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Adrian Lewis
Adrian Lewis 2019.jpg
Lewis in 2019
Personal information
Nickname Jackpot
Born (1985-01-21) 21 January 1985 (age 40)
Stoke-on-Trent, England
Darts information
Playing darts since 1995
Darts 22g Target Signature
Laterality Right-handed
Walk-on music "Reach Up (Papa's Got a Brand New Pigbag)" by Perfecto Allstarz
Organisation (see split in darts)
BDO 2003
PDC 2004–2024
(Tour Card: 2011–2024)
BDO majors – best performances
World Masters Last 128: 2003
World Darts Trophy Last 16: 2005
PDC premier events – best performances
World Ch'ship Winner (2): 2011, 2012
World Matchplay Runner Up: 2013
World Grand Prix Runner Up: 2010
Grand Slam Semi Final: 2011, 2013
Premier League Runner Up: 2011
Desert Classic Quarter Final: 2007, 2009
European Ch'ship Winner (1): 2013
UK Open Winner (1): 2014
Players Ch'ship Finals Runner Up: 2014, 2015
Masters Runner Up: 2013
Champions League Group Stage: 2016, 2017
Other tournament wins
PDC World Cup of Darts (team event) 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016
British Teenage Open 2003
Chris de Roo Open 2006

Players Championships (x12)

Players Championship (Austria) 2009
Players Championship (Barnsley) 2015 (x2), 2022
Players Championship (Crawley) 2010
Players Championship (Germany) 2010
Players Championship (Ireland) 2009, 2013
Players Championship (Milton Keynes) 2017
Players Championship (Scotland) 2005, 2006
Players Championship (Wigan) 2019

UK Open Regionals/Qualifiers (x4)

Regional Final (Scotland) 2005
UK Open Qualifier 2011, 2015, 2016

European Tour Events

German Darts Masters 2012

World Series of Darts

Auckland Darts Masters 2015

Adrian Lewis (born 21 January 1985) is a famous English professional darts player. He used to compete in events organized by the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC). People call him "Jackpot" because he once won a lot of money in Las Vegas.

Adrian Lewis is a two-time PDC World Champion. He won this big title in 2011 and again in 2012. He also won two other major PDC titles: the European Championship in 2013 and the UK Open in 2014. Throughout his career, he won a total of twenty-six PDC titles.

Early in his career, Adrian learned a lot from Phil Taylor, who was a 16-time world champion. They practiced together in their hometown of Stoke-on-Trent. Adrian first appeared on TV in 2004 when he was 19. Besides his two world championships, he also won the PDC World Cup of Darts four times, playing for England with Phil Taylor. Many people consider Adrian Lewis one of the most naturally talented darts players ever.

Adrian Lewis's Darts Journey

Starting Out in Darts

Adrian Lewis was born in Stoke-on-Trent, England. He showed his talent early, winning the British Teenage Open in 2003 when he was just 18. He started his professional career in the British Darts Organisation (BDO). However, he only played in one major BDO tournament before joining the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) in 2004.

His first TV appearance was at the 2004 UK Open in Bolton, where he had a close match but lost. Later that year, he played against his mentor, Phil Taylor, at the 2004 Las Vegas Desert Classic. Adrian won his first TV match at the 2004 World Grand Prix. His first professional title came in September 2004 when he won the Chris de Roo Open.

In 2005, Adrian got his nickname "Jackpot." He won a large sum of money in Las Vegas, but he couldn't collect it because he was 20, which was too young for the legal age to collect winnings in the US.

Big Wins and Challenges

In late 2005, Adrian started getting better results. He reached his first major quarter-final at the 2005 World Matchplay. This helped him get into the top 32 players in the world. He also became the first player to win two PDC Pro Tour events in one weekend.

Adrian made his first PDC World Championship appearance in 2006. He reached the quarter-finals, but lost in a memorable match against Peter Manley. In May 2006, he played in the World Series of Darts and reached the final, where he lost to Phil Taylor. This showed everyone he was a serious player.

Adrian Lewis (2128971698) (cropped)
Lewis in 2007

Between 2007 and 2010, Adrian had some ups and downs. He sometimes struggled to keep up his winning form. For example, at the 2007 World Matchplay, he beat world champion Raymond van Barneveld but then lost badly in the semi-finals. He also played in the Premier League as a wildcard.

In 2008, he reached the quarter-finals of the World Championship again. He also made it to the play-offs in the Premier League, but lost to Phil Taylor. At the 2008 European Darts Championship, he played with an injured hand but still reached the final, where he lost to Taylor.

Adrian won his first PDC Pro Tour event in three years in 2009. He also hit a nine dart finish in one of his matches. He continued to improve, reaching the quarter-finals of several big TV tournaments. In 2010, he reached his first televised final on Sky Television at the 2010 World Grand Prix. He beat Phil Taylor for the first time on TV in the semi-finals, but then lost to James Wade in the final.

Becoming a World Champion

First World Championship Win

Adrian Lewis reached the final of the 2011 PDC World Darts Championship by beating several strong players. In the final, he played against Gary Anderson. This was a special final because it was the first time the winner would be someone who hadn't won the rival BDO World Championship before.

During the first set of the final, Adrian made history by throwing a nine dart finish. This is when a player scores 501 points in just nine darts, which is very difficult! Adrian went on to win the match 7–5, becoming the world champion. This win also moved him up to his highest ranking of No. 2 in the world. At 25 years old, he became the youngest ever PDC World Champion.

After the First Win

Adrian Lewis
Lewis in 2011

After his big win, Adrian continued to play well. He started the 2011 Premier League by beating Phil Taylor. He reached the final of the 2011 Premier League but lost to Gary Anderson. He also hit another perfect nine-dart leg at the European Darts Championships in July 2011.

Defending His Title

Second World Championship Win

Adrian Lewis successfully defended his World Championship title in the 2012 PDC World Championship. This made him only the third player ever to win their first World Championship and then defend it the next year. He beat Andy Hamilton 7–3 in the final.

His journey to the final was exciting. In his first match, he was behind 0–2 and even got stung by a wasp, but he fought back to win. In the semi-finals against James Wade, Adrian made an incredible comeback. He was losing 5–1 but then won five sets in a row, including 10 straight legs, to win 6–5. He called it the "best win of my career."

Winning this tournament meant Adrian's career prize money went over £1 million. He remained the world number two player.

Team Success and Other Events

Adrian continued his strong form by winning the 2012 PDC World Cup of Darts with Phil Taylor for England. They had some very close matches, including a sudden-death leg in the final against Australia, which Adrian won. He said this victory meant even more to him than his second world title.

In 2012, Adrian also won his first individual European Tour title at the German Darts Masters.

More Major Titles

In 2013, Adrian lost his World Championship title in a very close match against Michael van Gerwen. Both players played incredibly well, averaging over 100 points per turn.

However, Adrian and Phil Taylor won the World Cup of Darts again in February 2013. Adrian then won his third major title at the European Championship. He played very consistently and beat Simon Whitlock in the final. He also reached the final of the World Matchplay and the Masters, but lost both to Phil Taylor.

In 2014, Adrian had another great year. He won his first UK Open title, beating Terry Jenkins 11–1 in the final with a very high average score. This was his fourth major win. Adrian and Taylor tried for a third straight World Cup title but lost to the Netherlands in the final.

Later Career and Recent Years

Semis (23870680820)
Lewis (right) in a match against Raymond van Barneveld

In 2015, Adrian threw another nine-dart finish at the 2015 World Championship but lost a close match to Raymond van Barneveld. He also won his first World Series of Darts title at the Auckland Darts Masters in a thrilling 11–10 final. Adrian and Phil Taylor won their third World Cup title for England.

In 2016, Adrian reached his third World Championship final, but lost to Gary Anderson. He and Phil Taylor won their fourth World Cup title, beating the Netherlands in the final.

In 2018, Adrian had a surprising early exit from the World Championship. He also faced a temporary suspension from playing after an incident with another player, but he admitted he broke rules and received a suspended ban.

Adrian continued to compete in major tournaments in 2019 and 2020, reaching the fourth round of the World Championship in both years. In October 2020, he had to withdraw from a tournament after testing positive for COVID-19.

In 2022, Adrian won his first title in three years at Players Championship 20. In April 2023, he announced he was taking a break from competing. As of July 2024, Adrian Lewis has partnered with MODUS Sports Management and plans to play in the MODUS Super Series in 2025.

Adrian Lewis's Achievements

World Championship Results

Adrian Lewis has played in many World Championships. Here's how he did:

  • 2006: Quarter-finals (lost to Peter Manley 3–5)
  • 2007: Third round (lost to Andy Jenkins 3–4)
  • 2008: Quarter-finals (lost to Kevin Painter 2–5)
  • 2009: Second round (lost to Paul Nicholson 3–4)
  • 2010: Quarter-finals (lost to Phil Taylor 0–5)
  • 2011: Winner (beat Gary Anderson 7–5)
  • 2012: Winner (beat Andy Hamilton 7–3)
  • 2013: Quarter-finals (lost to Michael van Gerwen 4–5)
  • 2014: Semi-finals (lost to Michael van Gerwen 0–6)
  • 2015: Third round (lost to Raymond van Barneveld 3–4)
  • 2016: Runner-up (lost to Gary Anderson 5–7)
  • 2017: Third round (lost to Raymond van Barneveld 3–4)
  • 2018: First round (lost to Kevin Münch 1–3)
  • 2019: Fourth round (lost to Michael van Gerwen 1–4)
  • 2020: Fourth round (lost to Dimitri Van den Bergh 3–4)
  • 2021: Second round (lost to Danny Baggish 1–3)
  • 2022: Second round (lost to Gary Anderson 1–3)
  • 2023: Second round (lost to Damon Heta 0–3)

Major Finals Played

Adrian Lewis has reached 14 major PDC finals, winning 4 of them.

Legend
World Championship (2–1)
World Matchplay (0–1)
World Grand Prix (0–1)
Premier League (0–1)
UK Open (1–0)
Masters (0–1)
Players Championship Finals (0–2)
European Championship (1–2)
US Open (0–1)
Outcome No. Year Championship Opponent in the final Score
Runner-up 1. 2006 World Series US Open England Phil Taylor 5–13 (l)
Runner-up 2. 2008 European Championship England Taylor, PhilPhil Taylor 5–11 (l)
Runner-up 3. 2010 World Grand Prix England Wade, JamesJames Wade 3–6 (s)
Winner 1. 2011 World Championship Scotland Anderson, GaryGary Anderson 7–5 (s)
Runner-up 4. 2011 Premier League Scotland Anderson, GaryGary Anderson 4–10 (l)
Runner-up 5. 2011 European Championship England Taylor, PhilPhil Taylor 8–11 (l)
Winner 2. 2012 World Championship England Hamilton, AndyAndy Hamilton 7–3 (s)
Winner 3. 2013 European Championship Australia Whitlock, SimonSimon Whitlock 11–6 (l)
Runner-up 6. 2013 World Matchplay England Taylor, PhilPhil Taylor 13–18 (l)
Runner-up 7. 2013 Masters England Taylor, PhilPhil Taylor 1–10 (l)
Winner 4. 2014 UK Open England Jenkins, TerryTerry Jenkins 11–1 (l)
Runner-up 8. 2014 Players Championship Finals Scotland Anderson, GaryGary Anderson 6–11 (l)
Runner-up 9. 2015 Players Championship Finals Netherlands Michael van Gerwen 6–11 (l)
Runner-up 10. 2016 World Championship Scotland Anderson, GaryGary Anderson 5–7 (s)

PDC World Series Finals

Adrian Lewis has played in 3 World Series finals, winning 1.

Legend
World Series of Darts (1–2)
Outcome No. Year Championship Opponent in the final Score
Runner-up 1. 2015 Sydney Darts Masters England Phil Taylor 3–11 (l)
Winner 1. Auckland Darts Masters  Barneveld, Raymond vanRaymond van Barneveld 11–10 (l)
Runner-up 2. 2016 Auckland Darts Masters Scotland Gary Anderson 7–11 (l)

PDC Team Finals

Adrian Lewis has played in 5 PDC team finals, winning 4 of them.

Outcome No. Year Championship Team Opponents in the final Score
Winner 1. 2012 World Cup  England – (with Phil Taylor)  Australia – Simon Whitlock and Paul Nicholson 4–3 (m)
Winner 2. 2013  Belgium – Kim Huybrechts and Ronny Huybrechts 3–1 (m)
Runner-up 1. 2014  Netherlands – Michael van Gerwen and Raymond van Barneveld 0–3 (m)
Winner 3. 2015  Scotland – Gary Anderson and Peter Wright 3–2 (m)
Winner 4. 2016  Netherlands – Michael van Gerwen and Raymond van Barneveld 3–2 (m)

Nine-Dart Finishes

A nine-dart finish is a perfect game in darts. Adrian Lewis has achieved this amazing feat several times on TV:

Adrian Lewis televised nine-dart finishes
Date Opponent Tournament Method Prize
3 January 2011 Scotland Gary Anderson PDC World Championship 3 x T20; 3 x T20; T20, T19, D12 £10,000
31 July 2011 Netherlands Raymond van Barneveld European Championship 3 x T20; 3 x T20; T20, T19, D12
30 December 2014 Netherlands Raymond van Barneveld PDC World Championship 3 x T20; 3 x T20; T20, T19, D12 £10,000
14 April 2016 England James Wade Premier League 3 x T20; 2 x T20, T19; 2 x T20, D12
13 April 2017 Netherlands Raymond van Barneveld Premier League 3 x T20; 3 x T20; T20, T19, D12

High Averages

A high average means a player scored a lot of points per three darts. Here are some of Adrian Lewis's best televised averages:

Adrian Lewis televised high averages
Average Date Opponent Tournament Stage Score Ref.
113.80 5 February 2015 Netherlands Raymond van Barneveld 2015 Premier League Round 1 7–1 (l)

Adrian Lewis's Personal Life

Adrian Lewis signature
Adrian Lewis' signature

Adrian Lewis has a family. His daughter, Myla Niamh, was born in August 2009. He married Sarah Podmore in August 2012. Sarah has three children from a previous marriage. Together, Adrian and Sarah have three sons, born in December 2012, June 2015, and August 2017.

Adrian is a big fan of his local football team, Stoke City.

In 2012, Adrian and seven other darts players from the Premier League recorded a charity song. It was called 'Got My Tickets for the Darts' and was written by Chas Hodges. The money raised from the song went to the Haven House Children's Hospice.

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