“I don’t even like watching darts” – Michael van Gerwen reveals why he has never studied his own matches

Michael van Gerwen has revealed that he has never watched his own matches back, despite spending almost two decades competing on the biggest stages in darts.

The three-time world champion has built one of the sport’s greatest careers almost entirely on instinct. Van Gerwen does not analyse old footage, deliberately reconstruct his throwing action or obsess over where he stands at the oche. Away from competition, he admits he rarely watches other players either.

Speaking on Winmau’s The Breakdown, the 37-year-old explained that throwing a dart has always felt natural to him. While other players use video analysis and modern technology to search for small technical improvements, Van Gerwen believes too much information can quickly become counterproductive.

“I never thought, ‘I should stand like this’ or, ‘I need to do this,’” said Van Gerwen. “Everything I do is just natural and automatic.”

Van Gerwen has won 48 PDC major singles titles, including three World Championships, while his 38 European Tour titles remain a record. His victory at Players Championship 15 earlier this season also took him to 37 Players Championship titles.

Yet the Dutchman has no interest in studying the mechanics behind those achievements. Asked whether he ever looks back at footage to see how his throw may have changed, his answer was emphatic. “No, of course not,” he said. “There’s no point.”

Van Gerwen generally stands towards the left-hand side of the oche, but does not concern himself with finding precisely the same spot before every visit.

“I don’t go to the dartboard and think, ‘Oh, I’m not standing in the right place,’” he explained. “I just stand there and start throwing. It isn’t going to make a massive difference because you never stand in exactly the same spot anyway. For me, it’s just the way I throw. If it has changed, it has changed. If it hasn’t, it hasn’t. It doesn’t really matter to me.”

His unusual grip sees one finger resting on the point of the dart, but Van Gerwen offered no technical reason for it. “I don’t know. It doesn’t matter, does it?” he said. “That’s the way I hold the dart. It is what it is.”

Darts players now have access to more statistics, recordings and analytical tools than ever before, but Van Gerwen has never felt the urge to study either himself or his rivals. “I never did in my life,” he said. “I don’t even like watching darts."

“Sometimes, if friends like Vincent [van der Voort] used to play or things like that. Or if Luke [Littler] against Luke [Humphries] are playing maybe a final, I put on some live scores, but I’m not going to watch," he added. “I’d rather play than watch. Simple as that. I’ve always said the same, so it would be really weird for me to change my opinion.”

Van Gerwen accepts that detailed technical work may help players who believe in it, but considers the mental benefit more important than any physical adjustment. Young players, he believes, can become so preoccupied with creating the perfect throw that they lose the freedom to play naturally. “Don’t think too much because it only works against you,” he warned. “People think too much. There’s no point.”

His advice to aspiring players is to spend less time watching videos and more time competing. Practice alongside stronger opponents and experience in local leagues and tournaments shaped Van Gerwen’s own development.

“Stop watching players. Stop watching this video and go to the practice board,” he said. “Go to the board and try to play as many games and put in as many hours as you can. Play in small tournaments and local competitions. Keep playing and try to win as much as you can because that gives you a good feeling. A good feeling is the best medicine for becoming a better darts player.”

“Overthinking is a killer,” Van Gerwen concluded.

The Dutchman returned to competitive action at Players Championship 25 in Hildesheim on Tuesday. He whitewashed Adam Warner and defeated Darius Labanauskas 6-3 before surrendering a 4-1 lead against Jeffrey de Graaf in the last 32. Van Gerwen averaged 105.34 in the 6-4 defeat, with De Graaf taking five consecutive legs to complete the comeback.