Darts

A Nine-Dart Finish Or Nine-Darter Is The Perfect Leg Of Darts Where The Player Uses Just Nine Darts To Score From 501 To 0

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By
Paul Kelly
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Paul Kelly Sports Editor

Having worked in the sports journalism and sports betting writing industry for several years now, Paul has gained vital skill, knowledge and expertise in a variety of different sports and industries. Paul is confident and competent at writing in-depth stories, features and betting predictions on a regular basis for SportsCasting. Having worked in the sports media industry ever since graduating from Liverpool John Moores University in 2020, where he attained a First Class Honours Degree in Sports Journalism, Paul has jumped at the opportunity to attend numerous live sporting events on a regular basis. This includes working at some high calibre boxing, darts, UFC and football events over the years. Paul has covered a whole host of sports for BBC Sport, as well as being a consistent and regular contributor at ESBR Boxing for several years before becoming a Director in March 2024. Paul’s expertise lies in a wide range of sports, but he is particularly specialised in boxing, MMA, golf, football, darts and horse racing. He is also well-rounded in various sports which he may be less familiar with. Working in sports he is less familiar with helps him learn new skills, as well as nurturing the ability to adapt and overcome potential obstacles. Being a sports fanatic, Paul relishes the opportunity at taking on new challenges and is happy to try his hand at anything. During his time studying at university, Paul had the opportunity to gain some vital work experience at both Everton Football Club and BBC Radio 1. This has helped Paul master his knowledge of sports writing, as well as learning new skills with competence and proficiency.

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Sports Editor

Published10 Dec 2024

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Nine-Dart Finish - Darts - Nine Darter

Heard people talk about a nine-dart finish and nine-darters but not sure what it means? Join us as we explain the meaning of a nine-dart finish and how it is achieved in the sport of darts.

What Is A Nine-Dart Finish?

As a sport, darts has grown in popularity year upon year. Not only is it one of the most fan-friendly sports about, it is one that your everyday man or woman can play.

At Christmas time, all eyes are on Ally Pally as the World Darts Championship takes over our screens and millions of fans worldwide dust off their boards and get throwing their arrows once again.

When it comes to darts, each and every player wants to strike perfection. Just like in other sports, there is a way you can hit the perfect leg in darts.

A nine-dart finish is the epitome of perfection in the sport of darts. You have a 147 break in snooker, a hole-in-one in golf, a 300-point break in bowling and a nine-darter in darts. All of these are examples of perfection in different sports, with the nine-darter arguably the most entertaining.

Some of the best players throughout darting history have struck perfection, but some just hit differently. The likes of Luke Humphries, Phil Taylor, Gary Anderson and Luke Littler have all hit televised nine-dart finishes – sheer perfection.

How Do You Score A Nine-Darter?

In order to score a nine-dart finish, a player must throw their first nine darts, starting from 501, into the requisite segment of the board. The objective is simple. Reducing your score from 501 points at the beginning of the leg to 0 at the end of the leg in just nine darts.

The minimum number of darts needed to reach it is nine. One way to achieve a nine-dart finish is to score 60 (treble 20) on each of the first seven throws, a 57 (treble 19) on the eighth, and lastly 24 (double 12) on the ninth.

This is just one example of how a player can score a nine-dart finish. There are other combinations that can be used too, but this is the most popular way of checking out a nine-darter.

Achieving a nine-dart finish is an extremely difficult feat, with the first televised nine-darter coming in 1984 courtesy of John Lowe. Since then, the feat has been achieved less than 100 times on TV.

A few players have made their own slice of history, with Phil Taylor the only player in history to hit two in one game. Not to mention Gerwyn Price hitting two nine-darters on the same night in the Premier League in Belfast in 2022.

Northern Irishman Brendan Dolan also became the first man in history to hit a nine-darter in the double-start format, striking perfection on the bullseye at the 2011 World Grand Prix.

Nobody has ever hit two nine-darters in back-to-back legs, but Michael van Gerwen almost became the first person to do this in history at the 2013 World Darts Championship. To this day, nobody has achieved the feat of 18 perfect darts in succession.

How Many Nine-Darters Have Their Been At The World Darts Championship?

The World Darts Championship is obviously the biggest tournament in world darts each and every year. The best players in the world battle it out at the famous Alexandra Palace in London, with one person crowned champion of the world just a few days into the New Year.

When it comes to nine-dart finishes at the World Darts Championship, there have been 15 and counting as of today. 14 of these have come at the PDC Worlds, with one coming at the BDO version of the World Championships.

Veteran Paul Lim was the first to hit a nine-darter in the World Championship, making history at the 1990 BDO World Darts Championship.

The legendary Phil Taylor, 16-time world champion, has hit more nine-darters than anyone on TV, but didn’t hit any at the Worlds during his career. Raymond van Barneveld and Adrian Lewis have both hit two nine-darters at the Worlds, with nobody else doing it more than once.

The only players to hit nine-dart finishes in the World Darts Championship Final are Adrian Lewis and of course Michael Smith. Smith’s nine-dart leg at the 2023 Worlds will go down in history as the most dramatic of all time, with ‘Bully Boy’ hitting the perfect leg just moments after Michael van Gerwen missed double 12 for his own nine-darter.

So all in all, there have been 15 nine-darters hit at the World Darts Championship over the years. The first one by Paul Lim in the BDO, with all 14 after that coming at the PDC World Darts Championship.

Be sure to claim the various darts betting offers and free bet deals available on the SportsCasting site ahead of the biggest and best darts tournament worldwide.

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Author photo
Paul Kelly
Sports Editor

Having worked in the sports journalism and sports betting writing industry for several years now, Paul has gained vital skill, knowledge and expertise in a variety of different sports and industries. Paul is confident and competent at writing in-depth stories, features and betting predictions on a regular basis for SportsCasting. Having worked in the sports media industry ever since graduating from Liverpool John Moores University in 2020, where he attained a First Class Honours Degree in Sports Journalism, Paul has jumped at the opportunity to attend numerous live sporting events on a regular basis. This includes working at some high calibre boxing, darts, UFC and football events over the years. Paul has covered a whole host of sports for BBC Sport, as well as being a consistent and regular contributor at ESBR Boxing for several years before becoming a Director in March 2024. Paul’s expertise lies in a wide range of sports, but he is particularly specialised in boxing, MMA, golf, football, darts and horse racing. He is also well-rounded in various sports which he may be less familiar with. Working in sports he is less familiar with helps him learn new skills, as well as nurturing the ability to adapt and overcome potential obstacles. Being a sports fanatic, Paul relishes the opportunity at taking on new challenges and is happy to try his hand at anything. During his time studying at university, Paul had the opportunity to gain some vital work experience at both Everton Football Club and BBC Radio 1. This has helped Paul master his knowledge of sports writing, as well as learning new skills with competence and proficiency.

Get to know Paul Kelly better
Author photo
Paul Kelly Sports Editor

Having worked in the sports journalism and sports betting writing industry for several years now, Paul has gained vital skill, knowledge and expertise in a variety of different sports and industries. Paul is confident and competent at writing in-depth stories, features and betting predictions on a regular basis for SportsCasting. Having worked in the sports media industry ever since graduating from Liverpool John Moores University in 2020, where he attained a First Class Honours Degree in Sports Journalism, Paul has jumped at the opportunity to attend numerous live sporting events on a regular basis. This includes working at some high calibre boxing, darts, UFC and football events over the years. Paul has covered a whole host of sports for BBC Sport, as well as being a consistent and regular contributor at ESBR Boxing for several years before becoming a Director in March 2024. Paul’s expertise lies in a wide range of sports, but he is particularly specialised in boxing, MMA, golf, football, darts and horse racing. He is also well-rounded in various sports which he may be less familiar with. Working in sports he is less familiar with helps him learn new skills, as well as nurturing the ability to adapt and overcome potential obstacles. Being a sports fanatic, Paul relishes the opportunity at taking on new challenges and is happy to try his hand at anything. During his time studying at university, Paul had the opportunity to gain some vital work experience at both Everton Football Club and BBC Radio 1. This has helped Paul master his knowledge of sports writing, as well as learning new skills with competence and proficiency.

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