How to throw darts

Updated

A good throw is the same throw every time. You don't need power: a dart only has to travel about 8 ft, so the aim is a smooth, repeatable movement where only your arm moves. Here's how to set it up.

In this guide

Step by step

  1. Find the dart's balance pointBalance the dart on one finger to find its center of gravity. You'll grip it there or just behind it.
  2. Grip it lightlyHold the barrel with your thumb and two to four fingers, firmly enough to control it and lightly enough that it leaves your hand cleanly. Your fingertips shouldn't go white.
  3. Stand at the ocheRight-handed players put the right foot forward with the toe at the oche, angled toward the board, and the left foot behind for balance. Left-handed players mirror this.
  4. Aim with the dart at eye levelRaise the dart so your eye, the dart and the target are in one line, with the point tilted slightly up.
  5. Throw from the elbow and follow throughDraw the dart back toward your face, then move your forearm forward smoothly, release, and let your arm finish pointing at the target.

Grip

There's no single right grip, and the best players hold their darts in many ways. What matters is that the dart sits the same way in your hand every throw. Start with the thumb under the barrel at the balance point and two or three fingers on top, then adjust until it feels steady.

Keep the point tilted slightly up when you aim. A dart that points down at release tends to drop low, and gripping too hard makes the release jerky.

Stance

Most players stand with their throwing-side foot forward and their toe touching the oche, either side-on to the board or turned toward it at an angle. Put most of your weight on the front foot and lean slightly forward, but not so far that you feel off balance.

Your body should stay still from the moment you aim to the moment the dart lands. If your shoulders or hips move during the throw, your darts will spread.

The throw

Think of your elbow as a hinge. Keep your upper arm still, bring the dart back toward your eye, then push your forearm forward in one smooth motion. Your elbow rises a little as your arm extends, and that is fine. Release the dart as your arm straightens and let your hand finish pointing at where you were aiming.

The follow-through is where most beginners lose accuracy. If your arm stops dead at release, the dart goes wherever your hand happened to be pointing.

Common beginner mistakes

  • Throwing too hard. Speed makes darts bounce out and makes your throw harder to repeat.
  • Moving the body. Leaning in or stepping forward as you throw changes the distance every time.
  • Dropping the elbow. If the elbow falls as you throw, the dart lands low.
  • Changing your aim after a bad dart. Throw a full visit with the same aim before you adjust.
  • Rushing. Take the same short pause before every dart.

What to practice first

Throw at the 20 until your darts group together, then at the treble 20. Play Around the World to learn where every number is, and follow a practice routine a few times a week.

Questions

How should I hold a dart?

Hold the barrel at or just behind its balance point, with your thumb and two to four fingers, lightly enough that it leaves your hand cleanly. Keep the point tilted slightly up.

Where should I stand to throw darts?

With your throwing-side foot forward and the toe at the oche, weight on the front foot, leaning slightly toward the board. Keep your body still while you throw.

Should you throw darts hard?

No. Throw smoothly from the elbow with a full follow-through. Throwing hard makes darts bounce out and your throw harder to repeat.

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