For years, a big debate has been going on between darts lovers and those who consider themselves snooker-loopy about what is more difficult, a nine-darter on the oche or a 147 on the baize? The question will never fully be answered, but it seems arguably the biggest name of each respective sport are in unanimous agreement.
“The 147 must be harder, I think," snooker legend and seven-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan said previously on the debate, staying loyal to his own sport. "I think what you guys do a dartboard and the way you make it look so easy is just unbelievable, so total respect to you guys. Just being able to make a 147 or a nine-darter is a great achievement, but I tend to agree. Maybe the 147 might be slightly harder just because it’s 36 shots and you’ve only got nine to do."
One man who has threatened to make nine-darters look incredibly easy over the last 12 months, is the newly crowned PDC World Darts Championship winner, Luke Littler. 'The Nuke' equalled Gerwyn Price's record for 4 nine-darters in a calendar year in 2024, but truthfully it could have been a dozen or so more if the final double 12 hadn't continuously gone awry. According to Littler though, despite his troubles on completing the perfect leg, the 147 in snooker remains the tougher feat of the two.
“I think it has to be a 147," he begins his own recent evaluation of the eternal debate. "I don’t know the rules of snooker, what is it? You pot a red ball, you pot a coloured ball, and you just go over and over again. It’s really hard. I’d say a 147 is a lot harder.”
Recently, PDC World Darts Championship sponsors put the question to the test as Luke Humphries and Michael van Gerwen attempted to hit a nine-darter, whilst right next door, snooker world champions Shaun Murphy and Mark Williams attempted a 147. In the end, it was Murphy (who claims to have also hit a nine-darter ed.) that stuck gold first, nailing a 147 break.
Shaun Murphy claims to be the only person to achieve a 147, a hole in one and a nine-darter.
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) December 3, 2024
But what else has he done?#PaddyPowerPerfectChallenge
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