Everything about Michael Smith

Who is Michael Smith?

Michael Smith, nicknamed “Bully Boy,” is one of England's top darters and a regular in the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC). Born Sept. 18, 1990, he made his professional debut in the PDC in 2008.

Smith is best known for his powerful scoring ability and impressive performances in major tournaments. His breakthrough came in 2013 when he won the PDC World Youth Championship.

In 2023, Smith achieved the highlight of his career by winning the PDC World Darts Championship, where he defeated Michael van Gerwen in an epic final that included a legendary nine-darter by Smith. This made him the world champion and cemented his position as one of the best darters in the world. He has also won several major titles, including the Premier League and several European Tour and ProTour titles. Smith is known for his resilience and determination to be the very best.

Name: Michael Smith
Nickname: Bullyboy
Date of birth: September 18, 1990
Residence: St. Helens
Emerging Number: Shut Up and Dance - Walk the Moon

Achievements
World titles: 1
Major titles: 2
PDC ranking titles: 20
Ninth darters: 8 (3 on TV)
Highest average during televised tournament: 113.62 (Grand Slam of Darts 2019)

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Michael Smith in action in the Premier League Darts

Career Story

Michael Smith has become a regular at dart’s top table after playing his trade on the PDC for the best part of a decade.

Smith, from St. Helens, was an avid darts player through his teenage years and as a young player he began to make his mark on the PDC in the 2010s.

He played on the PDC’s Youth Tour in 2011 as well as competing in some Pro Tour events and announced himself as one of the top upcoming players by winning his first Pro Tour event the UK Open Qualifier 2.

As a touring professional Smith made his World Championship debut at Alexandra Palace in 2012 and was beaten in the opening round by Co Stompé.

After winning his first Players Championship title in the early stages of 2012 he qualified to make his debut in both the World Matchplay and the World Grand Prix but he was beaten in the first round on both occasions.

In 2013 Smith was crowned PDC Youth champion after beating Ricky Evans in the final. He also reached the final of another UK Open Qualifier, but this time lost to Michael van Gerwen.

Bully Boy appeared in the Grand Slam of Darts for the first time thanks to his Youth title but was eliminated in the group stage.

Prior to the 2014 World Championship Smith climbed his way inside the top 32 on the Order of Merit and this saw him qualify automatically for the sport’s biggest event for the first time.

After progressing through the opening round Smith pulled off one of the biggest results of the tournament as he defeated defending champion Phil Taylor in the second round. His run was unable to continue when he was narrowly defeated by Peter Wright in the next round.

2014 went on to be a successful year for the Englishman as he picked up the PDC’s Young Player of the Year award and began to regularly reach the latter stages of events.

Another title was almost in the hands of Smith at the European Darts Grand Prix but a missed dart to win the match saw him slip to defeat against Mervyn King. The missed opportunity did not derail his form and he went on to beat Van Gerwen in the final of the European Darts Trophy.

At the 2015 International Darts Open Smith beat fellow up-and-coming star Benito van de Pas to take his second European Tour title and he went on to beat Van Gerwen once again to defend his European Darts Trophy.

Smith reached his first major semi-final at later that year where he was beaten by Van Gerwen in the last four of the Grand Slam of Darts.

2016 proved to be another big year in Smith’s career as he reached the quarter-finals of the World Championships for the first time before being eliminated by Raymond van Barneveld despite having a shot at a double to progress.

His performances merited a wildcard pick from the PDC for that year’s Premier League but suffered several defeats before finishing bottom of the table and being eliminated before the final section.

In May 2017 Smith managed to end a title drought that had lasted almost two years as he got the better of Mensur Suljovic to win the Gibraltar Darts Trophy.

At the 2018 World Championship Smith was again punished for missing match darts, a scenario that seemed to happen all too often. He missed two match darts to beat Rob Cross in the second round, but his fellow Englishman took advantage and went onto claim the title.

Smith was again given an entry into the Premier League and this time showed his true quality by finishing second in the league phase and comfortably sealing his spot in the play-offs. He went on to reach the final but Van Gerwen denied him the title.

A run to the final of the 2019 World Championship followed for Smith having entered the tournament as the 10th seed. Unsurprisingly Van Gerwen was the man waiting to meet Smith and he ensured that the Englishman wouldn’t be taking the title as he defeated him 7-3.

Most recently for Smith, he struggled to get over the line once again as he missed three match darts to take the 2020 Masters against Peter Wright. The reigning world champion took advantage as Smith fell at the final hurdle again.

In February 2020, Smith hit his first televised nine-darter in a 7-5 victory over Daryl Gurney. He reached the final at the Masters and World Cup of Darts (with Rob Cross) and a semi-final at the World Matchplay. Bullyboy suffered a second successive second round exit at the 2021 PDC World Championship after losing to Jason Lowe.

2022 saw his major breakthrough finally as at the ninth attempt after failing prior at the UK Open and the European Championship, he finally sealed the Grand Slam of Darts defeating Nathan Aspinall 16-5 in the final.

This opened the floodgates as he went on to become World Champion in January 2023 defeating Michael van Gerwen 7-4 becoming World Number One.

Here is a summary of Michael Smith's achievements in 2023 and 2024:

• PDC World Darts Championship: Smith won the world championship in January 2023 by defeating Michael van Gerwen in an epic final 7-4. This final included a legendary nine-darter by Smith, which is considered one of the best legs in darts history.
• Bahrain Darts Masters: Smith started 2023 strong with a victory in the Bahrain Darts Masters, where he defeated Gerwyn Price 8-6 in the final.
• German Darts Grand Prix: In April 2023, Smith also won the German Darts Grand Prix by defeating Nathan Aspinall 8-5.
• Nordic Darts Masters: He reached the semifinals, but lost to Peter Wright.
• The Masters: Smith reached the semifinals of The Masters, but was eliminated by Chris Dobey.
• Premier League Darts: Smith finished as a semifinalist, where he lost to Michael van Gerwen.

• Players Championship Finals: Smith had a string of shaky performances in 2024, with early eliminations in several Players Championship tournaments, but he still managed to show his dominance by reaching several finals and quarterfinals.
• Premier League Darts: Smith again competed in the 2024 Premier League, where he reached semifinals.

Smith remains one of the most consistent players in the PDC, despite some shaky results in ProTour events. His 2023 world title and several victories in major tournaments reinforce his status as one of the best darters in the world.

Michael Smith Dutch Darts Championships

Switch to PDC

Michael Smith made the move to the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) in 2008, beginning his professional career. Already showing his talent in the sport at a young age, he chose to join the PDC to compete against the best darters in the world. The decision to go to the PDC proved essential to his career development.

His first big break in the PDC came in 2013, when he won the PDC World Youth Championship. This success made it clear that Smith was a great talent and that he had it in him to compete at the top of darts. From then on, Smith was able to continue his development in the PDC, where he regularly competed in major tournaments and found his way up the world rankings.

In the years that followed, Smith grew into one of the regulars within the PDC, recording multiple victories on the European Tour and in ProTour tournaments. His move to the PDC laid the groundwork for his eventual World Championship in 2023, confirming his status as one of the best darters of his generation.

What does Michael Smith deserve?

Michael Smith, as one of the top darters in the PDC, earns his income mainly from prize money, sponsorships and appearances. After his victory at the PDC World Darts Championship in 2023, he received an impressive £500,000 in prize money. He has also won several ProTour and European Tour titles over the course of his career, earning him significant additional income.

Outside of prize money, Smith also earns through sponsorship deals with brands that support his name and image in the darts world. He has sponsorships such as dart products and clothing brands, which contribute significantly to his annual income.

With his consistent top performance in the PDC, Smith's total annual salary, including prize money and sponsorship deals, can be estimated at several hundred thousand to even millions of pounds per year, depending on his performance and commercial deals. His status as world champion has significantly boosted this income in recent years.

Michael Smith

Private

Michael Smith, nicknamed “Bully Boy,” leads a quiet private life alongside his successful darts career. Born and raised in St Helens, England, he is a family man who enjoys spending his time with his wife Dagmara and their two children. Smith has often stated that his family is a great source of motivation for him, especially during the peak moments of his career, such as his world title in 2023.

Despite his successes in the world of darts, Smith remains down-to-earth and values his family life. He combines his professional career with taking care of his family, and his dedication to both darts and his family has endeared him to his fans. Smith is also active on social media, where he sometimes shares moments from his personal life, such as vacations and special occasions with his children, but he generally keeps his personal life largely out of the spotlight.

Michael Smith, also known as “Bully Boy,” has accumulated many titles throughout his impressive career in various categories within the PDC. Here is a rundown of his most significant victories:

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Major Titles:

• PDC World Darts Championship: 2023 - This is his biggest win, beating Michael van Gerwen in a memorable final.
• Grand Slam of Darts: 2022 - This was his first major television tournament win, confirming his breakthrough as a world number one.

European Tour Titles:

• Smith has won a total of 6 European Tour titles, including such tournaments as the German Darts Championship and the International Darts Open.

Players Championship Titles:

• Michael Smith has won multiple Players Championship titles, including 13 ProTour titles, highlighting his consistency at the highest level.

He also proved himself in the World Youth Championship in 2013 and many other tournaments, making him one of the most successful and popular darters in the sport.