The PDC and Humphries Have Hit the Bull and More Is to Come
Darts star Ross Smith recently joined pupils from Martinshaw Primary School in Leicester for the latest Bullseye Maths school session. The PDC’s award-nominated Bullseye Maths scheme includes in-school visits around televised events, where top players help to promote numeracy in fun, darts-based sessions.
Smith, the reigning European Champion, took time out from his preparations for his World Grand Prix second-round tie with Joe Cullen to educate 28 pupils who took part in the Bullseye Maths session. As usual, the class featured a mixture of worksheets encouraging problem-solving and practical activities at the dartboard.
European Champion Ross Smith is the latest PDC pro to take Bullseye Maths on tour. ©PDCEurope
“I really enjoyed the Bullseye Maths session, and it was superb to see the kids having fun and getting involved,” said Smith. “It’s trying to make learning more enjoyable for children; darts is a great game and it’s a great skill to have the maths. It was a privilege to be part of the Bullseye Maths session and I hope the pupils can be inspired to enjoy maths more in the future.”
Skills That Hit the Bull
Bullseye Maths was introduced in 2022 as a fun and inclusive way to promote numeracy after studies found that numeracy levels amongst children had been affected during the Covid-19 pandemic. The numeracy charity Maths On Toast supports the scheme.
Alongside an online Bullseye Maths portal, in-school sessions are run by Nottingham College’s Room 180 Academy staff and include a combination of numeracy exercises and a darts-based game provided by GoDartsPro.
The educational tool has been a big hit with schools. Following Smith’s visit to Martinshaw Primary School, its Head Teacher, Neil Elson said: “It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to welcome the PDC to Martinshaw Primary School.” He then added:
“The team working with our children were great and everyone had a super time improving their maths skills while also having fun playing darts. Other skills also came into play such as teamwork, resilience and empathy, but it was also great to see the children improve their fine motor skills as they honed in on their dart throwing accuracy.”
Humphries Heading to the Top
Smith would exit the World Grand Prix in the second round. He was beaten 3-1 by Joe Cullen. Cullen proceeded to the semi-finals of last weekend’s tournament where he lost to the eventual competition winner, Luke Humphries.
The new champion, who recorded a 170 checkout in the final and completed his 5-2 demolition of Gerwyn Price with a 138 finish, collected a £120,000 prize. The 2023 World Grand Prix is the first major televised title on Humphries CV.
The 28-year-old from Newbury has now moved above Price in the PDC Order of Merit. Sustained progress over the last 18 months – winning five European Tour titles and reaching the semi-finals in five of his last seven televised events – has seen him rise to fourth in the standings.
Humphries believes he can climb higher and has his sights set on the top spot. “When you make the top 32, you think: ‘This is amazing’. Then you break into the top 16 and top eight and you think: ‘It can’t get any better’,” he said after collecting his World Grand Prix trophy.
“You have to keep pushing and pushing. Now I’m in the top four of the world. I have exceeded all my expectations on how I saw my career going, but there’s one place left for me, and it’s at the top.”
Plenty to Play for in Next Two Months
The PDC Order of Merit is based on prize money won over a two-year period by players in ranking tournaments. It is currently headed by Michael Smith with £1,307,750 next to his name. Michael van Gerwen (£1,117,250) and Peter Wright (£1,034,500) follow.
Luke Humphries two-year earnings are £764,250. His next opportunity to significantly boost his bank balance – by £150,000 if he were to win – will come at the Grand Slam of Darts at the Aldersley Leisure Village between November 11-19.
Starting on December 15, a £2.5 million prize-fund will be distributed amongst the world’s elite players at the Paddy Power World Darts Championship. From a ranking standpoint, Peter Wright has the most to lose at the Sky Sports televised event. The £500,000 he collected for winning the title in 2022 will soon be removed from his PDC Order of Merit numbers.
Darts betting sites do not hold out much hope for Wright, who has seen his form dip badly in recent months. He is quoted on 25/1 to take a third world crown. It is Michael van Gerwen that tops the 2024 World Championship betting on 7/2.
The Dutch star is followed by Gerwyn Price (4/1), Michael Smith (7/1) and the rapidly improving Luke Humphries (9/1). Ross Smith, who has reached the last 32 stage of the World Championship for the past two years, is amongst the bigger-priced contenders. He is 80/1 to claim the prize.
