Former Lakeside Champion, Stephen Bunting believes his choice to enlist the aid of professional sports psychology and support was transformative for his career and it’s a practice he continues to this day.
As the US Darts Masters gets underway at the iconic Madison Square Garden, Bunting joins an elite field featuring Littler, Luke Humphries, Gerwyn Price, Jonny Clayton and Josh Rock.
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The Bullet opened his campaign last night with a last sixteen win over American representative Alex Spellman on the iconic stage.
While much of the sporting world has turned its attention towards the FIFA World Cup, the Professional Darts Corporation has once again taken its biggest stars across the Atlantic as part of the continued expansion of the sport.
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For Bunting, the New York event represents more than another World Series stop, the former Masters champion believes the enthusiasm shown by American supporters demonstrates the growing appetite for darts beyond its traditional heartlands.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Bunting reflected positively on last years’ experience.
“They certainly did last year. It was great to be a part of it and obviously to play in Madison Square Garden is a dream come true, to be honest. It’s such an iconic venue,” he said.
“The walk-on was a bit strange because it was a zig-zag walk-on and there were no barriers, so it’s a bit different to the UK, but we all enjoyed it as players and the crowd certainly got behind it.”
“They were all bouncing up and down when the 180s were going in and when the doubles were being hit, which is great.”
“That’s what we like to see. I think it’s so important that we get to show our skills across the globe, and to come to New York City, one of the best cities in the world, is amazing for us as players as well.”
Bunting also highlighted the increasingly significant psychological demands placed upon elite professionals, explaining that meticulous mental preparation has become an integral component of sustained success. He revealed that he continues to work closely with both a hypnotist and sports psychologists in pursuit of marginal gains.
“The walk-on is so important now because it gets the crowd up on their feet, singing your walk-on song and getting behind you. Then you get on stage and you’ve got to recompose yourself and start playing darts. Like you’ve just alluded to, it’s a very mental game. When you’re up there, you’re the only one who can control everything that goes on. You can’t control how your opponent is going to play.”
“I’ve been seeing a hypnotist and sports psychologists to try and get the best out of my game and find that extra percentage to be able to compete with these guys.”
The Liverpool thrower admitted seeking professional support proved transformative during one of the most difficult periods of his career.
“I can’t speak for everyone, but in my scenario it was an important thing to look at. A few years ago I was down on form and I was going home, taking it out on my family and locking myself away. I needed to change some things.”
“Seeing a hypnotist got me thinking really positively, which was unbelievable. He changed my career, to be honest. We did a lot of visualisation as well, lifting trophies and things like that.”
“Two weeks after starting with him, I went on to win the Masters. He worked with Kyren Wilson before he won the World Snooker Championship, and he also worked with Tom Aspinall before he became UFC heavyweight champion.”
The US Darts Masters will conclude on Friday evening, as the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final are held in front of a sell-out crowd of 5,000 fans – a record for darts in the US.
he 2026 bet365 US Darts Masters is being broadcast live on ESPN and FanDuel in the US, with coverage on DAZN also available exclusively in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Other live global coverage is being broadcast through Viaplay in various territories including the Netherlands, as well as via PDCTV in all countries, with delayed coverage available on ITV3 in the UK.
Delayed ITV coverage in the UK will be as follows:
1700-2100 BST Friday June 26 on ITV3 – showing Round One
1700-2100 BST Saturday June 27 on ITV3 – showing Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals & Final
Images: Ed Mulholland/PDC
