John Lowe’s net worth is estimated at £500,000–£1 million as of 2026, accumulated across a career that spans from the 1970s through to the 1990s and that produced three BDO World Championships, countless major titles, and the most historically significant single leg in the sport’s history: the first-ever televised nine-dart finish in 1984. Known throughout his career as “Old Stoneface” for his impassive composure at the oche, Lowe was one of the founding giants of professional darts.
John Lowe — “Old Stoneface” — brought an unshakeable composure to professional darts across three decades, winning world titles in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | John Lowe OBE |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 21 July 1945 |
| Age | 80 years old (2026) |
| Nationality | English |
| Hometown | New Tupton, Derbyshire, England |
| Nickname | Old Stoneface |
| World Championships | 3 (1979, 1987, 1993) |
| Career Prize Money | ~£396,000 (career total) |
| Net Worth | £500,000–£1 million (2026, estimated) |
| Known For | First televised nine-dart finish (1984), 3x World Champion across three decades |
How Does John Lowe Make Money?
| Income Source | Estimated Amount | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Career BDO Prize Money | ~£396,000 total | Cumulative (gross) | Three World Championships plus numerous BDO majors across three decades; prize funds were small by modern standards |
| Nine-Dart Finish Prize (1984) | £102,000 | One-time (gross) | Largest single prize of his playing career; equivalent to approximately £325,000 in 2026 values |
| Book Royalties & Autobiography | Modest ongoing | Annual (personal) | Revenue from his autobiography and darts-related publishing |
| Speaking Engagements & Exhibitions | Modest | Annual (personal) | Darts legends exhibition circuit, after-dinner speaking |
| Estimated Net Worth | £500,000–£1 million (2026) | ||
Early Life and Background
John Lowe was born on 21 July 1945 in New Tupton, a village in Derbyshire in the English Midlands. Growing up in post-war England, he came of age in the pub and working-men’s club culture of the 1950s and 1960s, where darts was a serious competitive pursuit with its own amateur circuit and fierce local rivalries.
He developed his darts game in Derbyshire before breaking onto the national amateur scene. His steady, methodical throwing style — controlled, precise, and utterly unflappable — earned him his nickname “Old Stoneface” before he had even won his first major title. The nickname stuck because it was accurate: Lowe’s emotional register at the oche was so consistently flat that opponents could never read whether he was struggling or cruising.
Career / Rise to Fame
First World Title: 1979
John Lowe won his first BDO World Darts Championship in 1979 — the third running of the event since its establishment in 1977. The win established him immediately as one of the sport’s elite players and confirmed that Derbyshire had produced a genuine world-class talent. The 1979 title came during the early years of televised darts on the BBC, when the Embassy World Championship was first capturing a mass British audience.
John Lowe claimed three BDO World Championships — in 1979, 1987, and 1993 — becoming the first player in history to win the world title in three separate decades.
The Nine-Dart Finish: October 13, 1984
The moment that defines John Lowe’s place in darts history came at the MFI World Matchplay event in Slough on 13 October 1984. Playing against Keith Deller, Lowe hit two maximum 180s before finishing the nine-dart perfect leg with treble 17, treble 18, and double 18 — a checkout of 141 that completed the sport’s first-ever nine-dart finish on television.
The prize for achieving the nine-darter was £102,000 — a staggering sum by the standards of darts prize funds in 1984. Adjusted for inflation, that figure is worth approximately £325,000 in 2026 terms. For context, the current PDC World Championship nine-dart finish bonus from Paddy Power is £60,000 — meaning Lowe’s historic prize was actually worth more in real terms than modern equivalents.
On 13 October 1984, John Lowe completed the first nine-dart finish ever recorded on television — a 180-180-141 checkout that won him £102,000 and a permanent place in sporting history.
Second Title 1987, Third Title 1993
After his nine-dart moment of 1984, Lowe continued at the highest level of BDO competition. His second World Championship came in 1987, eight years after his first — demonstrating remarkable sustained consistency across nearly a decade. His third title in 1993 made him the first player ever to win the World Darts Championship in three separate decades (the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s) — a record that stands to this day and may never be equalled given the physical demands of elite darts competition.
Winning world titles in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, John Lowe became the first player in darts history to be world champion in three separate decades — a record that may never be broken.
Personal Life
John Lowe has been based in Derbyshire throughout his life, maintaining deep connections to his home county. He received an OBE for services to darts — recognition of his contribution to the sport over more than two decades of elite competition. At 80 years old in 2026, Lowe remains one of the sport’s most respected figures, sought out for his perspective on the history of professional darts as the modern PDC era continues to produce new champions.
Net Worth History
John Lowe’s career predates the commercial era of darts. His total career prize money of approximately £396,000 reflects the relatively modest prize funds of the BDO era, when even world champions earned far less than today’s PDC professionals take home in a single tournament run. The £102,000 nine-dart finish prize of 1984 was the defining financial moment of his career — representing more than a quarter of his total career earnings in a single leg of darts. His estimated 2026 net worth of £500,000–£1 million reflects his career earnings supplemented by royalties, speaking fees, and ongoing recognition as a darts legend.
Little-Known Facts About John Lowe
- Lowe’s nine-dart finish prize of £102,000 in 1984 was worth approximately £325,000 in 2026 terms — more in real value than the current PDC World Championship nine-dart bonus of £60,000.
- He won the BDO World Championship in 1979, 1987, and 1993 — the first and only player in history to be world darts champion in three separate decades.
- His career prize money total of approximately £396,000 illustrates how dramatically darts prize funds have grown: today’s PDC World Championship alone offers £2.5 million in total prize money.
- Lowe received an OBE for services to darts — one of very few darts players to be honoured at that level by the British establishment.
- “Old Stoneface” was a nickname earned by reputation, not by design — Lowe’s composure was simply genuine, making him one of the most mentally resilient competitors in the history of the sport.
Watch John Lowe in Action
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVqyb-A85RM
Frequently Asked Questions
What is John Lowe’s net worth?
John Lowe’s net worth is estimated at £500,000–£1 million as of 2026. His career prize money totalled approximately £396,000 — modest by modern standards but substantial for the BDO era — supplemented by book royalties, speaking engagements, and exhibition fees. The most significant financial event of his career was the £102,000 prize for the first televised nine-dart finish in 1984.
How many World Championships did John Lowe win?
John Lowe won the BDO World Darts Championship three times: in 1979, 1987, and 1993. He was the first — and remains the only — player to win the world title in three separate decades. His third title in 1993 came 14 years after his first in 1979, demonstrating extraordinary longevity at the highest level of the sport.
What was John Lowe’s historic nine-dart finish?
John Lowe completed the first-ever televised nine-dart finish on 13 October 1984 at the MFI World Matchplay in Slough. Playing against Keith Deller, he hit two 180s before finishing with treble 17, treble 18, and double 18 — a 141 checkout completing the perfect leg. He received £102,000 for the achievement — a prize that, adjusted for inflation, is worth approximately £325,000 in 2026 values.
What is John Lowe’s nickname?
John Lowe’s nickname is “Old Stoneface” — a reference to his remarkably composed, expressionless demeanour at the oche. Unlike many darts players who show visible emotion during play, Lowe’s face betrayed nothing — neither elation nor concern — giving him a psychological edge and making him one of the most unreadable players in the sport’s history.
Where is John Lowe from?
John Lowe is from New Tupton in Derbyshire, England, where he was born on 21 July 1945. He grew up through the post-war pub and working-men’s club darts culture of the East Midlands, developing his game in Derbyshire before rising to national and then international prominence through the BDO circuit.