Historic thrashings: the biggest average margins on the European Tour

The European Tour is known for its high standard and spectacular matches, but occasionally there are contests with an unprecedented gulf in strength. That is clearly reflected in the largest gaps in three-dart averages ever recorded within a single match on the European Tour. These numbers offer a rare glimpse into moments when one player completely dominated while the opponent never found any rhythm.

Leading the list is the clash between Dutchman Kevin Doets and Finland’s Jonas Masalin in the opening round of the European Darts Trophy 2026, which produced a gap of no less than 41.62 points. Doets posted an impressive 117.12 average, while Masalin stalled at 75.50. An average above 115 is considered absolute world class and appears only sporadically, even among the elite. That this came with such a wide margin underscores just how one-sided the match was.

In second place is the tie between Robert Marijanovic and Jamie Lewis in the first round of the International Darts Open 2020. Here the gap was 41.37 points, with averages of 99.10 and 57.72 respectively. Lewis’s low average stands out in particular: averaging under 60 at professional level is exceptional and often points to a match where nothing comes off. At the same time, Marijanovic played solidly and consistently, which was enough to create a huge margin.

Third place also shows a clear imbalance. It concerns the match between Dave Chisnall and Dirk Becker in the first round of the German Darts Masters 2013. Chisnall averaged 100.20 against Becker’s 60.97, good for a 39.23-point gap.

Fourth place goes to the meeting between Luke Littler and Arno Merk during the opening round of the European Darts Grand Prix 2024. With averages of 101.33 for Littler and 67.54 for Merk, the gap came to 33.79 points. Although slightly lower than the other matches on this list, this is still an exceptionally large margin on the professional circuit.

What makes these figures especially interesting is the context of the PDC European Tour. Matches are often played over a relatively short format, so one strong spell or a poor start can have a big impact on the average. Even so, gaps over 40 points remain exceptional and rare.

These statistics show how capricious darts can be. At one moment two players appear evenly matched, while the scoring pattern and form of the day can paint a completely different picture. That is precisely what makes the sport so compelling: even at the highest level, the margins can sometimes be surprisingly large.

The PDC European Tour continues next weekend in Wieze, where the Belgian Darts Open is on the schedule. Luke Littler starts the tournament as defending champion after beating home favorite Mike De Decker 8-5 in last year’s final.