Darts Prodigy Who Beat Phil Taylor When He Was 13 Now Banned From PDC Events

A darts prodigy who defeated Phil Taylor when he was just 13 is now banned from appearing in any PDC event.

Leighton Bennett, who remains the youngest winner of the BDO World Youth Championship after lifting the title at 13, was tipped to achieve great things in the sport.

In fact, back in March 2019, 16-time world champion Phil Taylor said Bennett could become the youngest-ever world champion. "It all depends on him and his dedication," he added.

A few hours after that interview with YouTube channel Live Darts TV and Taylor recorded a 10-7 win over Bennett during a special SAP exhibition at the Tower of London.

“For his age, he’s probably the best player I’ve ever seen," said Taylor after the match. "If anyone is going to challenge Eric’s record, it’s this lad."

Later that year, Taylor was beaten by a 13-year-old Bennett at the SAP Darts Slam in Frankfurt, with the schoolboy recording a 4-1 win.

Speaking after the match, Bennett said: "I feel like a kid on Christmas morning, I never believed this was possible. I had a great match with Phil at the Tower of London a couple of months ago, but he was too good."

He added: "It's a brilliant win, but now I just have to forget about it very quickly. I know I leapt up in the air again after the final dart, but I need to keep my feet on the ground."

Bennett, who was known by the nickname 'Boom Boom', would go on to compete at the 2020 BDO World Championship, becoming the youngest-ever competitor in the tournament's history.

Unlike the prolific Luke Littler, who made an instant impact on the professional scene, it would be another four years until Bennett was a full-time member of the PDC.

But in 2024, everything came crashing down when the teenager was suspended from the PDC after suspicious betting patterns were reported in four of his matches at the MODUS Super Series in September 2023.

Leighton Bennett pictured at the BDO Darts Championships in 2020. Image credit: Getty

Bennett was banned from competing in any event sanctioned by the Darts Regulation Authority (DRA) while the investigation into the matches were ongoing.

He would be handed an eight-year ban from darts by the DRA, who found him guilty of 10 charges that included match fixing.

A DRA statement read: "Bennett was found guilty of 10 charges for fixing the four matches, provided inside information on the matches, of failing to assist an investigation and for signing a contract with an unregistered agent.

"For proven breaches of DRA rules relating to eight allegations in connection with the fixing of results of four matches, one related to failing to assist an investigation, and one for signing a contract with an unregistered agent, Bennett is suspended from playing in or being involved in any way in any DRA regulated events for a total period of eight years and ordered to pay £8,100.23 costs, such suspension to end at 23:59 on August 11, 2032."

He had until December 14 to lodge an appeal against the verdict.

Leighton Bennett was handed an eight-year ban for match-fixing in 2024. Image credit: Getty

Bennett's ban is the joint-second-longest ever received by a darts player, with Billy Warriner being handed a 10-year ban after admitting to 19 of 21 charges - including match-fixing - brought against him as part of the same hearing.