Darts world champion received 'earth shattering' tax bill that declared him bankrupt

Former Winmau World Masters champion and BDO World Darts Championship finalist Mervyn King has opened up about the “earth-shattering” moment he realised he would have to file for bankruptcy due to an error related to his darts prize money.

King, 59, was declared bankrupt in 2025 because he did not realise that he had to pay tax on his winnings from darts.

The Ipswich-born player, who competed in the BDO between 1994 and 2007 before later moving to compete under the PDC banner, explained how he “was not under the impression” that he had to pay tax on the “winnings” he received through his achievements in the sport.

The 59-year-old revealed that he owed £500,000 in tax to HMRC during an open interview with Tungsten Tales.

The darts star then explained that he was forced to sell all of his assets, including his motorbike, after he was made bankrupt.

“They emptied my accounts and froze my account twice, which put me in a lot of trouble because I had a lot of direct debits going out which weren’t being paid, so I was incurring charges against them,” he explained.

King added: “I looked at the final total and I thought if I don't find a magic wand or win the lottery, then that's not getting paid — it's impossible.”

The 2004 Winmau World Masters champion, who described the feeling as “earth-shattering”, has since returned to the sport he loves despite the personal setback.

He competed at the 2025/26 World Darts Championship, losing 3–2 to Ian White in the first round.

The darts veteran had earlier “returned to work” when “darts stopped” during what was a tough period in his life.

King then explained that he was highlighting his horrific ordeal to prevent other people from ending up in the same precarious position. He also revealed that he lacked guidance and know-how about how to manage his finances, although he admitted the mistake was “ignorance on his part”.

He added: “As of today (March 4), I am released from bankruptcy. It’s over, it’s a fresh start, and I can start again. I wanted to help other players, especially the young ones. I don’t want these young players to end up in the same position. If this just stops one person from ending up like this, then it’s great.”