Stephen Bunting admits his darts career is coming to the end despite staging an incredible Blackpool comeback

STEPHEN BUNTING admits he is “coming to the end” of his career as he fights to stop a rankings slide. The world No8 knows he is defending huge prize money over the coming months after reaching the last four of the 2025 World Championship. Stephen Bunting admitted he is “coming to the end” of his career as he fights to stop a rankings slide Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Bunting revealed he had to dig deeper to make his comeback in Blackpool Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Bunting, 40, failed to make a televised semi-final last season and faces dropping down the Order of Merit unless he can produce another deep run on the big stage. The Bullet kept those hopes alive with a dramatic 13-12 victory over Niels Zonneveld in the opening round of the World Matchplay. Sign up for the Sport newsletter Thank you! Former Masters champ Bunting survived THREE match darts at 10-9 down before pinning a sensational 118 checkout to stay alive and complete an incredible comeback at the Winter Gardens. Bunting admitted he had to dig deeper than ever to avoid an early exit in Blackpool. He said: “I started off I felt really good. Niels started finding his feet. “In the back of my mind, I thought it’s his debut. Try and put as much pressure on him as I could. “Listen, he’s a fantastic player. I’ve played with him a few times. I knew the record. I knew how good he was. “But listen, the Matchplay stage is so different. Most read in Sport WORLD CUP 2026 FREE BETS AND SIGN UP OFFERS Darts travel offers WE have teamed up with some of the UK’s finest travel firms to come up with these darts packages. Join the party when Luke Littler and co take centre stage. 🎯 NEW YORK DARTS MASTERS — Amazing trip to New York which includes a VIP meet & greet with the stars — BUY HERE 🎯 BETFRED WORLD MATCHPLAY — See the world’s finest players go head to head in Blackpool’s Winter Gardens — BUY HERE * If you click on a link we will earn affiliate revenue. “I had to dig, dig, dig, dig, dig really deep to be able to get through. “That’s where the hypnotism comes into play. That’s where everything comes into play. “You never, ever give in, but you’re still behind the stage, head in hands, wishing your opponent to miss. “But thankfully, I was able to come back to the board. “I can’t remember the finish, the tops finish.” Away from the oche, Bunting has also been busier than ever after releasing his autobiography, Bulletproof: From Pub to Palace, My Life in Darts, while continuing to grow his YouTube channel and personal brand. But despite juggling more commitments than ever, Bunting insists his focus remains firmly on extending his career at the very top. He added: “Listen, for me, it’s so important to try and forget it. “I’ve got so much stuff going on in my head at the moment. I’ve got the book coming out. I’ve got my YouTube. And I’m trying to be a professional and successful dart player. “Thankfully, I’m able to forget about the rankings at the moment. I don’t really think about it as much as you guys probably do. “I know at the end of the day, over the last few years, I’ve been one of the best players in the world. “And I know for a fact, the next few years, I need to keep doing what I’ve done. “Listen, I want to be back in the Premier League. I want to be in the biggest tournaments in the world. “But I’m under no illusion that I need to improve. And I’m going to keep trying. “I’m coming to the end of my career. “You’ve got the likes of Luke Littler; he’s got a long time. They’re taking a lot of time away from the tour. “I’ve still played an awful lot of darts this year. I still feel pretty fresh for what I’ve done, to be honest. “I think we’ve managed the calendar really well. It’s nice to be able to bring the family here. “It’s nice to be able to go on holiday next week and go to Gibraltar and really enjoy that time. “The book, everything else, everything I’m working for is part of the Bunting brand to increase that. “Without the fans, we’re nothing. Keeping them on board, keeping playing great darts, that’s what it’s all about. “Thankfully, I’m able to juggle it at the moment, but we’ll see what happens in the future.” Comment now