The career of former world number 14 darts player Andy Jenkins lies in ruins after he was handed a devastating 11-year ban for match-fixing, effectively ending his professional involvement in the sport.
The Rise and Fall of a Darts Career
Jenkins, who famously reached the semi-finals of the PDC World Championship in 2007, was once a mainstay at the top of the game. After switching from the BDO in 2002, he climbed rapidly to a career-high ranking of 14th in the world. However, his fortunes declined after losing his PDC Tour card, leading to his participation in the MODUS Super Series.
Investigation and Guilty Verdict
Earlier this year, Jenkins was expelled from darts in disgrace following an investigation into suspicious betting patterns. The Darts Regulation Authority (DRA) found him guilty of fixing 12 matches in the MODUS Super Series between February 2022 and July 2023.
While he denied the match-fixing allegations, Jenkins did admit to placing 88 bets on darts matches between March 2022 and May 2023. For this breach of betting rules, he received an additional 12-month suspension, which will run concurrently with his other sanctions.
Severe Consequences and a Stark Warning
The 11-year ban, which has been backdated to November 2023, prohibits Jenkins from playing in or being involved in any capacity with any DRA-sanctioned event until November 15, 2034. He was also ordered to pay £17,500 in costs.
John Pierce, the Gambling Commission's enforcement director, stated the ruling sends a clear message. "This case sends a strong and unequivocal message to all sportspeople - if you fix matches, you are likely to be caught and face serious consequences," he said. "Our sports betting intelligence unit will continue to work closely with partners such as the Darts Regulation Authority to identify and prevent match-fixing."
Jenkins is not alone in facing such severe penalties. Earlier this year, Indian player Prakash Jiwa received a similar lengthy ban for match-fixing. Last year, the DRA also handed out bans to Leighton Bennett and Billy Warriner for betting-related breaches at the same Modus Super Series, highlighting a continued crackdown on corruption within the sport.
The news breaks as the 2025 PDC World Darts Championship continues at London's Alexandra Palace, a stark contrast to the disgraced former semi-finalist's current predicament.
