I’m a two-time World Darts champ with millions in career earnings but I get just £200 a week from my wife
HE has an estimated net worth of £3million and has scooped over a million pound in the last two years.
But Peter Wright still lives off a £212-per-week wage, paid to him by his WIFE.
Snakebite, 44, is looking to win a third Paddy Power World Darts Championship when the tournament gets underway on Friday.
Wright has been beating himself up after a tough year on the oche and feels he should be contesting more finals and winning more events.
He hopes that turn in fortune comes in the big one at Ally Pally where he’s eyeing a third title and the £500,000 cheque that comes with it.
Not that he’ll spend any of it, mind you. The Livingston-born star has revealed he still lives off his weekly wage given to him by wife Joanne and joked she’s the richest boss in the sport.
Hairdresser Joanne is the artistic genius behind his bold and standout image at the oche.
And speaking exclusively to SunSport, Wright said: “Me? Lavish purchases? No, I don’t get to!
“I was at a preview night when asked the question. Michael van Gerwen’s bought a Rolls Royce or something like that and Michael Smith had bought something else and Gezzy had bought this and that.
“I get my £212 per week and just like playing my darts and trying to win trophies.
“While Jo is the richest manager in darts!”
Wright revealed previously that Jo manages his finances to ensure it’s sorted for him when he retires.
Both Jo and her father’s backing convinced Wright to go professional, with Jo initially sponsoring him to cover playing expenses such as flights, hotels and entry fees.
Wright admitted that 2022 was a ‘year from hell’ in his personal life with Jo spending time in hospital.
Thankfully, all appears to be OK now and he’s hoping his darts game can kick off, starting with this tournament on the horizon.
He added: “Last year Jo was in hospital for three weeks and thought she was going to die – it was that bad.
“Luckily enough – touch wood – we haven’t got anything at the moment.
“It’s still a while until I play so hopefully nothing happens in those few weeks.
“Everything else is going fine, though it’s been pretty rubbish in terms of the darts in general.
“I won the Nordic and won the European. To win a tournament of any kind against the best players in the world is some achievement in itself. But I should be winning a lot more and being in a lot more finals.”
NEW DARTBOARD
Paddy Power caused a stir in the darts world by unveiling a custom dartboard for the tournament which featured a dark green T-20 bed.
This was purely to capture the headlines before announcing their own ‘The BIG 180’ initiative ahead of this year’s championships.
It’s a campaign which Wright has featured in heavily, though on the board itself he joked: “I think having the green Treble 20 bed would’ve helped me this year as I was in the treble 5 and treble 1 most of the year anyway!”
He heads into the tournament as the fourth seed but reckons he thrives coming in under the radar.
Much of the pre-tournament chat has been on Luke Humphries’ incredible recent form, with Michael van Gerwen coming onto a game recently and defending champ Michael Smith in the mix too.
Wright added: “I always come into this tournament under the radar, which I don’t understand as I stand out the most!
“They’re always talking about Michael van Gerwen, Gary Anderson, Michael Smith and the like.
“Which is good as it keeps it off of me and I can just sneak round the back! I’d rather that.”
SNAKE BITES BACK
He also addressed the Snakebite nickname, adding: “Yes, it’s just because I like snakes!
“Like snakes, they just sit there and if you leave them alone they will just sit.
“But if you start to bother them then they will bite you!
“I’m a bit like Dennis Priestly, he just sits at his table and does his crossword or whatever.
“At my table it’s just me and Jo so it’s frustrating if other players come to the table and start mucking around.
“We’re here to work and we’re here to do a job. I suppose I just like being by myself and do my own thing so I get grumpy if others start annoying me.
“I’ve started to get like Otto in the movie with Tom Hanks – miserable and biting people’s heads off.”
