Under the stewardship of chairman Barry Hearn, darts has grown into one of the nation’s once loved sports. The combination of fast-paced drama and electric atmosphere have become a huge hit amongst live supporters and television audiences alike while the game is also branching out to new countries every single year.
Whether it’s the Thursday night Premier League or the annual PDC World Championships around the festive season, we absolutely love the darts. And better still, it’s one of the best sports to place a bet on.
Betting on darts is fun, easy, and potentially very lucrative. Here’s everything you need to know.
The Big Players
First and foremost, a basic knowledge of darts will always put you in a stronger position as you look to gain a profit from the bookies.
Predicting the BDO events can be quite difficult, especially as younger players often use this as an arena to hone their skills before making the step up to PDC events. In truth, the Professional Darts Corporation circuit is far more consistent, and there are a number of players to keep your eyes on.
Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor was once a near guaranteed winner of any major tournament. Whilst he remains one of the best players on the circuit, age is catching up with the 16-time champion. Nowadays, the likes of Michael van Gerwin and Gary Anderson are the ones to beat while Adrian Lewis and co are always capable of causing a shock.
On their day, any top player can beat anyone. When it comes to backing someone to win the big tournaments, though, the value will always be with MVG or Anderson.
Best Bookies for Betting on Darts
As its popularity grows, more and more bookmakers are starting to take bets on the sport. However, there are a handful of firms that stand out from the crowd.
It’s always worth taking advantage of the various promotions too. Many firms will offer money back on Premier League accumulators with only one losing selection. Similarly, you may be able to trigger a refund if a 170 checkout is recorded.
When betting on darts, the pre-match fluctuation of prices between bookmakers is quite small. Nevertheless, equipping yourself with accounts on the best betting platforms will give you the edge.
Different Darts Betting Markets
One of the main attractions for betting on darts is the fact there is a guaranteed outcome. Darts matches are played over a set duration of legs or sets, which means there is a limited number of potential outcomes. For savvy punters, that creates a fantastic opportunity to land big profit.
However, betting on the match result isn’t the only market to look out for. Stars like Dave Chisnall are better known for high scoring than successful checkouts, which makes him a great shout on the 180s market.
Meanwhile, MVG and other quick-throwing players have the ability to blow opponents out of the water in a matter of minutes. This makes handicap betting a very attractive prospect, particularly over the shorter formats.
If you have an inkling about whether the match will last the distance or not, you can seek some huge value on the additional markets. For that reason alone, it’s always worth betting with the companies that offer a range of options.
Live Betting on Darts
Darts is a sport that boasts a solid hierarchy, and you rarely see too much disruption to the order of merit. However, it can still be difficult to predict how a player will throw on any given night. After all, something as simple as a headache can really impact their throwing ability.
Thankfully, bookmakers like Unibet and Ladbrokes cover the action live. This gives you the chance to follow the drama and make more calculated decisions. Whether it’s waiting a couple of legs to confirm your pre-game predictions or reacting to the drama, it can be a very useful method of betting.
If nothing else, darts is an extremely volatile sport. The momentum can be gained or lost on a single dart. Moreover, the quick speed makes it difficult for bookies to price matches In-Play. As any regular punter knows, these moments of uncertainty are the best time to pounce for a huge winner.
Do it at the right time, and it’ll be Game Shot.