael van Gerwen, during the PDC World Darts Championships. However, in his recent attempt at the Premier League, he couldn’t secure a spot, which gave him lower morale. Recently, he also fell out of the World’s Top 20 ranking, dragging him down even more.

Last month, he also didn’t qualify for the World Matchplay in Blackpool. After that, he was also forced to take a blood test despite his worsening condition.

Mike Smith is just one of the victims of the world of professional darts. In a podcast called Darts Drait Door, pros from the industry gathered around and discussed the struggles most players suffer from.

In the video, they shared their struggles, including Wattimena’s previous injury in his shooting hand. Because of this, he lost his tour card and was demoralised—similar to what the Bully Boy is now experiencing.

They also mentioned Smith’s current troubles, with Former World Championship quarter-finalist Van der Voort claiming that ‘the Tour waits for no one.’

Wattimena, relating to what Smith has been experiencing, said ‘I’ve been there. You’re throwing 100 averages and still losing. You look at the board thinking, ‘What more do I have to do?’

During the podcast, the three had nothing but sympathy for the former champion.

His condition is unfortunate, but witnessing Bully Boy’s fight against arthritis is an eye-opener for the world. Not only was he suffering from it, but other professional players are experiencing the same. Like a spinning slot game in Casinos.com, no one knows who will get it. One day you can be perfectly healthy, and the other, you’ll suffer from it.

As for Bully Boy, his injury during his younger days has caught up to him. Adding to the fact that he has arthritis, he is bound to miss a lot of major league matches in the future.