Darts is not only entertainment to soothe the nerves, but also a sport included in the Olympic program. The history of the discipline begins several centuries ago – darts appeared in the British Isles in the XVIII-XIX centuries. So amused Her Majesty’s soldiers, who were throwing cut arrows into logs or barrels. It was a bit boring in the royal service.
By the mid-19th century, when Britain was in the grip of a sports boom, and gentlemen were overwhelmed by the variety of amusements, darts had gradually acquired an organized form. First came the circle with 20 sectors, then darts with metal tips. In the twentieth century, the design of darts has changed frequently, and only in the 70’s “shells” began to be made using metal and plastic.
Today, darts is a popular sport that includes 39 major tournaments, many of which are broadcast on TV. All tournaments have prize money of 35,000 pounds. Many of the competitions are held in Foggy Albion, and the very name of the discipline comes from there as well. In English darts means “darts”.
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Basic Rules of Darts
A dart target is divided into 20 sectors, painted black and white alternately and numbered. In the center of the target there is a sector called “bullseye” – 50 points are awarded for precise hit in a small red circle and 25 points for the green circle around the “bullseye”. The points for each sector correspond to the sector number, but the sectors include the outer and inner ring, hitting which multiplies the points (doubling and tripling is provided, respectively). The player throws three darts, and the maximum possible number of points scored for three throws is 180.
The following darts variations are considered:
- 301 or 501. Players have 301 or 501 points at the start of the match. Depending on the hits the number decreases and the winner is whoever gets to zero first, but the final throw should get exactly “0” on his balance.
- Round. Players take turns hitting sectors numbered 1 through 20, then they must hit the doubling and tripling rings of sector “20” and finish the game by hitting the “bullseye”.
- Fives. Players must hit sectors that give a multiple of 5 points – other hits do not count.
The list of darts variations could go on for a long time, but at major tournaments, the match between opponents is usually played in the “301/501” format, and punters bet on the winners of this format of competition.
Types of Darts Betting
Of the key bets that bettors make on darts competitions, the following can be highlighted:
- The outcome of the meeting. A draw in duels is extremely rare, but some tournaments allow it.
- Exact score. It is difficult to predict the exact score of leagues scored by the opponents. Leagues are one win per game up to 301 or 501 points.
- Totals and handicaps. This is a classic for any sport. A handler tries to predict the total number of elbows or sets scored in a match, and can also bet on the victory of one of the participants with a plus or minus handicap in sets or elbows.
- The winner of the tournament. Before the start of the championship bettor chooses a dartsman, who will win the competition in the end.
- Checkout betting. First, it’s important to understand the term. Checkout in darts is a situation when a player completes the game with three darts. Bookmakers offer to bet on different types of checkout: who will make the maximum or total maximum checkout.
There are many options for betting, especially if we talk about major tournaments like the World and European Championships – on them bookmakers offer the most in-depth coverage of events.
Darts betting strategies
Among the main darts betting strategies experts highlight the following:
- Betting against favorites. Players from the top 20 ranking go to major tournaments without qualifying, while darts players outside the top 20 qualify, and they have better form at the start of the competition, as they have already managed to get into the game, so there is every chance to win in the opening games.
- The Taylor Effect. Phil Taylor is a Brit who has written his name in darts history in gold letters. Phil riveted relentlessly multi-match winning streaks, and fans of his talent were constantly betting and constantly winning. Occasionally, a unicum emerges on which a mouthpiece can make good money.
How to bet on darts correctly
Beginners do not know how to bet on darts competitions, and therefore often lose deposits. Take into account the following factors:
Tournament. First, familiarize yourself with the rules of a particular tournament, as they can vary significantly. The rules affect the choice of bets.
Dartman. Carefully study the opponents, their ratings, the history of personal meetings, previous bouts, etc. The more analytical, the better in terms of the final result.
Strategy. Follow your chosen strategy, but if you see that in your case it does not bring results – continue experimenting.
H3 Features of darts betting
Among the key features that the bettor should take into account, include:
The odds don’t always determine the favorites. Darts is a sport where an army of fans can tip the scales in favor of their favorite.
Favorites can go undefeated in smaller tournaments. Leaders don’t need to win at all costs – they often peak their form for the big tournaments, and then quietly flop in the smaller ones.
The statistics is better to look at English-language resources, where darts is much more popular, and therefore there is more information on the discipline.
What events to bet on on darts?
📌 In the betting lines you can find such big tournaments:
- World Matchplay.
- Grand Slam of Darts.
- Winmau World Masters.
- UK Open.
- World Matchplay.
What kind of darts bet should a beginner choose?
📌 The main type of bet is the outcome of the match. Since a draw is not excluded, you can bet on P1, X or P2. If the bank offers bets on two outcomes in the match, in case of a draw they will issue a refund.