Michael van Gerwen says Adrian Lewis dabbled heavily in the dark arts of the oche (Picture: Getty Images)
Michael van Gerwen has accused former world champion Adrian Lewis of cheating on the oche, saying he would ‘pull out all the stops to throw you off your game.’
Mighty Mike and Jackpot had some memorable battles over the years on World Championship, Matchplay and Premier League stages, when Lewis was still competing at the top of the sport.
The Dutchman got the better their rivalry, but he remembers the Englishman making it as difficult as possible for him.
MVG says it wasn’t just Lewis’ brilliant arrows that posed a problem, but says Jackpot dabbled in the dark arts as well, more so than any other player he has ever faced.
‘Honestly, Lewis has cheated his whole life,’ Van Gerwen claimed on Sportnieuws.nl podcast Darts Draait Door.
‘There was no bigger cheater than him. You should ask Phil Taylor or Raymond van Barneveld. Lewis did nothing but talk behind you and stomp. He pulled out all the stops to throw you off your game.
‘And then afterwards playing the murdered innocent, right? I’ve said it to him regularly.’
Michael van Gerwen and Adrian Lewis have played dozens of times (Picture: Getty Images)
Two-time world champion Lewis has not played on television since the 2023 UK Open as personal issues have taken his focus away from darts.
The 39-year-old explained his absence from the circuit on William Hill’s Club 50, saying: ‘There were a few reasons really, one was that I didn’t have the hunger that I knew I needed if I wanted to succeed.
‘The other one is that my wife has an incurable kidney disease so we’re in hospital here a lot of the time and my daughter is disabled, she’s got autism and it’s too much for me to leave the whole lot to Sarah.’
Adrian Lewis was back-to-back world champion in 2011 and ’12 (Picture: Getty Images)
Lewis has not retired, though, and will play in amateur events next year and consider a return to the professional tour.
‘Jason Thame asked me if I wanted to take part in the MODUS Series and I was a bit apprehensive but I told him that we’d give it a go next year,’ said Lewis.
‘I’m going to do plenty of exhibitions and corporates with them and once I’ve done the series next year, I’ll see where I’m at with my game.
‘If I’m enjoying it, then I’ll look to keep it going and go to Q School.’