How to Bet on Darts
Darts has the honour of being second most-watched sport on Sky TV behind football. As there are two separate governing bodies for the game in the UK, there are always two different darts world champions reigning at the same time. The two organisations, the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) and the British Darts Organisation (BDO), both host a number of competitions for players throughout the year, most of which are well-served by bookmakers offering great darts betting markets. Among the most prestigious of these tournaments are the two world championships, the BDO’s World Masters and the PDC’s Premier League.
Common Bets
As well as betting on the match or tournament winners, there are often a number of markets available for games at major events. Most bookies will offer correct score betting for the number of legs each player will win. You will find handicaps as well, which will increase your payout if you back a clear favourite in a game.
For those who are not sure of the value of betting on solid favourites like Michael van Gerwen or Phil Taylor to triumph in a championship, you can usually find an outright market excluding one or both of those two giants of the sport.
There are also often bets available on whether a match or a tournament will see the maximum checkout of 170, and you can wager on the likelihood of a nine-dart finish as well.
Tips and Strategies
A player’s confidence is the key to their performance in major championships. Darts is such a precise sport, necessitating a quick-thinking mind as well as a steady hand, that if a player is suffering a rough run of form, it is often difficult for them to pick themselves up and keep going. Conversely, if someone comes into a competition on the back of some fantastic results, that can carry them further than might otherwise be expected. Make sure you research recent performances before you stake.
The draw for the tournament can also give some clues to how the event will end up. With form players not necessarily being the most highly-rated, it could turn out that they are all grouped in the same side of the schedule, taking chunks out of each other and leaving a stand-out individual on the other side of the draw with a free route to the final. Analyse the players by recent performances, rather than necessarily by status in the game.
In-play betting could pay dividends, as even if a player has a strong lead, the nature of the game is that it can soon swing the other way. If the sportsbooks lengthen the price of an underdog, they may be worth a look.