There is a common stereotype that darts players are big. Fans often search terms like “big darts players” or “why are darts players overweight?”, but the reality is far more nuanced. Join us as we dig into this perception and see whether body size influences darts performance or not.
Are Darts Players Really Big?
No. Darts players are not always overweight. It’s not universal, and there is no hard and fast rule. But sometimes, darts players are big.
Darts is a game where you will find players with different body types. Some are thin, some are muscular, while some are considered fat according to the mainstream standards . Here, players come with different body shapes, sizes, and types. As long as you feel comfortable in your body and are good at the board, nothing else matters.
However, we cannot deny the fact that most high-profile players who are popular for their amazing gameplay are big. That’s why most fans believe the darts world is majorly dominated by overweight darts players.
The root cause of darts players being big is the absence of a strict fitness protocol. World-class dart shooting does not require an ideal height, weight, or build. The game majorly focuses on precision, rhythm, mental control, and repeatable technique over physicality.
Players from varied backgrounds, including some fat darts players or very skinny, can succeed at the very highest level without rigourous fitness training.
Body weight should never be used to compare or refer to darts players because it has no relevance to their skill or dedication to the sport. Reducing players to their bodies encourages harmful stereotypes and distracts from their achievements, while also contributing to a culture where body shaming is normalised. Respect for athletes means valuing their talent and effort, and body shaming is never acceptable in sport or anywhere else.
Biggest Darts Players of All Time
To understand where the stigma ignites from, let’s see some of the most famous darts players who are visibly larger and super successful.
Here’s the list of big darts players; however, remember this does not set the standards of the game.
Andy Fordham, aka The Viking
When it comes to the fattest darts players, Andy Fordham’s name is often mentioned at the top of the list. Fordham weighed more than 30 stone, that is around 190 kg, during his career peak.
Did his body specifications hinder his performance? A big no. He was one of the most exceptional darts players. He is known for his remarkable touch, sheer scoring power, and solid match temperament.
Andy was the BDO World Champion of 2004, and he also won the Winmau World Masters in 1999. That’s not his only achievement; he has performed greatly on the big stages. However, Fordham has openly addressed that health and lifestyle issues can make life complex.
John Henderson, aka The Highlander
Fans often name John Henderson when it comes to big darts players. He is one of the noticeable examples of overweight darts players playing effectively at the elite level. His weight has never influenced his career accomplishments.
Henderson’s greatest achievement was in 2021, when he helped Scotland win the PDC World Cup of Darts. He played an important role in defeating England in the final with Gary Anderson. That victory required persistent high-level play under severe circumstances, especially in doubles. Aside from that win, Henderson has reached many major quarterfinals, had excellent performances in televised tournaments, and has a lengthy history on the PDC circuit.
Andy Smith, aka The Pieman
Andy Smith’s nickname reflects how darts culture has always regarded body size more casually. Smith won nine major professional titles and competed at the top level for several decades. He maintained relevance for a long amount of time, and that needs technical consistency and psychological strength rather than physical traits.
Tony O’Shea, aka Silverback
Tony O’Shea’s nickname, Silverback, is super popular in the darts space. But what’s more famous is his stocky build. He is one of the fattest darts players. However, this never limited his career in the sports field. He is one of the most consistent performers of the BDO era.
O’Shea performed brilliantly in the BDO World Championships to reach the finals, and also cracked different stages of several big events. He also competed and dominated a ton of elite darts players. While many referred to him as a fat darts player, his longevity was supported by clean technique, consistent scoring, and cool finishing under pressure.
Richie Burnett, aka The Prince of Wales
Richie Burnett is another popular darts face who is popular for his fatty body structure. However, he is again an example that your physique cannot define your success in darts.
No doubt, Richie is one of the bigger darts players. But he is one of the best darts players, too. He has won the 1995 BDO World Darts Championship and had multiple deep runs in tons of tournaments across both PDC and BDO events.
Kevin Painter aka the Artist
Kevin Painter is one of the top English darts players, who is popular for his skills and his physically imposing figure. While there is no public information about his exact weight, fans consider him one of the fattest darts players. However, it had literally zero impact on his career graph. The painter’s career leaned more towards accuracy and expertise rather than physical traits.
Here are the key highlights of Kevin Painter’s career:
- Painter was the 2004 World Championship finalist.
- He has made it to several big tournament semifinals.
- He has a long-term presence in PDC’s top-tier events.
Painter was popular for his meticulous match management, powerful finishing, and mental resilience. His consistency throughout extended matches made him a challenging opponent, regardless of format. This demonstrates that darts’ success is often dependent on execution and attitude rather than physical type.
Adrian Lewis
If we look back at Adrian Lewis’ career, he is the prime example that weight has nothing to do with performance in darts. Throughout his career, Lewis went through an amazing transformation accompanying no decline in skills or darts performance.
Lewis won two PDC World Championships in 2011 and 2012 despite varying physical conditioning. Hands down! His scoring power and averages are top-notch. At his peak years, he was regarded as one of the most dominating fat darts players.
While Lewis’ body traits never interfere in his performance, in the later part of his career, he decided to make a change. Within a small span, he lost a large amount of weight and highlighted how dedicated he is when it comes to health. While his hard work improved his general well-being, it did not drastically influence the mechanics or skillset.
Why Weight Is a Pattern Fans Notice in Darts?
“Why are darts players overweight?”: This is a popular question. But it’s not solely about darts. It’s more about the history and culture behind darts. Why do the fans constantly spot fat darts players? Here are the reasons:
The Pub Origin of Darts
Darts is not a game that originated from the courts or fields. It’s a game that initially flourished in UK pubs. Originally, this game was a social activity that was mainly practiced in a social gathering. As it’s a game coming from pubs, alcohol consumption was a common thing, alongside fun. Moreover, the most interesting part was that competitive darts came up from pub leagues.
That’s why the history of darts ignited this public perception. While the professional darts circuit changed, the pub association is still embedded in the identity of the sport.
The Sport Doesn’t Demand Athletic Conditioning
Most sports need fitness. In games like cricket, football, padel, and more, if you are not fit, you will struggle more. However, you don’t need cardio endurance, heavy strength, or a fixed body configuration to be successful when playing darts.
Darts is more about your hand and mind coordination, posture, and balance. This means no matter whether you are fat or thin, you can take part in the game. However, modern darts players often train hard to achieve that better focus and stamina on the darts court. And many of them train in the gym too. We can’t generalise and say darts player don’t do conventional training.
Visibility and Cognitive Bias
If it’s visible, it sells. This also applies to this perception. For a long time, the fans have seen most of the darts players maintaining a big physique, especially when televised. Over time, this image of the fattest darts players has gotten embedded in the mind. We can call this a cognitive bias that has contributed to the myth that fat players do well in darts.
Does Weight Impact Performance in Darts?
Long story short, no. Body weight does not impact darts performance. The gameplay format of darts is much different than sports like cricket or tennis that demand speed, strength, and endurance. Darts do not need much body movement. It’s more about precision, coordination, and mental strength. That’s why body weight does not directly influence the performance of a darts player.
At the professional stage, players of different body shapes, sizes, and levels have lifted trophies. However, sometimes body weight can influence the stamina and endurance levels of the players. That’s why modern darts players are working more on their fitness to deliver the best.
But again, there is also no statistical evidence that suggests that overweight darts players score higher or lower, finish better, or win more matches. Some experts claim that additional body mass might give stability, but others say that lighter athletes can move more freely. In practice, these concepts cancel each other out. It’s all about the technical efficiency and mental control that are important in darts.
Summary
Unlike other sports, darts has never been a game based on fitness or body size. It’s a sport that values individuality. In simple words, body shape or size is just a visible characteristic in darts and not a metric to judge the ability. While some heavier players have performed super well in the past, some of the muscular ones have significantly failed. And vice versa.
That’s why we would say it is totally unfair to put everything into the same bucket or categorise players based on body size. In darts, physique does not define performance, it’s all about scoring power, consistency, and mental strength.
