
Who is Dirk van Duijvenbode?
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Dirk van Duijvenbode, nicknamed “The Titan,” is a Dutch professional dart player who plays in the PDC (Professional Darts Corporation). Born June 30, 1992, Dirk is known for his powerful style of play and his unique walk-on music, where he comes on with hardcore music. Van Duijvenbode made his breakthrough in 2020, when he reached the final of the World Grand Prix. Although he lost to Gerwyn Price, he established himself as one of the most up-and-coming players in the PDC.
He has since won multiple PDC ProTour titles and is a regular at the top of the darts world. With his enormous scoring ability, Van Duijvenbode poses a threat to all the established names in the sport.
Name: Dirk van Duijvenbode
Nickname: Aubergenius
Date of birth: June 30 1992
Residence: 's-Gravenzande
Performance song: Just Like You - Radical Redemption
Nickname: Aubergenius
Date of birth: June 30 1992
Residence: 's-Gravenzande
Performance song: Just Like You - Radical Redemption
Achievements
Best World Cup result: Quarterfinal (2021)
Major-finals: 2
PDC titles: 6
Nine starters: 1
Highest average during televised tournament: 112.05 (Players Championship Finals 2022)
Best World Cup result: Quarterfinal (2021)
Major-finals: 2
PDC titles: 6
Nine starters: 1
Highest average during televised tournament: 112.05 (Players Championship Finals 2022)

Dirk van Duijvenbode at the Belgian Darts Open
Career
Dirk van Duijvenbode has quickly worked his way up to become one of the most notable darters in the PDC (Professional Darts Corporation). With his powerful throws and energetic style, he has firmly established himself at the top of darts. His breakthrough came in 2020, when he reached the final of the World Grand Prix, one of the most prestigious tournaments in the PDC. Although he lost the final to Gerwyn Price, he proved he could compete with the best players in the world.
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Van Duijvenbode has since won several ProTour titles and can often be seen in the later stages of major tournaments, such as the Players Championship and European Tour events. His aggressive scoring ability and consistent performances have earned him a permanent spot in the top 20 of the PDC Order of Merit. In addition to his sporting achievements, he is also known for his unique walk-on music and energetic stage style, making him a crowd favorite in the darts world.
In recent years, Dirk van Duijvenbode has developed into one of the most dynamic and recognizable players in the sport of darts. His career trajectory is an inspiring story of perseverance and improvement that has taken him from humble beginnings to the world top.
Dirk van Duijvenbode made his debut in the PDC in 2011, but it took a few years before he found his rhythm at the highest level. In these early years, he played mostly at smaller tournaments, and although he occasionally put in strong performances, he still lacked the consistency to break through to the top. Nevertheless, he built on his experience and improved his game step by step.
Starting in 2015, Van Duijvenbode began to establish himself more as a stable player in the PDC. He achieved some good results on the ProTour and qualified for the PDC World Championship in 2016 , although he was eliminated in the first round by Raymond van Barneveld. After the 2019 season, Van Duijvenbode lost his Tour Card, but he immediately earned his Tour Card back at the subsequent Q-School.
The year 2020 marked the real breakthrough for Dirk van Duijvenbode. At the World Grand Prix he managed to make it through to the final, a performance that put him definitively on the map in the sport of darts. He lost the final to Gerwyn Price, but reaching such a prestigious final made him gain prestige in the PDC.
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In 2021 , Van Duijvenbode achieved his first major victory by winning a Players Championship tournament. This was an important milestone in his career and proved that he was more than a one-hit wonder. In addition to this victory, he performed consistently well in other ProTour events and reached the quarterfinals of the World Matchplay. He finished the year as one of the most feared players on the ProTour and made appearances in several major tournaments, further cementing his rise to the top of the PDC rankings.
In 2022 , Van Duijvenbode won two more Players Championship titles, further cementing his position at the top of the sport. In addition, he reached the final of the World Series of Darts Finals, where he again lost to Gerwyn Price. This year saw him evolve into one of the most consistent players on the circuit, as evidenced by his many semifinals and quarterfinals on the European Tour and other major events. His ability to produce big results on a regular basis further established him in the top 16 of the world rankings.
The year 2023 was one of the best years in Van Duijvenbode's career. He won no less than three Players Championship tournaments, establishing himself as one of the most dominant players on the ProTour. Although he is still waiting for his first major European Tour title, he reached multiple finals on the European Tour and showed he is ready to compete with the very best in darts.
In late 2023, however, Van Duijvenbode suffered a persistent shoulder injury that left him throwing for months in pain. It caused 'Aubergenius' to be eliminated at the majors in the first round each time. In the course of 2024, however, Van Duijvenbode regained his fitness and showed that he is back on track, including a final at a Players Championship tournament.

Dirk van Duijvenbode is partly due to his popular walk on one of the crowd favorites at the PDC
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Switch to PDC
Dirk van Duijvenbode made his move to the PDC (Professional Darts Corporation) in 2014, where he decided to continue his career at the highest level. After playing in the BDO (British Darts Organization) for several years, he saw more opportunities to compete with the world's top players in the PDC. His move gave him access to bigger tournaments and stronger opponents, which allowed him to further develop his skills.
However, the road to success in the PDC was not without obstacles. Van Duijvenbode struggled to establish himself in the early years, but his breakthrough came in 2020, when he reached the final of the World Grand Prix. This performance marked his final breakthrough and established him as a serious contender within the PDC. Since then, he has won multiple ProTour titles and has become a regular at the top of darts, with strong performances in tournaments such as the Players Championship and European Tour.
What does Dirk van Duijvenbode earn?
Dirk van Duijvenbode's exact income is not publicly known, but as a successful darter in the PDC, he earns a significant amount through prize money, sponsorship deals and appearances. His breakthrough in 2020, reaching the final of the World Grand Prix, earned him a significant amount in prize money, and since then he has won several ProTour titles. Prize money for tournaments in the PDC can vary, with major tournaments such as the World Championship and World Grand Prix offering prize money of several hundred thousand pounds for finalists and winners.
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In addition, van Duijvenbode also derives income from sponsorships. He is known for his energetic personality and unique style, which makes him attractive to sponsors in the darts world. It is estimated that the income of a top dart player like van Duijvenbode can range from €100,000 to €500,000 per year, depending on his performance and sponsorships.
With his growing popularity and success in the PDC, van Duijvenbode is one of the players earning considerably, both through his performances on stage and through commercial deals outside the game.

Dirk van Duijvenbode European Darts Open
Private
Dirk van Duijvenbode is known for his unique personality, both on and off the darts stage. Outside of his professional darts career, he still works in an eggplant farm in the Netherlands, a job he continues to perform with pride despite his success in darts. His connection to the agricultural sector is a big part of his identity and has even led to the nickname “Aubergenius” within the darts community.
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In his private life, van Duijvenbode stays true to his down-to-earth Dutch background. He lives in the Netherlands and loves the quiet surroundings of the countryside, where he can relax and unwind after the intensity of major tournaments. Although he is in the spotlight because of his energetic performances, in his daily life he remains a humble and hard-working person who appreciates the balance between work and sports.
His passion for darts and working in the nursery shows that van Duijvenbode is a man who does not forget his roots, despite his increasing success on the international darts stage.
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Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
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- Play all legs and the winners split the pot. Luke gets the lot of he wins them all. If your occupation is darts player you can't enter, regardless of ability.BandB01-11-2026
- I'm quite a jaded person all things considered, but to be honest I found Beat Luke Littler to be pretty entertaining. It certainly wasn't seamless, which is to be expected given the lack of precedence, but I actually think the pacing was pretty good, the production was impressive, and there was a good sense of humour and levity to it. I think it was a very ambitious undertaking but one that, for the most part, paid off. I liked the system with the four pots and I think it added to the drama and intrigue. I enjoyed seeing the diverse range of entrants and learning about their backstories. I think the interactivity was pretty clever and well-integrated. The panel was a little incoherent at times; Lee Mack shone however, and his improvisational skills were appreciated during some more awkward interstitial moments. As far as the darts is concerned, it was a shame that the format didn't allow Littler to get into full flow. You obviously don't want him to steamroll everyone but you want to feel like you're getting the full Littler package rather than seeing him struggling to get out of first gear. I will say that his leg against Jayden Walker was very impressive, but it was mostly downhill from there. The attraction revolves around Littler being this untouchable, indomitable force, yet the format doesn't really allow him to fulfil that characterisation. As for Fallon Sherrock, she was mightily impressive and deserved the victory. It is a testament to her unshakeable character that she was able to bang in a 14-darter under such mind-bending pressure. Everything that has been said about the misleading marketing is valid, though they were clear about their eligibility criteria and were able to offload the responsibility somewhat by bringing the viewers into the decision-making process in real time. What is clear though, is that Fallon played the game according to the rules, and she should not be criticised for that, much less abused. I will admit though that it is a kick in the teeth for those true amateurs who committed time and money to the course, and I would also question those who think pub players would have no chance, given that some of Littler's winning legs were dispatched in 7 visits to the board! The great thing about darts is that it isn't so much that amateurs cannot replicate the feats of brilliance pulled off by professionals of the sport, than it is that they simply cannot replicate the consistency of their output, something that this format almost entirely removes from the equation. It should also be noted that, financially, Fallon certainly stands to benefit much less in relative terms from the paycheque than would your average pub thrower, as I'm sure she nets a fair income from the lucrative exhibition circuit alone. What I do hope is that she might use this as an opportunity to really build up a head of steam heading into the new season, as it seems long overdue that she come through Q-School and really take it to the pros on a week-in week-out basis, but whatever she chooses to do, she has certainly achieved enough already for one if not several lifetimes, so who am I to dictate terms? To conclude though, I will state once again that I found Beat Luke Littler to be a pretty enjoyable evening of entertainment. I do feel for the contestants who never actually had the chance to try their luck against the world #1, although I suppose it comes with the format, but all which inevitably raises the question: will Netflix be tempted to do it all again next year? It's hard to say. Whether it would be financially viable, I can't weigh in there. One point I have been making though, and which I touched on earlier, is that the entire concept relies on a public perception that Littler is more or less unbeatable, and that certainly hasn't been the case of late. If the execs had been trying to pitch the show in recent months while Littler has seemed vulnerable, rather than when he was mopping up almost every major title on the calendar, it would certainly be a tougher sell. We will have to see in about 6 months' time whether Littler can still reliably command perception as a near-unstoppable force in darts, and then we'll have a clearer idea about whether we should expect a second helping. Even as a one-off experiment though, and with all the controversy taken into account, I still don't think they disgraced themselves by any means, and that will probably be my lingering assessment of the event when all is said and done.Deduce635801-11-2026
- Fair play to Fallon. But...shows the mockery when a professional players wins what was meant to be an amateur v Pro event, Littlers performance was poor, and what about the players who didn't get a game? Would have been better if the pot was split amoungst all the winners and they all got a leg.BandB31-10-2026
- Not even slightly interestedrick6730-10-2026
- And yet the PDC has decided to aggravate this problem by doubling the Players Championship Finals field from 2027. I can't imagine there will be fewer withdrawals next year with even less reason to turn up. I can only hope that a whole slew of Challenge Tour top-up players receive enough prize money in the absence of much of the elite, that some of the more complacent among them struggle to scrape into even a heavily diluted field! More semi-pro players will get to test their mettle, but the standard of competition will be much inferior. It could hardly be said that the Players Championship series will provide an opportunity for darts' second string to test their Tour Card credentials anymore, but at least it will underscore the achievements of those Challenge Tour players of current and previous years, who were able to prove themselves as more than capable of competing with, and beating, the elite of the sport on a consistent basis, and reaping the due rewards.Deduce635828-10-2026
- No point in being there? Champions want to win.Deduce635828-10-2026
- Littler lost to crabtree in the youth/junior/whatever you call it. He had no point in being there. He's unfortunately now got to the stage,he feels all he has to do is get on the stage to win. Well,I hope he realises part of his fear factor has gone. Happened to Taylor,then van gerwen,and it's causing him to realise pretty sharp,he isn't unstoppable. It's good for the sport,not 1 single player in my 60 years has ever,or will ever be, unbeatable.rick6725-10-2026
- I think it's great to see Mark Webster looking good,good ladrick6725-10-2026
- I agree,I can't believe the lack of coverage of this sad loss. Always enjoyed watching him,but I guess now it's all about littler,well it seems that way. Darts has sadly lost a good manrick6717-10-2026
- In the absence of a report regarding the death of Stefan Lord, I'll assist. An excellent player in the late 70s and early 80s, he actually won the now defunct 3rd place match at two World Championships and a couple of the News of the World Championships. A fabulous player and easily the best Swedish player ever. Rest peacefully Stefan.richieburnettrocks16-10-2026






