Peter Wright is number three on the world rankings and one of the most dazzling figures in the already colorful darts world. "Snakebite," as Wright is known, stands for party, shrill elevators, and a self-confidence bordering on arrogance. Together with his wife Joanne, he invented the art figure "Snakebite" to deliver on the big stages, he was from casual jobber to millionaire.
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And then there's the private Wright, a polite, shy, introverted person. Almost these character traits on the way to the star of his sport had become doomed to him. But first in order.
Wright was born in 1970 in Livingston, Scotland. He only knows his father from photos. When he was five years old, his mother fled with him to London. The family thought Wright's mother was too young to raise and wanted to take it away from her. In a conversation with Der Spiegel, Wright tells us that he can barely remember his childhood days, perhaps even displaced many things.
"We did not live in the best area, were in need of help, got money from the state - for the apartment, food, everything - it was really hard." Wright got his first arrows for his 13th birthday. Because his mother could not afford a board, he initially painted targets on trees. At 15, he played in a bar team and already hinted at his great talent, two years later, he was one of London's best players. But he lacked self-confidence; and someone who encouraged him to try it as a pro.
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Peter Wright in 2010
In 1995, he found the first way into the limelight, he qualified for the World Cup of the British Darts Organization (BDO). The then 25 -year-old lost - dressed in black and without extravagant hairstyle - in round one against the eventual champion Richie Burnett. For the time being it was a unique performance on a big stage. For more than ten years, Wright played only on a regional level and earned his money with odd jobs.
Ultimately, it was his wife Joanne who encouraged him to seriously try as a pro. In 2007, the two watched the Grand Slam of Darts on TV. When Wright told his wife that he had already beaten most of the players who were on screen, she urged him to make his dream come true.
"He never had anyone to support him," Joanne Wright told The Telegraph in 2017. "Everyone told him he would never make it, he was just too shy, we had to give him self-confidence."
The transformation takes two hours
And so "Snakebite" was created. Joanne is a hairdresser and missed Peter's colorful hair and the Mohawk cut. Add to that the extravagant shirts and pants. The painted on the left side of the head snake completed the outfit. Out of the shy and self-doubting Peter, the daredevil entertainer "Snakebite" became the darts player.
For the outer transformation, the Wrights need about two hours - before each game. It took years for the inner ones. Wright cashed in 2008 only 1200 pounds of prize money. In the following years he established himself on the tour, but at the end of each season was still a minus. In early 2013, the Wrights decide that they will try one last season. At the end of the year, "Snakebite" is completely surprising in the World Cup final, cashed for 100,000 pounds and is a crowd pleaser.
Wright's behavior is not always well received by his professional colleagues. Michael van Gerwen once accused him of lack of respect, compatriot Gary Anderson advised him to keep his mouth shut. And indeed, "Snakebite" polarizes in the darts scene, maybe because he arrives so well with the fans. Often he likes to tell that he will eventually be number one. And besides Phil Taylor, there's no player who deserves his respect anyway.
2018 was not the best year for Wright. He won only three tournaments, too rarely showed his top level. Unlike in previous years, he is not considered one of the top favorites. But what doubts Wright may have: If "Snakebite" tonight against Toni Alcinas (about 22.30 clock, live ticker on SPIEGEL ONLINE) on the way to the stage, if "Do not Stop The Party" of "Pit Bull "blaring from the loudspeakers when thousands of fans cheer him on, then" Snakebite "will delight the crowd with his skipping-dance and be convinced that he is the best player in the world.