Peter ‘Snakebite’ Wright – Darts World Champion

“Scotland get battered everywhere they go” were the chants from English fans throughout January’s Darts World Championship. However, Scotland’s Peter ‘Snakebite’ Wright seemed to have other ideas on how his campaign panned out as he represented the saltire. The man from Livingston, West Lothian put on a show as he saw off England’s Michael Smith at the Alexandria Palace venue on Monday the 3rd of January. Snakebite clinched his second world championship of his career with this 7-5 victory to earn half a million pounds sterling in winnings.

Snakebite started quickly and was emphatic in taking an early 2-0 set lead over Smith. The Englishman fought back, responding right away to tie sets up at 2-2. Snakebite answered this comeback by narrowly winning the fifth set to put himself back in the driving seat at 3-2. Again however, Smith refused to be beaten so easily, as he climbed back by winning sets six and seven to tip the balance of the game in his favor at 4 sets to 3. Smith looked to also take control of momentum as he dominated set seven by winning the sets last five legs. 

Wright found his way back into the game, taking the eight set in style, however it was a tale of hit and miss as he then went on to miss five chances at a double in the ninth set, mistakes which were capitalized on by Smith who went on to win the ninth set which piled all the pressure back on to Snakebite for the tenth set. 

If there was any pressure weighing on the Scots shoulders, it was invisible – Wright took the tenth set after coming back from two legs to nil to tie the game up at five sets each. This inspirational comeback spurred Snakebite on to claim the last two sets averaging over 110 across both sets, and winning nine of the last ten legs. 

Peter ‘Snakebite’ Wright, 51, has been around the darts scene since the late eighties, starting his love affair with the game in 1987. He goes by the name of Snakebite due to his love for snakes, and his unorthodox and colorful mohawk haircut to show off the snake tattoo on the side of his head. Wright was born in Livingston, West Lothian but moved to England with his family aged five. Though he is now based in Suffolk, he has never lost his connection to his Scottish roots. Wright also rises to fourth on the all time aggregate prize money list now with this win bringing his total career earnings to $8 million. 
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Congratulations from us all at the American Scottish Foundation on your victory Peter!

Written by Cameron Steer