A Comprehensive Glossary of Darts Terms

A darts game named Darts necessitates extensive darts proficiency from its players. Dart players will dedicate multiple hours to upgrade their game for maximum effectiveness. Your lack of dart skills may prevent score successes but you can consult with knowledge about the game.

Dart players have developed their distinctive language over numerous years of playing. Every darts professional understands this special phrase in its entire meaning. Understanding basic darts lingo enables new players to(fake) demonstrate greater experience which creates comfort when talking with experienced players.

A Brief History Lesson

The darts terminology gained usage at the start of the 1900s during UK-darts popularity growth period. The first book Dartsby Rupert Croft Cooke was released in 1936 by Dartsby Rupert Croft-Cooke which contained more than 50 darts terms that players commonly used.

Different origins create the darts slang terminology but most terms come from social clubs and pubs because the game stems from working-class culture. Two groups of darts terminology emerged during the long-lasting previous century and the current modern period where “Big Fish” became a common term for players achieving 170 checkouts. A traditional 501 game offers the maximum opportunity for a shot out at that particular level.

Your Darts Terms Glossary

This article presents an extensive glossary for darts terms which includes the terminology used in the game for numerous decades. This article provides information about each specific darts term that exists in the game terminologies. Once you finish reading this article you will easily identify between “Bed And Breakfast’ and ‘Champagne Breakfast’. This article explains the true meaning of hitting “Shanghai” with three darts.

Arrows

A slang version of darts defines the dart equipment you launch during the game. The term can be used to convey praise when someone achieves an outstanding score. For instance, “(good) arrows.”

Baby Ton

Darters employ this darts terminology to describe achieving a 95-point single-score visit. A true 100-point throw establishes Ton as its exact name. The smallest ton known as baby ton remains an outstanding accomplishment in darts.

Bag Of Nails

You achieve three single ones with all three darts thrown in one single round.

Bail Out

Players who achieve a massive treble score with their final dart after starting with unsatisfactory scores are known as bailouts. Various scoring combinations start with a single five which leads to hitting the treble of 20. This term has several synonymous names including a “Good Find and a ‘Good Value’.

Barrel

During darts play the initial dart section gets directly handled by the player before each throw. The barrel exists in nickel-silver and tungsten and brass materials.

Bed

Every distinct portion contained on the dartboard belongs to the term bed definition. For instance the 20 bed of trebles.

Three darts on the treble bed on the dartboard

Bed And Breakfast

A 26-point score usually consists of a single five or single 20 such dart executives. The 26p price for breakfast and room services serves as the source for this name.

Big Fish

A 170 checkout (treble 20, treble 20, bullseye). The treble bed three-dart combination stands as the maximum finish possible with three darts.

Bogey

Any obtained score which lacks verification from the three-dart zone (Examples: 159, 162, 163, 165, 166, 168 and 169) falls within this category.

Bombs/Bombers

A huge or massive Dart set.

Bounce Out

The expression describes any dart which drops from the dartboard.

Break Of Throw

During your takeaway you receive the darts your opponent initially fed first.

Bullseye

The red central circle on the dartboard (worth 50 points).

Bull Up

Players use this method frequently to determine the first thrower in a game. All players view the bullseye with their eyes before throwing. The match winner will be determined by the nearest participant to the target.

Bull Out

The ability to win with a single bullseye also counts as a victory.

Bust

During your game you need to score beyond what the original requirements were when starting.

Chalking

The practice of score tracking in darts requires either chalk and blackboard or pen and whiteboard combined with electronic scoreboards.

Champagne Breakfast

A player who scores an amount greater than or equal to 20 can treble five while completing the treble during one table trip.

Checkout

A checkout means having a number remaining on the board which needs two visits to complete.

Circle It

Such a player scores fewer than ten points in a single throw. The chalker can create the score mark using a circular format on the scoring board.

Combination Finish

A checkout requires a player to hit simultaneously three or two darts to finish the round. To reach the number 60 one dart must strike the target and then hit the double ring twice.

Double In

In order to start a dart game you must strike a double segment first.

Double Out

Successful completion of a darts game takes place when someone strikes the double segments.

Downstairs

The lower section of the dartboard. The term describes players who initiate their throws from the number 19 immediately succeeding their starts on segment 20.

Fat (number)

One-segment numbers have the largest value and this phrase indicates when a player hits such a segment. For instance, fat 20.

Game On

Referees use this phrase to indicate that the match preparation phase will start right before the game begins.

Game Shot

The main official announces game end through a specified call.

Great grouping

The term refers to three darts that are grouped very tightly together on the dartboard.

Hat-Trick

The term describes hitting the bullseye when using every dart during one throw.

Hold Of Throw

The term represents a gameplay situation when the player obtains victory through their initial three dart throws.

Leg

A 501 game constitutes a single contest within the framework of darts competition.

Lipstick

Another name for the Treble 20 segment.

Madhouse

The play ends with a game of double one finishing.

Mugs Away

The person who loses in an event gets to start first during the subsequent game.

Nine Darter

Playing 501 with nine perfect throws achieves the victory by hitting the 501 target points down to zero. Dart players achieve most nine ditch combinations with two turns of 180 degrees prior to completing the 141 check.

Oche

All line players need to position themselves back at the line prior to each dart throw.

Robin Hood

It is extremely unusual to record a dart point which pierces through an existing board dart.

Set

In certain games the established set format grants the winner of three legs the entire set. The World Championship World Championship operates according to the set system.

Shanghai

A player earns treble, double or single points only from their exact segment without moving between turns. This 120 combination of 3 twenty scores (including treble 20 with single 20 and single 20 and double 20) has become known as the “Shanghai” checkout.

Spider Web

One of the many terms which defines the activities occurring within the dartboard.

Ton

100 points = 100 points.

Ton Eighty

A simpler name that describes scoring 180 points as three consecutive trebled scores in one playing session.

Tops

The double 20 refers to the double 20.

Upstairs

The upper part of the dartboard.

Visit

Every game demands a throw of three darts (this term applies).

A Language of Working Class Culture

British dart slang originates from multiple origins to reflect the working class roots of the game which started in Britain. The darts terminology glossary incorporates terms initially created during the 1930s which remain in use today.

The terms listed here will enhance your darts experience with another player. We welcome reports about any darts expressions that do not appear in this blog because we want to expand our list.