Guide to Darts Betting
Introduction to Darts
Darts is a game that requires skill and accuracy, and while the beginnings of the sport lie with medieval soldiers, darts betting most likely also started with those same soldiers betting on who’s best.
Betting on darts is a popular choice in sportsbooks, with many darts betting odds on offer. When you start betting on darts, you need to know about the sport; and this guide will take you through the basics.
Main Rules
A darts game is between two players, or teams, who take it in turns to throw three steel-tip darts at a dartboard. Points are scored by hitting specific segments of the board that are each worth a different amount.
The length of play is determined by the type of game being played, with the standard 501 game being the most popular. The World Cup of Darts is won with a 501 game, played to a straight knockout.
Understanding the rules is the best place to start with darts; betting requires that you know the player as well as the game, after all. There are strict rules regarding the height of the dartboard and the distance between it and the toe line (also known as the ‘oche’) where the player stands.
A Standard 501 game aims to reach zero from a starting total of 501, with the first player or team to reach zero to be the winning one. But, the game only really starts once a player has doubled in by hitting one of the thin outer rings or the bullseye right in the centre of the board; that is when the scores start being taken off the 501 initial value.
The order of play is usually dependent on a coin toss; or a throw at the bullseye, with the player who landed closest to the bullseye, or the winner of the coin toss, going first. The players’ trade-off after that, with each player throwing three darts (this is known as a leg).
However, the PDC World Championship is played in sets, where a player must score the highest in five legs to win the set. A set normally consists of three legs or any other odd number, as determined by the rules, so make sure to know which rules are being played before you place a wager.
Main Competitions
The most popular darts betting opportunities involve the main competitions and big events. One of the best darts betting tips we can offer is to shop around for the best odds.
Since most sportsbooks price regular events in advance, with the most prominent competitions done well in advance, this is possible.
With so many sportsbooks offering many betting markets and good darts betting odds, we encourage you to take advantage of upcoming dart events and competitions.
Professional Darts Corporation
In 1992, the Professional Darts Corporation and British Darts Organisation separated over a disagreement on how championships were run. The PDC has since organized some of the biggest darts betting events, including the PDC World Cup of Darts and Masters, the Premier League, and the PDC World Championship.
Most of the events are individual competitions, with the exception being the World Cup of Darts. With the biggest names in darts battling it out, World Cup darts odds are closely watched by many bettors.
British Darts Organisation
As the home of darts betting favourites like Phil Taylor and Eric Bristow, the British Darts Organisation went into liquidation at the end of 2020.
The BDO is now owned by the United Kingdom Darts Association, which means that amateur darts events have been stalled. This is not the end of the World Professional Darts Championship, but it may take some time for it to get up and running.
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The best darts betting sites can be found in the linked article about the most trusted sportsbooks for darts betting.
These sportsbooks don’t always provide virtual darts betting, but it’s available in most of them.
Darts betting sites offer a huge variety of betting markets. There are many variables to choose from, let’s take a look.
- Match winner
- Handicap
- Most 180s
- Player 180s
- Correct score
- Total legs
- Highest checkout
- 9 Dart finish
- Tournament winner
Self-explanatory, you choose the winner before the game, if he or she wins, so do you! Some sites will allow in-game betting, so you can bet anytime you wish.
The bookie will publish a handicap score that will supposedly balance the betting odds. For example, if the favourite is given a 2 handicap, then they would need to win by 3 to realize a winning bet. Conversely, the losing side would be classed as winning if they lost by less than 2.
Bet on the player that you think will score the most 180s in a match. 180s are scored by placing 3 darts on triple 20 in one round.
Here you bet on the eventuality of any player scoring a 180 during the match.
Never an easy bet. You will have to predict the exact score at the end of the match. Odds are usually a lot higher for this type of bet.
Each game is called a leg. The winner is the player or team to win the most legs in a match. If the match is not completed, i.e. all legs played, the bet is void.
Checkout is the total score of the last 3 darts played by either player during a game. A lot of tournaments and regulatory authorities rule that the game must be closed on a double. You will need to predict the highest closing score, or the bookie may set a score, and you bet whether the actual score will be higher or lower.
9 is the fewest amount of darts that can be used to win a leg. In this market, you will be betting on whether you think there will be a 9 dart finish in the leg or not.
Back the ultimate winner of the tournament. Odds are usually higher before the tournament commences, but betting can be made during the event.
Why bet on darts?
Why not? We look at the positives and negatives.
- Pros
- The odds are generally good on darts betting sites.
- A large variety of league matches and tournaments to choose from.
- Many betting markets to enter.
- Cons
- Not widely televised.
- Rules may be difficult to understand for the novice.
- Some betting markets can be confusing.
Important Factors to Consider
To the layman, darts may seem complicated at first. The game goes beyond throwing arrows at a board and hoping for the best. There are scoring strategies involved, and different variations of the game will require different approaches. Read up on the rules for each type of game.
Before you back a specific player, research their recent performances. See which type of tournaments they perform better in and against which opponents. Some players may perform better in certain locations, so do consider that.
Have a good look at the history between two specific opponents. Which one has traditionally had the upper hand, and what were the circumstances. Is one player on the rise, or the other in decline?
Darts tournaments can take many forms. They could be straightforward knock-out, league, or even team-type events. Make yourself familiar with the various regulations that govern the event.
While not an injury-prone sport, some injuries could affect a game or even cancel it. A sprained wrist, an eye infection, even the flu could all impact an event. Keep up to date with the latest news as close to an event as you can.
The majority of verified online bookmakers do allow for in-play betting. This can be advantageous for the rookie bettor. Some sites even off live coverage of the events. The odds will constantly be changing during play, but the game can change very quickly.
Darts Facts and History
It all started about 700 years ago, with bored soldiers whiling away their time by throwing anything sharp they could lay their hands on at empty wine casks. Of course, it became a competition to see who was best – and so began darts betting.
Darts has since evolved, with even King Henry VIII playing it, but World War II made it popular in America. Yet again, bored soldiers are to blame for its popularity.
The shape of the dartboard today mirrors the original cross sectioned tree trunks that were used hundreds of years ago, with radial cracks and growth rings mimicked by the layout.
The seemingly random points on the circumference are pretty ingenious. Separating higher scores between low scores encourages accuracy from players.
Darts has always been a game of skill, but the English courts didn’t view it that way till 1908. A pub owner in Leeds had to defend his decision to allow customers to play darts; games of chance were illegal at the time, and darts were considered just that.
His defence was that this was a game of skill and not chance, and to prove it, he brought a dartboard and the pub’s best player to court. Once the court clerk failed to match three darts in the 20 segments, they decided that this was a game of skill.
After that, there were many highlights, but the next major milestone was in 1992 when the British Darts Organisation parted ways with several players. The Professional Darts Corporation was born from this split over the way national championships are run.
With both organizations working towards improving the sport, there were many competitions, including a World Championship. Unfortunately, darts is not one of the 37 Olympic sports yet.
Conclusion
The popularity of darts betting has gone through some rocky times, but as with all games that require skill, a smart bettor can turn that to their advantage. With a disciplined betting strategy and knowledge of the game, the format, and the player’s form, this is a sport that can be enjoyable to watch and bet on.
If you already enjoy watching or playing darts, wagering on matches can be even more entertaining. Remember to start with the more straightforward bets if you’re new to betting on darts.
Start with small wagers as you learn more about this fascinating historical sport that began with bored soldiers looking for some entertainment.
FAQs
What are the most profitable markets in darts betting?
The most significant events in darts betting are the PDC World Championship, and the World Cup of Darts, with odds being posted several months before the event. Most 180 markets offer good odds, as this is the maximum score that a thrower can score, having to hit the 20 each time.
How to bet on darts?
Find a site that offers darts betting, which gives you what you need regarding banking options, promotions, and payout time; after that, read a sportsbook review to see if you can trust it. Finally, if it’s legal where you live, register with that site.
What is the oche?
It’s the throw line or toe line that no part of the player’s foot can go past when throwing at the dartboard.
Is betting on darts legal?
Darts betting is legal in most locations; the easiest way to check if it’s legal where you live is to check the sportsbooks license or look up sports betting laws.
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