Stephen Bunting invests prize money in rest and family happiness with luxury caravan and garden

Stephen Bunting has fulfilled his recent sporting success in magnificent fashion. After his impressive semi-final finish at the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace - where he was stranded against later world champion Luke Littler, 'The Bullet' was able to credit a whopping £100,000 to his account.

Instead of opting for luxury or extravagance, the 41-year-old Englishman decided to invest the money in quality time with his family.

"Part of my money went on the garden and then we've also just bought a caravan in a Haven site in North Wales," Bunting told Spin Bet. “It’s a lovely get away from the house and from playing darts to spend some time with my family.

For Bunting, who already became world champion with the BDO in 2014, success is now more about peace than fame. "Haven sites are always great for the kids so there is plenty to do there, and it isn't too far away with it being an hour-and-a-half from down the road. I can be in my own luxury caravan out the way and loving life."

There was not much time to enjoy himself at home after the World Championship. "After the Worlds, I didn't get much time off because I came back on the day of the final, got home and had not seen the baby for a week and I had her in my arms. My manager then rang me and said I was going to Germany for a pro-am gala, so I wasn't at home too much to spend any money."

After his World Championship run, things progressed athletically for the Liverpool-based dart player. He won both the Bahrain Darts Masters and his first-ever European Tour title at the International Darts Open in Germany, racking up £30,000 each time.

With now £573,000 in earnings, Bunting is firmly in fourth place on the PDC Order of Merit. Yet he also had difficult moments, especially in Premier League Darts. For the first time in a decade, he was part of the prestigious eight-man squad, as a reward for his performance at the World Cup.

However, that return was difficult: Bunting lost his first eight games in a row. Only on evening nine, in Berlin, he could record his first victory. This was followed by several semifinals, but with 12 points, he was ultimately stuck at the bottom of the standings, just behind Rob Cross. His total earned premium in the Premier League came to £60,000, including a £10,000 bonus for his only evening win.