Michael van Gerwen reveals bizarre sock habit while taking aim at Gerwyn Price’s ritual
Michael van Gerwen has never been the sort of player to hide what he thinks. The three-time world champion has spent more than two decades in professional darts, and his latest comments show that even after all those years, some things happening on the oche still manage to get under his skin.
With the 2026 World Series of Darts Finals getting underway in Amsterdam, Van Gerwen has opened up about one of his own familiar stage habits while taking aim at a ritual used by fellow star Gerwyn Price. His comments have added another entertaining layer to the rivalry between two of darts’ biggest personalities.
Why does Van Gerwen keep pulling up his socks?
Fans watching Van Gerwen over the years will probably recognise the movement immediately.
The Dutchman is regularly seen adjusting or pulling up his socks during matches, particularly after a difficult visit or when he finds himself trailing. Given the strange routines that have become part of elite darts, it would be easy to assume there is some psychological meaning behind it.
According to Van Gerwen, however, there is nothing that complicated going on.
“It’s not a mental trick. It’s just a habit. Like [Rafael] Nadal pulling his boxers out of his arse. Everyone has their own thing.”
That explanation is revealing because darts players are famous for developing repetitive routines. From how they stand at the oche to how they prepare for a throw, tiny movements can become deeply ingrained over thousands of hours of competition.
Van Gerwen simply appears to have his own version.
And considering the Dutchman has collected 48 PDC major singles titles, it is difficult to argue that the sock adjustment has stopped him from producing at the highest level.
Then Van Gerwen turned his attention to Price
The conversation became much more interesting when Van Gerwen discussed habits belonging to other players.
Rather than questioning their sporting value, he focused on something much more basic: hygiene.
“Why do you think some darts players always licking their fingers? Then they want to shake your hand. That’s why I always give them a fist pump.”
Van Gerwen then specifically mentioned Gerwyn Price.
“Like Gezzy Price always does then he wants to shake my hand the dirty boy.”
That is classic darts banter, but there is also an obvious reason the comments have caught attention. Price and Van Gerwen have shared plenty of competitive battles over the years, and both players have developed reputations for being highly expressive characters on stage.
Price’s intensity is one of the most recognisable parts of his personality as a professional darts player. Van Gerwen, meanwhile, has never been shy about letting opponents and fans know exactly what he thinks.
So when one of them starts talking about the other’s habits, darts fans are naturally going to pay attention.
Van Gerwen had plenty more examples
Price was not the only player mentioned.
Van Gerwen also recalled Andy Hamilton, saying: “Andy Hamilton nearly ate his fingers. It was disgusting.”
He then joked about former world champion Adrian Lewis and even suggested that some players could improve their personal hygiene.
“[Adrian] Lewis was always with his elephant feet.”
“Some people can use a bit of deodorant but I am not going to say names.”
It is worth remembering that these are Van Gerwen’s own observations and jokes rather than any official assessment of his fellow professionals. The comments were clearly delivered in the spirit of darts banter, but they are also a reminder of just how unusual the sport’s collection of player routines can be.
Unlike many mainstream sports, darts places players in close proximity to one another for long periods while they compete in an environment where nerves, concentration and repetition are constantly visible.
That makes personal quirks particularly noticeable.
The sock habit is hardly Van Gerwen’s only trademark
The 37-year-old’s career has been built around far more than memorable gestures.
Van Gerwen has won three PDC World Championships and 48 major singles titles, putting him second behind Phil Taylor on the all-time PDC major list. He has also won the World Series of Darts Finals six times, including the 2025 edition.
That history gives his latest comments some extra personality.
This is not a player trying to create an identity from scratch. Van Gerwen has been one of the defining figures of modern darts for years, and his habits have become part of the visual language of the sport.
The sock adjustment is therefore less a mysterious psychological weapon and more something fans have simply come to associate with him.
His 2026 season has been a mixed one
The timing of the comments is particularly interesting because Van Gerwen enters the World Series Finals looking to make another statement on the big stage.
He has enjoyed title success in 2026, winning the Bahrain Masters, Nordic Masters and Players Championship 15. However, he has not reached the quarter-finals of any of the first four ranked majors this season.
He currently sits seventh in the PDC world rankings, while Price is fourth. The latest rankings also show the changing landscape at the top of the sport, with Luke Littler, Luke Humphries and Gian van Veen occupying the top three positions.
That makes this week’s tournament important for Van Gerwen beyond the jokes and familiar routines.
He is defending the World Series Finals title in Amsterdam and begins his campaign against Daryl Gurney. The event carries a £100,000 winner’s prize and features a 32-player field.
Darts’ personalities are part of the attraction
There is something uniquely entertaining about stories like this because darts has always allowed its biggest characters to show their personalities.
Van Gerwen adjusting his socks, Price’s intense reactions and the countless other routines seen around the oche all become part of the spectacle. Some habits are superstitious, others are simply things players have done for so long that they barely think about them anymore.
Van Gerwen’s explanation is probably the simplest: everyone has their own thing.
His latest comments also show why he remains such an entertaining figure. Whether he is discussing his own routine or teasing one of his biggest rivals, he rarely struggles to provide an opinion.
And now fans know that when Van Gerwen pulls up his socks, there may be no grand psychological calculation behind it at all.
As for Price and the finger-licking accusation, that is likely to provide plenty of ammunition for darts fans the next time the pair share a stage.
One thing is certain: in a sport where every tiny routine can become recognisable, Van Gerwen has made sure his socks have their own place in darts folklore.