Professional darts takes toll on top competitorsThe Guardian“It’s a lonely place,” Stephen Bunting said, as he sat quietly in Alexandra Palace on Saturday last week, the tears welling in his eyes. Stephen Bunting of England walks on stage ahead of his match against India’s Nitin Kumar at the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace in London on Saturday last week. However, at its most extreme, darts can act as an accelerator and a multiplier, putting normal guys under deeply abnormal pressures. So what is the secret to a happy life in darts? Unlike most players on the tour, he maintains a full-time job as a firefighter in Scotland, fitting darts around the rest of his life.

Source: Taipei Times December 25, 2025 17:23 UTC