Footage of player 'suspended from men's tour' over 'alleged suspicious betting' goes viral

Footage of a darts star suspended over alleged suspicious betting has gone viral on social media.

18-year-old darts star Leighton Bennett has been suspended by the Darts Regulation Authority (DRA) while an investigation into alleged suspicious betting activity is investigated.

The International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) flagged the suspicious activity to the DRA, who say that Bennet and fellow player Billy Warriner are suspended until the conclusion of the investigation.

The four matches under scrutiny took place during the MODUS Super Series between September 6 and September 9 last year.

The matches saw Bennett take on Mindaugas Barauskas, Benjamin Drue-Reus, Ryan Harrington and Mindaugas Barauskas again. None of them are suspected of any wrongdoing.

The young darts star has been suspended. [Getty]

"The Darts Regulation Authority with support from the Gambling Commission Sports Betting Intelligence Unit conducted a thorough investigation into the allegation," a DRA statement read.

"The DRA Chairman Nigel Mawer has now decided that Leighton Bennett and Billy Warriner both have a case to answer for a number of serious breaches of the DRA Rules.

"As a result of this decision, Leighton Bennett and Billy Warriner have been suspended from attending or competing in DRA governed events until the conclusion of the hearing or hearings and the determination of this matter. Both players have the right to appeal the suspension decision.

"Their case will be referred to the DRA Disciplinary Committee where a formal hearing will take place on a date to be confirmed. There is no suggestion that the other players in the matches in question were involved in any way."

Footage of Bennett's match against Harrington on September 8, 2023, has now gone viral on social media platform X.

Bennett - nicknamed 'Boom Boom' - has been tipped for a long and successful career in darts.

He famously beat 16-time world champion Phil Taylor when he was just 13 years old.

The teenager is currently ranked No. 109 in the world.