Darts betting isn’t just for Christmas, you know. It’s a year-round passion for thousands of punters who follow the PDC across Europe and beyond. From the Paddy Power World Darts Championship through to the Premier League and Masters, there’s always some darts odds available to bet on.
If you’re new to darts and aren’t sure how it all works then this guide is for you. We’ll take you through a quick overview of darts betting, from the biggest tournaments to the best darts odds.
Learn the basics of the game, what you can bet on, and how you can bet at Paddy Power today.
Remember, darts betting with Paddy Power never stops – so let’s get straight into the action!
How darts works
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We’ll make this snappy. Darts isn’t a complicated game, nor is it one condemned to the pub. We reckon it’s one of the world’s best sports. Period.
In darts, your aim is to reduce your points total from 501 to exactly zero. Players take it in turns to throw three darts each. Different sections of the board score different points. To win a leg, you not only need to throw exactly 501 but your last dart must be a double.
Now, the darts board is set up with a bullseye in the middle, worth 50 points. The outer ring of the bull is worth 25 points. From there, 20 sections fan out around the board, each with a different point value. There is a treble ring, where your dart scores treble the number of points for the segment it lands in, and an external double ring.
So, when we say you need to “finish on the double”, it means your last dart to nail exactly zero points must be in a double segment. For example, if you have 40 remaining, then Double 20 wins you the leg.
In most tournaments you need to win a certain number of sets to win a match. There may be three, five or seven legs per set.
There are plenty of darts tournaments to bet on each season
Now, betting on darts focuses on more than just backing the winner of a match or tournament. You can place hundreds of different darts bets over the course of a season, with everything from who will win the next set to how many 180s (the maximum you can throw from three darts) will be landed in the next session.
Paddy Power offers an extensive range of darts tips for bettors seeking to improve their picks and dive deeper into the sport. We go into overdrive during the Paddy Power World Darts Championship, so check out these tips every December!
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Best darts tournaments to bet on
The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) and British Darts Organisation (BDO) are the two biggest darts organisations in the world. The PDC is where the pros earn big money playing all over the globe. For instance, there’s £2.5 million on offer in the Paddy Power World Darts Championship this year, with the champion taking home a cool £500,000.
Here are some of the best darts tournaments to bet on, and why:
- PDC World Darts Championship – Paddy Power offers extensive daily and live darts odds on every match of the World Championships. This is where the top players face off every December at the Ally Pally. Every arrow is live on Sky Sports and Paddy’s in-play odds keep track of all the action. The Worlds are great for odds boosts and betting offers, such as Paddy’s Power Prices!
- The Masters – A non-ranking event, the Masters darts does away with sets and it’s all about legs betting.
- PDC Players Championship – The most regular tournament over the year, there are 30 Players Championship nights, which gives most players the chance to top the bill and claim victory.
- Women’s Series – The PDC’s premier women’s championship with 20 tournaments over the season and qualification to majors up for grabs.
- Premier League of Darts – This is tournament darts on steroids, a 16-night league contest that ends in the playoffs and a best-of-21-legs final each June. Luke Littler won the title on his Premier League debut in 2024.
- World Matchplay – Matches must be won by two clear legs in what can be a raucous tournament.
- European Championship – Played usually in Germany, the European Championship Darts attracts more top players from the continent.
Best darts bets
There are plenty of darts bets available at Paddy Power over the course of the season – and it’s fair to say we go into overdrive during the World Championships. From outright bets on who will win the World Darts Championship to pre-match specials and live betting, here are the best darts odds available to you:
- Match betting – This is a simple bet on who will win the match. This bet type is the same as backing a winner in football or cricket. Remember, though, that some darts matches in certain tournaments can end in a draw!
- Correct score – Bet on what you think the exact final score will be. This will either be a correct score of legs or sets, depending on the scoring method in the tournament in question. Correct score betting is great live because you can make smarter predictions on how a match could pan out.
- Most 180s – A fun bet if you’re not backing either player, betting on most 180s is a way of anticipating the big moments. You can do this on a certain match or over the course of a tournament.
- Total legs over/under – The over/under legs market allows you to bet above or below a set number. Perhaps you think a best-of-11 match will produce +7.5 legs, or maybe you think the match will finish before eight legs have been played.
- Leg handicaps – Back a player to win or lose with a positive or negative handicap on their final score. For example, you could back a player to win with a -3.5 handicap. They need to win by four legs or more for you to win your bet!
- 170 Checkout – Bet on a player to nail the highest checkout possible: 2x Treble 20s and the bull. Or bet on them to score the highest checkout in their match.
Darts betting tips
Darts betting goes into overdrive during the Paddy Power World Darts Championships
If you’re accustomed with darts betting and want to get into the action straightaway then let Paddy’s darts tips page be your guide. For those who are looking to know more about how to bet on darts, the below tips are designed to ease you into the sport.
Paddy’s whipped up some simple tips and tricks you can use to improve your darts betting experience and potentially win greater profits. As you might have guessed, it’s all about taking things steady.
1. Do your research
It doesn’t matter what sport you bet on, you always need to research bets before you place them. Use Paddy Power’s stats and tips pages to get a better knowledge of who you’re betting on. Read up on player form guides and try to understand why some players seemingly can’t defeat certain opponents. Better knowledge leads to smarter bets.
2. Start simple
Keep your first darts bets to a simple pace. Betting on the match winner markets and sitting back to watch games is the best way to get a feel for the sport and how to bet. It’s the simplest way to ease into a tournament that you might not have bet on before. Oh, and you might also land a winner!
3. Bet small whether you experiment or not
If you decide to bet on other options like over/unders and total 180s then it’s worth keeping your stakes small. There’s no point risking big money on new bet types that you might not be familiar with. Saying that, even small match bets can be a smart option when starting out. Always stay within your budget and set limits to keep on track.
4. Look at darts accumulators
Accumulators are an ideal way to ease into more complex betting structures without actually making it complicated. A darts acca is where you lump a few single bets together in one big bet. If each selection wins then you win at far greater odds. One way to get started here is to pick a few dead-cert winners backing them all to win. That way you keep your risk as low as possible but can also squeeze plenty of value out of the bet.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to place an accumulator bet
5. Check out home favourites
The home boys always get big support as PDC events tour around the UK and Europe. If there are three Belgians competing in a Brussels tournament then look into their routes to the final and consider whether a bet here might be worth it. Darts crowds influence the players just like football crowds.
6. Use Power Prices
Paddy offers darts Power Prices during major tournaments, where the odds are improved on selected picks. This is a great opportunity to chase higher value bets, and also introduces you to some new bet structures. You might find a structure that suits how you like to bet while also locking in a Power Price!
FAQS
What does match treble mean in darts betting?
A match treble in darts betting is when you bet on a player to: 1) win the match, 2) hit the most 180s, 3) nail the highest checkout. It’s a great bet option when betting on a heavy favourite such as in the PDC World Darts Championship.
How does each way betting work in darts?
Each way betting in darts works by splitting your bet on someone winning a tournament into two. Half your stake goes on them winning the tournament, while the other half goes on them reaching the final (coming second). If they lose the final only the second half of your bet pays out.
Can I bet on live darts?
Yes! You can bet on live darts at Paddy Power and access scores of great odds. We offer extensive live darts bets on the biggest competitions, including the Paddy Power World Darts Championship. Check out our odds today and join Paddy Power to get started!
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