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Adrian Lewis (born 21 January 1985) is an English professional darts player who formerly competed in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events. Nicknamed "Jackpot", he is a two-time PDC World Champion, having won the title in 2011 and 2012. Lewis has also two other major televised PDC titles; the European Championship in 2013 and the UK Open in 2014. He won a total of twenty-six PDC titles in his career.

Key Information

During the early part of his career until 2007, Lewis was a protégé of 16-time world champion Phil Taylor, with whom he practised in their home city of Stoke-on-Trent. He made his television debut in 2004, aged 19 at the UK Open. In addition to his two world Championships, Lewis is also a four-time winner of the PDC World Cup of Darts, partnering Phil Taylor as part of the England team.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport, Lewis has been described as one of the most naturally talented darts players of all time.[1][2][3]

Career

[edit]

Early career

[edit]

Lewis was born in Stoke-on-Trent and had shown his potential at the age of 18 by winning the 2003 British Teenage Open.[4][5] His professional career began in the British Darts Organisation (BDO) events but he only competed in one major tournament, the 2003 Winmau World Masters, losing in the last 128.[6] Lewis then joined the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) without ever qualifying for the BDO World Championship.[6]

Lewis reached a semi-final of the regional qualifiers for the UK Open in 2004, which provided his opportunity for a television debut at the 2004 UK Open in Bolton, where he narrowly lost 7–8 to Dennis Harbour in the last 64.[7][8] His next television appearance came against his mentor Phil Taylor at the 2004 Las Vegas Desert Classic where he went out 0–2 in the first round.[7] He then went on to win his first match on television at the 2004 World Grand Prix beating former world champion Richie Burnett, before losing to Gary Welding.[7] His first professional ranking title came in September 2004, when he won the Chris de Roo Open after defeating Colin Lloyd in the final.[7]

He failed to qualify for the 2005 World Championship, but back at Bolton for the 2005 UK Open he produced one of the rare whitewashes in the tournament's history, beating Colin Monk 11–0 before falling 11–8 to Chris Mason in the last 16.[7] In 2005, Lewis took on the nickname "Jackpot" as he won a jackpot gambling in Las Vegas that year, but he was unable to collect the money as he was 20 years old, below the US legal gambling age of 21.[9]

Major breakthrough

[edit]

In late 2005, Lewis began to produce some promising results, including reaching his first major event quarter-final in the 2005 World Matchplay, where he lost to Colin Lloyd.[7] This result saw him break into the top 32 in the world for the first time.[7] He then became the first player to win both PDC Pro Tour events during a weekend by taking the PDPA Players Championship and the UK Open Scottish Regional titles.[7][10]

Lewis made his PDC World Championship debut in 2006, reaching the quarter-finals by defeating Dave Honey, Dennis Priestley and Roland Scholten.[11] In the quarter-final Lewis was involved in a now infamous match against Peter Manley. When 2–1 down, Lewis successfully hit a blind 180, turning to face Manley as the last dart was in the air. Manley won the set and then appeared to say something while Lewis was throwing, which caused Lewis to leave the stage. Lewis did return, but went on to lose the match 5–3.[12]

His biggest breakthrough came in May 2006 when he joined the 15 other PDC players in the top-16 competing against 16 American qualifiers in the World Series of Darts which was broadcast on ESPN. Lewis' performance in this tournament made others refer to him as a major threat in years to come. He beat Lloyd 6–5, Denis Ovens 9–6 and Priestley 11–1 before falling in the final 13–5 to Taylor.[13] His ranking continued to rise by reaching the latter stages of the non-televised PDC Pro Tour events during 2006 (including winning a Scottish Players Championship) as well as the last 16 of the UK Open, having beaten Wayne Mardle 11–10 in the last 32, before losing to John MaGowan 11–6.[14][15]

2007–2010

[edit]
Lewis in 2007

Between 2007 and 2010, Lewis produced inconsistent form and was often unable to follow up on big wins such as at the 2007 World Matchplay in Blackpool where he beat the incumbent world champion Raymond van Barneveld 16–14 in the quarter-finals before losing heavily 17–7 in the semi-finals to James Wade.[16]

He lost to Andy Jenkins in the last 16 of the 2007 World Championship, but was selected by Sky Sports as a wildcard for the 2007 Premier League.[17][18] Lewis finished seventh in the league, winning five of his fourteen matches.[19] Lewis also advanced to the semi-finals of the International Darts League, but was thrashed 9–1 by Gary Anderson.[20]

He reached the quarter-finals of the World Championship for the second time in 2008, but was defeated 5–2 by Kevin Painter.[21] He fared much better in the Premier League this year by finishing fourth in the table to advance to the play-offs where Taylor comfortably beat him 11–1.[22] At the 2008 European Darts Championship, Lewis played his first-round match against Hannes Schnier with three plasters on his non-throwing hand – having attempted to catch a falling glass backstage which shattered in his hand. After winning the match 5–2, Lewis was taken to hospital for checks on two deep cuts.[23] Lewis went on to beat Ovens 9–5 before producing at the time arguably the best performance of his career with a 9–2 victory over van Barneveld in the quarter-finals. An 11–7 victory over Manley set up a final with Taylor. Lewis lost 11–5 but his performance in the tournament guaranteed him a place in the 2008 Grand Slam of Darts.[24][25]

Lewis was defeated in the second round of the 2009 World Championship 3–4 by Paul Nicholson but did manage to end his title drought in September.[26] He won his first PDC Pro Tour event in three years at the Austrian Players Championship, where he beat Carlos Rodriguez 6–4 in the final, which included a nine dart finish. He dedicated his victory to his one-month-old daughter. He added another Pro Tour title the following month at the Irish Open Players Championship beating Andy Hamilton in the final by 6 legs to 4.

His form on television also improved during 2009 reaching the quarter-finals of the Las Vegas Desert Classic, World Matchplay and World Grand Prix. During 2010 he also made the last eight of the World Championship, Players Championships and UK Open before reaching his first televised final on Sky Television in the 2010 World Grand Prix where he beat Phil Taylor for the first time on television in the semi-finals but lost to James Wade in the final. There were further title successes in 2010, when he won Players Championships in Crawley and Germany to bring his overall Pro Tour title tally to seven.

2011 season

[edit]

World Championship win

[edit]

Lewis reached the final of the 2011 PDC World Darts Championship courtesy of victories over Tony Eccles, Mark Dudbridge, Robert Thornton, Vincent van der Voort and Mark Webster en route to the final, where he played Gary Anderson. The match-up ensured that, for the first time, the winner of the PDC World Championship would not have previously succeeded in the rival BDO World Championship. Lewis himself became the only player to have reached the PDC final without playing full-time on the BDO circuit.

During the first set of the match, Lewis became the first player to throw a nine dart finish in a World Championship final.[27] Lewis went on to win the match 7–5 and with it the championship,[27] guaranteeing him a place in the 2011 Premier League. He had also risen to his highest ranking of No. 2. In addition, at 25 years old Lewis became the fifth youngest player to win a World Championship, behind Jelle Klaasen (21 in 2006), Eric Bristow (22 in 1980), Keith Deller (23 in 1983), and Mark Webster (24 in 2008), as well as the youngest ever PDC World Champion.

Rest of 2011

[edit]
Lewis in 2011

In the 2011 Players Championship Finals Lewis lost 6–4 to Steve Beaton in the first round.

He got off to a winning start in the 2011 premier league of darts by beating the 2010 champion Phil Taylor 8–2, only to lose to Taylor 8–3 in their second meeting. Week 4 saw him get his first heavy defeat of the 2011 campaign, losing 8–2 to Mark Webster. He went on to defeat Gary Anderson in Anderson's home country of Scotland after both players were distracted by the crowd. Lewis was being booed and coins were thrown at him but he went on to win the match 8–3 and both players stated their disappointment with the crowd. During his walk on he had beer thrown over him.[28] Lewis proceeded to make it to the final of the 2011 Premier League but lost 10–4 to Gary Anderson after beating Phil Taylor 8–3 in the semi-final in the same night.

Lewis was eliminated in the third round of the 2011 U.K. Open by Terry Jenkins, who took a 9–7 match. He lost 17–10 in the semi-finals of the 2011 World Matchplay to James Wade. He hit another perfect 9 dart leg on 31 July 2011 at the European Darts Championships against Raymond van Barneveld during their semi- final match which he won 11–10. He played Phil Taylor in the final and lost 8–11.[29]

In the 2011 World Grand Prix, he played John Part in his first round match. He lost 2 sets to 1 after leading 1–0 in sets and 2–0 in legs.

He reached the final of the first players championship in Derby and was defeated 6–2 by Jamie Caven.[30] In the Crawley Players Championship he was defeated in the final by Paul Nicholson 6–4 in a hard fought match, he had defeated Ronnie Baxter 6–5 in the semi-final.[31]

Lewis was now under the management of former World Champion Keith Deller and under his guidance he has appeared in several major finals, including his World Championship win.

2012 season

[edit]

Defending his title

[edit]

Lewis became the third player, after Eric Bristow and Raymond van Barneveld, to successfully defend their first World Championship title in the 2012 PDC World Championship, by beating Andy Hamilton 7–3 in the Final.[32]

He almost exited the tournament on multiple occasions, beginning with his first round match against Nigel Heydon. He trailed 0–2 and was stung by a wasp during a break on his non-throwing hand, but nevertheless managed to claw his way back to 2–2. Heydon led 2–1 in the deciding set, but never had a dart for the match as Lewis won four of the last five legs to avoid an early exit.[33] More comfortable victories ensued over Robert Thornton (4–2) and Wayne Jones (4–0), with Lewis seemingly heading for the semi-finals as he led Terry Jenkins 3–0 in the last 8, having only lost 2 legs.[34] However, his opponent stormed back to level the match, before Lewis rediscovered his form to win the last two sets and clinch a 5–3 win. He said after the match that he had "lost his way" during Jenkins' fightback, but was delighted to be in the semi-finals.[35]

His semi-final match with James Wade was hailed as one of the greatest comebacks of all time. Lewis trailed both 2–0 and 5–1, only to win the next 5 sets, including 10 straight legs, to incredibly win 6–5 and finished with a 161 checkout.[36] After the semi-final Lewis stated: "That was the best win of my career, definitely".[37]

The match eventually finished at 12:50am (GMT). However, Lewis managed to never trail against Hamilton and was a double 12 away from hitting a nine-darter in the final for the second successive year. Lewis clinched victory with his third attempt at the match winning double and said afterwards he believed he could win 10 World Championship titles.[32] The tournament victory took Lewis' career prize money above the £1 million mark,[10] and confirmed his number two status in the PDC Order of Merit.[38] His semi-final comeback was named PDC Televised Performance of the Year at the PDC annual awards ceremony on 3 January.[39]

Rest of 2012

[edit]

Lewis maintained his form for his next tournament of the season as he represented England and won the 2012 PDC World Cup of Darts, with Phil Taylor. The pair needed a sudden-death leg to see off Canada in the second round, before defeating the United States and Wales to reach the final where they played the Australian team consisting of Simon Whitlock and Paul Nicholson. The final finished with the scores at 3–3 meaning that a sudden-death leg was required to decide the title. Australia missed four darts to take the crown and England two, before Lewis took out double 5 to win his first World Cup, stating that the victory meant more to him than his second world title won a month earlier.[40]

Lewis was an automatic entrant for the Premier League due to his Order of Merit ranking.[41] His first game was against Taylor, just four days after their World Cup win. Lewis led the match 6–1, before Taylor came back to draw 7–7.[42] Taylor averaged 112.79 which was until 2015 the highest televised average in a match without actually winning it.[43] Lewis drew his next two matches before succumbing to a heavy 1–8 defeat to Gary Anderson. He had to wait until the 7th game of the season for his first win which came with an 8–3 defeat of Kevin Painter.[44] Lewis went into the final match knowing a victory over Simon Whitlock would guarantee him a place in the play-offs,[45] however he lost 6–8 to finish the season 6th in the table.[46]

Lewis lost in the last 32 of the UK Open 7–9 to Wes Newton,[47] and in the final of the seventh Players Tour Championship of the season, 3–6 to Ronnie Baxter.[48] Lewis entered the World Matchplay knowing that if he could progress further than Phil Taylor he would move to world number one for the first time.[49] He began with a 10–0 whitewash of Robert Thornton and a 13–7 victory over Andy Smith,[50] but was then beaten 12–16 by Terry Jenkins in the quarter-finals to remain second in the world.[49] In September, Lewis won his first individual title since his World Championship win at the fourth European Tour event, the German Darts Masters in Stuttgart. He dropped just three legs in his first three games before beating Tony West 6–3 in the quarter-finals and James Wade 6–1 in the semis to face occasional practice partner Ian White in the final. Lewis won 6–3 to claim his first European Tour title.[51] After losing his opening two games of the Grand Slam of Darts to Tony O'Shea and John Part, Lewis failed to qualify from his group for the fourth time in the six stagings of the tournament.[52] After all 33 ProTour events of 2012 had been played, Lewis finished 11th on the Order of Merit to qualify for the Players Championship Finals.[53] Lewis had spent 24 hours with his wife Sarah as she went into labour, before travelling to the tournament in Minehead to face Richie Burnett. With Lewis leading 5–3, the pair were involved in a heated argument on stage as Burnett accused him of clicking his darts while he was throwing. Lewis took out 116 in the next leg to take the match, before returning to Stoke where Sarah gave birth to a boy in the early hours of the morning.[54][55] Lewis once again returned to Minehead to face Taylor on only five hours sleep in 48 hours and lost 7–10.[56]

2013 season

[edit]

Lewis finally relinquished his World Championship crown in the 2013 edition of the event. Despite not being at his best he comfortably made it through to the quarter-finals as he stretched his unbeaten run in the tournament to 15 games. There he faced Michael van Gerwen and what resulted was one of the greatest matches ever played in the tournament.[57] Both players averaged over 100 as Lewis came from a set down four times to level the tie at 4–4. In the deciding set Lewis needed 60 to win but missed two darts at double top, later explaining that he had blocked the bed with his first dart. Van Gerwen stepped in to win three successive legs and end Lewis' hopes of a hat-trick of consecutive world titles.[58][59]

Lewis retained his World Cup of Darts crown with Phil Taylor in February. They survived two match darts from South Africa in the last 16 and one from Wales in the semi-finals to play the Belgian brothers Ronny and Kim Huybrechts in the final.[60][61] Lewis lost to Kim 0–4, but beat Ronny 4–2 meaning Taylor could secure the title by defeating Kim and he did so 4–1.[62] Lewis lost his first four games of the 2013 Premier League, but in week five he beat Michael van Gerwen 7–4 to record his first win.[63] He narrowly avoided relegation after week nine,[64] and could only pick up a total of four wins from his 16 games to finish 8th in the table.[65] Lewis reached the quarter-finals of the UK Open for only the second time in his career, but lost 6–10 to Peter Wright.[66]

Lewis won his third major title at the European Championship, his first that wasn't a World Championship. He beat Mensur Suljović in the first round then averaged over 100 in his last four matches, including victory over Michael van Gerwen in the semi-finals, maintaining his high standard for 63 successive legs, which culminated in an 11–6 victory over Simon Whitlock in the final.[67] Lewis beat Ronny Huybrechts, Brendan Dolan and Andy Hamilton at the World Matchplay to once again face van Gerwen in the semi-finals of a major event.[68] The match was played at a frenetic pace as the 32 legs took 52 minutes, with Lewis hitting 16 180's and fighting back from 14–15 down to win 17–15.[69] In his first Matchplay final Lewis played Phil Taylor and averaged 105.92 and hit 19 maximums, but Taylor averaged 111.23 to take the match 18–13.[70] In October, Lewis won his first Pro Tour title in over a year at the ninth Players Championship as he came from 3–0 down in the final to beat Brendan Dolan 6–4.[71] Lewis almost pulled out of the inaugural Masters tournament due to a bout of flu before edging past Kim Huybrechts in the first round 6–5 and then thrashing home favourite Robert Thornton 8–2.[72] His semi-final match with Raymond van Barneveld was the best of the event as he took out a 116 finish in the final leg to break throw and win 10–9. However, he only had 15 minutes to prepare for the final against Taylor and, although he averaged 108, he was 5–0 down at the first break. Lewis claimed his first leg of the final to trail 9–1 but the match was over in the next.[73] Lewis overcame Van Gerwen and Kim Huybrechts in the last 16 and quarter-finals of the Grand Slam of Darts to meet Taylor in the semi-finals. What followed was the highest quality darts match ever played as Lewis averaged 110.99 over 25 legs to Taylor's 109.76 in a 16–9 defeat, the highest combined average ever recorded.[74] Lewis was 8–7 up but missed darts at doubles to lose eight successive legs including one where both players had left 160 with Lewis wiring the double top only for Taylor to step in and take it out. The match broke the PDC record for 180's with 32, beating the old record set in the 2007 World Championship final where 31 were made in 32 more legs than this match.[75]

2014 season

[edit]

Lewis was untroubled in winning through to the semi-finals of the 2014 World Championship as none of his opponents could take more than a single set off him.[76] He then scored similar to his opponent Michael van Gerwen, but hit only 28% of his doubles to suffer a heavy 6–0 loss.[77] Lewis reached the finals of the first and third UK Open Qualifiers but was defeated 6–2 by Andy Hamilton and Phil Taylor respectively.[78][79]

At the UK Open, he began his campaign with a 9–5 win over Ronnie Baxter in the third round, before recovering from 7–3 down to Ronny Huybrechts to progress 9–8.[80] More comfortable wins over Raymond van Barneveld (9–2) and Mensur Suljović (10–3) followed before Lewis beat Mervyn King 10–6 to play Terry Jenkins in the final.[81] Lewis thrashed him 11–1 with an average of 109.13 for his first UK Open title and a fourth major win.[82] He had a strong start to the Premier League with 7–1 and 7–3 victories over Simon Whitlock and Phil Taylor in the opening two matches and was still in the top four after nine weeks of play. However, Lewis then lost four games in a row and went on to finish sixth in the table, to miss out on the play-offs.[83] Lewis and Taylor could not complete a hat-trick of successive World Cup of Darts titles as they met the Netherlands in the final with Taylor losing 4–0 to Van Gerwen and Lewis being beaten 4–0 by Van Barneveld and 4–2 by Van Gerwen meaning the tie was over before Taylor's second singles match.[84]

Lewis was beaten 16–8 by Gary Anderson in the quarter-finals of the World Matchplay.[85] From 2–0 up in sets in the second round of the World Grand Prix he lost 3–2 to Kevin Painter and suffered a 6–4 defeat to Jelle Klaasen in the first round of the European Championship.[86] Lewis' season seemed to be fading dramatically when he lost to youngsters Rowby-John Rodriguez and Keegan Brown at the Grand Slam of Darts which meant he had been eliminated from the competition before his final group game, but he returned to form at the Players Championship Finals.[87] Jamie Caven had one dart at the bull to defeat Lewis in the quarter-finals but missed and Lewis checked out 124 and 123 in successive legs to win 10–9 and then enjoyed a more comfortable 11–6 victory against Wes Newton to play Anderson in the final in an attempt to win more than one major in the same season for the first time. However, from holding a slender 4–3 lead, Lewis lost five successive legs and was defeated 11–6.[88]

2015 season

[edit]

Lewis threw a nine-dart finish to win the opening set of his third round tie against Raymond van Barneveld at the 2015 World Championship. He went a set ahead three times but van Barneveld levelled on each occasion, with Lewis missing one match dart in the sixth set. Lewis lost his form in the deciding set to be defeated 4–3 failing to reach the quarter-final stage of the event for the first time since 2009.[89] On the opening night of the Premier League, Lewis set his highest televised average of 113.80 in beating van Barneveld 7–1.[90] A day later he claimed the first UK Open Qualifier by beating van Gerwen 6–1 and said afterwards that his play signalled his intent for the year ahead.[91] He lost 6–5 in the final of the fifth event to Michael Smith.[92] Lewis' UK Open reign ended when he was beaten 9–3 by Raymond van Barneveld in the third round.[93] He took the third Players Championship with a 6–3 win over Robert Thornton in the final and lost 6–1 to Van Gerwen in the final of the next event.[94][95] A 6–5 victory over Brendan Dolan saw Lewis claim the fifth event and he lost 6–3 to Keegan Brown in the final of the eighth.[96][97] Despite his good start to the Premier League, Lewis could not win another match until the ninth week, which saved him from relegation by a point.[98] Lewis would ultimately finish sixth in the table with five wins from his 16 games, which resulted in him missing the play-offs for the fourth year in a row.[99] Lewis and Taylor advanced to the final of the World Cup and their match against the Scottish pairing of Gary Anderson and Peter Wright went to the final singles game in which Lewis beat Wright 4–1 to seal England's third title in the event.[100] He suffered a surprise 13–10 loss to Gerwyn Price in the second round of the World Matchplay and was thrashed 11–3 by Taylor in the final of the Sydney Darts Masters.[101] However, Lewis atoned for this soon afterwards by claiming his first World Series of Darts title at the Auckland Darts Masters as Van Barneveld missed five match darts in the final leg to allow Lewis to edge it 11–10.[102] Lewis failed to get past the second round of the World Grand Prix for the fifth year in a row as he lost 3–0 to Mark Webster.[103]

Lewis held on from 9–6 ahead of Taylor at the European Championship to edge through 10–9, but was then defeated 11–5 in the semi-finals by Gary Anderson.[104] He also lost in the quarter-finals of the Grand Slam 16–11 against Michael Smith.[105] An 11–1 thrashing of Mensur Suljović at the Players Championship Finals helped Lewis play in his only major final this year, but averaged 89.17 as van Gerwen saw him off 11–6.[106]

2016 season

[edit]
Lewis (right) in a match against Raymond van Barneveld

A trio of matches without dropping a set saw Lewis cruise in to the quarter-finals of the 2016 World Championship and he then overcame Peter Wright 5–2 and was 5–0 up on Raymond van Barneveld in the semis.[107] The Dutchman threatened a comeback as he reduced the gap to 5–3, but Lewis captured the set he needed to reach his third World Championship final.[108] In a rematch of the 2011 final he faced Gary Anderson and Lewis lost 7–5, a reversal of the scoreline from five years ago. 34 180s were thrown which was a then-record in a professional match.[109] He won the first UK Open Qualifier with a 6–2 victory over Phil Taylor with an average of 110 and was knocked out in the fifth round of the UK Open itself, 9–7 by Jelle Klaasen.[110][111] Lewis ended Michael van Gerwen's 27 match wins in a row when he knocked out him 6–4 in the quarter-finals of the first Players Championship event of the year. He then overcame Gary Anderson 6–3 and was 5–3 ahead of Peter Wright in the final, but lost 6–5 without getting a dart for the match.[112] Lewis advanced to the Premier League Play-offs for the first time in five years, which included a nine darter against James Wade in week 11, but he was easily defeated 10–4 by Van Gerwen.[113][114]

Lewis and Taylor won their fourth World Cup crown by overcoming the Netherlands in the final, with Lewis beating Van Gerwen 4–1 in the deciding match.[115] Anderson inflicted an 11–7 defeat on Lewis in the final of the Auckland Darts Masters and he lost 17–9 to Van Gerwen in semi-finals of the World Matchplay.[116] After the match Van Gerwen accused Lewis of trying to slow his game down because he was scared of him. Lewis said he was happy to reach the last four of such an event whilst playing his D-game.[117] His poor form at the World Grand Prix continued as Raymond van Barneveld knocked him out 3–0 in the second round and he also finished bottom of his group at the Grand Slam.[118][119]

2017

[edit]

There was never more than a set between Lewis and Raymond van Barneveld in the third round of the 2017 World Championship, with Lewis narrowly losing 4–3.[120] He was beaten 6–4 by Peter Wright in the final of the first UK Open Qualifier of the year and won the fifth Players Championship with a 6–3 victory over Dave Chisnall.[121][122] He threw a nine-darter in week 11 of the Premier League whilst defeating Van Barneveld 7–4 with an average of 111.52.[123] Lewis played with Chisnall at the World Cup for the first time and they were knocked out in the semi-finals after failing to win either of their matches against the Dutch pair of Michael van Gerwen and Van Barneveld.[124]

2018

[edit]

In the 2018 World Championship, Kevin Münch caused a major upset by defeating Lewis, who had never before been beaten in the first round of a World Championship, in the first round with 3-1 in sets. The defeat saw Lewis fall to #20 in the Order of Merit, missing both the Masters and the Premier League for the first time.

On 2 February 2018 the Darts Regulation Authority ("DRA") released a statement that Lewis would be suspended with immediate effect pending an appeal following an incident with José Justicia in the first UK Open qualifier. On 8 February 2018 Lewis was given a three-month ban suspended for six months after Lewis admitted he broke DRA rules

2019

[edit]

Lewis lost 4–1 to Michael van Gerwen in the fourth round of the 2019 World Championship. At the Grand Slam of Darts he beat James Wade 10–9 in the last 16 to reach the quarter-finals, before once again losing to van Gerwen.

2020

[edit]

In the 2020 World Championship Lewis lost 4–3 in the fourth round to Dimitri Van den Bergh despite at one point leading 3–1 in sets. In October, Lewis tested positive for COVID-19 and was forced to withdraw from the 2020 World Grand Prix.[125]

2021

[edit]

Lewis began his 2021 season with a shock 3–1 loss to Danny Baggish in the second round of the 2021 World Championship.

At the Players Championship Finals he lost in the second round to Peter Wright, in a match mired in controversy after an altercation on stage after the match.

2022

[edit]

At the 2022 World Championship, Lewis lost 3–1 in the second round to Gary Anderson.

Lewis returned to the winners circle with his first title in 3 years by winning Players Championship 20. At the 2022 World Grand Prix, Lewis beat José de Sousa in the first round before losing to Chris Dobey.

2023

[edit]

In the 2023 World Championship, Lewis lost 3–0 against Damon Heta, falling at the second round stage for the third year in succession.

In April 2023, following withdrawals from multiple PDC Pro Tour events, Lewis announced he was taking a break from competing.[126]

2024

[edit]

In July 2024 it was announced Lewis would be partnering with MODUS Sports Management effective immediately and that Lewis will play on the MODUS Super Series in 2025.[127]

Lewis did not attend the PDPA's 2024/25 PDC World Championship TCH Qualifier.

2025

[edit]

On 28 August Lewis made his return to competitive darts in the MODUS Super Series International Pairs tournament alongside former BDO World Champion Steve Beaton representing England.[128]

Controversies

[edit]

Lewis has been involved in several controversial matches during his career, including his debut World Championship in 2006. During his quarter-final with Peter Manley he left the stage part-way through the match as he alleged Manley had been trying to upset him while he was throwing.[129]

In April 2008, he argued with Kevin Painter during their quarter final match at the Holland Masters. This resulted in a six-month ban for Lewis, as well as a four-month suspension and a fine of £400.

At the 2009 World Grand Prix Lewis was playing Gary Anderson in the second round and during the first set the two players exchanged words after Anderson felt Lewis went into the exclusion zone while Anderson was throwing. Lewis won the match 3–2.[130]

During the 2012 PDC World Darts Championship semi-final, both Lewis and his opponent James Wade left the stage with Lewis trailing 2–0 in sets, after complaining of a 'draught' blowing across the stage. The 25-minute break seemed to provoke the crowd into heckling Lewis for the remainder of the game, Lewis went on to win the match 6–5.[131]

In February 2018, Lewis was suspended by the PDC after an altercation following his win over José Justicia at the 2018 UK Open Qualifier 1.[132] Six days later Lewis issued a statement apologising for his actions and announced that he had been fined £3,000 and given a 3-month suspended ban.[133][134][135][136]

Ranking and earnings

[edit]

On the PDC Order of Merit – the PDC's world ranking system, Lewis has been ranked at a career high of second after beating Gary Anderson to win his first World Championship final. He has won more than £3,300,000 in prize money during his career.[10]

Personal life

[edit]
Adrian Lewis' signature

His daughter, Myla Niamh was born in August 2009,[137] with then girlfriend Katie-Adele Hughes, from whom he separated in January 2011.[citation needed] On 6 August 2012, he married Sarah Podmore (born 1987), who has three children from her previous marriage, and in December 2012 gave birth to their son Matthew.[56] They have two further children, born in June 2015 and August 2017 respectively.

He supports his local football team Stoke City.[138]

In 2012, Lewis, together with the other seven players who competed in the Premier League recorded a charity single with Chas Hodges and his band called 'Got My Tickets for the Darts' which was written by Chas. It was released on 18 May, the night after the play-offs at the O2 in London, where it was premiered. Proceeds from the single were donated to the Haven House Children's Hospice.[139]

World Championship results

[edit]

PDC

[edit]

Career finals

[edit]

PDC major finals: 14 (4 titles)

[edit]
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[N 1]
Runner-up 1. 2006 World Series US Open England Phil Taylor 5–13 (l)
Runner-up 2. 2008 European Championship England Phil Taylor 5–11 (l)
Runner-up 3. 2010 World Grand Prix England James Wade 3–6 (s)
Winner 1. 2011 World Championship Scotland Gary Anderson 7–5 (s)
Runner-up 4. 2011 Premier League Scotland Gary Anderson 4–10 (l)
Runner-up 5. 2011 European Championship England Phil Taylor 8–11 (l)
Winner 2. 2012 World Championship England Andy Hamilton 7–3 (s)
Winner 3. 2013 European Championship Australia Simon Whitlock 11–6 (l)
Runner-up 6. 2013 World Matchplay England Phil Taylor 13–18 (l)
Runner-up 7. 2013 Masters England Phil Taylor 1–10 (l)
Winner 4. 2014 UK Open England Terry Jenkins 11–1 (l)
Runner-up 8. 2014 Players Championship Finals Scotland Gary 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 Gary Anderson 5–7 (s)

PDC world series finals: 3 (1 title)

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

PDC team finals: 5 (4 titles)

[edit]
Outcome No. Year Championship Team Opponents in the final Score[N 1]
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)
  1. ^ a b c (l) = score in legs, (s) = score in sets, (m) = score in matches.

Nine-dart finishes

[edit]
See also: Nine-dart finish
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

[edit]
See also: Three-dart average
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) [140]

Performance timeline

[edit]
Tournament 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
PDC Ranked televised events
World Championship DNQ QF 3R QF 2R QF W W QF SF 3R F 3R 1R 4R 4R 2R 2R 2R
UK Open 3R 6R 5R 5R 4R 4R QF 3R 4R QF W 3R 5R 4R 3R 4R 4R 4R 4R 5R
World Matchplay DNQ QF 2R SF 1R QF 1R SF QF F QF 2R SF SF 2R 1R QF DNQ 1R DNQ
World Grand Prix 2R DNQ 2R QF 2R QF F 1R 2R 2R 2R 2R 2R 1R 2R 1R WD DNQ 2R DNQ
European Championship Not held F 1R 1R F 1R W 1R SF DNQ 1R 1R DNQ
Grand Slam Not held 2R RR RR RR SF RR SF RR QF RR DNQ QF DNQ
Players Championship Finals Not held 1R QF 1R 2R 2R F F 2R 3R 2R 2R 1R 2R 1R DNQ
PDC Non-ranked televised events
Premier League NH DNP 7th SF DNP 7th F 6th 8th 6th 6th SF 8th DNP
Masters Not held F QF SF 1R SF DNQ 1R QF QF DNQ
World Cup Not held DNQ NH W W F W W SF DNQ
World Series Finals Not held SF QF 1R DNQ DNP
Past major events
Las Vegas Desert Classic 1R 1R 1R QF 2R QF Not held
International Darts League DNP SF Not held
Career statistics
Year-end ranking 50 18 6 7 6 9 5 2 2 5 3 4 4 20 16 13 24 39 34 52

PDC European Tour

Season 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
2012 ADO
WD 		GDC
1R 		EDO
2R 		GDM
W 		DDM
DNP
2013 UKM
SF 		EDT
DNP 		EDO
3R 		ADO
WD 		GDT
SF 		GDC
1R 		GDM
2R 		DDM
2R
2014 GDC
3R 		DDM
3R 		GDM
SF 		ADO
DNP 		GDT
QF 		EDO
3R 		EDG
QF 		EDT
DNP
2015 GDC
SF 		GDT
DNP 		GDM
SF 		DNP EDT
3R 		EDM
DNP 		EDG
DNP
2016 DDM
QF 		GDM
3R 		GDT
WD 		EDM
3R 		DNP
2017 GDC
DNP 		GDM
1R 		GDO
DNP 		EDG
3R 		GDT
WD 		EDM
1R 		ADO
WD 		EDO
WD 		DNP EDT
DNQ
2018 EDO
2R 		GDG
1R 		GDO
DNQ 		ADO
DNQ 		EDG
WD 		DDM
1R 		GDT
F 		DDO
SF 		EDM
DNQ 		GDC
QF 		DDC
QF 		IDO
QF 		EDT
DNP
2019 EDO
2R 		GDC
SF 		GDG
2R 		GDO
QF 		ADO
QF 		EDG
2R 		DDM
DNP 		DDO
3R 		CDO
2R 		ADC
3R 		EDM
3R 		IDO
QF 		GDT
DNP
2020 BDC
DNP 		GDC
2R 		EDG
DNP 		IDO
2R
2021 HDT
1R 		GDT
DNQ
2022 IDO
DNQ 		GDC
1R 		GDG
DNQ 		ADO
WD 		EDO
DNQ 		CDO
3R 		EDG
2R 		DNQ GDO
WD 		BDO
QF 		GDT
DNQ
2023 BSD
1R 		EDO
DNQ 		IDO
WD 		DNQ DNP

PDC Players Championships

Season 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
2012 ALI
DNP 		REA
3R 		REA
1R 		CRA
DNP 		BIR
F 		BIR
3R 		CRA
SF 		CRA
2R 		BAR
DNP 		DUB
2R 		DUB
4R 		KIL
DNP 		CRA
3R 		CRA
4R 		BAR
1R 		BAR
SF
2013 WIG
2R 		WIG
3R 		WIG
DNP 		CRA
4R 		CRA
1R 		BAR
4R 		BAR
3R 		DUB
W 		DUB
3R 		DNP BAR
2R 		BAR
DNP
2014 BAR
QF 		BAR
3R 		CRA
QF 		CRA
QF 		WIG
DNP 		WIG
4R 		WIG
DNP 		CRA
4R 		CRA
3R 		COV
1R 		COV
4R 		CRA
SF 		CRA
SF 		DUB
SF 		DUB
1R 		CRA
DNP 		COV
QF 		COV
3R
2015 BAR
QF 		BAR
2R 		BAR
W 		BAR
F 		BAR
W 		COV
2R 		COV
3R 		COV
F 		CRA
DNP 		BAR
4R 		BAR
4R 		WIG
1R 		WIG
4R 		BAR
1R 		BAR
DNP 		DUB
3R 		DUB
2R 		COV
QF 		COV
4R
2016 BAR
F 		BAR
4R 		BAR
2R 		BAR
1R 		Did not participate BAR
4R 		BAR
2R 		BAR
DNP 		DUB
1R 		DUB
QF 		BAR
SF 		BAR
4R
2017 BAR
3R 		BAR
1R 		BAR
DNP 		MIL
W 		MIL
1R 		BAR
2R 		BAR
3R 		WIG
QF 		WIG
4R 		MIL
1R 		MIL
2R 		Did not participate DUB
2R 		DUB
3R 		BAR
F 		BAR
4R
2018 BAR
3R 		BAR
QF 		BAR
1R 		BAR
SF 		MIL
3R 		MIL
2R 		BAR
F 		BAR
F 		WIG
QF 		WIG
4R 		MIL
QF 		MIL
1R 		WIG
1R 		WIG
2R 		BAR
3R 		BAR
SF 		BAR
1R 		BAR
4R 		DUB
QF 		DUB
4R 		BAR
3R 		BAR
F
2019 WIG
DNP 		WIG
3R 		WIG
4R 		BAR
2R 		BAR
QF 		WIG
2R 		WIG
W 		BAR
QF 		BAR
3R 		BAR
1R 		BAR
1R 		BAR
SF 		BAR
3R 		BAR
1R 		BAR
2R 		WIG
3R 		WIG
1R 		BAR
1R 		BAR
SF 		HIL
DNP 		BAR
SF 		BAR
2R 		BAR
3R 		BAR
1R 		DUB
2R 		DUB
1R 		BAR
3R 		BAR
1R
2020 BAR
SF 		BAR
3R 		WIG
4R 		WIG
4R 		WIG
2R 		WIG
4R 		BAR
DNP 		MIL
1R 		MIL
3R 		MIL
1R 		MIL
1R 		MIL
DNP 		NIE
1R 		NIE
1R 		NIE
1R 		NIE
2R 		NIE
1R 		COV
1R 		COV
2R 		COV
1R 		COV
SF 		COV
QF
2021 BOL
1R 		BOL
2R 		BOL
2R 		BOL
2R 		MIL
3R 		MIL
1R 		MIL
1R 		MIL
1R 		NIE
DNP 		MIL
4R 		MIL
3R 		MIL
QF 		MIL
QF 		COV
3R 		COV
2R 		COV
3R 		COV
3R 		BAR
1R 		BAR
3R 		BAR
2R 		BAR
F 		BAR
3R 		BAR
1R 		BAR
1R 		BAR
2R 		BAR
1R 		BAR
3R
2022 BAR
2R 		BAR
2R 		WIG
2R 		WIG
1R 		BAR
3R 		BAR
4R 		NIE
3R 		NIE
SF 		BAR
3R 		BAR
QF 		BAR
2R 		BAR
1R 		BAR
1R 		WIG
1R 		WIG
4R 		NIE
DNP 		BAR
SF 		BAR
2R 		BAR
W 		Did not participate BAR
1R 		BAR
1R 		BAR
QF 		BAR
2R 		BAR
1R
2023 BAR
1R 		BAR
1R 		BAR
1R 		BAR
3R 		BAR
1R 		BAR
1R 		Did not participate
Performance Table Legend
W Won the tournament F Finalist SF Semifinalist QF Quarterfinalist #R
RR
Prel. 		Lost in # round
Round-robin
Preliminary round 		DQ Disqualified
DNQ Did not qualify DNP Did not participate WD Withdrew NH Tournament not held NYF Not yet founded

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Adrian Lewis

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Adrian Lewis (born 21 January 1985) is an English professional player, best known by his nickname "Jackpot" and for winning the in consecutive years, 2011 and 2012, becoming the third player after and to successfully defend a title won on their debut appearance. Born in , , Lewis grew up in nearby and began his darts career after early success in youth competitions, including the British Teenage Open in 2003 at age 18. His professional breakthrough came through mentorship from darts legend Phil Taylor, whom he served as a practice partner, leading to his PDC tour card in 2004 and rapid rise in rankings. Lewis's 2011 PDC World Championship victory against Gary Anderson included the first nine-dart finish in a world final, a historic moment that highlighted his effortless throwing style and frequent maximum scores (180s). He defended the title in 2012 by defeating 7-3 in the final, solidifying his status as one of the sport's most naturally gifted players. Beyond the world titles, Lewis amassed 27 PDC tournament wins, including the in 2014, the in 2013, and runner-up in the Masters in 2013, and four triumphs with in 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2016. His career exceeds £3.3 million, with career averages around 94.80 and a peak TV average of 113.80. After peaking in the mid-2010s, Lewis faced personal challenges, including his wife Sarah's chronic kidney condition, which contributed to a decline in form and motivation. He departed the PDC in April 2023 after feeling mentally disengaged, taking a 29-month hiatus from competitive play, and lost his PDC Tour Card in November 2024 due to inactivity. As of 2025, Lewis has returned to the sport under a multi-year deal with MODUS Sports Management, competing in their Super Series events, such as a successful partnership with Steve Beaton at the MODUS Live Lounge in Portsmouth in August 2025. Although he had expressed intentions to attempt a PDC comeback via Qualifying School for 2026, as of November 2025, his participation appears unlikely due to prior exhibition commitments, sponsored by Target Darts and using 22-gram signature darts.

Early life

Upbringing in Stoke-on-Trent

Adrian Lewis was born on 21 January 1985 in , , , to working-class parents in the heart of the Potteries region. He grew up primarily in nearby , an area he later described as "quite a rough" working-class neighborhood, where community life revolved around local pubs and traditional pastimes. The Potteries, renowned as a cradle of British darts talent, immersed Lewis in a darts-loving environment from an early age, with the sport deeply embedded in the social fabric of and its surrounding towns. Lewis's family background further fueled his initial connection to darts. His mother competed at a county level for Staffordshire's B team, exposing him to the game through her involvement and local matches. His father, Sammy Wright, was an accomplished international darts player, though Lewis had limited contact with him during childhood and only learned of their relationship fully at age 17, when his parents reconciled after 25 years apart. By his mid-teens, Lewis was contributing to the family income by working on building sites, reflecting the practical, labor-oriented upbringing typical of the area. Beyond , Lewis's early hobbies centered on local sports that cultivated his competitive spirit. He played football, aspiring to become a and receiving coaching from top local trainers, while also excelling in athletics, such as winning a event without prior training due to his natural athleticism. As a lifelong supporter of , he immersed himself in the club's community, which reinforced his drive and resilience amid the region's industrial heritage and sporting passion. These experiences, combined with family influences, laid the groundwork for his emerging interest in , leading to his first informal games as a substitute in his aunt's local team.

Amateur darts career

Adrian Lewis began playing darts competitively in late 2002 at the age of 17, rapidly emerging as a promising talent in the sport's youth scene. Just eight months after taking up the game, he captured his first major title by winning the British Teenage Open in July 2003, defeating Carl Lewis 3-0 in the final. During this formative period, Lewis honed his skills in local and regional competitions, including early forays into open events organized by the (BDO). He qualified for and participated in the 2003 Winmau World Masters, one of his initial major tournament appearances, marking the beginning of his exposure to higher-level play. By 2003, Lewis had established himself among the top junior players in , consistently performing well in youth and inter-county events representing . His amateur successes, particularly the Teenage Open victory, propelled him to national junior rankings prominence and set the stage for his transition to professionalism. Encouraged by his rapid progress and mentorship from darts legend Phil Taylor, Lewis decided to turn professional in 2004, securing a PDC tour card and leaving behind his amateur career after just two years of competitive play. This move followed a string of qualifying achievements in BDO-sanctioned events, underscoring his readiness for the professional circuit.

Professional career

PDC debut and early years (2004–2006)

Adrian Lewis entered the (PDC) circuit in 2004, securing his place on the newly launched Pro Tour through the qualifying process. His television debut came at that year's in June, where the 19-year-old reached the last 32 stage after navigating the preliminary rounds, before falling 7-8 to Harbour in a tight encounter. The following year marked a breakthrough for Lewis on the , as he became the first player to win two events in a single weekend—a feat achieved during the Scottish regional qualifiers and associated Players Championships. These successes, combined with consistent performances across the tour, propelled him into the world's top 32 rankings by mid-2005. At the 2005 , Lewis showcased his potential with dominant victories, including an 8-2 win over Vic Hubbard and a remarkable 11-0 whitewash of Colin to advance to the last 16, where he was eventually eliminated. By the end of 2005, Lewis had earned approximately £15,000 in prize money, placing him 14th on the with £10,138 as of August that year, reflecting his rapid ascent. In 2006, he continued building momentum, qualifying as the 20th seed for his debut and reaching the quarter-finals after victories over Dave Honey, , and , before losing 3-5 to ; this run contributed another £12,500 to his earnings. Overall, his prize money for 2005–2006 totaled around £27,500, solidifying his position in the top 50 by the close of 2006 and establishing a strong foundation for his professional career.

Rise to fame (2007–2010)

Lewis's rise in the PDC circuit began in 2007 with promising performances that highlighted his potential. In the , he advanced to the last 16 for the first time, defeating Wayne Jones in the second round before falling to in a tight 3-4 match. Later that year, at the , Lewis reached the quarter-finals, where he was beaten 7-11 by after earlier victories including an 11-9 win over Barrie Bates in the fourth round. These results contributed to his entry into the top 50 of the by year's end. The following year, 2008, saw Lewis continue his ascent with a breakthrough at the , reaching the quarter-finals after a 4-2 victory over Dave Askew in the last 32 and a 4-3 win against Mark Walsh in the second round; he was eliminated 2-5 by . Although no Pro Tour titles came that year, Lewis posted consistent deep runs in several Players Championships, solidifying his reputation as an emerging talent on the floor circuit. His performances earned him qualification for the inaugural , marking his debut on the new European Tour, where he reached the final despite an injured hand, losing 5-11 to Phil Taylor. In 2009 and 2010, Lewis's form became more consistent, with his first PDC Pro Tour victory coming at the Austrian Open Players Championship, where he defeated Carlos Rodriguez in the final. He followed this with another Pro Tour win in 2010. At the inaugural Players Championship Finals in 2009, he exited early, but improved in 2010 by reaching the quarter-finals with wins over Wes Newton (8-6) and Andy Hamilton (8-7) before losing 8-10 to Mervyn King. During this period, his nickname "Jackpot" gained widespread popularity, stemming from a story where he won a slot machine jackpot in Las Vegas as an underage player but couldn't claim the prize due to legal restrictions; it was further emphasized by his energetic walk-on to "Reach Up" by Perfecto Allstarz. By the end of 2010, Lewis had climbed into the PDC top 10 on the Order of Merit, with annual earnings surpassing £100,000, reflecting his growing stature in the sport.

Back-to-back World Championships (2011–2012)

In the , Adrian Lewis advanced to the final, where he faced Gary Anderson. Lewis secured a 7–5 victory in a dramatic match at , becoming a two-time world champion. During the final, Lewis achieved a historic milestone by hitting the first-ever in a PDC World Championship final, which occurred in the third leg and helped him take an early lead. This triumph earned him £200,000 in prize money and propelled him to world number two on the . Lewis successfully defended his title in the , defeating 7–3 in the final to become the first player to win back-to-back championships since Phil Taylor in 2006–2007. The match showcased Lewis's dominance, as he maintained control throughout without conceding a single set break, securing another £200,000 prize and solidifying his status as a top contender. Following these victories, Lewis partnered with Phil Taylor to represent in the , where they won the title by edging out 4–3 in the final after a tense sudden-death leg. This success highlighted the immediate positive impacts of his world championship runs, boosting his ranking and team achievements in the sport.

Major titles and peak performance (2013–2016)

Following his back-to-back World Championship triumphs, Adrian Lewis maintained a high level of performance in the PDC circuit from 2013 to 2016, securing several major individual and team titles while consistently reaching the latter stages of televised events. In 2013, Lewis captured the European Championship, defeating Simon Whitlock 11-6 in the final held in Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany, marking his third major PDC title. That same year, partnering with Phil Taylor for England, he won the PDC World Cup of Darts in Hamburg, overcoming Belgium's Kim and Ronny Huybrechts in the final to secure a second consecutive team victory. Lewis's form was exemplified in the Grand Slam of Darts semi-final against Taylor, where he achieved a remarkable three-dart average of 110.99—the highest in a major televised match at the time—despite a 16-9 defeat. His consistency was further evident in reaching the semi-finals of the PDC World Championship, where he averaged 100.80 in a 6-2 loss to Raymond van Barneveld, and the final of the World Matchplay, losing 18-13 to Taylor. The following year, 2014, saw Lewis claim his first title at the Resort, dominating 11-1 in the final with an average exceeding 100, earning £50,000 and solidifying his status as a top contender. Although fell short in the final against the , Lewis's individual results included a runner-up finish at the Players Championship Finals, where he lost 11-6 to Gary Anderson despite averaging over 100 in key legs. These achievements contributed to Lewis peaking at number two on the by the end of 2014, with earnings of £506,750 for the year, following £449,500 in —reflecting combined prize money surpassing £950,000 during this peak period. Lewis's team success continued to shine in the , as he and Taylor defended their title in 2015 by defeating Scotland's Gary Anderson and Peter Wright 3-1 in the final, marking England's third win in four years. In 2016, the pair retained the crown once more, edging out the ' and 3-2 in the decider, bringing Lewis's total victories to four. Throughout this era, Lewis frequently advanced to at least the quarter-finals in majors, including semi-final appearances in events like the 2015 and 2016 World Grand Prix, underscoring his sustained excellence and ability to compete at the elite level against dominant players like van Gerwen and Taylor.

Struggles and decline (2017–2022)

Following a period of sustained success, Adrian Lewis experienced a noticeable decline in form starting in 2017, marked by sporadic highlights amid consistent early tournament exits. In the , Lewis achieved a during a 7-4 victory over in , showcasing his enduring potential for brilliance. However, this moment was overshadowed by struggles elsewhere, including a third-round defeat to van Barneveld at the , where Lewis lost 4-3 after advancing past Jermaine Wattimena and Magnus Caris. Lewis also secured a title in April, defeating 6-2 in the final, but such wins became rarer as his overall consistency waned. The years 2018 and 2019 saw Lewis grappling with further frustrations, frequently exiting major tournaments in the last 32 stage, such as at the UK Open and World Matchplay. His PDC Order of Merit ranking plummeted to 20th by early 2018 following a first-round World Championship loss to Kevin Münch the previous December, causing him to miss qualification for the Premier League and The Masters for the first time in his career. To combat his dip, Lewis experimented with adjustments to his equipment and preparation, though these efforts yielded limited improvement; he briefly climbed back into the top 16 by late 2018 but ended 2019 at 14th with earnings of approximately £243,000. Personal challenges, including prioritizing family responsibilities amid health issues affecting his wife Sarah and daughter, began to influence his focus and performance during this period. From 2020 to 2022, the disrupted the calendar, reducing event opportunities and exacerbating Lewis's challenges with fewer high-stakes matches to rebuild momentum. He suffered early PDC defeats, including a 3-1 second-round loss to qualifier Danny Baggish in 2020 and a 4-1 exit to Gary Anderson in 2022 after a first-round win over Matt Campbell. Annual earnings fell below £100,000 in each of these years—around £85,000 in 2020, £70,000 in 2021, and £60,000 in 2022—reflecting diminished results and tour card pressures. priorities continued to play a significant role, with Lewis openly citing the need to support his wife's ongoing struggles and his daughter's as factors diverting energy from professional commitments. These elements culminated in a prolonged hiatus, underscoring a shift from on-oche dominance to personal resilience.

Break and 2025 comeback

On 22 April 2023, Adrian Lewis announced an indefinite break from professional darts, citing the need to prioritize his family's well-being amid his wife Sarah's health struggles and the mental toll of the competitive circuit. He relinquished his PDC Tour Card as a result of his withdrawal from events. From mid-2023 through 2024, Lewis engaged in no competitive play, focusing instead on personal recovery and family support. In early 2025, he signed a multi-year deal with MODUS Management, which organizes non-PDC professional events. Lewis made his competitive return in August 2025, debuting at the during the International Pairs event on 28 August, where he partnered with for . He followed this with participation in the , competing in subsequent weeks and securing a notable victory in a thriller match at a exhibition earlier that month. Although Lewis expressed interest in October 2025 in regaining his PDC Tour Card by attending Q-School in January 2026 provided he felt fully prepared, recent reports as of November 2025 indicate he is unlikely to compete, citing prior exhibition commitments and a focus on non-PDC events.

Off the oche

Personal life

Adrian Lewis married Sarah Podmore in August 2012, after the couple had dated earlier in their lives. Lewis and have two children together: son Matthew, born in 2012, and daughter Amelia, born in August 2017. Lewis also has a daughter, Myla Niamh, born in 2009 from a previous relationship. In 2023, Lewis took a break from professional , emphasizing the importance of his responsibilities, including childcare and supporting his wife's amid her of , an incurable condition, as well as caring for his daughter who has autism and ADHD. This decision allowed him to prioritize over the demands of constant touring. Lewis is a lifelong supporter of , his local football club, and has been spotted attending matches while expressing his fandom on . He has also engaged in occasional charity work, including supporting local youth darts programs in , such as events organized by Staffordshire County Youth Darts and initiatives like the for Donna Louise Masters. The family resides in , near Lewis's hometown of , where he balances his interests with time spent on family activities and travel.

Controversies

Throughout his professional career, Adrian Lewis has been involved in several on-stage incidents stemming from emotional reactions under competitive pressure. In the quarter-final of the , Lewis walked off the stage during his match against , accusing the opponent of muttering and swearing to disrupt his concentration while preparing to throw. He returned after a discussion with but ultimately lost 5-3, with both players receiving fines from the Darts Regulation Authority for their conduct. Two years later, at the 2008 Open Holland Masters, Lewis engaged in a heated altercation with during their match, leading to mutual accusations of gamesmanship and physical posturing. The Darts Regulation Authority sanctioned Lewis with a £400 fine and a six-month ban, four months of which were suspended, while Painter received a three-month ban with two months suspended. This incident highlighted Lewis's tendency to react strongly to perceived provocations on the . In 2012, during the PDC World Darts Championship semi-final against James Wade, Lewis expressed frustration over a breeze from the arena's air conditioning affecting his throws, leading to a tense exchange with officials and his opponent that disrupted the match atmosphere, though no formal sanctions were imposed. A more serious confrontation occurred in February 2018 at a UK Open qualifier, where Lewis physically pushed Spanish player Jose Justicia after losing a leg, citing frustration over perceived slow play and encroachment on his throwing space. The Darts Regulation Authority fined him £3,000 and issued a three-month suspended ban for breaching conduct rules, with the suspension conditional on no further incidents within six months. Lewis publicly apologized, stating his frustrations had gotten the better of him. These episodes reflect a recurring pattern of intense emotional responses during high-stakes matches, often triggered by or environmental factors, which Lewis has later attributed to the mental demands of professional darts. Following the 2018 sanction, he took steps to address his on-stage behavior, including time away from the tour to regain mental balance.

Legacy and statistics

Achievements and records

Adrian Lewis has secured four PDC major titles during his career, comprising two PDC World Darts Championships in 2011 and 2012, the 2013 , and the 2014 . He has reached 14 major finals in total, demonstrating consistent contention at the highest level of professional . In the , Lewis claimed one title at the 2015 Auckland Darts Masters, where he defeated Phil Taylor 11–10 in the final, and appeared in three finals overall. His success in team events includes four victories partnering Phil Taylor for —in 2012 against , 2013 against , 2015 against , and 2016 against the —along with five finals appearances in the competition. Lewis has achieved 9 nine-dart finishes in PDC events, with five televised instances, including the historic first-ever nine-darter in a World Championship final during his 2011 victory over Gary Anderson. Other notable televised perfect legs came in the 2013 against , the 2014 against van Barneveld, the 2015 against van Barneveld, and the 2017 against Rob Cross. His highest recorded three-dart average stands at 115.62, achieved in a 6–0 last-16 win over at the 2014 . In the , Lewis posted an average of 104.88 in his 2013 semi-final victory over Peter Wright. Overall, he has amassed 28 PDC titles and career earnings exceeding £3.3 million as of late 2024.

Performance timeline

Adrian Lewis's performance in major PDC tournaments demonstrates his dominance in the early , where he achieved a career-high of No. 2 on the at the end of 2011 and 2012 following his successes. His rankings remained in the top 10 through 2016, but declined thereafter, with him dropping out of the top 64 by the end of 2022 and losing his Tour Card at the conclusion of 2024. Lewis took a break from PDC events in 2023 and 2024, resulting in no entries for those years; his 2025 activities were limited to non-ranking MODUS events, where he secured a win in his debut match upon returning in and continued competing as of , expressing mixed intentions for a 2026 PDC return via Q-School. Overall, his win-loss record in major PDC events stands at 256-192 as of the end of 2022, with notable strengths in the (20-12) and (45-28). The following table summarizes his stages reached in key PDC majors from 2004 to 2025 (DNP = Did Not Participate; Q = Qualifying Round; 1R = First Round; 2R = Second Round; 3R = Third Round; 4R = Fourth Round; L32 = Last 32; L16 = Last 16; QF = Quarter-Final; SF = Semi-Final; RU = Runner-Up; W = Winner). Data is compiled from official PDC records up to 2024, with 2025 noted as non-PDC. End-of-year PDC Order of Merit positions are included where applicable.
YearWorld ChampionshipUK OpenWorld MatchplayWorld Grand PrixEuropean ChampionshipPlayers Championship FinalsEnd-of-Year Ranking
2004DNPDNPDNP1RDNPDNP50th
20053RL161RDNPDNPDNP31st
20062RL321RDNPDNPDNP22nd
20074RL16SF1RDNPDNP16th
20082RQF2R1RDNPDNP13th
20093RL162R2RDNPDNP10th
20103RSF2RRUDNPDNP4th
2011WL16QF2RSFSF2nd
2012WQFSF1RQFL162nd
20132RL161R1RWQF4th
20143RW2R1RSFRU5th
2015QFL321R1RQFRU7th
2016RU4R2R2RL16L168th
20173RL161R1RL16L3215th
20183RL321RDNPL32L6422nd
20192RL64DNPDNPDNPL3228th
20203RL96DNPDNPDNPL6435th
20212RL64DNPDNPDNPL6442nd
20221RL64DNPDNPDNPL6455th
20232RL64DNPDNPDNPDNP64th
2024DNPDNPDNPDNPDNPDNPUnranked (lost Tour Card)
2025DNP (PDC)DNP (PDC)DNP (PDC)DNP (PDC)DNP (PDC)DNP (PDC)Unranked; MODUS wins noted (non-PDC)

References

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