"I'm playing some great darts so why not?" - Stephen Bunting dreaming of adding PDC crown to Lakeside title
PDC
Stephen Bunting starts this year's World Darts Championship as one of the dark horses to potentially lift the title. The 39-year-old Englishman is eighth seed and takes on the winner of the duel between Alan Soutar and Kai Gotthardt in his opening tie.
Both on the board and off it, Bunting has had a great 2024, winning a first PDC major title at the Masters then nine months later, becoming a father for the second time. "He's settled into the house now, he's in his little routine between three and four hour feeds. So yeah, we're up through the night but I wouldn't swap it for the world," Bunting says with a smile to Online Darts. "It's really important that we keep the family side separate from the darts, but whilst I'm at home, I'm doing all the feeds through the night and really helping out."
In 2024, Bunting has also become one of the most well supported players in the entirety of the sport as fans across the country have been going Bunting mental. "I'm getting recognized a lot more. The TikTok and Twitter and everything, it's just gone up through the roof," he laughs. "I think, even though I've not had success on the TV and stuff, I've had a really good Pro Tour campaign and I'm playing some of the best stuff I've played."
"My seasonal average is 97 I think, so my game's in a really good place and it's all off the back of obviously, winning that major. That help me to push on for the rest of the season," he continues, eyeing a return to the Premier League. "The Worlds is huge for me. I want to go in there, have some great performances and make sure that I am in the Premier League. But I won't be going into the Worlds thinking I need to do this to qualify for the Premier League."
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Bunting already became world champion with the BDO in 2014. In his quest to take the title at the Ally Pally, he's called in some special help. "I've got Luke Humphries to practice with over the next few weeks, and I'm really looking forward to being in tip top shape," he explains. "It would be so special (to win the Worlds ed.). It was always a dream for me to win the Lakeside. I never ever thought I'd be good enough one day to go and play in the PDC, but thankfully the stars aligned and yeah, here we are. I'm number eight in the world, I'm playing some great darts so why not?"
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- A floor layer called Bissell …. Be looking to hoover up the titles.Mysstree10-01-2025
- "For the past 20 years, the Grand Prix winner was there every time" Because all former winners were Top 8 players, as simple as that. "Now they say you get into the Premier League based on results. So apparently that's not the case" Results ? You just have ONE result over 2 years. Without these 3 days wonders, you wouldn't be Top 32... "Aspinall and Price. They didn't deserve it" Maybe, but never seems that you do. Other players must be picked before.cycyP309-01-2025
- Premier League is nothing more now than a pantomime where the crowd turn up and boo at the villain and cheer on the hero while getting pissed out their brains. Basically its the WWE of darts.Mysstree09-01-2025
- Is this the start of an attempt to say that he (Littler) is the best ever as he has won most money. Perhaps adjust all prize money earned by allowing for inflation. If Littler gets close too (does not even have to overtake) both MVG’s and Taylor’s Major titles total then he is in the conversation. Indicates to me that the prize money is skewed to much towards the top players, meritocracy must rule but a fair distribution of the money is needed otherwise its only ever about a select few.Mysstree09-01-2025
- £500 for 3 games seems so steep especially for those that lost 5-0 each time. I used to think Conan Whitehead was going to be a great player and was improving through the BDO but has just fizzled outrichieburnettrocks09-01-2025
- COME ON RICHIE BURNETT Safely through to the final stage an closing in on that card.richieburnettrocks09-01-2025
- It is shocking and unbelievable that 2 Hotty who was always such a decent player, 2 time World Champion and won the Grand Slam when it meant something. He really should have joined the PDC earlier. He has just disappeared off the radar. Such a shame when one of your favourite players just dissappears. I guess he is concentrating on the carpentry. I made a sign at Lakeside which must have been the biggest ever. It said we're potty for 2 Hotty, each word was on its own flip chart sheet of paper and gaffer taped together. Maybe Scotty should return to the WDF or whatever it is now.richieburnettrocks09-01-2025
- What the hell has happened to Scott Waites, didn’t even win a point.Mysstree08-01-2025
- One mistake is often followed by another, and the PDC have compounded their unimaginative PL picks with a doppelganger cast for the World Series. What an opportunity missed. It hurts the overburdened eight, it hurts the overlooked, it hurts the fans. Who gains? No one I can think of, not even the PDC shareholders.
UndartedWaters08-01-2025 - No, I wasn't expecting Heta to be in it either having won nothing of any significance. Although he is charismatic and has personality unlike the boring and dull as dishwater Dobey. It is quite pathetic and desperate the way Bunting and Arsepinall pander to the crowd to dance to their walk on music, that has worked though. I would like to see more players involved on a weekly basis similar to the Modus Super Series. A knockout tournament with 16 winners from each week. The Premier league is too boring with the same players. Plus it would eliminate all the whining and booing from unselected players.richieburnettrocks07-01-2025