How to Bet on Darts: A Beginner’s Guide to Markets, Odds and Strategy
OtherWednesday, 01 October 2025 at 18:15
Everyone’s usually down for a game of darts when they’re gathered at a pub, but professional darts is by no means just drunken fun. It’s fast-paced, strategic, and demands mastery over grip, stance and accuracy. Over the years, global tours and lucrative prize pots have transformed darts from a niche game into a sought-after sporting event.
With betting becoming a natural complement to watching the game, many passionate fans and curious punters have begun adding darts wagers to their bet slips. It’s an incredibly easy-to-follow sport consisting of head-to-head matches with simple formats and clear scoring rules. Unlike many other sports, bettors don’t have to get lost in complicated statistics or extensive betting markets, but there’s nuance for those who want to explore different angles.
Why Darts Is Worth Betting On
As mentioned, darts is simple. The scoring is easy to grasp and you don’t need to have lengthy or deep knowledge to get involved or place smart bets. Darts is also a year-round sport, with major tournaments like the PDC World Championship and Premier League Darts to look forward to. That means no excessive downtime to slow you down. It also offers the perfect opportunity to expand your betting approach. Beginners can start with match-winner bets and gradually explore other markets as they get more comfortable, like total 180s and in-play bets.
Where to Bet on Darts
If you’re interested in darts betting, you won’t have to scrounge for a platform that offers it. Most major sportsbooks, such as Bet365, William Hill and Sky Bet, offer coverage of darts events. There, UK bettors can enjoy real-time statistics, pre-match and live betting, and a complete betting experience like other sports. The good news for fans of UK slots is that many sportsbooks feature their own casino platform, which they can seamlessly switch to when they’re looking to unwind between matches.
Popular Darts Betting Markets
Not sure where to begin? Here are the most common darts betting markets you’ll find on sportsbooks:
- Match Winner: The most straightforward bet that involves picking the player you think will win the match.
- Total 180s: How many maximum scores will happen in a leg or match, either presented as an over/under bet or an exact total for a greater challenge.
- Correct Score: Bet on the final score, for example, Player A to beat Player B 6–4. A difficult yet fun option for higher payouts.
- Checkout Betting: Bets on how players finish legs, including the highest checkout (whoever finishes with the highest score), first checkout (who gets the first checkout of the match), and specific checkout (hitting an exact score or finishing on a certain double or triple).
- Handicap Betting: Bets that give the underdog a head start, usually when their opponent is heavily favoured.
- In-Play Markets: Bets placed as matches are going on, where bettors need to keep track of shifting odds.
All of these bets can be combined into combination bets or multiples, sometimes called parlays. These involve several legs that have to win for the overall bet to pay out, but they have a much higher potential payout as the odds are multiplied together.
Learning Darts Betting Odds
If you’re new to not just betting on darts but betting overall, it’s important to understand how odds work before anything else. While brushing up on your knowledge about betting markets helps too, the odds tell you two key things:
1) How much you can win from a bet on that market.
2) How likely it is that you’ll win based on your specific sportsbook.
In the UK, odds are presented in two major ways. Fractional odds are most popular, representing the profit relative to your stake. Odds of 3/1 mean you win a £3 profit for every £1 you bet, including your original stake back. A £20 bet would return £80 in total, counting your £20 stake and the £60 profit. You’ll also see decimal odds on some sportsbooks, where you can simply multiply your stake by the number you see. For example, odds of 2.00 mean that a £10 bet returns £20 in total.
These numbers aren’t always static, either. Odds can change right before a match begins or even during the game, which gives you subtle clues about where people’s money is going and how bookmakers see the matchup. If Gerwyn Price was set to play Peter Wright in a match, early starting odds could have Price as the favourite at 1.80 and Wright as the underdog at 2.10. If news has it that Wright looks sharp in practice and is confident in interviews, bettors may start backing Wright and shift the odds, with Price’s odds going to 2.00 and Wright’s odds shortening to 1.90.
Odds can shift based on numerous factors, such as head-to-head records, player form (injuries or hot streaks), the stage of the tournament and where public money is going.
Smart Betting Strategies for Darts
Darts is easy to keep your eye on, but betting still requires thought and easing into, especially if you’re just getting started. Our advice is to start small and simple, putting a few pence or pounds on clear markets like match winner or total 180s and avoiding spreading your bankroll too thin. Building your experience and confidence is key, as it’ll give you the foundation to explore more complex opportunities. And before you put any wagers down, take some time to do your homework. Different dynamics and statistics can impact outcomes and help you spot value in the odds.
But whatever strategy you choose, be sure to manage your bankroll responsibly. Set a hard limit and never chase your losses, so betting remains fun and not a burden.
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- Sophie v Paige warranted a final and deserved a longer format, despite the completely shambolic start to the match regarding the scoring which I think unnerved both players, it was an excellent game. Both are outstanding players with great futures in darts. It was a shame such talented players had to meet so early and that Paige is out, she is brilliant and blitzed Sophie in that first set. Fantastic comeback from Sophie, so calm and nonchalant, survived a real scare but hope she becomes World Champion.richieburnettrocks04-12-2025
- I'll play,I can average about 40!rick6701-12-2025
- I'll play,I can average about 40!rick6701-12-2025
- Oh fudge off. Who the hell decided Mardull was preferred choice. Just look as its idiotic face. What a talentless waste of space What a travesty when you compare what ITV had. He comes across as a jokey person but it's a class A piece of sheet, miserable as hell and completely full of himself. I don't know anyone who can say anything positive about this goof. Hopefully he'll meet Chris Mason in a dark alley. It really is paving over paradise.richieburnettrocks26-11-2025
- Needs to get the dart tip up when he pulls the dart back and his game will come back.BandB25-11-2025
- Absolutely disgraceful, really I've said many times that ITV coverage is superior to SKY and SKY know that. Jacqui was absolutely fantastic and extremely knowledgeable. Emma from SKY is more interested in what to wear than learning about darts. Chris Mason is absolutely the best and greatest commentator on TV, even better than Alex Jacques on F1 and Alex is absolutely brilliant. It is criminal that Chris and Alan will probably never be on TV again, what an amazing waste of talent. Poor Ned, who is just as excellent and knowledgeable on darts as the Tour de France has lost both gigs this year. The whole ITV team from presentation, commentary, production the whole team will definitely be missed and I have enjoyed every minute of their coverage. Thank you so much. John Part is the ONLY decent and knowledgeable person on SKY. I liked Glenn Durrant the player but he is awkward and dreadful on commentary all the rest are utterly useless.richieburnettrocks24-11-2025
- Gurney is off form and will completely crack and have a meltdown as the crowd will be relentless, although I think Beau will beat him anyway. I also think Fallon will beat the Helium voiced Chisnall. Poor Gemma has a toughie Peter Wright is also completely off the boil but will probably squeeze past Lisa. Ian White v Mervyn King is an old school classic.richieburnettrocks24-11-2025
- I thought itv coverage was great,shame to see it goingrick6724-11-2025
- Put the balls back in and have another go!rick6724-11-2025
- Hate the idea. Darts is loud and exciting without this gimmick format. Golf needs it because it's otherwise boring. Sorry but same applies for royale rumble style knock out.BandB19-11-2025
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