Stephen Bunting Darts – "The Bullet" Darts & Accessories at Diplomatgames

Stephen Bunting is one of the most popular English dart players today. The man from St Helens, nicknamed "The Bullet", combines two dart worlds: in 2014, he became BDO World Champion at the legendary Lakeside, later establishing himself at the top of the PDC world and winning his first major PDC TV title, the PDC Masters, in 2024. 2025 saw one of the most successful periods of his career with titles on the World Series, European Tour, and ProTour.

Bunting is also exceptional when it comes to equipment. He used to throw extremely light 12-gram darts – a true rarity in professional steel darts. He later switched to 18 grams and attributes this change to his improved athletic performance. Today, Target develops his successful Generation darts together with him.

At Diplomatgames, you'll find Stephen Bunting darts and matching dart accessories. But which darts does Stephen Bunting play, why does The Bullet use such light darts, and how did the Lakeside World Champion become one of the PDC's biggest crowd favorites? Here you can learn more about his career, successes, playing style, equipment, and the man behind "Bunting Mental".

Stephen Bunting Profile

Name: Stephen Bunting
Nickname: The Bullet
Date of Birth: April 9, 1985
Hometown: St Helens, England
Nationality: England
Throwing Hand: Right
Dart Manufacturer: Target
Current Known Dart Weight: 18 grams
Former Dart Weight: only 12 grams
Current Signature Series: Target Stephen Bunting Generation 5
BDO World Champion: 2014
BDO World Masters: two-time winner
PDC Masters: Winner 2024
Bahrain Darts Masters: Winner 2025
Nordic Darts Masters: Winner 2025
PDC World Championship: multiple semi-finalist
Walk-on Song: "Titanium" by David Guetta feat. Sia.

Who is Stephen Bunting?

Stephen Bunting was born on April 9, 1985, and hails from St Helens in northwest England.

His career is significantly different from many current PDC stars.

Before Bunting regularly competed against players like Michael van Gerwen, Luke Humphries, or Luke Littler, he was one of the absolute top players in the then BDO.

There, The Bullet eventually became World Champion.

In 2014, Bunting reached the pinnacle of his BDO career, winning the Lakeside World Championship.

After that, he made a far-reaching decision:

He switched to the PDC.

Stephen Bunting becomes World Champion in 2014

The BDO World Darts Championship at the Lakeside Country Club was one of the most traditional tournaments in darts for decades.

In 2014, Stephen Bunting was among the big favorites.

And The Bullet delivered.

In the final, he defeated Alan Norris 7-4 in sets and became World Champion for the first time.

At that time, Bunting was already the number one in the BDO world rankings and had won the prestigious World Masters twice, among other achievements.

For many players, the Lakeside title could have been the perfect reason to stay with their existing association.

Bunting decided otherwise.

He sought a new challenge and moved to the PDC.

The switch to the PDC

The leap from the BDO to the PDC was enormous at the time.

Suddenly, Bunting had to regularly compete against players like Phil Taylor, Michael van Gerwen, Gary Anderson, Adrian Lewis, and Peter Wright.

But the reigning Lakeside World Champion quickly showed that he could hold his own there too.

As early as 2015, he reached the semi-finals of the UK Open.

However, the really big PDC title took significantly longer to come.

And it is precisely this long dry spell that makes his later Masters triumph so emotional.

Stephen Bunting's greatest achievements

His most important career achievements include:

• BDO World Champion 2014
• two-time BDO World Masters Champion
• PDC Masters Champion 2024
• Bahrain Darts Masters Champion 2025
• Nordic Darts Masters Champion 2025
• European Tour Tournament Winner 2025
• Players Championship Winner 2025
• PDC World Championship Semi-finalist 2021
• PDC World Championship Semi-finalist 2025
• UK Open Semi-finalist 2015
• numerous other international titles.

This makes Bunting one of the relatively small group of players who have won major titles both in the old BDO system and at the highest PDC level.

Stephen Bunting wins the PDC Masters 2024

Almost ten years after his switch to the PDC, one of the most emotional moments of his career occurred.

At the Masters 2024, Bunting played his way to the final.

There awaited:

Michael van Gerwen.

Bunting was not intimidated by the three-time world champion and won the final 11-7.

Thus, The Bullet clinched his first major PDC TV title.

The scenes after the victory showed how much this success meant.

Bunting and his son Toby celebrated the title together and were visibly overwhelmed with emotion.

After many years in the PDC, The Bullet had finally proven:

He can also win a major title there.

Stephen Bunting at the 2025 World Championship

At the PDC World Darts Championship 2025, Bunting confirmed his strong development.

He defeated Kai Gotthardt, Madars Razma, Luke Woodhouse, and Peter Wright, among others, making it to the semi-finals.

However, a player who would go on to win the tournament awaited him there:

Luke Littler.

Littler won the semi-final convincingly 6-1.

Nevertheless, Bunting's run was further proof that The Bullet was consistently back among the extended world elite.

The strong year 2025

After his World Championship semi-final, Bunting's success continued.

In January, he won the Bahrain Darts Masters.

In the final, he defeated former world champion Gerwyn Price 8-4, claiming his first title on the World Series of Darts.

But it didn't stop there.

Target lists further victories for 2025, including a Players Championship, a European Tour event, and the Nordic Darts Masters.

Thus, the now 40-year-old Bunting became an interesting example that dart players do not necessarily reach their sporting peak in their early or mid-twenties.

What is Stephen Bunting's playing style like?

Stephen Bunting has a relatively fluid, direct, and rhythmic throw.

His equipment is particularly interesting.

While many professional steel dart players use darts between approximately 21 and 26 grams, Bunting used an almost extreme setup for a long time:

12 grams.

Target itself describes this weight as exceptionally rare among professional players.

Such a light dart reacts much more sensitively to the throw.

The player can rely less on the barrel's own weight to carry the dart stably towards the board.

However, Bunting has a very natural movement sequence and was able to control this extraordinary setup at a world-class level for years.

Why did Stephen Bunting switch from 12 to 18 grams?

The change in dart weight is one of the most interesting equipment stories of his career.

Bunting used to play 12-gram darts.

He later switched to 18 grams.

That sounds like a small difference at first.

In fact, it means:

50 percent more barrel weight.

Target itself establishes a connection between this change and Bunting's athletic upswing. With the heavier darts, The Bullet found more stability and control; his first major PDC TV title at the Masters 2024, among others, followed shortly thereafter.

For hobby players, this is an interesting lesson:

Just because you've played the same dart weight for years doesn't automatically mean that weight will remain optimal forever.

Which darts does Stephen Bunting play?

Stephen Bunting plays Target Darts.

Currently, Target features his Stephen Bunting Generation 5 as a signature series.

The G5 has a barrel made of 95% Tungsten. Target combines precise milling in the front section with radial grooves in the rear barrel area. Additionally, it features a black coating.

The barrel shape is particularly striking.

The Bunting G5 is front-loaded.

This clearly distinguishes it from many long, completely straight parallel barrels of other professionals.

What is special about Stephen Bunting darts?

Perhaps the biggest difference to many other professional darts is the combination of:

low weight + short/front-loaded barrel + high-quality 95% tungsten.

This can be particularly interesting for players who:

• prefer light steel darts,
• like a more compact barrel,
• grip at the front or middle,
• seek a front-loaded balance,
• have a fast, direct throw,
• or consciously want to try something completely different from a classic 23g parallel barrel.

However, switching from a typical 23- or 24-gram dart to a Bunting dart at 18 grams can feel enormously different.

Therefore, one should not underestimate the weight.

Stephen Bunting and Target

Stephen Bunting has been part of the Target team for many years.

The collaboration has resulted in numerous generations of his signature darts.

Currently, Target promotes the Generation 5 and various variants such as the G5 Void.

It is noteworthy that Target supported Bunting in perhaps his most important equipment change:

the switch from his famous ultra-light 12-gram darts to 18 grams.

Thus, the Bunting series is not just a signature product.

It also documents the technical development of his own game.

Stephen Bunting at Target Darts

Stephen Bunting and "Bunting Mental"

Stephen Bunting is now known not only for his sporting achievements.

Around The Bullet, the phrase developed:

"Bunting Mental!"

The term became part of his fan and social media identity.

His popularity grew enormously, especially during his sporting comeback. Bunting combines a likeable stage presence with a walk-on that has now developed into a real audience moment.

When "Titanium" plays and the hall sings along, Bunting's walk-on is now one of the more striking walk-ons in professional darts.

Why does Stephen Bunting walk on to "Titanium"?

Stephen Bunting's walk-on song is "Titanium" by David Guetta feat. Sia.

And there's a personal story behind it.

Bunting explained that the choice originally stemmed from his son, who liked the song. Over time, Titanium evolved into an integral part of his player identity.

The combination also works perfectly:

The Bullet + Titanium.

The audience now sings along to large parts of the song during his entrance.

Bunting even tried to contact Sia via Instagram – but he never received a reply.

Stephen Bunting and Family Guy

Another story has accompanied Bunting for many years now.

Fans noticed a certain visual resemblance between The Bullet and Peter Griffin from the animated series Family Guy.

Bunting took the comparison with humor.

Already during his BDO days, a video emerged where he danced to "Surfin' Bird" – a song closely associated with Peter Griffin through a famous Family Guy scene.

The video became an internet hit among darts fans. Bunting even used the song as walk-on music at the World Championship in 2011.

Instead of being annoyed by the comparison, Bunting virtually made it part of his public persona.

Stephen Bunting privately – wife and children

Stephen Bunting is married and a family man.

His wife's name is Keila.

The birth of his first son, Tobias, known as Toby, in 2012, became particularly important for his career.

Bunting already told the BBC in 2014 that the birth of his son marked a turning point. Subsequently, he played an extremely successful phase and developed into the number one in the BDO.

In 2024, the family grew again.

Stephen and Keila welcomed a second son named Theo.

Family thus plays a remarkably visible role in Bunting's career.

Stephen Bunting and son Toby

Toby is now well-known to many darts fans himself.

He often accompanies his father to tournaments and was, for example, present at the great Masters triumph in 2024.

After the victory against Michael van Gerwen, father and son both became emotional.

This revealed a moment that perfectly describes Bunting's career.

For The Bullet, darts is not just an individual sport.

His family is one of the most important factors behind his motivation.

The difficult side of popularity

The increasing fame, however, also has its downsides.

Bunting openly spoke about how he and even his son Tobias were insulted online.

During the 2026 World Championship, additional private burdens arose. Bunting reported spending Christmas with his younger son Theo in the emergency room.

Such stories show that the public perception of a professional athlete only reflects a small part of their actual tournament routine.

Bunting accordingly emphasized that outsiders do not see many personal burdens behind the scenes.

Stephen Bunting and mental health issues

Bunting has also spoken openly about mentally challenging phases in his career.

After sporting setbacks, he struggled with self-confidence and mental strain.

Hypnotherapy played an important role in his subsequent resurgence.

Bunting uses visualization and mental techniques, among other things, to better handle pressure situations. He describes this work as an important factor for his athletic and personal well-being.

His later career upswing, in particular, makes this story interesting.

From a former world champion whose great successes seemed to be behind him, he once again became a player who wins PDC titles and competes for world championships.

What does Stephen Bunting do off the dartboard?

Bunting is now a full-time darts professional and spends a significant part of the year on tournaments, exhibitions, travel, and training due to the extensive PDC calendar.

Beyond that, his family plays a major role.

In addition, Bunting has become extremely active on social media in recent years.

His humorous nature and the way he deals with "Bunting Mental" have contributed significantly to his fan base growing beyond traditional darts.

It is precisely this mixture of sporting comeback and personality that has made The Bullet one of the most recognizable PDC players.

Stephen Bunting – from Lakeside Champion to PDC Fan Favorite

Stephen Bunting's career has been anything but straightforward.

He was a two-time World Masters champion.

In 2014, he won the BDO World Championship.

After that, he switched to the PDC.

There he achieved strong results – but for a long time, no major TV title.

In between, Bunting lost confidence and struggled both sportingly and mentally.

Then he changed things.

He worked on his mindset.

He switched from 12 to 18 grams.

And suddenly a new phase of his career began.

In 2024, he won the Masters.

In 2025, he reached a World Championship semi-final again and won several international PDC tournaments.

Stephen Bunting finally became again:

The Bullet.

Or, as his fans now put it:

Bunting Mental.

Buy Stephen Bunting Darts at Diplomatgames

Do you want to try out Stephen Bunting's darts yourself or are you looking for the latest Target The Bullet Signature Darts?

At Diplomatgames you will find, depending on availability, various Stephen Bunting Darts from Target as well as suitable darts accessories.

Of particular interest are the current Target Stephen Bunting Generation 5 and the various variants of this series.

Bunting himself is currently particularly associated with 18-gram darts.

The low weight makes his darts an interesting alternative to the commonly used 22, 23, or 24-gram steel darts.

However, before buying, don't just pay attention to the weight.

Also compare:

Barrel length, diameter, grip structure, balance, and your personal grip position.

Discover the available Stephen Bunting Darts at Diplomatgames now and find out if The Bullet's light setup suits your own throwing style.

FAQ – frequently asked questions about Stephen Bunting

Which darts does Stephen Bunting play?

Stephen Bunting plays Target Signature Darts and currently the Generation 5 series. His G5 consists of 95% tungsten and has a front-loaded barrel with different grip zones.

How many grams does Stephen Bunting play?

Stephen Bunting currently plays 18 grams. Previously, he even used extremely light 12-gram darts. The switch to 18 grams, according to his and Target's statements, brought him additional control and stability.

Has Stephen Bunting been world champion?

Yes. Stephen Bunting won the BDO World Darts Championship at Lakeside in 2014. In the PDC, he reached the semi-finals of the World Championship several times.

What is Stephen Bunting's biggest PDC title?

Bunting won his first major PDC TV title at the Masters 2024. In the final, he defeated Michael van Gerwen 11-7.

Why is Stephen Bunting called "The Bullet"?

"The Bullet" is Stephen Bunting's long-standing nickname. The name suits his direct throw and is now firmly associated with his player identity.

What does "Bunting Mental" mean?

"Bunting Mental" is a popular fan expression surrounding Stephen Bunting, which became part of his public player identity, especially through social media and his growing popularity.

What is Stephen Bunting's walk-on song?

Stephen Bunting walks on to "Titanium" by David Guetta feat. Sia. The song was originally chosen partly because of his son and later became a fixed part of his walk-on.

Does Stephen Bunting have children?

Yes. Stephen Bunting and his wife Keila have two sons: Tobias "Toby" and Theo. Toby was born in 2012, Theo in 2024.

Where can you buy Stephen Bunting Darts?

You can buy Stephen Bunting Darts at Diplomatgames. Here you will find Target Stephen Bunting Signature Darts and suitable The Bullet accessories, depending on availability.