One of darts’ biggest names won over £1million in prize money and spent it all, living by his philosophy that there’s no point being the richest man in the graveyard
Eric Bristow was a maverick figure in darts(Image: Getty)
Darts icon Eric Bristow blew over £1million of his winnings and had no regrets. Known as the quintessential player of the 1980s darts scene, Bristow lived a fast-paced life that few current players could comprehend.
He drank, smoked, romanced and partied his way through the late-70s and 80s, all while dominating the world of darts. The larger than life character won five BDO World Championships and five World Masters before retiring from competitive darts in 2007.
Bristow tragically passed away at the age of 60 on April 5, 2018, suffering a heart attack at a Premier League Darts event in Liverpool. His whirlwind life was based around a personal ethos of enjoying his wealth rather than hoarding it, having seen many people save for a rainy day only to die prematurely.
Bristow once revealed his spending habits in an interview with The Telegraph, saying: “I won more than a million pounds in prize money and blew the lot. My philosophy is you’ve got to enjoy life while you can.
“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? Yes, I’ve blown a million, which was an awful lot back in the eighties, but I’ve still got a few quid. When it comes to spending I don’t splash out on fancy cars.
READ MORE: Eric Bristow comment broke Phil Taylor’s heart as darts champion speaks outREAD MORE: Meet darts’ female trailblazer of 1980s who was banned from pub games but proved doubters wrong
“I never have. I’m not a car man. What I like are holidays. I take three or four a year, with my favourite destinations being Tenerife and Las Vegas, which I’ve visited more than 50 times. Sometimes I’ll go for a month.
“Vegas is the gambling capital of America, of course, although I’m mainly a people watcher. You can sit at the bar and watch the world go by. It’s a fantastic place, but I must admit I do enjoy a bit of a flutter and will play the tables.
“My biggest loss over there was a couple of thousand dollars, but I’ve always been lucky and have won 17 grand on a machine and 12 grand playing craps. I even won 11 grand playing a bingo game while sitting at a bar with mates.”
Eric Bristow was a five-time world champion(Image: Getty)
The Crafty Cockney was raised in Stoke Newington as an only child to a plasterer and telephonist in a working-class household. He says his upbringing made him streetwise before his natural ability at the oche led him to join a local darts team aged 14.
When he last won the World Championship in 1986, the prize money was still around £20,000, an incredibly modest sum compared to what players like Luke Littler earn today. His biggest win came in Japan in 1988, where he pocketed £42,000.
Despite ‘blowing’ over a million, Bristow ensured he had the essentials covered. He explained: “You can’t go wrong with bricks and mortar, not that I own lots of property. I live in a modest two-bedroom detached house in Leek, which cost around £130,000.
Eric Bristow tried to enjoy his prize money(Image: Getty)
“It’s all paid for and hopefully worth lots more now. I’ve had my days of big houses with three quarters of an acre where it takes six hours to mow the lawn.
“When my parents split up around 25 years ago, I bought my mum a little one-bedroom flat in Walthamstow, London, for £22,000. She sold it eight years ago for £130,000 and moved up to my neck of the woods. That was certainly a good buy because from the proceeds of the sale she was able to buy a brand new house, and furnish it as well.”
He went on to add: “I don’t bother much [with investing] now. I earn and then go out and spend. I earn more money now, thanks to personal appearances and my Sky and Harrows contracts. I still love what I do and am appearing in the forthcoming Bullseye tour, which will be a real laugh.”
