The legendary darts player Eric Bristow, a dominant force in the sport during the 1980s, famously won and spent over £1 million in prize money throughout his career, expressing no regrets about his lavish lifestyle.
A Maverick's Philosophy: Spend It While You Can
Known as 'The Crafty Cockney', Bristow was the quintessential figure of darts' boom era. He lived a fast-paced life of drinking, smoking, and partying, all while securing his status as one of the greatest players ever. His personal ethos was simple: enjoy wealth rather than hoard it. He once told The Telegraph, "My philosophy is you’ve got to enjoy life while you can."
He elaborated on this view, stating, "There’s not much point being the richest man in the graveyard. So long as you’ve got enough money to get by, why not spend the rest?" Bristow had seen many people save for a rainy day only to die prematurely, which shaped his approach to the fortune he amassed from the oche.
How a Darts Champion Spent a Fortune
Despite his substantial earnings, Bristow was not drawn to flashy cars. Instead, he preferred to spend on experiences, particularly holidays. He took three or four trips a year, with his favourite destinations being Tenerife and Las Vegas – the latter of which he visited more than 50 times, sometimes for a month at a time.
While in Vegas, he admitted to enjoying "a bit of a flutter" on the tables. His reported wins included £17,000 on a machine and £12,000 playing craps, though he also experienced losses of a couple of thousand dollars. He even won £11,000 playing a bingo game while sitting at a bar with friends.
Bristow did ensure his essentials were covered, investing in "bricks and mortar". He lived in a modest, fully-paid two-bedroom detached house in Leek, which cost around £130,000. In a touching family gesture, he also bought his mother a one-bedroom flat in Walthamstow, London, for £22,000, which she later sold for £130,000.
The Legacy of a Five-Time World Champion
Eric Bristow's darts career was extraordinary. He won five BDO World Championships and five World Masters titles, with his last world win coming in 1986 for a prize of around £20,000. His biggest single win was £42,000 in Japan in 1988.
Raised in a working-class household in Stoke Newington, Bristow joined a local darts team at 14. He retired from competitive darts in 2007 but continued earning through personal appearances and contracts with Sky and Harrows. Tragically, he died of a heart attack on April 5, 2018, at a Premier League Darts event in Liverpool. He was 60 years old.
His life remains a testament to his unique philosophy, having truly lived by the idea that money is for enjoying, not just accumulating. The darts world remembers him not only for his unmatched skill but for his charismatic, larger-than-life approach to everything he did.
