The Best Darts Players of All Time (Ranked)

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Every sport has a list of the greatest players of all time and darts is no different.

There are roughly six players that will be in everyone’s list regardless of where you rank them. There’s also probably a single player that everyone has put at the top of their list…

It’s never easy to rank players from different eras so we’ve made this list based on achievements (World Championships), quantity of other titles, contribution to the games (popularity) and level of opponent.

Regardless of whether it’s an unpopular opinion, winning a World Championship in the 2020’s is significantly more difficult than in the 80’s…

This is our list of the 10 best darts players of all time:

Best Darts Players of All Time

10. Jocky Wilson

Nickname: None
Date of Birth: March 22, 1950
Career Highlights:

World Championships: 2 (1982, 1989)
Other Titles: British Professional Championship, British Open, British Matchplay

Jocky Wilson was a beloved figure in darts and one of the first real faces of the sport.

The stories about him are wild as he was known to go on absolute benders around a tournament, had a fiery temper, but above all else he was an accomplished darts player.

Despite his unconventional style and struggles with personal issues, he achieved remarkable success, including two World Championship titles.

Wilson’s charisma and entertainment value endeared him to fans making him a darts legend to this day.

9. Bob Anderson

Nickname: “The Limestone Cowboy”
Date of Birth: November 7, 1947
Career Highlights:

World Championship: 1 (1988)
Other Titles: Winmau World Masters (3 times), World Grand Prix, British Open

Depending on who you ask, Bob Anderson is either overrated or underrated when it comes to darts.

His prime was the late 80’s which was an era that had been dominated by Eric Bristow and John Lowe.

So, despite winning a World Championship during their reign alongside a stint as World Number 1 for three years and the first player to win three consecutive World Masters, Anderson was overshadowed.

Still, he was one of the best players in a defining era for darts and we think that edges him ahead of others who could have made this list.

Full disclaimer, he could have been replaced by a number of players but we think he’s earned this!

8. Peter Wright

Nickname: “Snakebite”
Date of Birth: March 10, 1970
Career Highlights:

World Championship: 2 (2020, 2022)
Other Titles: UK Open, European Championship, World Matchplay

Peter Wright is a modern-day version of Jocky Wilson.

A fan favourite known for his colourful personality, unique hairstyles, and elaborate outfits. Snakebite isn’t just a character though, he’s had one of the most accomplished careers in recent times.

His breakthrough came with a World Championship win in 2020. He then kicked on with multiple Major wins over the next few seasons which led to another World Championship win in 2022 and becoming the oldest ever first time World Number 1 aged 51.

His personality combined with recent accolades have led to Wright becoming a clear fan favourite capable of selling out tournaments and contributing to the continued growth of darts this decade.

7. Adrian Lewis

Nickname: “Jackpot”
Date of Birth: January 21, 1985
Career Highlights:

World Championships: 2 (2011, 2012)
Other Titles: European Championship, UK Open, World Cup of Darts

Adrian Lewis burst onto the darts scene with explosive scoring and rapid rise to the top, winning consecutive World Championships in 2011 and 2012.

He was known for having bust-ups with players, taking on outrageous finishes and basically being a gifted player that people loved or hated.

Many feel he was one of the best natural talents in the game but unfortunately he was a spark that shined brightly but only for a short period of time.

For his ability and accomplishments during one of the most competitive periods ever (Taylor, MVG, Barney, Anderson…) Lewis has to make this list and had he stayed at the top for longer he’d be even higher up…

6. Gary Anderson

Nickname: “The Flying Scotsman”
Date of Birth: December 22, 1970
Career Highlights:

World Championships: 2 (2015, 2016)
Other Titles: Premier League, UK Open, Players Championship Finals

Gary Anderson is celebrated for his smooth and accurate throwing style alongside a fiery competitive nature.

Playing in an era dominated by Phil Taylor and Michael Van Gerwen, Anderson more than held his own with two World Championships and multiple Major wins throughout the 2010’s.

Anderson’s ability to perform under pressure and his calm demeanour have made him one of the most respected players in the sport.

The fans love Ando and that’s even more testament to him as a player considering how many English fans celebrate him despite the English/Scottish rivalry.

5. John Lowe

Nickname: Old Stoneface
Date of Birth: July 21, 1945
Career Highlights:

World Championships: 3 (1979, 1987, 1993)
Other Titles: Winmau World Masters, World Cup Singles, British Open

John Lowe is celebrated as one of darts’ pioneers and a model professional, arguably the first darts player to have a ‘clean’ image.

Lowe threw with huge torpedo darts but someone found space in the treble 20 to fill it up with regularity. His accuracy is unrivaled and the only reason we have him outside the top five is a result of the era he played in.

We’ve had to give some extra weighing to modern champions that played in a more professional and competitive era.

Still, his historic career includes three World Championship titles, and he was the first player to hit a televised nine-dart finish in 1984.

👉 [Watch] John Lowe’s HISTORIC nine-dart finish

Lowe’s legacy is marked by his contributions to the sport’s development and professionalism acting as a chairman for the PDPA and earning an MBE for his contributions to darts.

4. Raymond van Barneveld

Nickname: “Barney”
Date of Birth: April 20, 1967
Place of Birth: The Hague, Netherlands
Career Highlights:

World Championships: 5 (1998, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007)
Other Titles: Premier League, Grand Slam of Darts, UK Open

Raymond “Barney” van Barneveld is a darts legend with five World Championships to his name.

Known for his charisma and skill, van Barneveld has had a profound impact on the sport. Particularly in the Netherlands where he has inspired an entire generation of talented darts players.

His rivalry with Phil Taylor and his dramatic matches have provided some of darts’ most memorable moments, the most memorable of which being his 2007 victory at the PDC World Championship.

Barney was tricky to place on this list but his titles and impact on darts across Europe can’t be understated.

SEE MORE – Watch the GREATEST darts moments in history

3. Eric Bristow

Nickname: “The Crafty Cockney”
Date of Birth: April 25, 1957
Career Highlights:

World Championships: 5 (1980, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1986)
Other Titles: Winmau World Masters (5 times), World Cup Singles, British Open

Eric Bristow was a darts superstar and one of the sport’s first global icons.

Known for his competitive spirit and showmanship, Bristow dominated the 1980s with five World Championships.

His influence on the game and his role in mentoring future stars, like Phil Taylor who he sponsored for £10,000 with the condition that he leaves his job in ceramics to pursue darts full-time, cements his place in darts history.

We’re not sure how the “Crafty Cockney” would have fared playing in the late 2000’s onward but he was the original darts GOAT.

2. Michael van Gerwen

Nickname: “Mighty Mike”
Date of Birth: April 25, 1989
Career Highlights:

World Championships: 3 (2014, 2017, 2019)
Other Titles: Premier League (multiple), Grand Slam of Darts, World Grand Prix

Michael van Gerwen is arguably the most dominant player of the 2010s, an era most consider to be ‘peak’ darts.

Though the standard in 2024 has stalwarts like Gary Anderson saying this is the decade that will produce the best darts players.

MVG is a model pro. Immense ability, gracious in defeat, a fierce competitor and someone who has dominated the sport more than everyone else – bar one…

With multiple World Championships and countless other major/minor titles, van Gerwen’s aggressive style and confidence have made him a formidable opponent and a modern darts icon.

Outside of Phil Taylor, MVG is the 2nd most dominant player in professional darts history making it to a whopping 62 PDC Majors finals, winning 47 titles in the process.

This doesn’t even factor in non-ranking events or ‘other’ tournaments for which he has well over 100!

He’s likely missed his chance to make it to the number one position but it will be a long time (if ever) that he falls outside the top three on a list like this.

1. Phil Taylor

Nickname: “The Power”
Date of Birth: August 13, 1960
Career Highlights:

World Championships: 16 (1990, 1992, 1995-2002, 2004-2006, 2009-2010, 2013)
Other Titles: Over 85 major titles, including World Matchplay, World Grand Prix, and Premier League

Who else could be number one?

Phil “The Power” Taylor is widely regarded as the greatest darts player of all time.

His unrivaled record of 16 World Championships and over 85 major titles speaks to his dominance in the sport for decades.

See more – 6 RIDICULOUS Phil Taylor records that will never be broken

Taylor’s accuracy, mental toughness, longevity and dedication to the sport have set a standard in darts that is unlikely to be matched.

There’s not much you can say in a short summary section for Taylor, other than that he’s the darts GOAT 🐐

Summary

This really wasn’t that difficult of a list to compile, several of the players will be everyone’s top 10 no matter what.

We found the likes of Bob Anderson and Jocky Wilson getting in more on being an icon than necessarily achievements alone while some players like James Wade, Martin Adams and Dennis Priestley just missed out.

It was also hard to rank the likes of Bristow and Lowe who are easily top 3-5 when it comes to icons of the game but does that make them the BEST of all time when looking at the bigger picture?

We’ll definitely be coming back and updating this in the future and others opinions will definitely help us in compiling a definitive “best darts player of all time” list over the next few years.

Let us know in the comments below (or on Facebook) if you agree with this list and who you think should be changed or have the position moved around.