Darts Betting Guide

When it comes to sports with a long history, one that certainly catches the eye is Darts. Now viewed by many punters across the world, given that many of the most recent world champions have come from further afield, it’s certainly one sport which features a lot of betting markets which is down to many tournaments which operate across the different governing bodies.

History of Darts

Darts have been a popular pastime since the 1300s when bored soldiers would throw arrowheads at a wooden target. However, the modern game was designed in 1896 by a carpenter from Lancashire called Brian Gamlin. The game has endured to the present day because it can be set up in seconds, anyone can give it a go, and the rules are easy to learn.

It is also a great game to watch, whether you’re at a public event or at home in front of a screen. There are betting tips darts fans can use to wager on the outcome of darts matches and the progress of players in numerous events at LeoVegas.

Organisations within Darts

Professional Darts playing is split into two organisations, the Professional Darts Council (PDC) and the World Darts Federation (WDF). Both have professional players as members, and both hold regular tournaments.

The PDC was formed in 1992 by a group of professional players who felt that the reputation of darts as a sport was in decline. This organisation is still considered by many to have a greater number of professional players. The PDC World Championship tournament is considered to be one of the more prestigious events in professional darts, and is covered by Sky Sports.

On the other hand, the BDO has held an annual Women’s World Championship since 2001 and is therefore considered more supportive of women in the sport. Today, both organisations are successful and integral to the sport. Players meet in the PDC’s Grand Slam of Darts Tournament, which is held annually.

Get darts tips today for all the major tournaments

Be sure to take a look at our darts betting tips and predictions for all the major tournaments held by various organisations. Our tipsters have picks to offer throughout the year, including the Grand Slam of Darts, the Modus Darts Super Series and the PDC Players Championship.

Live darts betting on all the biggest darts tournaments

In January, the PDC World Darts Championship will be in full swing in London. This will be followed by the UK Open Darts Finals at Butlin’s in Minehead. In July, you can check out the PDC World Matchplay from the Winter Gardens in Blackpool. There’s also the Grand Slam of Darts in November.

Placing a darts bet on the World Darts Championship

Possibly the highest-profile event in the darts calendar, the PDC World Darts Championship takes place from December to January each year. The championship winner will receive a cash prize of £500,000 out of a total prize fund of £2.5m. Players can either enter this tournament or the BDO World Darts Championship in any given year, but not both.

Live darts betting on the Premier League Darts Tournament

Held between February and May each year, the Premier League Darts Tournament is the sport’s version of the football World Cup.

A fortnightly competition in which players from around the world compete against each other in a knockout-style format across the night, where points are awarded and a winner is announced at the end of each gameplay day. At the quarter-final stage of the tournament, the top four players move to the playoffs, and the final is the first to 11 legs (best of 21).

Darts tips today for the PDC World Matchplay

One of the three legs in the sport’s Triple Crown event, the PDC World Matchplay takes place every year in July. Established in 1994, it is one of the sport’s longest-running events, and each year 32 top players arrive to compete for their share of the prize fund.

The players are made up of 16 people from the PDC Order of Merit and 16 more from the ProTour Order of Merit (those who have not yet qualified). The unseeded players face the top-seeded players, and all matches in the first round are decided through 10 legs.

Darts betting guide for the UK Open

A spring tournament, the UK Open takes place in Minehead, Somerset in early March each year. The open format means it’s one of the sport’s most exciting events and can often see unseeded, unknown competitors take the stage alongside game legends.

Darts bet guide for the Grand Slam of Darts

The Grand Slam of Darts is held in November each year in Wolverhampton. In what is now considered to be an iconic event in the game’s calendar, 32 of the best-known darts players from around the world compete in group stages and knockout rounds. They aim to win a share of the prize money and take home the coveted Eric Bristow Trophy.

Live darts betting and the World Series of Darts

The PDC World Series of Darts is a group of international tournaments in which all the sport’s biggest players compete against rising stars in other countries. Designed to introduce the sport to a global audience, it takes place over a year and includes matches in Europe, Australasia and the US.

Betting tips darts fans can use to inform their wagers

There is a huge range of betting markets you can choose to place bets in darts, from the highest checkout to the most 180s and match betting. You can follow any one of the major tournaments over a year, select a player who seems to be on a winning streak, and then choose them as your outright winner or go for a more generalised wager.

Placing an outright darts bet

Outright bets allow you to predict an overall tournament winner in any event. If you go for this option, you can back a player in several different ways depending on the nature of the tournament. You could place them in the top four, the top two or first place.

How to bet on darts with match betting

A straightforward match betting wager is found in any sport where two players are competing for the win. You are essentially placing a wager on the one you think will win the match. In most cases, you can only select one player or the other in a binary bet, but there are a couple of exceptions in this market. In Premier League Darts, it’s possible for a match to end in a draw, so you can also choose this option if you prefer.

Darts bet options

There are several bets you can choose to place on a darts match. Here’s a look at some of the most popular options:

• Handicap betting – In handicap betting, the odds are mainly influenced by each player’s past performance. It’s a key type of bet in live darts betting as this market tends to provide better-value odds than others.

• Correct score – If you like the idea of predicting the final result of a specific set, then you can try this type of darts bet. You can also find correct score bets that cover the legs of tournaments, though these are more challenging to predict.

• Highest checkout – Choose a player who you think will have the highest checkout throughout a match, and then place a wager on it with this type of bet. The highest option you can have in darts is 180, but there are also bets that include more specific checkouts.

• Nine-dart finish – When a darts player checks out a score of 501 in nine darts, this is called a nine-dart finish. It’s the domain of the greats, as only players such as Michael van Gerwen tend to hit nine-darters with regularity. However, if you are confident in the performance of a player, then this could be a bet option to go for.

• Most 180s – As the name suggests, this bet is a wager on either player in a match getting the most 180s. To achieve this, they have to hit three treble 20s during one trip to the oche. Some betting options allow you to bet on which player will get the most 180s in an entire tournament.

Live darts betting

Once a darts match is underway, you can visit LeoVegas to take part in live darts betting. Even if you are not around for the start of a match, you can still place this type of bet, and you’ll have a chance to see how the players are settling in before you attempt to make a prediction. By the same token, the odds can change every time a player visits the oche (throw line), and this can happen at an even faster rate in doubles matches, where a single dart can be a decider.

So, if you’re interested in the art of darts, or other styles of sports betting, take a gander to LeoVegas and see what there is on offer.