About Darts
Darts started as a pub-goers pastime, seen as a recreational game rather than a competitive event. However, after the British Darts Organisation (BDO) was established in the 70s, this attracted sponsors and darts results, and darts news gained TV coverage. At this point, the sport took a more professional stance, and several big names came to light, including Eric Bristow, John Lowe, and Alan Evans.
Since then, the popularity of darts in the UK has grown further. Many tournaments are held year-round, including the PDC World Championship, Premier League Darts, and UK Open. Many top UK sportsbooks, including 888Sport, now offer extensive darts coverage, with competitive odds and numerous markets and tournaments available.
Players in these big tournaments with the best darts scores take huge prizes. For example, the total prize money for the 2021 PDC World Darts Championship sits at £2.5 million, £500,000 of which is the winner’s share.
Darts Tournaments
Thanks to the growing popularity of darts, there are many incredible options for betting no matter the season! Here is a look at the tournaments that you won’t want to miss:
- PDC World Championship: The PDC World Championship is arguably the biggest darts event. It starts with a best-of-five-sets structure in the first round, which increases leading up to the final, which usually falls on New Year’s Day. It has the largest prize pool of all major darts tournaments, with players hitting the top darts scores taking home hundreds of thousands of pounds.
- Premier League Darts: Founded in 2005, this event runs from February to May each year. Based on previous darts results, the four best players are entered automatically, with five wildcards awarded to other players. During the first nine rounds, players enter a best-of-twelve-sets round-robin format before going to knockouts in the semi-finals.
- UK Open: The UK Open is held in March each year. Since 2013, it has been held at Butlins Minehead Resort and live darts coverage of the event is usually available to watch on ITV4. Phil Taylor is the most successful player in the UK Open, having claimed five wins in 2003, 2005, 2009, 2010, and 2013.
- World Matchplay: The World Matchplay tournament runs in July. It’s the second-longest-running tournament, having first been set up in 1994. The first round of the event is the first player to 10 legs based on their darts results, which increases to 11, 16, and 17 legs over the next rounds. The winner of the final is the first to win 18 legs.
- Champions League of Darts: This darts event is one of the newer tournaments, having been founded in 2016. It runs in October each year, and live darts scores and streaming is available on the BBC. The eight top players in the world, according to the PDC Order of Merit, take part in the event each year.
- European Championship: Another October tournament is the European Championship. In the event, 32 top players fight against each other in a best-of-11-legs first round. The second and third round and best of 13 legs, increasing to best of 21 for the semi-finals and finals. The 2021 prize pool split between players with the top darts scores was £500,000.
- World Grand Prix: Taking place over the first two weekends of October, the World Grand Prix is the only double-start tournament in the PDC calendar. Players must hit a double darts score or bullseye to start and finish. It is a straight knockout tournament with three rounds leading up to the semi-finals.
- Grand Slam of Darts: This darts tournament is a round-robin format with 32 players split into eight groups of four. The event takes place in November each year. Based on previous darts results, Phil Taylor is the best tournament player, winning six of the first eight Grand Slam of Darts events.
- Players Championship: The Players Championship is the most televised darts tournament, running from February to November. The first and second rounds are best of 11 legs, third and fourth best of 19, and semi-finals and finals best of 21. You can find all the darts news for this tournament broadcast on ITV4.
- World Cup of Darts: This is a simple knockout tournament where players from 32 countries go head-to-head to get the top darts results and take home the trophy. It usually runs in June each year, though the pandemic saw the 2020 edition postponed until November.
Darts Popular Betting Markets
There are many different ways to place wagers on darts events rather than simply betting on the overall darts results. One of the UK’s leading sports betting platforms, Bet365, recognises this, offering numerous betting markets for many top tournaments. From match-winner to first 180, you can wager on more than 20 different markets at Bet365.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the most popular betting markets available at our recommended sports betting platforms.
Outright Betting
Outright betting is the simplest type of darts wager. You put your money on the overall winner for an entire tournament based on the darts results for these bets. For major darts leagues, these bets are usually available as futures before the competition starts. Alternatively, you can place your bets at any stage of the competition with odds changing based on the current darts scores and player rankings.
Match Betting
Rather than predicting the winner of an entire tournament, many UK sportsbooks give you the option to place wagers on the outcome of a single match within a darts event. In most cases, this leaves you with two options; Player A to win or Player B to win. However, note that matches can also end in a draw in both the PDC Grand Slam of Darts and the Premier League Darts.
Handicap Betting
Some darts players are naturally more talented and skilled than others. Sportsbooks account for this disparity in matches between these two players by handicapping the better player. Ultimately, this gives the weaker player a kick-start in the betting, meaning a more significant margin between the final darts scores would be required for the favourite to win.
Most 180s
It is well-known even among darts novices that 180 is the maximum dart score a player can get with three darts. A “most 180s” bet is just as it sounds – you put money on which player you predict will hit the most 180s in a match. This wager gives you three betting options; either Player A will hit more, Player B will hit more, or both players will get an equal number of 180 dart scores.
Correct Score
Correct score betting is when you wager on the overall darts scores for a particular match. Correctly predicting the precise darts results can be a challenge. However, this means the odds are much greater, and your winnings have the potential to be much larger. For this reason, correct score betting is one of the most attractive betting markets.
Highest Checkout
There are two types of highest checkout bets. The first is when you put money on what you think this highest checkout dart score of the match will be. Alternatively, you can wager on the highest checkout for each player. These are both in the form of over/under bets. For example, you could bet that the highest match checkout would be a score of over 121.5 or under 121.5.
Live Betting on Darts
Darts is a fast-paced sport and thus one of the best options for live and in-play betting, in which you place bets during a live darts match with odds that update in real-time. These are impacted by the live darts scores and current player performance. As most darts matches last over an hour, there is plenty of time to place these exciting in-play wagers to up your experience.
Most UK sportsbooks recognise the love for live betting and have a great selection of odds and markets available for UK punters. Many even offer streaming options so you won’t miss out on a second of the competition.
Take Ladbrokes sportsbook, for example. The platform has sponsored some of the biggest darts tournaments worldwide, so darts is clearly a sport the site takes seriously. Ladbrokes offers extensive live in-play betting on various competitions all year round, along with excellent coverage of countless tournaments.
How to Place a Wager on Darts
If everything you’ve read so far sounds interesting, you’ll want to know how to start betting on darts! Follow these simple steps to place wagers on your favourite tournaments and hopefully generate a nice profit.
- Visit one of our recommended sports betting sites for darts betting and register for an account.
- Make a deposit using one of the available payment methods.
- Claim the welcome bonus offered by the sportsbook when making your first deposit.
- Head to the betting catalogue and navigate to the darts category.
- Browse through the available matches until you find a darts event and wager you’re interested in.
- Click on the wager to add it to your betting slip and enter your desired stake.
- Click on “Confirm” to place your bet and wait for the darts results to come in.
- If you correctly predicted the score of the dart, your winnings will automatically appear in your sportsbook account for you to cash out or use on future wagers.
Darts Betting Top Tips
There is no way to accurately predict darts results 100% of the time, even if you are a massive fan of the sport. However, you can use the following tips and tricks to help maximise your chances of winning and increase your profits! Make sure you take these points on board before placing your first wager at our recommended sports betting sites.
Compare Odds
Odds for a particular wager on darts results will not be the same at every UK sports betting site. Therefore, it’s a great idea to shop around and look at the odds offered by different sportsbooks for your preferred tournament. Choose to place your bets on a site that has the best odds for your selection, so if your wager does come in, you’ll receive a bigger payout.
Follow All Tournaments and Events
Thanks to the recent surge in the popularity of darts, a vast number of UK and international events run every year. Even the darts scores and results for smaller events can significantly impact players’ rankings for their entry into tours. Our best advice is to follow as many different tournaments as possible for more accurate predictions and (hopefully) better profits.
Consider Shorter Formats
Longer darts formats tend to be the most popular, including the Premier League Darts with a double round-robin format. While this is undeniably one of the most exciting darts events, don’t forget shorter formats as well. Longer tournaments are generally more predictable and thus a safer bet, but shorter leagues can throw in surprise darts results that offer more rewarding payouts.
Take Advantage of Side Markets
Many punters will choose to place wagers on which player will have the top darts score and be crowned the winner. However, there is a whole range of other betting options as well! These not only add to the excitement of betting on darts but can also generate additional profits for you to enjoy.
Do Your Homework
When betting on any sport, you ought to know as much about that particular event as possible. Ensure you understand the format of the darts tournament, how players are selected, and the latest darts scores. Research the darts results for all events, not just your preferred competition. Ultimately, this can make the outcome for your preferred matches more predictable and thus more profitable.
Top Takeaways – Betting on Darts
Betting on darts is an attractive option for many UK punters. As a game of skill, predicting darts results is more straightforward and easily favours those that understand the games, their structure, and the players.
Therefore, we urge everyone to do their research before spending real money on a UK sportsbook – this will help boost your profits and your overall enjoyment! Once you have done your reading, head to one of our recommended sportsbooks for the best darts scores betting options and odds in the UK.
FAQs
Where can I bet on darts?
You can bet on darts scores at one of our safe and legitimate recommended UK online sportsbooks. Our dedicated team of experts at Playright thoroughly review sports betting sites based on strict criteria, meaning we only recommend the best of the best.
Is it legal and safe to bet on darts online?
Yes, it is legal and safe to bet on darts scores online if you are of legal gambling age and use a sports betting site that holds a valid license. Our recommended sports betting platforms are all regulated by legitimate gambling jurisdictions, such as the UKGC, meaning you can wager with confidence on all your favourite darts tournaments.
Are all darts competitions simple knockouts?
No! Simple knockout darts tournaments are not the only option. For example, the Premier League Darts starts in a round-robin format until the semi-finals, which are then knockout games. Similarly, the Grand Slam of Darts tournament also uses a round-robin format.
What is “the perfect leg”?
The phrase “perfect leg” refers to when a player checks out with the fewest number of darts possible. The minimum number of darts you can do this with is nine. Many people also refer to a perfect leg as a “nine-dart finish” or a “nine-darter”.
What is the highest checkout in darts?
The highest possible checkout in darts is 170. This darts score can be achieved by hitting two treble 20s followed by the bullseye with the final dart. On the other hand, the lowest possible checkout in a game of darts is 2.
