Outsider Ross Smith surprisingly won the 2022 European Darts Championship.

The 33-year-old Englishman defeated his compatriot and namesake Michael Smith 11:8 in Dortmund and thus secured the biggest title of his career to date. For World Cup finalist Michael Smith, the final curse in the major tournaments continues: The Bully Boy was in the final of such a major for the eighth time and lost for the eighth time. "I have to keep going and keep believing," said loser Smith.

Before that, Michael Smith had defeated top seed Luke Humphries 10:7 in the quarterfinals and then defeated Dutchman Dirk van Duijvenbode 11:7 in the semifinals. Ross Smith surprised Scotland's world champion Peter Wright in the quarterfinals with a 10:8 victory and then followed up against Chris Dobey (11:9). Before the tournament, no one had the Englishman on the list for the title.

Most of the big favorites were eliminated much earlier. Defending champion Rob Cross and the two former world champions Michael van Gerwen and Gerwyn Price got it in round one. The two German participants Gabriel Clemens and Martin Schindler didn't play a major role with their exit at the start. The European Championship is considered one of the most important preparatory tournaments before the World Cup, which begins on December 15 in London this year.