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'I've got three darts at double 16 and if I hit this the mortgage is paid' - Paul Nicholson on the fine line between money and honor

Originally posted on Dartsnews.com | Last updated Aug 23, 2025 11:39 AM ET

In an interview with SportingLife , former major winner Paul Nicholson explained how heavy the pressure of having to win can weigh on someone. Especially when you have to win to pay your bills.

Nicholson himself knows better than anyone how much difference there can be financially between, say, winning a tournament or losing the final. "It was for £32,000 when I hit the winning dart at the Players Championship Finals in 2010.

"I think it was the World Cup final. I had two darts one at double 20 and one at double 10. Missing those cost me an extra £10,000. It had absolutely nothing to do about the money, it was about the medal and all about missing it for Australia and Simon (Whitlock). Those were the things that hurt. It had nothing to do with the money.

"Drama for Joe Cullen"

But that also pales in comparison to players like Joe Cullen who missed double 16 in the 2022 Premier League Darts final. "Joe Cullen has said that he missed a dart for £250,000. I think technically it wa s £130,000 as I think he got £120,000 for the runners-up spot."

Although Nicholson also points out that you have two types of players. "You have two different players out there, people who want to win titles and people who want to win money. I admire both. You've got people who want silverware and you've got mercenaries. There are plenty of those, you tend to find the merceneries are the guys who are more senior in age and rank."

"If you're playing for a mortgage payment, that's tough. You might think I've got three darts at double 16 and if I hit this the mortgage is paid for the month. That's a horrible way to think. The best players play without financial pressure."