This comprehensive darts betting guide covers various aspects that impact the game, such as the player’s technique, equipment and mental state. This guide also features stats sites that will help you to evaluate darts matches, in order to make well-informed betting choices.
About Darts Betting
Darts betting involves placing wagers on the outcome of darts matches or tournaments. Bets can be placed on the winner of a match, the winner of a tournament, the total number of legs won in a match, or various other outcomes.
Darts can be an exciting sport to watch and place bets on, especially during high-stakes matches. The tension builds as players compete to hit their numbers, and the sense of drama increases as the game reaches its conclusion.
The sport has a rich history in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and other parts of Europe. Live darts events are known for their lively atmosphere, fancy dress, music, and drinking culture, which makes it an enjoyable experience for fans to attend in person or watch on TV.
Why Bet On Darts?
Popular Darts Competitions
There are several high profile darts competitions that take place throughout the year, including:
- Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) World Championship: The premier event in professional darts and the biggest tournament in the PDC calendar, featuring the best players competing for the title of world champion.
- Premier League Darts: A high-profile darts tournament featuring ten of the world’s best players competing in a league format over the course of several months, with the top four players qualifying for the playoffs.
- World Matchplay: An annual professional darts tournament held in Blackpool, England, featuring the world’s top players competing in a knockout format.
- World Grand Prix: An annual professional darts tournament held in Dublin, Ireland, featuring a unique double-in double-out format.
- European Darts Championship: An annual tournament held in different locations throughout Europe, featuring the top players from the European Tour competing in a knockout format.
- UK Open: Known as the FA Cup of Darts, the UK Open is an annual professional darts tournament held in Minehead, England, featuring a unique open draw format where players from all levels compete together in a knockout competition.
- Masters: An annual invitational professional darts tournament featuring the top 16 players of the PDC Order of Merit competing in a knockout format.
- Players Championship Finals: An annual professional darts tournament held in Minehead, England, featuring the top 64 players from the PDC ProTour Order of Merit competing in a knockout format.
Considerations For Darts Betting
On the surface, darts is a relatively simple sport. However, it requires a unique set of physical skills including hand-eye coordination, dexterity, and motor control.
But darts is as much a mental game as it is physical. Thus the best players require immense focus, concentration, and mental toughness to perform under pressure.
Technique
Technique is a factor that impacts darts as it encompasses both the physical and mental aspects of the throwing motion. Good throwing technique involves:
- Proper grip and stance
- Consistent throwing motion
- Body alignment and balance
- Focus on the target and follow through
- Smooth, pivoted, arm, wrist, and finger movements
- Straight-barrel entry to the dart board
A player with good technique will generally have more accurate and consistent throws, which increases the chances of hitting high-scoring areas, leading to improved overall performance.
Form
A player who has consistently performed well in the past is more likely to perform well in the future, while a player who has struggled in recent matches is more likely to struggle in future matches.
Good form especially matters in darts because it directly affects the following:
- Accuracy: Good form leads to higher scores and checkouts, and therefore more legs won throughout a game
- Consistency: Good form reduces the likelihood of making costly errors (e.g. drifting into the 1 or 5 while aiming for triple 20)
- Sound technique: Good form increases the chance of maintaining the right habits (e.g. stacking the darts without blocking triples/doubles)
- Increased confidence: Good form improves mental focus, leading to better performance in high-pressure situations.
Form can be impacted by a player’s physical condition and mental state. For example, a player who is feeling physically fit and mentally focused is more likely to perform well than a player who is dealing with an injury or is mentally distracted.
Equipment
The darts themselves can have a substantial impact on the outcomes of matches.
Dart shape, size, and weight matters in darts because they impact the balance, power, and accuracy of the throw:
- Dart weight: A heavier dart generally has more mass and momentum, resulting in a straighter and more powerful throw, but may be more difficult to control for some players. A lighter dart may be easier to control and faster, but may not have as much power or stability.
- Dart size: The size of a dart can impact the balance and stability of the throw, with larger darts generally being more stable, but slower and less maneuverable, while smaller darts may be faster and more maneuverable, but less stable.
- Dart shape: The shape of a dart can affect the aerodynamics of the throw, with certain shapes being more stable, faster, or more manoeuvrable, depending on the design.
Choosing the right dart shape, size, and weight can greatly enhance the potential of professional players.
Venue
The venue can greatly impact a professional darts game in several ways:
- Noise level: Loud noise can impact focus and concentration, leading to decreased performance. This is especially relevant to darts, where the crowds are notoriously rowdy!
- Lighting: Poor lighting can impact visibility and aim, affecting accuracy and performance.
- Temperature: Extreme temperatures can affect comfort and focus, impacting performance. This has been known to bother many professional players.
Ultimately some players handle the lighting, crowd noise level, and temperature better than others.
Mental State
Mental state has a significant impact on darts performance:
- Confidence: A positive mindset and high self-belief can lead to better focus and execution.
- Relaxation: Being calm and relaxed can help players avoid tension and muscle stiffness, leading to smoother throws.
- Concentration: The ability to concentrate and eliminate distractions can lead to better aim and consistency.
- Positive visualisation: Imagining successful throws can boost confidence and help players overcome performance anxiety.
- Resilience: Mental toughness to bounce back from missed throws and handle pressure situations is crucial in darts.
In a sports where millimetres can be the difference between winning and losing, a clear mental state is absolutely vital.
Darts Betting Markets
Darts betting has several popular markets:
- Match winner: Betting on who will win a match.
- Correct Score: Predicting the exact score of a match.
- Total Legs: Betting on the total number of legs played in a match.
- Handicap: Giving one player a head start or disadvantage in legs, to even out the odds.
- Most 180s: Betting on which player will hit the most 180s (maximum score per dart) in a match.
- Highest Checkout: Betting on which player will hit the highest checkout (finishing a game with a specific score) in a match.
- Outright Winner: Betting on who will win a tournament before it starts.
Best Sites For Darts Stats
The following websites are excellent for darts statistics:
Learn more about these sites here: Best Sites For Free Darts Statistics
Darts FAQ
Darts is a popular pub game and sport that involves throwing small missiles, called darts, at a circular target, usually fixed to a wall. The objective of the game is to reduce one’s score to zero by hitting various scoring areas on the board.
Professional darts is played at a high level, with players competing in organised tournaments and events.
The most common darts game is 501, where each player starts with a score of 501 and takes turns throwing three darts at the board. The outer ring (doubles) counts as double the number, the middle ring (triples) counts as triple the number, and the inner ring (bullseye) counts as either 50 or 25 points.
A player must hit a double to end the game, meaning both their remaining score and the double must add up to exactly zero. If a player goes over zero, their score returns to what it was at the beginning of the turn and their turn is over.
In addition:
- Players must stand behind the throwing line, also known as the “oche,” and have at least one foot touching the ground during their throw.
- The initial order of play is determined by a random method, such as a coin toss or by the highest score from a throw of one dart by each player.
- If a dart bounces off the board or falls out, it does not count towards the player’s score.
Until 2020, the BDO and PDC stood as the primary forces in professional darts. Following the dissolution of the BDO the PDC remained as the sole major entity in the sport.
Despite being a relatively recent player in the world of darts, the PDC came into existence due to disputes regarding the monetisation of the sport. A faction of leading BDO players founded the PDC with the aim of maximising their earnings.
While the BDO adhered to a more traditional approach, concentrating on promoting the game, the PDC gained prominence by emphasising the commercial and entertainment aspects, resulting in larger prize funds, more viewership and elite-level competition.
To become a professional darts player, one must develop their skills, participate in local and regional tournaments, and climb the ranks to compete in professional tournaments. Joining a local darts league can also help.
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