James Wade is aiming to add another Premier League Darts crown this year. 'The Machine' previously won the tournament in 2009.
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Wade is confident of doing so though and said his record speaks for itself.
“I don’t see myself as a dark horse. In the second week I had some problems at home, no excuse why I lost to Joe Cullen. I wasn’t there as a person. That’s why that second week was so poor," he said to Unicorn Darts.
“If I get the bit between my teeth, if things go my well, there’s no reason why I can’t get in that top four. You’ve got to grind out results at times. But I’ve also proved I can average in the hundreds.”
As he has previously stated also, Wade believes he is underrated and misunderstood as the third most decorated player in the sport.
“I’ve been around for such a long time and I’ve beaten so many players in hard games and the crowd has been against me. I still find it quite a surprise when people are shocked when I do win something.
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“At the end of the day I’m in top form and won a few things. People also forget the amount of finals I’ve been in. If I’ve won 10 titles I must have lost in 20 finals because of a little Philip Taylor.
"That kind of frustrates me a little bit. I guess with the new age and new era of darts fans or the people who watch darts, because I’m not pushed or promoted like players who are well under me, they don’t know me."
He also spoke about his charity work and how the way he is portrayed in certain sections of the media doesn't always ring true.
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“I probably do more than the average Joes in the way of helping people and doing things and donating and bits and bobs.
“It annoys me that people don’t see that side. I do care about other people and what other people think of me.
“I don’t have a problem with the big press. It’s the pop up people and podcasts who can do or say whatever they want, and they do it without any thought either. They don’t care as long as their followers are going up and earning their bit of money.
“But they do portray me differently from what I actually am. I can be the biggest pain in the arse but I’m not a bad person. But that all depends on the mood I’m in and what sort of place I’m in at that time. The older you get you try to be a better person.”
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.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
🏴 Team Unicorn star @JamesWade180 is confident that he can add to his Premier League title last won 13 years ago - which underlines his evergreen longevity in the sport 👏
playwiththebest.com/blog/Darts2022…