Throwback to 2010 Grand Slam of Darts: How an underdog from the BDO turned the darts world upside down

When the Grand Slam of Darts returns to Wolverhampton this weekend, the sport’s attention turns once again to one of its most distinctive and prestigious majors. Since its inception in 2007, the tournament has provided countless moments of drama — but few as extraordinary as Scott Waites’ unforgettable triumph in 2010, when a part-time carpenter from Yorkshire stunned the darting world to lift the title.

The Grand Slam was first introduced by the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) as a one-of-a-kind event, bringing together the elite of both the PDC and the now-defunct British Darts Organisation (BDO). For years, it offered a rare and fiercely anticipated chance to see the best players from each code face off in direct competition — a true measure of who ruled the oche.

Legends such as Martin Adams, Ted Hankey, Tony O’Shea, and Scott Waites proudly represented the BDO in those early editions. The format created a unique atmosphere, blending contrasting styles and producing memorable clashes that captivated fans. Yet as the years passed, PDC dominance became more pronounced. Top talents from the BDO defected in growing numbers, widening the quality gap between the two organisations.

By 2015, the PDC formally integrated the Grand Slam into its ranking system — though only its own players could earn Order of Merit points. The move drew criticism at the time, but with the BDO’s eventual collapse in 2020, the Grand Slam became a fully-fledged PDC major. Still, that cross-code era remains one of the most nostalgic chapters in modern darts history.

While several BDO players made their mark at the Grand Slam, only one ever went all the way — Scott Waites. His run to the 2009 final ended in brutal fashion, losing 16–2 to Phil Taylor. Few expected him to come back stronger the following year. Yet in 2010, Scotty Too Hotty produced one of the most astonishing turnarounds ever witnessed on the big stage.

Drawn into a group featuring Co Stompé, Adrian Lewis, and fellow BDO representative Martin Phillips, Waites opened with a narrow 5–4 victory over Stompé before defeating Phillips 5–3 in a high-quality encounter that saw both players average over 103. He then dispatched Lewis 5–3 to top the group with maximum points and move into the knockout rounds brimming with confidence.

In the last 16, Waites upset Raymond van Barneveld 10–7, then beat Stompé again 16–10 in the quarter-finals. The semi-final lineup that year featured four Englishmen, and Waites brushed aside Steve Beaton 16–9 to reach his second successive Grand Slam final — just a year after being comprehensively beaten by Taylor.

The remarkable thing? Waites wasn’t even a full-time professional. Still working as a joiner in West Yorkshire, he had chosen to remain outside the PDC circuit despite his growing reputation. That made what came next all the more extraordinary.

In the 2010 final, Waites faced James Wade — and it looked like another rout in the making. Wade stormed into an 8–0 lead, leaving many fans resigned to a repeat of Waites’ humiliation from the year before. But then the unthinkable happened.

Waites slowly found his rhythm, his scoring tightened, and his finishing sharpened. Wade began to falter, and the momentum swung dramatically. Leg by leg, Waites clawed his way back until the match was level at 11–11. Suddenly, the unheralded amateur was in complete control. He surged ahead 14–11, held his nerve as Wade nicked one back, and sealed a sensational 16–12 victory with a double 8 — completing one of the greatest comebacks in darting history.

The triumph was more than just a shock result; it symbolised the enduring quality of the BDO’s best and stood as proof that elite talent could exist outside the professional PDC ranks.

Waites’ Grand Slam title remains the only time a BDO player has ever lifted the trophy. In the years that followed, he cemented his status as one of the organisation’s finest ever players, winning two BDO World Championships (2013 and 2016) and reaching another final in 2019.

He eventually secured his PDC Tour Card at Q-School in 2020, enjoying steady success before dropping off the circuit in 2023. This year, the 48-year-old continued to show flashes of his old class on the Challenge Tour, winning a title and hinting that another Q-School campaign may soon be on the horizon.

As the 2025 Grand Slam of Darts begins, the sport has evolved beyond recognition from the days of BDO versus PDC. But the story of Scott Waites — the joiner who defied the odds to conquer Wolverhampton — remains a cherished reminder of what made the tournament truly special.

Fifteen years on, his name still carries weight not just as a champion, but as a symbol of the Grand Slam’s most romantic era — when the lines between codes blurred, and anything felt possible on the oche.