The Best Professional Dart Players as of 2021

When most people think of darts, they think of spending quality time with friends at the bar or pub, knocking back a few glasses of cold beer, and passing the time with a game of darts. And while it is true that darts was, and continues to be a popular game in most bars and pubs, the game has surpassed its humble roots and is one of the fastest-growing broadcast sports in the world.

The popularity of darts has grown considerably in the past decade, and it is currently one of the most-watched sports on television. Channels like Sky Sport show that in terms of viewing figures it is second only to football. Not only that, but bookies are beginning to notice a rise in bets being placed on darts matches. It can be surmised that the rise in interest in darts stems from the ease with which one can bet on games. Especially easy to make are the pre-match and in-play bets which can be made through phone or tablet.

As popular as darts has become, there are still people who think of it as little more than a friendly pub game to be played between drinking buddies. Some may be interested in the game, and in the betting potential that darts provides, but may not know enough about the game to get started.

In this article, we will take a look at the top players in contemporary darts, which hopefully can help some to understand more about this rapidly growing sport.

Betting on Darts

Before we take a look at the players, we first should discuss the betting aspect of the game. As stated before, darts is becoming ever more popular, both in terms of viewing figures and betting figures. Top players are taking home increasingly higher wages per game, and in 2015, The World Dart Championship reported that over $10 million had been wagered on that year’s tournament, with experts finding it highly unlikely that the number has plateaued in recent years.

It seems there is a great deal of potential for profit when it comes to betting on darts matches, so a lot of helpful websites have been popping up that offer a plethora of helpful darts betting tips. What makes betting on darts so appealing to prospective betters, is the ease with which one can make a pre-match bet, or an in-play bet on a portable electronic device.

Now let us proceed to the current top players in the world of darts.

Gerwyn Price

Mr. Price, nicknamed the Iceman, made his debut in the World Championship in 2014, and less than a year later he was already competing in the televised quarter-final at the 2015 World Matchplay, where he knocked out greats like Adrian Lewis and Michael Smith.

In 2016 Gerwyn Price claimed his first Professional Dart Championship title, and got a rank among the world’s top 32 players. Mr. Price’s biggest win came in 2018, when he won his first televised title, a title he successfully defended a year later, at the Grand Slam of Darts.

In 2020, the Welshman came in fifth place in the Premier League and is currently ranked as the number one darts player in the world.

Peter Wright

Peter Wright started his career in 1995 at the Lakeside Championship, however, it would be more than a decade later before he joined the Professional Darts Corporation full-time. Though he grew up in England, Wright represents the country of his birth, Scotland, in championships.

Mr. Wright is most recognizable by his Mohican hairstyle (styled by his wife), the color of which changes with every championship, and his colorful, unique sense of dress. Peter Wright is currently ranked as the number 2 best player in the world, and in 2020 beat Michael van Gerwen and won his first ever PDC World Darts Championship title.

Michael van Gerwen

Michael van Gerwen is one of the sport’s all-time greats, having enjoyed a fruitful and fulfilling career in the game. Mr. Van Gerwen won his first championship in 2006 when he was only 17-years-old. Six years later, the Dutchman won his second televised title at the World Grand Prix, a first of many wins that would signal a golden run.

In 2014, Michael Van Gerwen won the PDC World Championship at the age of 24, becoming the youngest player in Professional Dart Corporation history. He would then go on to dominate the world of darts, winning eighteen championships in 2015, and twenty-five in 2016.

Van Gerwen is a three-time PDC World Champion, 2017 and 2019. For a long time, he was ranked number one, though was supplemented by Gerwyn Price as recently as 2021. Currently, Michael van Gerwen is ranked world number 3. He has sworn, however, to work diligently and regain his number one slot.

Michael Van Gerwen is the 2nd most successful darts player in history.