Joe Cullen has admitted that he would happily quit darts if he could find another job that made him the same amount of money.
The English star, who is currently 31st in the PDC Order of Merit, says there are ‘100 things’ he would rather do than play the sport.
Cullen has been playing on the PDC circuit for almost 20 years, but he has struggled to compete at the top at recent tournaments.
He hasn’t gone past the last 16 stage of a major competition since 2024, when he played in the World Grand Prix quarter-finals.
And the 37-year-old has revealed that he’s struggled to find enjoyment in playing darts anymore, despite knowing how ‘lucky’ he is to have a career in the sport.
‘I can name 100 things I’d much rather do‘
“I think it’s because I’ve just been doing it for that long,” Cullen told the Tops and Tales podcast. “It feels like I’ve been about for donkey’s years because I started so young.
“I just think if I could maybe find another job that paid as well, I would definitely do it. I’m not stupid enough to think that I’m not lucky to be where I am and do what I do.
“I can name 100 things I’d much rather do than play darts, but it’s darts that pays the bills, I suppose.”
On potentially quitting, he added: “I spoke about it with my wife quite a few times over the years. Obviously, it’s been almost two decades, and she’s like, ‘Well, just stop playing then.’
“I’m like, ‘Well, it’s not as simple as that, is it?’ You know, like what if in a couple of years I want to come back? It’s going to be so hard.
“Then obviously you’ve got sponsors and things like that and commitments. And like I say, I think obviously the pay is pretty good if you can get good at it.
“So, I think I’d be stupid just to give it up on a whim like that.”
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Keeping his career alive
Cullen revealed he won’t be giving up just yet, and he hopes to reignite his career to prevent him from ‘fizzling out’.
Over the last two years, he has made £316,000 from PDC events, despite not reaching the heights he wants to.
Meanwhile, across his entire darts career, he’s reported to have earned over £2million from his achievements and darts related income outside of competitions.
Cullen won the PDC World Masters in 2022, as well as the Hungarian Darts Trophy in the same year, the European Darts Matchplay in 2019 and the International Darts Open in 2020.
He has also won nine different Players Championship events.
“I don’t want to be one of them who just sort of fizzles out and no one ever hears from again,” Cullen said. “So, there’s only me that can correct that and put that right.
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“It’s strange when I hear the way certain people, pundits, talk about certain players and how good they are.
“I think all they do is qualify for the Worlds and the UK Open area. They’re never in the [World] Matchplay.
“So, I think I’ve had probably the last four years that have been s*** and I’m still in all the TV events.
“I’m thinking I must do something right. Imagine putting a bit of effort in and, you know, rather than just turn up to the TV events, I can do some damage and, you know, maybe win one again.”
