Darts is one of the most popular indoor sports practiced by people worldwide. Thanks to its affordability and the fact that it doesn’t require a lot of physical preparation, darts can be played by people of all ages, either at home, with friends or family or in a bar or pub with strangers. But all these are facts you already know about the game of darts. So, if you want to expand your knowledge on this topic, here are some cool darts facts few players know.
- Darts is an old game that has been around for centuries. While its origins remain unknows, there is strong belief that this game dates back to the 15th century and that it was invented by soldiers. There are theories supporting the fact that darts came into being during the reign of King Henry VIII of England whose soldiers started playing the game
- The dartboard numbering system was invented by an English carpenter from the County of Lancashire. His name was Brian Gamlin and he decided to implement this system in order to evaluate player’s precision. The system he developed is still in use today on standard dartboards.
- The bed and breakfast term used in darts for a score of 26 in a 01 game has a practical explanation. The price of a typical bed and breakfast in the UK used to be 26 pence back in the old days, hence the name of this score that is also known as the Murphy of Half-a-Crown.
- The first perfect score in darts was achieved back in 1984. The player who managed to make history by hitting triple 20 for 6 times in a row, then triple 17, followed by triple 18. This happened during the World Matchplay championship.
- Modern darts are different from the initial arrows players used in the past. Today, few people can imagine using dart flight that are made from anything than plastic. However, back in the old days when plastic wasn’t available, people used to make them from turkey feathers. The darts were also improvised since tungsten or brass was not accessible. Therefore, people used cut down arrows and crossbow bolts to hit the target.
- This game is not discriminatory and it can also be played by people who have impaired vision. Blind or visually impaired persons who want to indulge in a game of darts can use a talking electronic board and audio darts to be guided and manage to hit the target.
- There are many myths that contribute to darts’ popularity and one of the common ones regard the dartboard’s structure. Many people believe that the dartboard is made of horsehair or pig bristle, but that’s just a myth. Today, dartboards are made from sisal fibers obtained from a plant.
- The game of darts was legalized in an ‘unorthodox’ way by a pub owner in Leeds, in 1908. After being arrested for letting people play darts in his pub, the owner asked a skilled player to compete with a court clerk to demonstrate that darts is actually a game of skill and not an illegal game of chance, which he managed to do.
- There was a time, during the past century when, in the UK, darts was banned from the place that prompted it as a popular social game, the pub, because players would bet on the outcome.
- Since 2005, when Sports England officialized darts, this game has turned into a sport, although many still choose to consider it a mere game.
Now that you know so much more about darts, are you feeing more eager to commence your next tournament or friendly match? We hope the answer is yes and we also hope you’ll choose us as your darts gear suppliers because we have plenty of premium quality darts products waiting for you.
And one last thing, speaking of cool darts facts: did you know the traditional darts toe line is no longer a floor item? This accessory can now take the form of a laser you mount above your dartboard. At IgnatGames, we can provide you with a state-of-the-art darts laser throw line.
*updated August 2022
Comments (0)