The World Championship is the holy grail of darts.
Lifting the crown instantly immortalises you in the history of the sport and can change your life.
Many players have enjoyed success in darts and lifted a plethora of trophies without realising their dream of capturing ‘the big one’.
Here, The Darts Insider takes a look at the top five players to never win the World Championship in the PDC.
5. Simon Whitlock
‘The Wizard’ is a modern icon of the sport who combined power-scoring and lethal finishing to form a deadly combination.
The 55-year-old has won an astonishing 19 titles in the PDC, including the European Championship in 2012 and the World Cup a decade later.
He came closest to the Sid Waddell trophy in 2010 where he lost 7-3 in the final to Phil Taylor, despite averaging in three figures.
The chance has seemingly gone for Whitlock now, with the current world number 51 not yet qualified for the upcoming event at Alexandra Palace.
In his prime, however, he was a serious force in darts.
4. John Lowe
John Lowe is arguably the most successful player on this list.
Prior to the darts split in 1993, Lowe lifted three World Championships in the BDO – one in three different decades.
‘Old Stoneface’ is also in the annals of history for hitting the first-ever televised nine-dart finish in 1984.
His title tally entered three figures but despite being a founding member of the PDC, he was unsuccessful in his attempts to lift their World Championship.
Lowe was nearly 50 when the PDC was formed but continued to play professionally until 2007, reaching the PDC World Championship semi-final twice.
He lost to Phil Taylor both times – a common theme in this list.
3. Martin Adams
Martin Adams’ career has spanned over 30 years though his time in PDC events was short-lived.
Adams first competed in the BDO World Championship in 1994 after the split and went on to lift their World Championship three times as well as three World Masters.
‘Wolfie’ did compete in two PDC majors in the early 2000s but after eligibility rules changed in 2002, Adams opted to remain in the BDO.
He continually refused invites to the PDC until 2015, when he finally accepted a place in the Grand Slam of Darts.
Adams’ dedication to the BDO is admirable and his ability is unquestionable.
Many players and fans alike have lauded the 68-year-old as a legend of the game and backed the former England captain to have experienced success if he had made the switch.
Though Adams never competed in a PDC World Championship, he undoubtedly would have been a threat to Phil Taylor and co.
2. Luke Littler
This may be the only year Luke Littler can appear on this list.
Littler burst onto the scene at the 2024 World Championship when the then 16-year-old captivated the nation with his run to the final – ultimately losing to Luke Humphries.
Since then, the teenager has captured seven titles in the PDC including the Premier League after beating Humphries to lift the trophy.
Many expect ‘The Nuke’ to capture many World Championships throughout his career and have compared the prodigy to a young Michael van Gerwen who himself has won three World titles.
Though there are no guarantees in darts, time is on Littler’s side and the teenage sensation could have many decades at the top of the sport.
Winning on the Alexandra Palace stage seems a mere formality rather than a question for Littler.
1. James Wade
Was there anyone else who was going to top this list?
James Wade is one of the most successful players in the history of the PDC yet has consistently underperformed at the World Championship.
The ten-time major winner found success in an era dominated by 16-time World Champion Phil Taylor but despite four semi-finals, he has failed to reach the final of the showpiece event.
Astonishingly, Wade has never even registered a ton-plus average in the tournament despite 20 consecutive appearances.
Though seemingly no longer at the peak of his powers, Wade reached the final four of the World Matchplay last month and was runner-up at the European Championship in October.
At 41 years old, fans of ‘The Machine’ will hope he has at least another decade of opportunities and if he’s taught us anything then it’s never to write off James Wade.
The likes of Van Gerwen, Littler and Humphries are expected to dominate in the coming years, but Wade has made a career out of upsetting the odds.
It would be of little surprise to see him finally capture the big one that has eluded him for so long.