Here at NetBet, we’ve got a whole load of great markets for sports betting, and we offer some of the best Darts odds around. We don’t just take bets on individual matches, we offer online betting on plenty of deeper markets on our UK betting site. If you want to place any sport bet, here’s a quick guide on how exactly you should go about it.
What is Darts?
Darts is a game contested by two or more players in which each individual takes it in turns to throw pointed arrows at a circular board hung on the wall. Each section of the dartboard has a different value, with a double and treble section attached to each number. Scoring commonly starts at either 301 in amateur games, or 501 in professional matches. The aim is to accumulate as high a total as possible with each three-dart turn, with the eventual aim to reach zero – known as checking out.
The game becomes more complex as players get closer to zero, and the only way a player can win a leg is by ending on a double or bullseye (middle section worth 50). For example, if a player begins their turn with 80 left to score and hits two 20s with their first two darts, they are left with 40 and must hit the double 20 to win the leg.
The most prestigious and historic darts competition is the World Championships, taking place at Alexandra Palace in London every year across December and into the beginning of January. Welshman Gerwyn Price is the current world number one ranked by prize money, but Peter Wright is the reigning world champion and has won two of the last three competitions.
History of Darts
Darts’ earliest origins can be seen as far back as the 1300s, when military men would throw spears at targets to pass time. As the centuries went on, the target began to shrink, as did the size of the throwing apparatus. The closest relative of the modern game we have come to love today was the use of small darts known as flechettes, which were made of wood and thrown at a circular board in the 19th century. But this was not the only variety of darts played at the time. In fact, depending on where you were in the country, you could find yourself playing a completely different game with different equipment to those just miles away. Another variation of the game was puff darts, where arrows were propelled with a blowpipe towards a target on the wall.
The game we recognise today did not become popular until the 1900s. Carpenter Brian Gamlin is believed to be the creator of modern darts in 1896, when scores were assigned to different segments of the board. However, adaptations continued to be made throughout the 20th century, and it wasn’t until the 1920s that we saw the inclusion of a treble ring. This particular dartboard was known as the London or Clock dartboard, which quickly eclipsed the Yorkshire dartboard as the most commonly used across England.
The first attempts to unify and organise the game were made in 1924 when the National Darts Association was created. The game’s popularity continued to increase, and with the commencement of World War II, darts began to spread internationally. The National Association of Great Britain was then founded in the 1950s with the goal of organising local and national leagues, helping to encourage participation. It worked – by 1972, people across the country were tuning in to watch the News of the World Individual Darts Championship on television. Fast forward to the current day and the British Darts Organisation has 70 member countries and the biggest tournaments offer millions of pounds in prize money.
The sport’s major competition, the World Championships, has largely been dominated by British players. It was first played in 1994 and has taken place every year since, with British players accounting for 23 of 29 winners. Phil Taylor is regarded by most as the best player of all time. He was named World Champion a remarkable 14 times, including an incredible run of eight consecutive titles in the late 90s, early 2000s. The next best is often thought to be Dutchman Michael van Gerwen, but to put it into perspective, he is the second most decorated world championship player with just three victories.
How do I bet on Darts?
Here at NetBet, we have a wide variety of markets available for all the major matches and competitions in this year’s darts calendar.
These are:-
- Outright – Bet on a player to win a particular match or tournament.
- To reach the final – Place a bet on a player that you think will make it to the final of a specific tournament.
- Most 180s in the match – Predict the player that will score the most 180s in a specific match.
- Highest checkout – Place a bet on which player you think will achieve the highest checkout in a match.
- To win the first set – Place a pre-match or in-play bet on which player will win the first set of the match.
- 170 finish in the match – Predict which, if any, player will achieve the maximum checkout of 170 during the match.
- Correct score – Place a bet on the exact score of the match.
However, there aren’t just these to choose from. Occasionally, we might choose to Boost a price which you can find at our Promotions page.
When you choose NetBet Sport, you can enjoy a whole range of top quality sports and markets. Whatever you choose, always remember to bet responsibly. Here at NetBet, player wellbeing is our number one priority – check out our Responsible Gambling tips and tools page for more information.
