Darts players are the best sportsmen IN BED, a new survey reveals, as the unlikely lovers take top spot ahead of swimmers and even footballers!

  • A study has shown that the best athletes in bed and darts players took first place
  • They were preferred to swimmers and footballers after 2,000 Britons voted

A study on dating sites for married people has shown that darts players are the best athletes in bed.

Illicitencounters.com polled 2,000 Britons in 2022, and darts stars came out on top with 19 percent of the vote.

They beat swimming (16 percent) and football (14 percent), which made up the rest of the top three.

Meanwhile, table tennis achieved just one percent, rounding out the top 10 behind cricket (four percent) and boxing (six percent).

The survey result is likely to raise a few eyebrows, with a spokesperson for illicitencounters.com admitting that darts players have gotten a 'bad reputation' over the years.

Darts players, including Michael van Gerwen (pictured with his wife Daphne), have been named the best athletes in bed according to a study

Raymond van Barneveld (right) married his wife Julia (left) last year before reaching the last 16 of the World Championship

Raymond van Barneveld (right) married his wife Julia (left) last year before reaching the last 16 of the World Championship

Swimming came second in the poll after receiving 16 percent of the votes from 2,000 Britons

Swimming came second in the poll after receiving 16 percent of the votes from 2,000 Britons

Football finished third behind darts and swimming, with 14 percent of the votes

Football finished third behind darts and swimming, with 14 percent of the votes

The sport originally started as a pub game and saw players drinking and smoking on stage as it became increasingly popular in the 1980s and 1990s, but the spokesperson believes today's stars have changed their reputation and made the game sexier.

They said The Daily Star: 'Jocky Wilson and Eric Bristow were total legends, but physically they were not the best specimens.

'Darts players now seem to have stolen the mantle from swimmers and footballers, who are normally voted among the sexiest sports.'

TOP 10 SPORTSMEN IN BED

1. Darts – 19 percent

2. Swimming – 16 percent

3. Football – 14 percent

4. Badminton – 12 percent

5. Rugby – 11 percent

6. Tennis – 10 percent

7. Rowing – 7 percent

8. Boxing – 6 percent

9. Cricket – 4 percent

10. Table tennis – 1 percent

*According to the illicitencounters.com 2022 survey

Darts players will likely be pleased with the research as the sport continues to grow amid yet another highly entertaining World Championship.

Fans have once again flocked to Alexandra Palace for the tournament which has reached the semi-finals.

Teen sensation Luke Littler was the star of the show, with the 16-year-old set to meet 2018 champion Rob Cross tonight for a place in the final.

The winner of that match will play Luke Humphries or Scott Williams – who defeated Michael van Gerwen last night – for the Sid Waddell Trophy on Wednesday.