A passion for football greatly influenced James while growing up, leading him to make a promise to himself: he would follow “do what you love” advice and ensure that his career was based around football in some way. While playing the sport proved not to be his strong suit, James discovered he possessed a natural talent for writing that led to him covering matches for his school’s newsletters – his first foray into writing about the sport he adores.
Darts is one of the most popular sports to bet on the UK and beyond. Millions of punters love to enjoy darts betting for top tournaments like the PDC World Darts Championship, and whether they are backing Michael van Gerwen or Peter Wright, there’s always to potential to get lucky by wagering on this classic sport. But if you want to know how to bet on darts with a touch more reassurance, then you’ll need match betting darts explained a little further.
Research the playing form of the top darts players
Find the best value darts betting odds from the most reliable bookies
Place your darts bets and stay within your betting budget
New UK & NI customers only. Promo code SPORTS60. Deposit and place first sports bet of £10+ in one transaction, at odds of Evens (2.0)+, settled within 7 days of registration. First bet must be on Sports. £30 in Free Bets credited within 48 hours of bet settlement. 7-day expiry. Payment restrictions apply. SMS validation may be required. Max 30 Free Spins on Blue Wizard at £0.10 per spin. 7-day expiry. Full T&Cs apply.
T&Cs apply. New reg only. Claim by placing a min deposit £10 via “My Offers” page within 30 days. Skrill/Neteller deposits excl. 7 days to stake max £10 in-play. Max. extra winnings £100. 18+ BeGambleAware.org.
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New UK+IRE customers only. Promo code: 20FREE. Paypal and certain deposit types and bet types excluded. Min £/€5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 = 4 x £/€5 free bets. Free bets valid for 4 days on sports, stake not returned, restrictions apply. T&Cs apply
New customers only. Min. Deposit £5. Bet credits available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. Funded account required, or have placed a bet within 24 hours. 18+ Geo restrictions apply.
Min deposit £10 • A qualifying bet is a ‘real money’ stake of at least £10 • Min odds 1/2 (1.50) • Free Bets are credited upon qualifying bet settlement and expire after 7 days • Free Bet stakes are not included in returns • Casino Bonus must be claimed within 7 days, wins are capped at £500 • To withdraw bonus/related wins, you must wager the bonus amount up to 40 times its value within 14 days • Casino Bonus expires after 60 days • Casino Bonus can be used on selected games in casino only • Restrictions apply to withdrawals, payment methods & countries & full T&Cs apply
GETTING YOUR STRATEGY RIGHT FOR DARTS BETTING SUCCESS
As you might have already seen in our how to bet on volleyball guide, a betting strategy can be incredibly beneficial. Most casual fans of darts will simply place a quick match winner bet. But whilst it’s easy to make this kind of bet, we all know that it can be incredibly difficult to get right when it comes to a sport as unpredictable as darts. By having match betting darts explained, we will hopefully give you a few hints on the key things to consider, and we’ll also point out some of things that you should avoid.
The main thing to remember when working out how to bet on darts is that you should always take a look at a darts players’ past form. You can quickly get a good overview into the playing record of all of the best darts stars by taking a look at their relevant rankings that will display their earnings. But don’t forget to check how different players have been competing in the many different darts tournaments that take place throughout the year.
Although the best darts players are able to focus purely on their own gameplay, it’s also true that certain head-to-head encounters have the capacity to deliver some fireworks. Peter Wright and Michael van Gerwen had a significant falling out at the 2015 Premier League Darts tournament, and it’s important to take things like this into account as they have the potential to override past form. But simply put, by placing a match winner bet on darts, you should focus on how a darts star’s current form could give you an indication as to how they will perform once the big day comes around.
OTHER GREAT BETS TO INCLUDE IN YOUR DARTS BETTING STRATEGY
But it’s not just about the winner of each match, as most decent darts bookies will give you plenty of other ways to bet on this classic sport. Whether you want to wager on the Premier League Darts, the World Cup of Darts or the World Championship, you should be able to get odds for the outright winner of these tournaments. Again you should take each player’s form into account when making an outright bet, but it’s important to remember that things like the PDC Order of Merit rankings can also determine the seedings for some big darts tournaments.
Some bookies also allow you a little more creativity when it comes to betting on darts. There’s plenty of fun to be had in trying to predict the correct score of a darts match, whilst some punters also enjoy wagering on the total legs in a darts competition.
Don’t forget that handicap betting is a great way to get better odds for when a highly ranked player takes the stage. This is because a handicap bet puts the darts player at a points disadvantage which means that they have to win by a greater margin for you to win your bet, but you will stand to get much more generous odds. So now that we’ve explained how to bet on darts, it’s time to take a look at how you can find the best darts betting odds. (You can even use these tips when learning how to bet on golf, or even how to bet on ice hockey!)
YOUR GUIDE TO FINDING THE VERY BEST ONLINE BOOKMAKERS
The majority of decent online bookmakers will give you plenty of options for betting on darts. But how do you go about finding a bookie who offers you great odds, an easy to use service, as well as some of those all-important match specials promotions? Be sure to check into Betastic where we will highlight those bookies who have earned a great reputation for their darts bets, and we will only feature betting sites who have a proven track record for treating their customers well.
Come to Betastic to get a good overview of the best online bookmakers
Compare the darts odds from different bookies to get the best value for your bets
Don’t forget to pick up any welcome bonuses to boost your darts betting profits
A WAGER FOR EVERYONE AT THESE TOP LEVEL CHAMPIONSHIPS
If you want to place a bet on darts, then you are spoiled for choice as the calendar is packed with top-level darts tournaments. Whilst the focus is invariably on the PDC World Darts Championship in December, there’s everything from Premier League Darts to the World Cup of Darts to keep you busy. There’s nothing wrong with wagering on darts competitions like the BDO World Championship and the World Series of Darts, but if you want a quick and easy way to get up to speed in your darts betting, then we’d recommend that you pay attention to the following darts tournaments.
THE PDC WORLD DARTS CHAMPIONSHIP
This epic darts contest takes place every December, and it sees the world’s best darts players competing for the Sid Waddell Trophy and a share of the £2.5 million prize pool. In 2018, we saw an all-England final that featured Rob Cross comfortably beating Phil Taylor, but in the past we’ve seen Taylor and other legends like Michael van Gerwen, Gary Anderson and Raymond van Barneveld picking up the coveted trophy. Van Gerwen, Anderson and Cross are all looking good for the 2021 PDC World Darts Championship title, but keep an eye on the likes of Peter Wright, Michael Smith or even Mensur Suljovic to cause a big sporting upset.
THE WORLD CUP OF DARTS
The World Cup of Darts was only established in 2010, but it’s quickly become a great way to wager on some of the biggest names in the darts scene. This contest sees players organised into national teams who compete for a World Cup of Darts Final appearance in Frankfurt, Germany and a slice of the prize fund that’s worth £300,000. 2018 saw the Dutch team win the title for the second successive year, but teams from Scotland, Wales and England have performed well at this tournament in the past.
PREMIER LEAGUE DARTS
This top darts tournament runs from February to May each year and sees weekly bouts of darts action for you to wager on. It features ten of the highest ranked darts stars from the PDC circuit and it includes matches in various locations in the UK, Ireland, Germany and the Netherlands. Whilst Phil Taylor managed to dominate the Premier League Darts tournament in its formative years, it’s that formidable Dutchman, Michael van Gerwen, who is once again the bookies’ favourite to win this popular darts competition.
KEEP YOUR EYE ON THESE BOOKIE FAVOURITE DARTS PLAYERS
Whilst there are dozens of great darts stars who make up the rankings, it’s true that only a handful of players seem to win the biggest tournaments. Obviously there’s always room for a big sporting upset such when James Richardson decimated Raymond van Barneveld 3-0 in the opening rounds of the PDC World Championship in 2012. But on the whole, if you back any of the following stars then you should be able to wager on darts with a fair degree of confidence.
MICHAEL VAN GERWEN
Van Gerwen quickly earned a name for himself by becoming the youngest person to win the World Masters and throw a televised nine-darts finish. Since then, the Dutchman has only grown more impressive having won the PDC World Championship twice and the Premier League four times. Whilst Van Gerwen’s outlandish winning celebrations have courted controversy, his fearless and fast-paced playing style has meant that he is frequently the bookies’ favourite to win just about any top-level darts contest.
GARY ANDERSON
The ‘Flying Scotsman’ has been around for many years now, but he is showing no signs of slowing down with back-to-back PDC World Championship wins in 2015 and 2016. With one of the smoothest throws in the game, it’s always a real pleasure watching Anderson at the oche.
PETER WRIGHT
Although Peter Wright is famous for his distinctive mohawk hairstyle, it’s his sheer skill that keeps him high up in the darts betting odds. There’s little denying the sheer hunger with which Wright attacks a game of darts and he has been unlucky not to win either the PDC World Championship or the Premier League. Be sure to check into Betastic to see whether luck comes Wright’s way in the upcoming months.
New UK & NI customers only. Promo code SPORTS60. Deposit and place first sports bet of £10+ in one transaction, at odds of Evens (2.0)+, settled within 7 days of registration. First bet must be on Sports. £30 in Free Bets credited within 48 hours of bet settlement. 7-day expiry. Payment restrictions apply. SMS validation may be required. Max 30 Free Spins on Blue Wizard at £0.10 per spin. 7-day expiry. Full T&Cs apply.
T&Cs apply. New reg only. Claim by placing a min deposit £10 via "My Offers" page within 30 days. Skrill/Neteller deposits excl. 7 days to stake max £10 in-play. Max. extra winnings £100. 18+ BeGambleAware.org.
New UK+IRE customers only. Promo code: 20FREE. Paypal and certain deposit types and bet types excluded. Min £/€5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 = 4 x £/€5 free bets. Free bets valid for 4 days on sports, stake not returned, restrictions apply. T&Cs apply
New customers only. Min. Deposit £5. Bet credits available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. Funded account required, or have placed a bet within 24 hours. 18+ Geo restrictions apply.
Min deposit £10 • A qualifying bet is a ‘real money’ stake of at least £10 • Min odds 1/2 (1.50) • Free Bets are credited upon qualifying bet settlement and expire after 7 days • Free Bet stakes are not included in returns • Casino Bonus must be claimed within 7 days, wins are capped at £500 • To withdraw bonus/related wins, you must wager the bonus amount up to 40 times its value within 14 days • Casino Bonus expires after 60 days • Casino Bonus can be used on selected games in casino only • Restrictions apply to withdrawals, payment methods & countries & full T&Cs apply
New UK & NI customers only. Promo code SPORTS60. Deposit and place first sports bet of £10+ in one transaction, at odds of Evens (2.0)+, settled within 7 days of registration. First bet must be on Sports. £30 in Free Bets credited within 48 hours of bet settlement. 7-day expiry. Payment restrictions apply. SMS validation may be required. Max 30 Free Spins on Blue Wizard at £0.10 per spin. 7-day expiry. Full T&Cs apply.
New UK+IRE customers only. Promo code: 20FREE. Paypal and certain deposit types and bet types excluded. Min £/€5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 = 4 x £/€5 free bets. Free bets valid for 4 days on sports, stake not returned, restrictions apply. T&Cs apply
