Darts Betting Strategy: In-Play Betting

Gambling.com Editor

December 23rd, 2021

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Darts, and darts betting, is a sport where tiny margins matter. There are millimetres between the treble-20 and a single 1 after all.

A few bad darts, or a dropped leg which should have been won, often has a dramatic effect on a player and if the tide unexpectedly turns against them their live darts betting odds can tumble as a total meltdown is not uncommon.

So there are some key statistics punters should consider researching to implement in their pre-match but also in-play darts betting strategy.

Win and Checkout Percentages

Winning and checkout percentages are amongst the top stats to consider if you intend to wager on in-play darts matches. The pre-game darts betting markets are usually skewed in favour of the player that has notched up the most tournament wins, accumulated the most prize money during the season (and that can be colossal in modern-day darts) or is simply sat higher in the recognised PDC rankings.

Top players like Michael van Gerwen, Rob Cross, Gary Anderson and James Wade invariably pop up as the favourites in any given match, or feature towards of the outright tournament betting. But identifying players who have recently notched up a string of wins posted impressive checkouts or claimed the scalp of a leading player, is a good way to find bigger priced selections.

Watching and betting in-play gives gamblers the chance to quickly assess whether these player’s results and stats are trustworthy and still play their selection at attractive odds.

Three-Dart Averages and Total 180s

You would expect players that score the most 180s also boast the highest averages, not so. In recent years Dave Chisnall, Michael Smith and Daryl Gurney have proven themselves to be outstanding 180 scorers but their prowess around the treble-20 has not always given them high averages or won them matches.

Others, like Michael van Gerwen, have outstanding win records but they are not always synonymous with high checkouts. In fact, in the league stages of the 2019 Unibet Premier League, the Dutchman had the lowest ‘best checkout’ of all the contestants but the highest three dart average – and that is while recording the lowest number of 180’s amongst the eight players that played 16 matches.

The best online darts betting sites feature in-play betting markets on 180’s and checkouts which, equipped with stats like those above, can be very profitable if you are prepared to back players to lose in stats markets whilst accepting they are rightful favourites to win the match.

Knowing the Stats

Knowing individual players and their traits will help you interpret live darts betting momentum shifts in advance, and predict them with more certainty. This homework is a vital aid in making live darts betting pay as bookmakers notorious algorithms cannot factor in a lot of information on unique player characteristics.

Other Markets

You will get untold information when watching a match either on TV or via a darts betting bookmaker’s live stream. It is very common for a give up on the treble-20 and concentrate on treble 19’s. Similarly, a player that has been luckless on his normally favoured checkout shot of double-20 may begin using an alternative double such as x16. Therein in-play 180 markets and checkout darts betting markets can offer you a big edge.

So always look for opportunities on these and other such markets such as the colour of the next leg winning checkout. If you can make quick mathematically-minded calculations live darts betting is most probably for you.