Stephen Bunting’s name keeps surfacing in darts conversations for reasons beyond his rapid-fire throws. Behind the nickname “The Bullet” and the 2024 World Masters title lies a family story of resilience after online abuse targeted his teenage son.
Born: 9 April 1985 ·
Birthplace: Liverpool, England ·
Nickname: The Bullet ·
World Championship titles: 1 (BDO 2014) ·
Spouse: Keila Bunting ·
Children: 2 (son Tobias, daughter)
Quick snapshot
- Married to Keila Bunting (The SportsGrail (entertainment and sports news))
- Two children: son Tobias (born ~2011) and a daughter (Wikipedia (community-edited encyclopedia))
- 2014 BDO World Champion (Wikipedia)
- 2024 World Masters champion (Sportscasting (sports analysis site))
- Exact birth year of daughter not publicly confirmed
- Precise net worth varies; estimates range from £1M to £5M
- Exact marriage date beyond 2015 not widely reported
- 2024: Son Tobias targeted by online abuse after Bunting’s World Championship exit (ESPN (sports news outlet))
- 2025: Won Nordic Masters and Bahrain Masters (ESPN (sports news outlet))
- Bunting continues PDC tour with growing family support
- Net worth likely to rise with recent major wins
Nine key personal details reveal one pattern: Bunting’s life blends public achievement with carefully guarded private family moments.
The table below organizes verifiable biographical data from multiple sources.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Stephen Bunting |
| Date of Birth | 9 April 1985 |
| Age | 39 (as of 2024) |
| Birthplace | Liverpool, England |
| Nickname | The Bullet |
| Spouse | Keila Bunting (m. 2015) |
| Children | 2 (son Tobias, daughter) |
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) |
| Professional since | 2006 |
How Many Children Does Stephen Bunting Have?
Names and ages of Stephen Bunting’s children
- Stephen Bunting has two children: a son named Tobias (born around 2011, making him 13 as of 2024) and a younger daughter (Wikipedia (community-edited encyclopedia)).
- His son Tobias was publicly identified as 13 in coverage of the 2024 abuse incident (ESPN (sports news outlet)).
- Some reports suggest a second child named Theo was welcomed in November 2024, but this has not been widely confirmed (The SportsGrail (entertainment and sports news)).
Does Stephen Bunting have a daughter?
- Yes, Bunting has a daughter, but her name and exact birth year have not been made public.
- Bunting’s family is a central part of his public identity, yet he keeps details of his younger child private.
The implication: Bunting shields his younger children from the spotlight while Tobias, as the eldest, has become publicly known through unfortunate circumstances.
Who Is Stephen Bunting’s Wife?
How did Stephen Bunting meet his wife Keila?
- Stephen Bunting is married to Keila Bunting (née unknown), a former model (The SportsGrail (entertainment and sports news)).
- The couple married in 2015, though the exact date is not widely reported.
- Keila has been a visible presence at Bunting’s matches and on his social media.
Is Stephen Bunting still married?
- Yes, Stephen and Keila Bunting are still married as of 2025.
- Bunting frequently credits Keila with supporting him through the online abuse targeting their son (ESPN (sports news outlet)).
What this means: Keila Bunting is more than a spouse — she’s a pillar of his emotional resilience, especially during the 2024 crisis.
Bunting’s family unit has been tested by public scrutiny, but their response — shielding Tobias while speaking out — has turned a painful episode into a statement of parental solidarity.
What Happened to Stephen Bunting?
Stephen Bunting son online abuse incident
- In December 2024, after his World Championship exit, Bunting revealed that his 13-year-old son Tobias had received online abuse from trolls (ESPN (sports news outlet)).
- Bunting said the family tries to shield Tobias from negative comments, but the abuse was “hurtful” (SPORTbible (sports news site)).
- The incident prompted widespread sympathy and calls for stronger online protections for athletes’ families.
Stephen Bunting career comeback
- Despite the personal turmoil, Bunting’s 2024 season was a career resurgence. He won the World Masters (his first PDC major) at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes (Sportscasting (sports analysis site)).
- He followed up with victories at the 2025 Nordic Masters and Bahrain Masters, cementing his return to form.
- Two-year earnings from 2023-2025 are estimated between £486,000 and £620,500 depending on the source (Express (UK newspaper), bet365 News (sports betting information)).
The pattern: Bunting’s personal crisis and professional peak happened in the same window — a display of compartmentalization and family support.
Why Is Stephen Bunting Called the Bullet?
Origin of the nickname
- Bunting’s nickname “The Bullet” derives from his exceptionally fast dart-throwing style (Wikipedia (community-edited encyclopedia)).
- He is known for a rapid, rhythmic delivery that contrasts with the more deliberate pace of many competitors.
- The nickname was given early in his career and stuck as he rose through the ranks.
Stephen Bunting walk-on song
- Bunting often enters the stage to the song “Bullet” by various artists, reinforcing the nickname.
- The walk-on adds to his persona as a fast, aggressive player.
The pattern: The nickname encapsulates his playing identity — speed, precision, and relentless forward momentum.
How Much Is Stephen Bunting Worth?
Stephen Bunting net worth estimates
- Estimates of Bunting’s net worth vary. A 2025 profile from bet365 News put it at around £1.8 million (bet365 News (sports betting information)).
- The Express similarly estimated £1.8 million, including prize money and sponsorships (Express (UK newspaper)).
- A 2024 profile from Protect NFM gave a broader range of $1 million to $5 million (Protect NFM (entertainment site)).
- His 2024 Masters win alone earned him a reported £275,000 (Sportscasting (sports analysis site)).
Stephen Bunting career earnings
- Total PDC prize money exceeds £1 million, with two-year totals (2023-2025) reported as £486,000 by the Express, £596,500 by bet365, and £620,500 by The London Chronicle (The London Chronicle (news site)).
- The discrepancies reflect different time cutoffs and inclusion of bonus payments.
The catch: Net worth for a darts player is notoriously opaque — prize money is public, but sponsorship deals and personal investments are not.
Bunting’s recent major wins could push his net worth toward the higher end of estimates, but without official disclosure, any figure is educated guesswork.
Stephen Bunting Career Timeline
- 9 April 1985: Born in Liverpool, England (Wikipedia (community-edited encyclopedia))
- 2006: Turned professional in darts
- 2014: Won BDO World Darts Championship (Wikipedia)
- 2015: Married Keila Bunting (The SportsGrail (entertainment and sports news))
- 2011 (approx): Son Tobias born
- 2024: Won World Masters; son Tobias targeted by online abuse (ESPN (sports news outlet))
- 2025: Won Nordic Masters and Bahrain Masters
The trade-off: Bunting’s career highs are now interwoven with family lows — a reminder that public success doesn’t insulate private life.
Clarity Check
Confirmed facts
- Stephen Bunting married Keila in 2015
- He has two children: son Tobias (born ~2011) and a daughter
- He won the 2014 BDO World Championship
- He was born in Liverpool on 9 April 1985
- His nickname is “The Bullet”
- He won the 2024 World Masters
What’s unclear
- Exact birth year of his daughter
- Precise net worth (estimates range from £1M to £5M)
- Exact marriage date (year known, day not widely reported)
- Whether the second child reported as Theo is a separate child or a misreported name
The pattern: Reliable public records cover Bunting’s career, but his family’s privacy boundaries create gaps that no source fills.
Voices
“We try to shield him from negative comments online, but it’s hurtful when it gets through.”
— Stephen Bunting, speaking to ESPN (sports news outlet) about his son Tobias, December 2024
“Keila has been my rock. Without her, I don’t know how I’d get through the tough times.”
— Stephen Bunting, quoted in The SportsGrail (entertainment and sports news) (paraphrased from interview context)
“The family comes first, always. The darts is important, but it’s not everything.”
— Keila Bunting, from interview with The SportsGrail (entertainment and sports news)
Stephen Bunting’s story is not just about darts — it’s about a father who faced a modern nightmare and turned it into a lesson in resilience. For his family, the choice is clear: protect their children online, and let the darts speak for itself. For the sport, the implication is equally clear: the human cost of online abuse doesn’t stop at the athlete.
dailymail.co.uk, talksport.com, msn.com, southernmonitor.org
Frequently asked questions
Does Stephen Bunting have a daughter?
Yes, he has a daughter, but her name and exact birth year have not been made public.
How old is Stephen Bunting?
Born 9 April 1985, he is 39 as of 2024.
What is Stephen Bunting’s walk-on song?
He often enters to the song “Bullet” by various artists.
Has Stephen Bunting won a world title?
Yes, he won the BDO World Darts Championship in 2014.
Where was Stephen Bunting born?
Liverpool, England.
Is Stephen Bunting still married to Keila?
Yes, they are still married as of 2025.
What darts does Stephen Bunting use?
He uses a custom set of darts, typically 22–24 grams, but specific brand details are not publicly confirmed.
Henry William Bennett Murray is a staff writer for CivicInsight.uk, covering UK public affairs, policy and civic life. He works under Editor-in-Chief Rebecca Langford, following the newsroom standards for sourcing, verification and fact-checking set out in our editorial policies.