Imagine this: You’re chilling on the couch, casually watching TV with a bag of chips in hand. A darts tournament is on. Suddenly, the crowd erupts, the commentator’s voice hits new octaves, and everyone is losing their minds — someone just hit a 9-darter. You sit there thinking: “Okay, cool… but what’s the big deal?”
We’ve been there. And that’s why we’re here to break it all down for you.
In most professional darts games, players start with 501 points, aiming to reach exactly zero in as few throws as possible. The absolute minimum number of darts it takes to do that? Nine. You literally can’t do it in fewer throws — it’s the perfect game. So, the 9-darter is basically darts’ version of a hole-in-one in golf. It’s rare, it’s beautiful, and it’s the holy grail of the darts-sport.
To score 501 in nine darts, every single throw has to be spot-on. Most players go for one of the classic combinations. Here’s an example:
1. Triple 20, Triple 20, Triple 20 = 180
2. Three more arrows in the triple 20 = another 180 points
3. Triple 20 (60), Triple 19 (57), Bullseye (50) = 141
Another option would be:
1. Triple 20, Triple 20, Triple 20 = 180
2. Three more arrows in the triple 20 = another 180 points
3. Triple 20, Triple 17, Double 18 = 141
There are actually multiple ways to do it, but these are the most well-known. The key is that your final dart must land in a double, because that’s the rule for finishing a leg in darts.
Try throwing three darts at the triple-20. Hit it once? Awesome. Twice? Impressive. Three times in a row? Now do that six times in a row — plus three more perfect darts to finish. Oh, and don’t go over 501 — if you overscore, the leg doesn’t count. And remember: your final dart has to be a double, or it’s all for nothing.
Even for the pros, the odds of hitting a 9-darter are around 1 in 10,000. For the rest of us? Let’s just say you’re more likely to get struck by lightning. Literally. (That’s about 1 in 500,000, by the way.)
You’ve just nailed six perfect darts. The crowd senses what’s happening. The cameras zoom in. Your heart is pounding, your hand’s trembling. And now, three more flawless throws stand between you and perfection. No pressure, right? If you pull it off, the entire arena goes wild. It’s one of those rare moments in sports when everything clicks — pure, visible perfection.
The first televised 9-darter was thrown in 1984 by John Lowe — he won a whopping £102,000 for those nine darts. Phil “The Power” Taylor, one of the sport’s legends, hit over 20 official 9-darters in his career — including two in a single match. Insane.
In 2010, Raymond van Barneveld scored a 9-darter during the PDC World Championship, and the crowd at London’s Alexandra Palace went absolutely ballistic. (There’s footage on YouTube. You need to see it.)
The 9-darter is why even casual fans suddenly lean in when a player hits six perfect darts. It’s the kind of moment that turns a regular match into something unforgettable.
So, the next time you find yourself watching a darts match and the crowd suddenly explodes — now you’ll know exactly why: You’re witnessing one of the rarest, most electrifying moments in the world of darts.
