We have many tips that can make a good dart technique better. If you are looking to improve your darts accuracy and precision, we go beyond the basics and explore some overlooked methods the will help elevate your game to the next level.
I have tried to make a list of tips that can apply to all skill levels. If you see something here that you know you should be doing, ask yourself, “am I doing it?” often players get into the habit of just going through the motions.
If you are looking for tips on how to play darts better, this is the list for you!
Table of Contents
Practice With A Purpose
No matter what you are attempting to get better at, practice is the only real way to improve. There is a famous saying that goes “The master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried.”
If you are looking for ways to improve your dart game, nothing will help you achieve that goal faster than constant practice. However, all training should be executed with purpose.
Simply throwing countless darts at a board with no apparent goal is an extremely inefficient waste of time and energy. There is a multitude of ways in which practice can be made systematic and purposeful.
For example, throw 100 darts at the triple 20. Systematically aiming at one of the hardest scores in the game will gradually raise your accuracy and can provide you with a relative framework from which to measure progress.
Variations of this abound, you can practice by only throwing doubles or just even numbers.
You can limit the number of darts you allow yourself to hit a particular score, especially while you practice the most common checkouts.
By placing these artificial handicaps or conditions on yourself, you turn a mindless activity into a disciplined one, and this is one of the most efficient ways to improve your game.
Not sure where to start? Check out or 5 best dart games for beginners
Hold Still
A mistake players of all experience levels tend to make is to lose awareness of their body during the throw.
If you want to improve and do so consistently, you will have to make sure this does not happen to you.
Be aware of your entire body during every second of the throw; from the moment you step up to the oche line until the moment you release the dart from your hand.
There should be absolutely no bouncing, swinging, or swaying of your body. Your breathing should be steady and controlled at all times, and all motion should be consciously performed.
Many players throw their elbows out, flex their knees, lift their back leg, I’ve even seen some players close their eyes when they release the dart as if they were sneezing. All of these behaviors actively work to your detriment.
Over time, as you gain more control over your body, you will be able to focus on the tiniest mechanical details of your throws more easily, and this will improve your averages without a doubt.
Eliminate Variables
It is no secret that the game of darts is a game of consistency. A player’s performance will ultimately depend on his or her ability to throw consistently, more so than his or her ability to throw accurately.
This is not to say that accuracy is not important. Of course, it is but if you wish to improve as a player, you need to work on consistency first and foremost.
To achieve high levels of consistency, you will have to eliminate as many variables as you possibly can. This means that your stance, your grip, your throw mechanics, your follow throw, etc., should remain the same every time you play.
Once you have figured out a routine that works for you and it meshes well with your style of play, make a concerted effort to hone it down to a point where it becomes second nature.
This is much easier said than done and will take hundreds if not thousands of practice hours before you can manage to stop thinking about it.
Consistency requires considerable effort and commitment; however, few aspects of your game can impact your performance more.
Play Against Better Players

To many people, this might seem like a silly tip to give players, and for some, it might even seem counterintuitive, but trust me on this. If you want to improve as a player of darts, and this applies to any game or sport, you must play with people who are going to beat you.
That’s right; to get better, you must lose, repeatedly.
There are two main reasons why this type of failure happens to work out in the end.
First of all, by playing with people who are better than you, you are given the opportunity to study the way they play. You will get a front row seat to someone who is better mechanically, and strategically than you are
When you see somebody consistently hit ton 80s and checkout without batting an eyelash, you have the opportunity to observe and learn.
Additionally, when you experience failure, you are given the opportunity to analyze where you went wrong.
Comparing and contrasting is something we are all taught early in school, and it is something that we should apply to our darts career.
Play with better players, get beat, dust yourself off and try again. That is the secret to growth and improvement!
Perfect Your Stance
The physics and mechanics behind dart throws tell us that one of the most important aspects to master is for the body to remain still during the release of the dart.
Only the forearm, arm, and wrist should move to ensure that the dart follows the most accurate and efficient path through the air. Therefore, you must perfect your stance if you wish to take your throws to the next level.
Your stance should be comfortable and relaxed, to allow you to launch many times without suffering excessive fatigue.
A proper dart stance is characterized by a shoulder that remains still. After you have aimed your dart, any additional movements from the upper body move your position and will change the planned trajectory.
There is a wide variety of acceptable stances, but the player needs to figure out which one works best for him or her and stick to it.
A proper stance has the player facing the dartboard like an archer does his target. For beginners, it is recommended to take an angled position between the player’s foot and the oche line for the most accuracy and stability.
Additionally, most of the player’s body weight should be placed upon the front foot; however, during a throw, the back foot should never lose contact with the ground because this causes instability.
The stance is a very detailed topic that deserves more discussion. If you are looking to perfect your stance you can check out our full article on improving your darts stance.
Perfect The Follow Through
An optimal dart throw can be described as having three stages; these would be A, B, and C.
A refers to the initial position where the elbow is bent, and the forearm is perpendicular to the upper arm.
At position A, the dart should be tipped upwards, so the point is slightly tilted.
Position B refers to the drawback phase where the forearm swings back in preparation for the throw.
Position C refers to the extension of the arm and eventual release of the dart.
The trick to a perfect follow-through lies in the snap of the wrist at the end of the extension during position C.
Snapping the wrist at the end of the throw applies a boost of acceleration to the dart which gives it more stability while it travels through the air.
Additionally, at the very end of the motion make sure that your fingers are pointing down.
A perfect throw will glide between these three positions effortlessly and smoothly.
If you need help with your throw, this article on how to throw darts with precision is a good place to start.
Experiment With Different Shaft Lengths And Flight Combinations

Anyone involved in the world of darts for any considerable amount of time will be familiar with the wide variety of dart shaft lengths and flight designs. By experimenting with various shaft and flight combinations, you can potentially fine-tune your set-up for improved performance.
Each of these factors, affect the dart throw. Together, they can dramatically impact your ability to throw accurately and consistently.
Dart flights, like arrow fletchings, provide aerodynamic stabilization to the dart during flight. Large shapes tend to give the player a more controlled throw, while smaller flights tend to offer faster more aggressive throws.
In the same manner, the length of the shaft, or body of the dart, can provide varying degrees of stability and speed through the air.
Different combinations of these two components can also help you pinpoint and reduce bounce-outs and off-target throws.
Thankfully, various online retailers and physical vendors sell inexpensive flight and shaft combo packs that allow for this level of expert experimentation.
Invest In An Online Dart Scorer App
Several digital tools facilitate practice and scorekeeping. These products help you to keep score and, most importantly, track progress more efficiently.
Remember the first tip on this list! Throwing darts without purpose is counterproductive to growing as a player.
Digital score trackers can provide you with a framework from which to grow.
For example, the leading products save detailed statistical reports about your games and performance so that you gain a precise and comprehensive overview on how you are progressing and which aspects of your game need the most work.
Smart score apps can also serve as a quick guide to the most famous and popular games such as cricket, around the clock, bob’s 27, and Bull, 20s, 19s, and 18s.
Impressively, because of their internet connectivity, you can play against online opponents, and even artificial intelligence trainers.
Electronic Dart Scoreboards represent the best of the modern advances in technology fusing with the ageless game of darts.
To improve your game, you will need all the tools available to you. These tracker apps are a fantastic complementing tool for recording scores, and matches, and enhancing your overall experience.
Play Regularly
Practice does not make perfect in darts, it’s regular practice that does. You can be an awesome player, but your game will go downhill quickly if you don’t play regularly.
If you are only playing once a week, your game will not improve much. Playing multiple times a week will improve your accuracy dramatically.
It does not need to be long tournament style games. Just pick up a set of darts and play a quick game of Around The Clock or Chase The Dragon.
Even an extra 20-minute session once or twice a week will do wonders for your game. If you want to get better, play more often.
Conquer The Mind Game
The game of darts is as much a mind game as a game of skill. This aspect is often ignored by newcomers and veterans alike. To improve your game, you will have to improve your concentration, focus, and confidence.
While pervasive internet use has made our minds fragmented it is also an excellent source of information and methods for improving our mental integrity.
Some of the recommended techniques include meditation, breathing exercises, and even reading. Adopting these types of habits will provide a significant benefit both in the game of darts as well as other aspects of your life.
Boosting the mental aspects of your game will do wonders in preparing you for those excruciatingly tense and stressful games. Keeping it together during moments of elevated stress is already half the battle won.
I hope this helps you in your journey to better darts. Do you have any tips on how to play darts? Please let us know in the comments below.
Excellent read..well put together and probably most important point for new dart throwers is the follow through from the wrist after releasing the dart.
#11. There is magic in the expression, “Practice what you want to hit.” This is so very true; however, dart players spend long hours at the board trying to hit tons, ton-forty, and ton-eighty. While there is not much wrong with this kind of practice, processing to the next level takes time and it can take even longer when you are not working on the low end of your game.
Can you put 20 darts in the 20-wedge without straying into the 1 or 5? Why not? Missing the ton is much less of a problem when you are hitting fat 20’s. You are more likely to stray into the triple when you can consistently place all your darts in the 20-wedge. Working on the low end of the game means working on hitting fat. Putting all the darts in the same wedge consistently. It means ending the sloppy darts that drift into the 5 or the 1. It should also be practiced on all the cricket numbers. Eliminating mistakes in the bottom game improves your top game. Every practice routine should involve some time developing consistency in hitting the number you are aiming at and not slopping high or low, left or right, of your target.
Don’t just work on your top game, work on your bottom game as well.
About how long does it take to see a noticeable improvement with accuracy and consistency? I use https://www.godartspro.com for most of my darts practicing. I have used others and practiced some keeping score in my head. On GoDartsPro alone, my stats say I have thrown over 24,000 darts since February. I’ve thrown another 5000 darts or so on Pro Darter .com. And then more without using a scorer app/website.
I easily get discouraged when I think about how many darts I’ve thrown, or time put into practicing, yet I feel there is very very little if any improvement whatsoever. Am I, hopefully, expecting too much too quickly?? Or should I be able to recognize some improvement??
Thank you for your time!
Paul C
I struggle sometimes with my eyes wandering away from the target. when this happens, the dart goes where my eyes train. Are there any eye exercises that you would recommend in training and in competition?
Hi Tim.
That’s a tough one. I’ve had some eye issues recently as well. First, if you have a physical eye problem (or think you may), ask your eye doctor about it they will be able to give you the best advice.
If you don’t have eye problems, I would suggest checking out this article on aiming darts particularly the part on using your dominant eye effectively.
Imagine pointing at an object far in the distance. Then close one eye, then open it and close the other with out moving your hand. You will see that your target will appear to move to and away from where you are pointing. Its just a guess but this change in perception may be happening while you are throwing. Figuring out your dominant eye and forcing yourself to use it primarily may help.
Hi recently I lost a lot of weight and I’m wondering how this might impact on the weight if darts I use, will I need lighter darts
Hi Ann,
This depends on a few things. If you lost weight because of a change in diet and exercise then you have been losing mostly body fat not muscle and it should not affect your throw that much.
If you have lost weight due to a medical condition, it is possible that you have also lost muscle mass and this would affect your throw a little more.
It is also important to know that a large change in weight is going to affect your stance and this may have a greater impact on how you throw. Pro darts player Gary Anderson recently changed his darts for just this reason.
At the end of the day it really comes down to trial and error, and what feels right for you. If you have a noticeable change in your performance, perhaps it is time to try something new.
There’s no substitute for practice
Nice article. Thanks. I also feel the ying and yang need to be combined for true success. ‘Zen and the art of archery’ examines the need to be without aiming mentally at the target. Often the presence of an objective in darts, such as hitting 3 180’s in an hour’ can prevent the mind from becoming mindful. Recent research has shown that ‘less’ is ‘more’, and top sports players are in ‘the zone’ when their brain activity is reduced. This could be linked to the fact that players often improve after a drink or two (not 7).
I agree with the objective in training, but believe their is a need to disconect ourselves from the goal mentally whilst throwing, so that we can be as close as possible to 100% ‘in the throw’ whist training. I totally agree with meditation and mindfulness activities to strengthen our abilty to train in this way, and reduce outside influence when competing.
Thanks for the article.
Michael John Harvey
Good technique taught if applied well and practice done the future is fruitful.
thanks, am gonna try to apply the above techniques.hope to see more improvements.
Hi, Greetings from Malaysia….A very good write up…sure had helped me to improve my game..Good Darts!!!….”Practice never lie”….
very important read and will help people of all levels thanks for the i really need improve my rhythm and mind aspect of the game. one week i am exceptional the next bang so hopefully this will help me get the consistency i need thank you.
Great reading, I’ve just got back to darts about 7 years ago, I packed it in for personal reasons for 10 years, I wasn’t brilliant but could hold my own and was actually quite good, but since I’ve come back my game is nowhere near to where I want it to be, I’m retired and try and practice for at least 2-3 a day but come match nights I can’t seem to get to my practice level why is this please?
Mindfulness. Your mind is overriding your practice attempts with an objective. On match nights, are you as calm and in control as you are during practice? Perhaps, on match nights, try a warmup routine that you “win”, something you control. A short list of movements that put you in the same mindset as when you are practicing. ALSO!: mind your pace and mind your surroundings. I imagine you practice with enough room, walk directly back to the line, and generally throw all three darts as a set. But match night you might be focusing on the board, keeping score, moving out of peoples’ ways, adjusting after each throw. If you want your match score to come close to your practice score- try to make the practice and the match as match alike as possible. That’s what I’ve been working on, at least.
Sorry Alwyn, the question is hard to answer, but if your practice is ok and game day is not your might want to check these mind tricks to overcome any jitters.
As a reasonable to good player myself I have to say that what hasnt been mentioned here is that older players returning to darts and for that matter all players need to be mindful of the facts of life… your eye hand coordination will vary person to person, also your eyesight too will vary, then as you get older both of these will deteriorate to some level.
Be realistic as to your capabilities and you will enjoy the game much more. If you expect that pure incessant practice will result in you becoming a champion player then Im afraid 9 times out of a hundred or even a thousand you will be disappointed.
If you practice everyday and follow the basic advice in this article youll improve but theres a point where you will reach the limits of your capabilities. Finally get used to losing like it doesnt matter or even better stop trying to beat other people. Its called maturity and you will enjoy yourself so much more.
Take it from a tantrum throwing over competitive sore loser.
Its liberating and people will like you more. Good luck👍
If I was only disappointed 9 times out of 1000 I’d be a very happy bunny
I have been practising a fair bit over the last 4 months or so, but find I often throw a stray dart in the non scoring area of the board. My current darts are 24g. Do you think a heavier dart will help keep the darts down ? Or will the extra weigh carry the dart higher as a heavier dart might carry more speed ? Or will anyone playing darts eventually get used to any weight dart if they stick with them long enough ?
Thank you
Trying different weights and configurations is one of the most important ways to up your game. Unfortunately the only way to know for sure is to test. Try a friends darts or look for a few cheap sets to try out.
i am not a bad dart player and i am currently using a 23 gram hammer head dart with a standard flight. What other flights could i use or types of darts that could improve my game
There is a lot more that goes into flight shape than most players think. Check out our guide to choosing dart flights.
Throw 18 gram soft tip darts the same as steel tip darts [ chose your weight ]
Do push ups
Will take this on board, good read. After a break due to covid and a move of house to a new area. I thought I’d chance my arm at darts again. I’ve literally burst on to the scene winning 14/15 league games and the individual league comp. Now through towards the back end of summer league my form has dropped massively I feel my hands getting sweatier and my darts barely staying in the board where my timing and release is massively off. Going to try all of this and go back to basics . It’s so frustrating
Thanks for all this info. I am throwing 18gm soft tip darts and more often than not, my darts tend to hit below the bull….mostly in the 2….are my darts to heavy…too light…..or is my release too late? I know you can’t see my throw, but can you give me some practice tips that I can try to make my darts fly more consistently in the area of bull or a little above?
Grab a friends darts and experiment with different weights. The fact you are asking if it is a late release, makes me think it is and you already know it. Try letting go earlier. Keep your tips up.
My advice is try everything – different weights, flights and shafts, grip the dart/front/middle and rear -try all stances (sideways, straight on) keep your head up and elbow in – after a while each element will feel more comfortable and sit better in your mindset. This is a subtle change, learn (and remember what worked) and stick with It until the whole motion becomes YOUR norm. Don’t panic it will work.
Great tips! I’ll definitely try these out the next time I play darts with friends. Thanks for sharing!