From Local Pubs to Global Arenas: The Most Unforgettable Comeback Stories

Darts have seen a serious transformation in recent years. It used to be a simple pub game that eventually turned into a professional kind of sport.

Darts were even banned at a certain point in its history. But proper regulations helped establish darts as a subject for local and international competitions. Millions of fans showed huge interest in darts betting due to the growing competitive schedule. The game is quite unpredictable, which makes predictions more exciting. Over the years, darts have seen many comeback stories. Let’s mention some of them here.

Scott Waites vs James Wade, Grand Slam of Darts final (2010)

The Grand Slam of Darts is always an exciting tournament with many twists. Waites and Wade, champions in the BDO and PDC respectively, met each other in the 2010 final. The clash had an obvious outsider. Fans were expecting Wade, the world number two, to win the game. But the result left the audience speechless. Waites managed to end the game with an 8-0 score. In 2009, he lost the final game against Phil Taylor with a 16-2 score. The history didn’t repeat itself. Waites won 16 of the last 20 legs, remaining the solitary BDO representative to win The Eric Bristow Trophy.

Andy Hamilton vs Simon Whitlock, World Matchplay quarters (2011)

Andy Hamilton was overshadowed throughout his professional career. He got his recognition at the Winter Gardens in 2011. In the game against Simon Whitlock, he was close to losing with a 15-8 score. But the situation changed quickly. Hamilton reeled off nice legs in a row, showing unexpected progress. He showed an excellent performance in the closing stages, proving that it’s never too late to come back to the leadership position. This victory became a turning point in his career, since he managed to reach the final in less than six months.

Raymond van Barneveld vs Michael Smith, PDC World Championship quarters (2016)

The 2016 PDC World Championship became one of the major achievements in Raymond van Barneveld’s career. It took him a lot of time and energy to defeat Michael Smith in a quarter-final. After eliminating Stephen Bunting and Michael van Gerwen, he once again proved his status as a world champion. After losing three points to the rival, Barneveld made a serious comeback, eventually moving 4-3 ahead in sets. The drama continued for a while, creating one of the best games in the PDC World Championship. Van Barneveld reeled off four consecutive legs, sealing victory with 121 checkouts. The game became part of darts folklore, reaffirming Barney’s reputation as one of the sport’s greatest comeback artists.

READ MORE: Darts news: The five biggest shocks in PDC World Championship history

Simon Whitlock vs Jamie Caven, 2013 European Championship

Simon Whitlock became the author of the most extraordinary comeback in history. He literally stunned Jamie Caven at the 2013 European Championship. Whitlock entered the competition as the defending champion after beating Wes Newton in the 2012 final. Despite his earlier achievement, he became one of the last qualifiers. A 134 checkout encouraged the fightback, so he reeled off six legs in a row. Caven was close to triumph, but Whitlock reached a 146 finish with an overly impressive celebration.

Adrian Lewis vs James Wade, PDC World Championship semis (2012)

The 2012 semi-final between Adrian Lewis and James Wade stands out as one of the greatest comebacks. Defending champion Lewis was about to lose, but Wade managed to take over the game with a 5-1 score. The situation didn’t change, even after the game interruption when both players complained of a breeze on stage. Wade appeared unshaken by the delay, continuing to dominate on the field. But from that moment, the match flipped entirely.

Lewis rediscovered his scoring power, reeling off ten consecutive legs in one spell. A spectacular 161 checkout allowed Lewis to reach a 6-5 triumph. Lewis eventually appeared in the final game, where he successfully defended his world title against Andy Hamilton. Meanwhile, Wade once again fell short of a first appearance in the PDC World Championship final.

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