Updated: 27.08.2025
The rise in popularity of darts in recent years has been staggering. Once dismissed as a pub game, it's now one of the biggest televised sports in the UK, with major events - such as the World Darts Championship - becoming highlights of the sporting calendar. Naturally, this has led to a significant rise in the popularity of darts betting. While it's not quite up there with the likes of football and horse racing, it's still a huge market... and one that can be a lot of fun to bet on!
The mechanics of how you should do this differ from those of the aforementioned sports, so - if you're not an experienced darts bettor - this guide will serve as the perfect introduction. We'll explain where to get your darts odds, take you through the main events to bet on, and give you some expert tips on how to turn a long-term profit.
Knowing that darts has essentially become a mainstream sport, it should come as no surprise that most sportsbooks - large and small - offer darts betting these days. However, the actual amount of what they offer varies greatly, whether it be special offers, available markets, or simple darts betting odds. Now is the perfect time to get started.
Luckily for punters, we've tested all the amazing offers and experiences for darts bettors. Therefore, we have no trouble recommending them as some of the best darts betting platforms on the market right now. Feel free to explore these suggestions.
Having only been founded in 2000, the speed of Bet365's meteoric rise to the top of the sports betting scene has been staggering. While football has always been their priority, they've done a great job of consistently catering to fans of other sports, including darts.
Bet365 cover all the major darts competitions with a huge range of markets. As well as simple match winners, you can get darts betting odds on most 180's, set winners and even whether there will be a 9-darter. They offer in-play betting and, crucially, live streaming of matches in progress, including the World Championship. Go to Bet365 >>
William Hill has long been one of the most respected names on the British betting scene. They've managed to stay relevant over the decades not only through the sheer quality of their offering, but also through excellent sponsorship deals.
As anyone who has watched the World Darts Championship will know, William Hill are the main sponsors of the biggest darts event on the calendar. This already gives an indication of how seriously they take darts betting, but this commitment is even more evident in the actual sportsbook. You can bet on the likes of Most Trebles and Correct Score, and William Hill are constantly offering Enhanced Odds on some fascinating multiples markets. Go to William Hill >>
While not quite as well known as the other brands on our list, Betfred is still a massive sportsbook in its own right. Horse racing and football - probably in that order - are their biggest focuses, but they also remain one of the best darts betting sites around.
There's an extremely deep darts betting section within the Betfred sportsbook which, as you'd expect, covers all the major competitions. Betfred also provide you with a little analysis for all the major matchups to help guide your bets, which is tremendously helpful if you're new to darts. There's also a solid selection of bet types, including handicaps, and live streaming is available for PDC events. Go to Betfred >>
Paddy Power are best known for their innovative, cheeky marketing campaigns, for which they should be applauded. But make no mistake, they also execute the fundamentals of sports betting brilliantly.
We're happy to say that this is also the case with their darts betting section, which has all the features you could want. As well as an excellent range of markets and bet types, you can also place in-play bets and watch live games for free via live streaming. Paddy Power also has the best range of Darts promotions currently available, with Power Prices (i.e. improved odds), a variety of specials and even a Darts Power Up promotion (which gives you a daily Darts odds boost) all available. Go to Paddy Power >>
While there are some similarities between all sports betting - such as balancing risk and reward and prioritizing value - darts betting is really its own unique area. In order to actually start betting on darts, the first thing you need to understand is what your options are. Here's a quick and easy introduction to the main types of darts betting odds.
This is the most basic type of bet, and it works the same way as other sports. You ignore what the score will be, how long the game will last, and so on... and simply bet on who you think will win in the end!
While you may occasionally get a traditional '1×2' split - like in soccer - draws are usually not an option in the major tournaments. This leaves you with only two options to choose from, making it an extremely straightforward wager.
Technically, you're still picking a winner here... but you're doing it so that the game starts with a fake score; a 'handicap'. This starting score can be either positive or negative, depending on whether you want to back the favorite or the underdog.
Let's say van Gerwen plays Wade in a best-of-9 match. van Gerwen would be an obvious favorite here, so his match-winner odds would be low. However, if you still want to bet on him, you could take van Gerwen at a -2.5 leg handicap at better odds. This would mean that van Gerwen would have to win at least three legs for your bet to pay off.
This is pretty self-explanatory: you're simply betting on who will win a particular leg, with the most popular leg to bet on being the first leg. Make sure you know who will throw first in the leg you're betting on, as that player will always have an advantage.
In longer matches - such as the later stages of the World Championship - Set Winner bets are more common in darts betting. They work in exactly the same way... just with sets instead of legs!
A 180 (three treble 20's) is the maximum amount you can hit with three darts, and is what players will almost exclusively target until they get to the end. While most 180's may seem like a novelty bet, they're actually anything but. If their finishing doesn't let them down, the player with the higher scoring average will usually come out on top in a match. And by betting on the most 180's, you're basically betting on the better scorer. Total 180's is a slightly more random bet, which is usually presented as an over/under. For example, in a short 9 inning match, Total 180's might be set at 2.5. You'll pick over or under that number, depending on how many total 180s you think the two players will hit.
In a standard 501 game, nine darts is the least you can throw to win a leg. It is incredibly difficult to do, even for the very best players, making it one of the most exciting spectacles in the sport. However, this also makes it a very difficult thing to bet on!
9 Dart Finish is the definition of a long shot. You'll certainly get good odds on it... but you'll still want to keep your stakes nice and low!
Along with Match Winner, this is probably the most common type of darts betting odds you'll find. Fortunately, it's also one of the easiest!
As the name suggests, these bets are simply on a player to win a particular competition. A common (and reliable) example from recent years would be van Gerwen to win the World Darts Championship. You'll find a nice range of odds here, from favorites to long shots.
Be aware, though, that these are pretty tough bets to win. The larger tournaments regularly feature around 100 players, with even the best players needing to win seven separate matches to take the title.
The darts calendar is long and it's busy. In fact, with so many tournaments taking place throughout the year, it can be really hard to keep track of them all! However, if you're just getting started with darts betting, these are the events you should be targeting.
This is the big one. Held each year at the famous Alexander Palace in London, the World Darts Championship is by far the most popular darts tournament. In fact, its unique timing - starting in mid-December and ending on New Year's Day - has made it a cornerstone of many people's celebrations over the festive period!
Whether it's the sheer prestige of the event... or the massive £500,000 prize pot for the winner, every major darts player takes part in this competition. If you're new to betting on darts, the Darts World Championship odds are the perfect place to start.
Starting shortly after the World Darts Championship, usually in mid-February, Premier League Darts is arguably the second biggest event on the calendar. It's also unique in a number of ways.
First, it's not a knockout format like the World Cup, but rather a ladder-based competition. Participants will play a total of 16 matches on a weekly basis. These matches are relatively short, with only best-of-12 legs in the first phase, best-of-14 legs in the second, and best-of-21 legs in the final. Also, the Premier League is not played at one venue, but moves to a different location in the UK, Ireland, and Northern Europe each week.
This is one of the bigger events on the calendar, both in terms of its length and the size of the field. Its intriguing format has led to it being dubbed 'the Darts FA Cup'.
Like the FA Cup in soccer, the players are ranked going into the tournament, with the lower-ranked participants battling it out in the first few rounds, and the higher-ranked players coming in later. This all happens at a furious pace, with the entire tournament taking just three days to complete, usually in early March. Since its inception, the UK Open has been held at Butlin's Holiday Camp in Somerset.
The World Matchplay is another excellent place to look for PDC odds. Held each July in the classic seaside resort of Blackpool, this competition - like many others - has been dominated by Phil Taylor, who has won 16 of the 23 editions to date.
It's a mid-length tournament that lasts about a week and, like the Premier League, is played in a legs format rather than sets. Only 32 players compete each year, making it one of the most exclusive major tournaments on the calendar, and the winner takes home a healthy £150,000 in prize money.
Another major event on the PDC schedule, the World Grand Prix lasts about a week and is usually held in late September or early October. It also has a few things that set it apart from any other contest on this list.
For starters, it's the only one held exclusively outside the UK, having been held in Dublin since 2001. There's also a fascinating twist to the regular darts format. Not only do players have to finish with a double, but they also have to start each leg with a double, making it just that little bit harder for them!
While darts betting may seem simple at first glance, professional players know that there is much more to the game than meets the eye. A good betting strategy requires not only a knowledge of the odds, but also an understanding of the psychology of the game, the momentum of the players, and even subtle details such as the pressure of the arena or the support of the crowd. Our experts highlight several long-term approaches below.
Ultimately, the best betting strategy is one that balances risk and reward while utilizing in-depth knowledge of both players and tournament formats.
New players often fall into the same traps that can quickly drain their bankroll. By being aware of these common mistakes, you can ensure that your darts betting journey remains both enjoyable and profitable.
Avoiding these mistakes will not guarantee profits, but it will protect you from the most common pitfalls and greatly increase your chances of staying ahead in the long run.
The darts betting industry has grown tremendously over the past decade, and all indications are that this is just the beginning. With the advent of advanced analytics, new betting markets and live streaming technology, the betting experience is becoming more interactive and immersive than ever before.
Some trends to watch include
For bettors, this evolution means more options, more data to analyze, and - if approached wisely - a greater chance of finding value in the odds.
As mentioned earlier in our darts betting tips special, you have plenty of choice when it comes to choosing a bookmaker. You can simply go with one of the few we have selected. However, if you want to pick a sportsbook yourself, these are the most important things to look for.
Follow these darts betting tips, though, and you’ll greatly increase your chances.
The colossal rise in popularity of televised darts has inevitably led to a parallel rise in the popularity of darts betting. If you're already a fan of watching darts, we highly recommend that you try betting on it to add a little extra excitement to the experience!
If you do, don't go in blind. Instead, choose the right bookmaker using the criteria we have established, follow the betting tips we have outlined above, and focus on the biggest tournaments using our Popular Darts Events guide. Above all, remember to be smart and sensible in your darts betting... and have fun!