The Isle of Wight’s homegrown darts hero Joe Hunt is a rising star in the darts world – and 2026 could make or break his career trajectory. Currently playing in the Pro Darts Tour’s second-tier competition the PDC Challenge Tour, he has already won two back-to-back events in 2026 and he leads the tour.
If he can keep up that form he could establish himself as a real contender – and possibly cement a place at the World Championship.
After recently reaching the quarter finals of the Players’ Championship in Wigan, he told Darts News:
“Now that I’m on top, it’s about holding that position and securing a PDC Tour Card and a spot at the Worlds. That’s the reality now.”
From Social Clubs to the World Stage
Joe moved to the Isle of Wight at a young age, where his mother ran a cafe. He was playing in the local darts league by the age of twelve. He was, by his own admission already quite good, saying in that same recent interview:
“I was already too good for the adults, so I had to wait a year before I could officially take part.”
Then he stopped for nearly a decade, before picking his darts up again after the pandemic lockdowns. Five years later, and he’s on the cusp of the truly big leagues.
The money is already coming in too. With his PDC Challenger Tour wins and placements in Players’ Championship events, he has already brought in more than £20,000 in prize money in 2026. That’s far from the millions earned by breakout stars like Luke Littler. And not quite enough for Hunt to go full time pro just yet – but its a start.
And if he keeps winning, the World Darts Championship at London’s Alexandra Palace could be on the cards. With the profile of darts on the rise, this year a £5 million prize pool will be on the line.
But can the Islander make it?
As darts continues to grow in popularity, betting has become part of the wider fan experience around major PDC events. Bookmakers like bet365 often run darts-specific promotions during televised tournaments, and fans can read more about the bonus here if they’re interested in those offers.
For emerging players like Hunt, that growing attention around the sport only adds to the opportunity. Strong performances on the Pro Tour don’t just bring prize money — they also help raise a player’s profile at a time when more eyes than ever are on the game.
Recent Form and a Defining Run Incoming
Most recently, Hunt went out of the Players’ Championship 12 in Milton Keynes, after losing to eventual finalist Jermaine Wattimena in the round of 16.
Not long before that, Hunt had put on one of his best career performances at Players’ Championship 10 in Wigan. There he reached the quarter finals beating two world top 10 players in Stephen Bunting (#8) and Josh Rock (#7).
Last year, he won his first challenge title, and in January this year he won two in a row to crack the World Top 100 rankings for the first time. That kind of form means he’s now on the edge of proving he deserves a spot among the elite of the sport.
Upcoming Challenger Tour stops are in Hildesheim, Germany, in May, Milton Keynes in August and Wigan in September.
However, since winning Challenge Tour Event #2 and #3 in January, he hasn’t placed any better than a quarter final appearance. He still leads the Challenger Tour prize money standings, but he will likely have to win or hit a final appearance in at least one more tournament to stay ahead of the more consistent Derek Coulson in second place.
As for the Player’s Championship series, Hunt is well positioned but far from the top spots. His best place so far was the aforementioned quarter final place at Robin Park in Wigan in mid April. That bagged him £4000, which is more than the winner gets in a PDC Challenge event. So, if Hunt wants to take the next step and go full time professional he’ll need to start more consistently placing in those events.
The top 64 players qualify for the World Championship, and Hunt currently sits 28th of 64 with six tournaments and two tour stops remaining. He does not, however, have a full time spot on the list. So it possible might not play again at a Player’s Championship
Championships 13 and 14 will be in Hildesheim, and 15 to 18 will be in Leicester. Both in mid May.
With just £7000 in prize money between him and the bottom places, Hunt will at least need to place well in at least one, possibly two tournaments to keep his position. A win or even a final place, for £15,000 or £10,000, respectively, would all but guarantee him a place at the World Championship.
