Darts World Champions
PDC / WDF / BDO and WDDA World Champions
The World Dart Champions of the past and present. For many, some of the names now might not be known, but they all form part of darts professional history. Below is a glossary of the darts world championship(s) history, the breakaway from several prominent players to form the World Darts Council, Now Professional Dart Corporation (PDC) and more.
There are two recognised World Dart Champions: the former BDO, now run by the WDF and the PDC World Champion. The first World Championship was won by Leighton Rees from Wales. Leighton beat John Lowe of England 11 legs to 7 and won £3,000. The final was played in legs, not sets as it is today. The first World Championship was held at the 'Heart of the Midlands' nightclub in Nottingham before moving to the Jollees Club Stoke-on-Trent, where it remained until 1985.
From 1986 – 2019, the World Darts finals were held at the Lakeside Country Club, Frimley Green, Surrey. In 2020, The BDO changed the venue to the iconic O2 Arena, London, which was to begin the organisation's downfall.
1992 saw several players split from the BDO and form their own darts organisation, The World Darts Council, later renamed the Professional Darts Corporation PDC. In 1994, the WDC (PDC) staged their first World Darts Championships to rival The BDO Championship. Many of the best names in darts at the time moved to form the WDC (PDC), and it has always been a bitter rivalry of who is the best. Many now believe the PDC holds that title due to the amount of prize money it offers, At the time five times that of the BDO.
In 2001, the BDO introduced the first women's World Darts Championship. Trina Gulliver from England has won this event every year from 2001-2007. In 2008, Trina reached the final again, but this time, she was defeated by Russia's Anastasia Dobromyslova 2-0. Trina lost again in the 2009 final to Francis Hoenselaar but regained her crown in 2010, 2011 and 2016. Trina qualified for the all-BDO-managed World finals.
Sadly, in September 2020, the BDO went into liquidation. The World Darts Federation WDF then took over some of the major events previously managed by the BDO. The World Darts Championships and the World Masters United Kingdon Darts Association now manage the former British County Championships, now known as the National League.
The lists below show the World Champions of the past and present. Many dart fans can recall the World Champions, but not many can name the runners-up or the score final.
Few darts players have dominated the sport. However, there are a couple of exceptions. Phil Taylor won 16 World Titles before retiring at the beginning of 2018. His record of World Titles will stand for many years to come and may never be beaten. On the lady's side of darts, Trina Gulliver MBE dominated the 2000, a decade in which she won seven straight World Titles. To date, Trina has won 10 World Champions Titles, and there might be more still to come.
Three players have been awarded the British Empire Medal (MBE) for Services to darts and their charitable fundraising work: Eric Bristow, Trina Gulliver and John Lowe (2019)
PDC World Darts Champions
Professional Darts Corporation World Darts Champions
PDC World Championships Main Sponsors:
1994 - 1995 Skol International, 1995 - 1996 Proton Cars, 1996 - 1997 Vernons, 1998 - 2002 Skol International, 2003 - 2014 Ladbrokes, William Hill 2015 - 2022, Cazoo 2023, Paddy Power 2024 - Current
For more information on PDC events please visit the PDC website
Year |
Winner |
Sets |
Sets |
Runner-up |
|
| 2024 | Luke Humphries | 7 | - | 4 | Luke Littler |
| 2023 | Michael Smith | 7 | - | 4 | Michael van Gerwen |
| 2022 | Peter Wright | 7 | - | 5 | Michael Smith |
| 2021 | Gerwyn Price | 7 | - | 3 | Gary Anderson |
| 2020 | Peter Wright | 7 | - | 3 | Michael van Gerwen |
| 2019 | Michael van Gerwen | 7 | - | 3 | Michael Smith |
| 2018 | Rob Cross | 7 | - | 2 | Phil Taylor |
| 2017 | Michael van Gerwen | 7 | - | 3 | Gary Anderson |
| 2016 | Gary Anderson | 7 | - | 5 | Adrian Lewis |
| 2015 | Gary Anderson | 7 | - | 6 | Phil Taylor |
| 2014 | Michael van Gerwen | 7 | - | 5 | Peter Wright |
| 2013 | Phil Taylor | 7 | - | 4 | Michael van Gerwen |
| 2012 | Adrian Lewis | 7 | - | 3 | Andy Hamilton |
| 2011 | Adrian Lewis | 7 | - | 5 | Gary Anderson |
| 2010 | Phil Taylor | 7 | - | 3 | Simon Whitlock |
| 2009 | Phil Taylor | 7 | - | 1 | Raymond van Barneveld |
| 2008 | John Part | 7 | - | 2 | Kirk Shepherd |
| 2007 | Raymond Van Barneveld | 7 | - | 6 | Phil Taylor |
| 2006 | Phil Taylor | 7 | - | 0 | Peter Manley |
| 2005 | Phil Taylor | 7 | - | 4 | Mark Dudbridge |
| 2004 | Phil Taylor | 7 | - | 6 | Kevin Painter |
| 2003 | John Part | 7 | - | 6 | Phil Taylor |
| 2002 | Phil Taylor | 7 | - | 0 | Peter Manley |
| 2001 | Phil Taylor | 7 | - | 0 | John Part |
| 2000 | Phil Taylor | 7 | - | 3 | Dennis Priestley |
| 1999 | Phil Taylor | 6 | - | 2 | Peter Manley |
| 1998 | Phil Taylor | 6 | - | 0 | Dennis Priestley |
| 1997 | Phil Taylor | 6 | - | 3 | Dennis Priestley |
| 1996 | Phil Taylor | 6 | - | 4 | Dennis Priestley |
| 1995 | Phil Taylor | 6 | - | 2 | Rod Harrington |
| 1994 | Dennis Priestley | 6 | - | 1 | Phil Taylor |
WDF World Darts Champions (Men)
The World Darts Federation (WDF) first World Championship was scheduled to be played in January 2022. However, it was postponed due to covid-19 and the fear of UK Government venue restrictions.
The WDF took over the World Championships following the demise of the British Darts Organisation (BDO).
The last BDO managed World Championships was held at the London O2 Arena, moving the tournament from the famous Lakeside venue. Many fans boycotted the event and thus caused additional issues, one being the expected prize fun was drastically reduced. As a further backlash, the management of the British County Darts Championships also changed.
Past event winners can, however, can still be seen below.
World Darts Federation World Darts Champions (Men)
WDF World Darts Championships Main Sponsor: 2022 Lakeside Country Club (Bob Potter)
Year |
Winner |
Sets |
Sets |
Runner-up |
|
| 2023 | Neil DuffAndy Baetens | 6 | - | 1 | Chris Landman |
| 2022 | Neil Duff | 5 | - | 4 | Thibault Tricole |
BDO World Darts Champions (Men)
British Darts Organisation World Darts Champions (Men)
BDO / WDO World Championships Main Sponsors:
Embassy Tobacco 1978 - 2003, Lakeside Country Club (Bob Potter) 2003 - 2019, 2020 - (Last BDO World Championship)
The first nine-dart leg achieved in the BDO World Darts Championship was by Paul Lim (USA) in the second round of the 1990 Championships against Irishman Jack McKenna. Paul won £52,000 for his achievement. Since then the BDO World Championships has not seen another nine-dart leg achieved but serval have come close.
Year |
Winner |
Sets |
Sets |
Runner-up |
|
| 2020 | Wayne Warren | 7 | - | 4 | Jim Williams |
| 2019 | Glen Durrant | 7 | - | 3 | Scott Waites |
| 2018 | Glen Durrant | 7 | - | 6 | Mark McGeeney |
| 2017 | Glen Durrant | 7 | - | 3 | Danny Noppert |
| 2016 | Scott Waites | 7 | - | 1 | Jeff Smith |
| 2015 | Scott Mitchell | 7 | - | 6 | Martin Adams |
| 2014 | Stephen Bunting | 7 | - | 4 | Alan Norris |
| 2013 | Scott Waites | 7 | - | 1 | Tony O'Shea |
| 2012 | Christian Kist | 7 | - | 5 | Tony O'Shea |
| 2011 | Martin Adams | 7 | - | 5 | Dean Winstanley |
| 2010 | Martin Adams | 7 | - | 5 | Dave Chisnall |
| 2009 | Ted Hankey | 7 | - | 6 | Tony O'Shea |
| 2008 | Mark Webster | 7 | - | 5 | Simon Whitlock |
| 2007 | Martin Adams | 7 | - | 6 | Phil Nixon |
| 2006 | Jelle Klaasen | 7 | - | 5 | Raymond Van Barneveld |
| 2005 | Raymond Van Barnveld | 6 | - | 2 | Martin Adams |
| 2004 | Andy Fordham | 6 | - | 3 | Mervyn King |
| 2003 | Raymond Van Barneveld | 6 | - | 3 | Richie Davies |
| 2002 | Tony David | 6 | - | 4 | Mervyn King |
| 2001 | John Walton | 6 | - | 2 | Ted Hankey |
| 2000 | Ted Hankey | 6 | - | 0 | Ronnie Baxter |
| 1999 | Raymond Van Barneveld | 6 | - | 5 | Ronnie Baxter |
| 1998 | Raymond Van Barneveld | 6 | - | 5 | Richie Burnett |
| 1997 | Les Wallace | 6 | - | 3 | Marshall James |
| 1996 | Steve Beaton | 6 | - | 3 | Richie Burnett |
| 1995 | Richie Burnett | 6 | - | 3 | Raymond Van Barneveld |
| 1994 | John Part | 6 | - | 0 | Bobby George |
| 1993 | John Lowe | 6 | - | 3 | Alan Warriner |
| 1992 | Phil Taylor | 6 | - | 5 | Mike Gregory |
| 1991 | Dennis Priestley | 6 | - | 0 | Eric Bristow MBE |
| 1990 | Phil Taylor | 6 | - | 1 | Eric Bristow MBE |
| 1989 | Jocky Wilson | 6 | - | 4 | Eric Bristow MBE |
| 1988 | Bob Anderson | 6 | - | 4 | John Lowe |
| 1987 | John Lowe | 6 | - | 4 | Eric Bristow MBE |
| 1986 | Eric Bristow MBE | 6 | - | 0 | Dave Whitcombe |
| 1985 | Eric Bristow MBE | 6 | - | 2 | John Lowe |
| 1984 | Eric Bristow MBE | 7 | - | 1 | Dave Whitcombe |
| 1983 | Keith Deller | 6 | - | 5 | Eric Bristow MBE |
| 1982 | Jocky Wilson | 5 | - | 3 | John Lowe |
| 1981 | Eric Bristow MBE | 5 | - | 1 | John Lowe |
| 1980 | Eric Bristow MBE | 5 | - | 3 | Bobby George |
| 1979 | John Lowe | 5 | - | 0 | Leighton Rees |
| 1978 | Leighton Rees | 11 | - | 7 | John Lowe |
WDF World Darts Champions (Women)
World Darts Federation World Darts Champions (Women)
WDF World Darts Championships Main Sponsor:
2022 Lakeside Country Club (Bob Potter)
Year |
Winner |
Sets |
Sets |
Runner-up |
|
| 2023 | Beau Greaves | 4 | - | 1 | Aileen de Graaf |
| 2022 | Beau Greaves | 4 | - | 0 | Kirsty Hutchinson |
BDO World Darts Champions (Women)
British Darts Organisation World Darts Champions (Women)
BDO / WDF World Championships Main Sponsors:
Embassy Tobacco 2001 - 2003, Lakeside Country Club (Bob Potter) 2003 - 2019, 2020 - (Last BDO World Championship)
Since the Women’s World Darts Championship was conceived in 2001 one woman has dominated the ladies darts scene, Trina Gulliver MBE. Trina's achievement of playing in all of the World Championships finals stages is something no other lady player can boast. Trina has won the women’s World Championship title ten times to date and has been the runner-up on two occasions. There has always been a debate on the best ladies player ever, I say no more her World Championship Record speaks for itself.
Year |
Winner |
Sets |
Sets |
Runner-up |
|
| 2020 | Mikuru Suzuki | 3 | - | 0 | Lisa Ashton |
| 2019 | Mikuru Suzuki | 3 | - | 0 | Lorraine Winstanley |
| 2018 | Lisa Ashton | 3 | - | 1 | Anastasia Dobromyslova |
| 2017 | Lisa Ashton | 3 | - | 0 | Corrine Hammond |
| 2016 | Trina Gulliver MBE | 3 | - | 2 | Deta Headman |
| 2015 | Lisa Ashton | 3 | - | 1 | Fallon Sherrock |
| 2014 | Lisa Ashton | 3 | - | 2 | Deta Hedman |
| 2013 | Anastasia Dobromyslova | 2 | - | 1 | Lisa Ashton |
| 2012 | Anastasia Dobromyslova | 2 | - | 1 | Deta Hedman |
| 2011 | Trina Gulliver MBE | 2 | - | 0 | Rhian Edwards |
| 2010 | Trina Gulliver MBE | 2 | - | 0 | Rhian Edwards |
| 2009 | Francis Hoenselaar | 2 | - | 1 | Trina Gulliver MBE |
| 2008 | Anastasia Dobromyslova | 2 | - | 0 | Trina Gulliver MBE |
| 2007 | Trina Gulliver MBE | 2 | - | 1 | Francis Hoenselaar |
| 2006 | Trina Gulliver MBE | 2 | - | 0 | Francis Hoenselaar |
| 2005 | Trina Gulliver MBE | 2 | - | 0 | Francis Hoenselaar |
| 2004 | Trina Gulliver MBE | 2 | - | 0 | Francis Hoenselaar |
| 2003 | Trina Gulliver MBE | 2 | - | 0 | Ann Kirk |
| 2002 | Trina Gulliver MBE | 2 | - | 1 | Francis Hoenselaar |
| 2001 | Trina Gulliver MBE | 2 | - | 1 | Mandy Solomons |
Youth World Champions
Although the BDO has been the bedrock for youth darts for many years, it was the PDC who first introduced a World Darts Championship. Until this point, the biggest accolade a youth player could hold was the Winmau Masters title. The masters introduced a joint boys and girls (Youth) Championship in 1986. In 1999 this was split into two separate titles one for boys the other girls.
BDO classify a youth player of 18 years or younger, however, the PDC have revised their youth tournament age minimum 16 years – 23 years. Personally, 23 seems a little old for a youth player especially when Jelle Klassen won the BDO World Championship at the age of 21.
PDC Youth World Champions
Year |
Winner |
Sets |
Sets |
Runner-up |
|
| 2023 | Luke Littler | 6 | - | 4 | Gian van Veen |
| 2022 | Josh Rock | 6 | - | 1 | Nathan Girvan |
| 2021 | Ted Evetts | 6 | - | 4 | Nathan Rafferty |
| 2020 | Bradley Brookes | 6 | - | 5 | Joe Davis |
| 2019 | Luke Humphries | 6 | - | 0 | Adam Gawlas |
| 2018 | Dimitri van den Bergh | 6 | - | 3 | Martin Schindler |
| 2017 | Dimitri van den Bergh | 6 | - | 3 | Josh Payne |
| 2016 | Corey Cadby | 6 | - | 2 | Berry van Peer |
| 2015 | Max Hopp | 6 | - | 5 | Nathan Aspinall |
| 2014 | Keegan Brown | 6 | - | 4 | Rowby-John Rodriguez |
| 2013 | Michael Smith | 6 | - | 1 | Ricky Evans |
| 2012 | James Hubbard | 6 | - | 3 | Michael van Gerwen |
| 2011 | Arron Monk | 6 | - | 4 | Michael van Gerwen |
WDF World Darts Champions (Boys)
World Darts Federation World Darts Champions (Boys)
WDF World Darts Championships Main Sponsor: 2022 Lakeside Country Club (Bob Potter)
Year |
Winner |
Sets |
Sets |
Runner-up |
|
| 2023 | Bradley Van der Velden | 3 | - | 0 | Adam Dee |
| 2022 | Bradly Roes | 3 | - | 1 | Charlie Large |
WDF World Darts Champions (Girls)
World Darts Federation World Darts Champions (Girls)
WDF World Darts Championships Main Sponsor: 2022 Lakeside Country Club (Bob Potter)
Year |
Winner |
Sets |
Sets |
Runner-up |
|
| 2023 | Aurora Fochesato | 2 | - | 0 | Krisztina Turai |
| 2022 | Eleanor Cairnes | 2 | - | 0 | Wibke Rieman |
Elkadart World Youth Singles
During the mid-1980s, 1986-1989, Elkadarts sponsored a World Youth Singles Championship. The event was held alongside the Winmau Masters. At the time, the Winmau Masters were also billed as the World Championships and later World Championships World Masters. As it was known, the Elkadart World Youth Singles was later taken over by Winmau and formed part of the World Masters. Hence, the listed Elkadarts Youth winners were collectively referred to as the first winners of the new sponsored event. Here is a list of the Elkadarts World Youth Singles Champions. For the others that followed, please see the World Masters listing.
Year |
Winner |
Score |
Score |
Runner-up |
|
| 1989 | Dennis Beisser | 3 | - | 1 | Peter van Tilburg |
| 1988 | Sean Dowling | 3 | - | 2 | Paul Linwood |
| 1987 | Sean Bell | 3 | - | 1 | Mark Day |
| 1986 | Harith Lim | 3 | - | 0 | Rowan Barry |
BDO Youth World Champions
(Last BDO World Championship 2020)
Year |
Winner |
Sets |
Sets |
Runner-up |
|
| 2020 | Keane Barry | 3 | - | 0 | Leighton Bennett |
| 2019 | Leighton Bennett | 3 | - | 0 | Nathan Girvan |
| 2018 | Justin van Tergouw | 3 | - | 1 | Killian Heffeman |
| 2017 | Justin van Tergouw | 3 | - | 0 | Nathern Girven |
| 2016 | Joshua Richardson | 3 | - | 2 | Jordan Boyce |
| 2015 | Colin Roelofs | 3 | - | 0 | Harry Word |
Ladies World Championship
In 2010 Unicorn (Darts Manufacturer) introduced an alternative Womens World Darts Championship. The final took place in the Winter Gardens Blackpool, UK and consisted the best of 11 legs and was won by Stacy Bromberg (USA). The event as not been staged since and there seems no plans for its return.
Trina Gulliver MBE the most successful ladies dart player to grace the earth did not play in this event but went on to win the 2010, 2011 & 2016 BDO World darts Championship a total of 10 World Championship wins to date.
Year |
Winner |
Legs |
Legs |
Runner-up |
|
| 2010 | Stacy Bromberg | 6 | - | 5 | Tricia Wright |
Sadly Stacy died on the 12th February 2017 aged 60
WDDA Masters 2014 - 2018 / World Championship 2020 -
(WDDA) Masters / World Championship
The Winmau WDDA World Masters (Disability Championship) first event took place in 2014 as a demonstration event following a long campaign to review the dartboard height for wheelchair players. The World Disability Darts Association (WDDA) finally gained approval from the WDF and BDO for the reduce dartboard height for Wheelchair players, 137cm to the centre of the bullseye the rest is now history.
The Disability final is best of 5 legs played on a dual board set-up designed explicitly, so a wheelchair player and a standing player are competing directly against one another.
This event has now been replaced with the WDDA World Championships (Sponsored by Winmau). The WDDA Masters formed part of the sponsored Winmau (BDO) Masters. However, in 2019 the BDO gained a new sponsor for the Master and dartboards used across their events and the disability event was not part of the agenda. Winmau in their wisdom, moved the WDDA Master to the Netherlands and renamed the WDDA masters to the WDDA World Championships. I have kept the event history as one event because the qualifying path is the same.
This event has now been replaced with the WDDA World Championships (Sponsored by Winmau)
WDDA World Masters 2014 -2018 / World Championships 2020 - Past Champions
The Masters was not played in 2019
Year |
Winner |
Legs |
Legs |
Runner-up |
|
| 2020 | Kwanghee Cho | 3 | - | 1 | Mike Callaghan |
| 2018 | Michael Davis | 3 | - | 1 | Ricky Chilton |
| 2017 | Kevin Turner | 3 | - | 1 | Phil Lees |
| 2016 | Vince D'Hondt | 3 | - | 0 | Richard Green |
| 2015 | Vince D'Hondt | 3 | - | 0 | Ricky Chilton |
| 2014 | Ricky Chilton | 3 | - | 2 | Phil Lees |
World Soft-tip Darts Champions
World Soft-tip Darts Finals consist of several stage rounds where a player can earn points to an overall event achievement. Unlike steel-tip darts matches played in the PDC / BDO, soft-tip darts best of 5 - 7 games. These games include 701 and Cricket and a point is awarded to the winner of each game. Unfortunately, I do not have the full break down of results or indeed a list of past runners-up. Should I managed to obtain these from an authority source I will publish the missing detail.
Learn more about soft-tip darts and more about the Soft-tip World Championships
For other major tournament winners, please visit Darts501.com.
