Pros and cons of darts betting
- Huge number of fixtures
- Regular upsets and flukes
- Multiple betting markets available
- Some betting sites have limited markets
What are the best markets for darts betting?
Compared to sports such as football, basketball and American football, darts does not quite have the same incredible depth of betting markets. That being said, many new betting sites on the market are now offering hundreds of pre-game and in-play markets on top darts tournaments, such as the World Championships and World Cup of Darts. To help you sift through these markets, here’s a close look at some of the most popular options out there:
Darts betting markets at a glance
| Market | In a nutshell |
| Match winner | Who will win the darts match? |
| Correct score | What will the final score be? |
| Number of 180’s | How many maximums will the two players achieve in a match? |
| Highest checkout | What will the highest checkout be in a match? |
| Tournament betting | Which player will win a specific darts tournament? |
This is a straight moneyline bet on who will win the game. The odds attached to each player will reflect factors such as their form, world ranking and head-to-head record. Typically, there will be a short price favorite and an underdog. Your task is to predict whether the favorite will live up to his billing or the underdog will cause an upset.
Professional darts games will either be set-based or leg-based. A leg-based game is simply a race to win a specified number of legs. For example, all Premier League games are a race to win six legs. On the other hand, a set-based game is won by the first player to win a specific number of sets, with each set a race to win a specific number of legs. Major tournaments such as the World Championships and the World Grand Prix use this format.
This can either be the combined amount of 180s scored by the two players, or the total number of maximums scored by an individual in a game. Some darts betting sites will let you bet on the specific number of 180s, whilst others will have spread markets covering multiple amounts of 180s. In major tournaments, you will often find additional markets covering the total number of maximums across the entire competition and the individual player to achieve the most 180s. Similarly, some leading darts betting sites also allow you to bet on whether or not there will be a nine dart finish in a tournament.
Again, this can be a bet on the highest checkout in the entire game, or the highest checkout achieved by an individual player. Given the increasingly high number of big fish finishes in the sport, you will sometimes also see markets for the total number of 170 checkouts across a tournament.
The most popular futures market in darts requires you to predict the winner of an entire tournament. In most cases, you will also be able to place an each way bet in this market. This means you would receive some returns if your player reaches the final, but ultimately loses. As with match betting, the odds on each player will reflect factors such as their world ranking, recent form and previous record in that tournament.
What to look for when betting on darts
Now that you know the main darts markets you can bet on, it’s time to arm you with some expert advice for finding winning darts wagers. Here are five of the most important areas you need to assess before placing your darts bets:
Head to head record
Because of the high volume of games in professional darts, top players go up against each other on a regular basis. Because of that, a lot of fierce rivalries have developed in the game. Factors such as playing style and psychology can play a big part in these rivalries, meaning that the player with the higher world ranking is not necessarily the one to always come out on top.
For example, some top players struggle when they come up against opponents with slow, mechanical throwing techniques, as this disrupts the natural rhythm of their play. Also, players such as Gerwyn Price sometimes use psychology to disrupt their opponents. This approach can take the form of aggressive celebrations or over the top reactions to try and make the opponent feel uncomfortable. As such, Price has an excellent head to head record against some players above him in the world rankings, but a less impressive record against lower ranked players who are not impacted by his actions.
Recent form
As is the case in all sports, you need to carefully consider the form book when betting on darts. As well as the numerous major tournaments that take place each year, there are also several behind closed doors competitions that the leading players participate in. Due to this very high volume of matches, players can experience plenty of peaks and troughs in their form throughout the year. This is why it is vitally important to always take a look at each player’s most recent results before placing your darts bets.
Checkout percentages
‘Scores for show, doubles for dough’ is a common cliche among darts fans. It essentially means that whilst it’s great when a player hits lots of 180s and other big scores, ultimately the most important thing is being able to regularly hit a winning double. Throughout the years, there have been several top darts players who have been incredibly efficient at hitting big scores, but a lot less impressive when trying to land doubles. These players rarely win the big tournaments and are often defeated by players with much lower three dart averages.
This is why checkout percentages are such a vital statistic to consider when betting on darts. A player’s checkout percentage shows the number of times they hit a winning double in relation to their attempts at doing so. For instance, if a player hits 10 doubles in 40 attempts, their checkout percentage will be 25%. Generally speaking, 30% and above is considered a high checkout percentage, so look for players with stats in this range when deciding who to back.
Format
As I mentioned earlier in this guide, some darts tournaments are leg-based, whilst others are set-based. In addition, a small number of tournaments (including the World Grand Prix) have a ‘double in, double out’ format, which means that players have to hit a double at the start of each leg, before they can register any points.
Different formats will favour different players. Some prefer the more strategic set-based format, whilst others excel when playing in straightforward leg-based tournaments. If the tournament has a ‘double in, double out’ format, it will greatly favour the players with the highest checkout percentages. In short, the format of a darts match can have a big impact on a player’s chances of winning.
Tournament draw
Most darts tournaments have a bracket style draw, as opposed to a random draw for each round. This means that you can see a player’s potential route through a competition, even before they have thrown their first dart. Looking at the draw bracket can really help you make informed decisions when placing tournament bets, as some players will (in theory) have much easier paths to the final than others.
Of course, once a tournament has begun, the draw rarely plays out as expected. Upsets will occur and this can ‘open up’ the draw to make some players’ route through the tournament appear a lot easier. If you are betting on a darts competition after it has commenced, always assess the draw bracket to see which players currently have the potentially easier path to the final.
Betting sites that deserve your attention
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How to choose your ideal darts betting sites
If you’re interested in finding the best online betting platforms for darts, you need to thoroughly research the options available to you. To help you out with this, here are a few of the most important areas you need to look at when comparing darts betting sites.
As you can see from the banners on this page, there are plenty of superb welcome bonuses available at sports betting sites right now. Whether they come in the form of free bets, matched deposits or even profit boosts, these welcome bonuses can add a huge amount of value to your darts betting. Of course, for a sports betting welcome bonus to be right for you, it needs to fit in with your budget and allow you to place wagers on your favorite events. Also, some betting sites provide no deposit free bet offers, so don’t forget to look out for these, as they can give you a nice introduction to a sportsbook, without you needing to pay any money into your account.
As well as sports betting site sign up bonuses, you also need to look at each brand’s suite of bonuses for regular players. These promos may be darts specific (such as price boosts on major finals), or they may be general sports promotions that you can use on darts matches. Weigh up how much additional value each promo adds to your betting experience. If possible, also look at a site’s loyalty program and/or VIP club. A great loyalty scheme can land you free bets, cashback and other valuable rewards if you play regularly at a site.
The very best darts betting sites, including all of the ones with banners on this page, provide an extensive range of markets covering a variety of tournaments, including many minor not shown on television. As well as moneylines and the other popular markets featured in this article, look for niche betting options such as over/unders on the total number of legs and the winning double in each leg. If you intend to place in-play darts bets, look at each site’s live betting platform, so you can assess areas such as live streams, in-play stats and the depth of live betting markets provided.
You will inevitably have the occasional query when betting on darts. Maybe you don’t fully understand how a market works, or perhaps you are unsure of your potential payout for a certain bet. In these instances, you need to have fast, reliable and knowledgeable options at your disposal. A great darts betting site will offer a 24/7 live chat service, email support and an extensive FAQ section. Think about which contact option(s) you prefer to use and look for brands that provide this service to a very high standard.
Nowadays, the majority of us do our darts betting via our mobile phones or tablets. As such, it is imperative that a darts betting site provides a slick mobile app or a high class mobile website. This is especially important if you are planning to place live darts bets, as the matches can move forward at a rapid pace and you need to act very quickly when placing your in-play bets. Consequently, you need the betting app to be glitch-free, to ensure that you don’t miss out on getting your wager placed at the correct odds.
Ultimately, you want to get the best possible value from your darts betting, and the ideal way to do that is by finding the site that provides the longest odds for your wagers. Whilst there are some sites that consistently provide excellent value on their darts markets, the identity of the site carrying the longest odds will change from market to market. As such, it is a good idea to sign up at multiple darts betting sites, as this will allow you to take advantage of the longest odds whenever you want to place a bet.
Conclusion – Hit the bullseye!
Darts is more popular than ever before, and to meet the rise in popularity, many leading betting sites have significantly upped their game when it comes to their darts markets. As you can see from this guide, there are now some truly world class betting options out there for darts fans. Personally, I think that Stake provides the very best darts betting provision. Not only are their darts markets vast and competitively priced, but thanks to their sensational new player promo (plus extensive existing player promotions) you can get a huge betting bonus when you first sign up.
Of course, before you begin placing your darts bets, make sure you carefully study the markets, paying particular attention to the areas I have covered in this guide. In particular, you should always take the time to thoroughly assess the players’ recent stats, especially their recent win-loss record and checkout percentages. These statistics will give you a good insight into how well each player is performing and will significantly help you find a winning bet. Enjoy!
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Darts betting sites: FAQs
🎯 Can I legally join darts betting sites?
Yes. As long as you are in a location that permits online sports betting and you meet the minimum age requirements for that area, you can legally sign up at a darts betting site.
🥇 What is the best darts betting site?
There are several excellent darts betting sites on the market, including Stake, Betway and Unibet. However, the best betting site for you to join depends on factors such as your betting preferences and location. Before signing up at any darts betting site, make sure you read the expert guides on this site and thoroughly research the options available to you.
🧾 Is darts a good sport to bet on?
Yes. Many of the best darts betting sites now have over a hundred different markets for major matches. You can place bets on the winning player, correct score, the number of 180s and a host of other in-game events.
🏹 What is the most popular darts betting market?
Whilst there are hundreds of different darts betting markets, the most popular option for betting fans is usually a straightforward moneyline wager on who will win a specific match.
