Peter Wright

Peter Stuart Wright (born 10 March 1970) is a Scottish professional darts player who plays in the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC), where he is currently ranked No. 8 in the world.

He stated that he first became interested in darts through watching players such as Cliff Lazerenko, Jocky Wilson, and Eric Bristow on TV in the early 1980s.

When he was 24, Wright qualified for the first round of the 1995 BDO World Darts Championship, but then stopped playing darts professionally, working instead as a builder and tyre fitter while competing in local darts leagues.

Wright competed at the 1995 BDO World Darts Championship, losing 3–1 in the first round to eventual champion Richie Burnett.

He did not pursue a professional career afterward; instead, he worked as a builder and tyre fitter while playing in local darts leagues.

He competed in the 2005 UK Open, where he lost 5–4 in the third round to Dave Smith.

After he and his wife Joanne watched the inaugural Grand Slam of Darts on TV in 2007, and Wright mentioned that he had beaten some of the players who were competing in the event, Joanne encouraged him to pursue professional success in the sport.

He resumed his professional darts career in his late 30s, playing his first full schedule of PDC events in 2008.

He first played a full schedule of Professional Darts Corporation events in 2008, although he had little success, winning just £1,200 in prize money.

2009 proved to be a much better year for Wright as he made his PDC televised debut at the 2009 Las Vegas Desert Classic where he was defeated 6–3 by Colin Lloyd in the first round.

His good form on the PDC Pro Tour, helped by a semi-final showing in the Las Vegas Players Championship, earned him qualification for the 2009 World Matchplay.

Wright played Terry Jenkins in the first round and lost 10–4.

Further quarter-final and semi-final runs followed in Players Championship events to qualify for his first PDC World Championship, where he lost 3–1 in sets to Michael van Gerwen in the opening round.

He qualified for his first PDC World Darts Championship in 2010, entered the top 16 for the first time in 2013, and reached his first world final in 2014, where he was runner-up to Michael van Gerwen.

In 2010, Wright also made his debut in the Players Championship Finals and lost in the first round 6–2 against Wes Newton.

In April, he reached his first final on the PDC tour at the sixth UK Open Qualifier where he lost 6–2 to Phil Taylor.

Wright was knocked out in the third round of the UK Open 9–7 by William O'Connor.

Wright won a match at the World Championship for the first time in 2011 by beating Co Stompé 3–1 and then saw off Paul Nicholson to face defending champion Phil Taylor in the third round.

Wright lost 4–1 and averaged a very respectable 96.56.

He enjoyed a good run at the UK Open which was ended in the last 16 by Mark Hylton and played in his second World Matchplay where Simon Whitlock beat him 10–7 in the first round.

Wright's first quarter-final appearance in a major event came at the European Championship with victories over John Part and Gary Anderson, before losing again to Whitlock this time 10–6.

Wright was unable to repeat his 2011 run in the 2012 edition of the World Championship, as he lost 3–1 to Jelle Klaasen in the first round.

Wright missed 11 consecutive darts at doubles in the first two sets of the match.

Wright represented Scotland with Gary Anderson in the 2012 PDC World Cup of Darts and together they were beaten by South Africa in the second round, losing in a sudden-death leg.

Wright defeated Andy Brown and former world champions John Part and Richie Burnett to reach the last 16 of the UK Open where he played Raymond van Barneveld.

Wright led 8–6 and was on a 138 finish on his throw to advance to the quarter-finals and beat the Dutchman for the first time.

He received a set of darts for his 13th birthday, but since his mother could not afford a dartboard, he initially threw them at trees.

After some practice, he was able to beat his stepfather and his stepfather's friends.

Within a few years, he was regarded as one of the most promising young players in London.

He won his first major PDC title at the 2017 UK Open; as of March 2024, he has won 14 televised events, including 8 major titles.

On the PDC Pro Tour he has won 33 events and has won 47 PDC titles overall.

His form continued by reaching the final of the 18th Players Championship of the year and a 6–2 loss to Anderson.

Wright defeated Denis Ovens 6–4 in the opening round of the Players Championship Finals but lost 8–6 to Wes Newton in the subsequent round.

Nicknamed "Snakebite", he is a two-time world champion, having won the PDC World Darts Championship in 2020 and 2022.

He is also a World Matchplay champion and has been ranked as the World No. 1 in the PDC twice (both times occurring in 2022).

He has hit one televised nine-dart finish, at the 2020 Premier League Darts.

Known for his flamboyant stage persona, Wright typically wears colourful attire, multicoloured Mohican hairstyles created by his hairdresser wife Joanne, and elaborate designs painted on his head.

He is known for performing a sidestep dance before his matches to the song "Don't Stop the Party" by Pitbull.

Born in Livingston, Scotland, to a 16-year-old single mother, Wright moved to London with his mother when he was three years old because she feared that her sisters would take her child away from her.

Although he has lived in England ever since, he chooses to represent Scotland in sports.