Gerwyn Price went from darts boo-boy to crowd favourite… but could quit sport at any minute for thriving side hustle
GERWYN PRICE may be an underdog to win Premier League Darts - but he often excels as being the outsider.
The Iceman takes on Luke Littler in the semi-final at the O2 Arena on Thursday.
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Price qualified in fourth spot, proving he was worth his place after some questioned his selection after a misfiring 2024.
He did so in style too, hitting nine darters in Manchester and Aberdeen.
No longer is he the pantomime villain, being booed at arenas across the country.
Opposition to the Welshman grew so strong he wore ear defenders at the World Championship in 2023 to block out the noise.
Price suggested his newfound popularity may actually be a case of his rivals being even more disliked than him.
He said: "Maybe there's one or two characters in there now that the fans probably don't favour.
"So they look to go somewhere else and if they want to cheer me on and help me get over the winning line. I'm happy with that.
"I think there's a couple of characters in the Premier League that some venues don't really like as well."
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Price has enjoyed an upturn in form this year, winning the Players Championship 2.
He also finished as runner-up in the Bahrain Darts Masters and has reached the last eight at seven tournaments this year.
Classy Luke Littler celebrates with Gerwyn Price as Welshman hits incredible nine-darter to bag £30k gold darts
But even if his career at the oche takes a permanent turn for the worse, having last won a major in 2022, Price has a booming side hustle he can turn to.
The 39-year-old has converted a pharmacy into a fish and chip shop in his hometown Markham, Wales.
And it has given him a more relaxed attitude about darts, with Price even hinting at a potential retirement.
He said: "I'm sort of in the mindset now that, I'll turn up and play in whatever events I'm in and if I'm not in them, I don't really care.
"I've built a platform so to speak, for me to just do what I want to do. If I fall outside the top 64 and finish darts tomorrow, I really don't care. I'm just going to start enjoying darts now, turn up when I want to turn up and when I have to turn up.
"I think, in previous years, it's been darts first and family life after but that's going to change now.
"It's going to be family life first, darts after. My main priority is back at home."
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