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Some sporting terminology requires an in-depth explanation, but not a nine-dart finish in darts: quite simply, this is the perfect leg achieved by throwing the fewest darts possible to take out the starting score of 501.
The darts nine-darter can be accomplished in 3,944 different 9-dart finish combinations, believe it or not.
But more than 2,200 of those finish on the bullseye. Professional players prefer to leave a traditional double, rather than the bull, as it gives them a larger target to aim at.
Despite the quality of the top players, the darts 9-dart finish is still relatively rare – there wasn’t a single 9-dart game thrown at the 2024 World Championship in hundreds of sets played. So the odds of a 9-dart finish remain low, to say the least.
But when that darts nine-dart finish is in the offing, you can almost feel the excitement and anticipation radiating out of your TV screen, while the crowd watching rise to their feet in hope and/or expectation.
So here’s a guide to the 9-dart leg – darts’ answer to the 147 break in snooker or the 300-point game in tenpin bowling.
What is a 9-Darter?
So what is a 9-darter – how do the players achieve this slice of sporting perfection?
Each leg of darts at the professional level starts with both players on a score of 501. The object is to score as heavily as possible, utilizing the treble-20 and treble-19 segments, to bring that score down.
When they are in finishing range, players can check out their score using a double (the outer ring of the board) or the bullseye (the red circle slap-bang in the middle of the board).
So, if a player needs 40 points, for example, they will use the double-20 segment. If they leave 50, they can use the bull.
The question of how to get a 9-dart finish can be answered with numerous combinations, although the most common is that the players will throw six treble-20s in their first two visits to the board – that pair of 180s leaving a score of 141.
At this point, there are again options to complete the nine-darter – however, the most travelled path is treble-20, treble-19, and then double-12; checking out the 141 and landing the perfect nine-dart finish.
Historical Milestones: Famous 9-Darters
The legendary John Lowe threw the first televised 9-darter finish back in 1984, but it was the Paul Lim 9-darter in 1990 that was the first time the feat was achieved in the World Championship.
The Phil Taylor 9-dart finish became a semi-regular occurrence during his domination of the sport. He’s thrown more perfect nine darts on TV than any other player (eleven).
At the 2010 Premier League, fans were treated to a double dose of Phil Taylor 9-darters. This is the only occasion in which a single player has thrown two perfect 501 legs in a game.
An Adrian Lewis 9-darter in 2011 and a Michael Smith nine-darter in 2023 both achieved a unique slice of history. They are the only times that a nine-dart leg has been thrown in a World Championship final – a great time to get one.
All told, 12 players have thrown 14 nines at the World Championship. The Michael van Gerwen 9-dart finish came in the 2013 semi-final against James Wade, and there was a Gerwyn Price 9-darter in the 2022 quarter-final – a game he went on to lose to Smith.
Also in 2022 came the William Borland 9-darter: cue one of the most fantastic celebrations you are ever likely to see in darts.
In 2023, a Fallon Sherrock 9-darter made headlines around the world – she became the first female to ever pin the perfect leg on TV. The Fallon Sherrock 9-darter video was watched nearly one million times on YouTube.
Throwing the perfect darts leg is hard – somebody should tell that to Shaun Murphy. The former snooker world champion claims to be in a unique club: he’s made a 147 break, a hole-in-one in golf and even thrown a Shaun Murphy 9-darter into the equation!
9-Dart Finish Combinations
As mentioned, there are thousands of ways to achieve a 501 9-dart finish, although the vast majority of them have never been witnessed in a professional game.
Because the players tend to throw at treble-20 in their scoring phase, two 180 turns leaves 141 – the most common 9-dart finish starts from here. Typically, most 9-dart finishes will then be treble-20, treble-19, and double-12, or alternatively treble-20, treble-15, and double-18.
Another of the more popular 9-dart combinations sees the players hit five treble-20s and then a treble-19 with their sixth dart. That combined score of 357 leaves a 501 darts 9-finish target of 144, which would be attacked with two treble-20s, and then double-12 with the ninth dart.
Two scoring turns of 177 (2x treble-20, 1x treble-19) leaves another of the most common 9-darter combinations: a checkout of 147. Although it leaves a non-optimal double-15 to finish, most players would throw at treble-20 and then treble-19 to set up this 9-dart turn.
How Rare is a 9-Darter?
Many newcomers to the sport ask, “How rare is a 9-darter?” And the answer is: extremely rare.
For context, in nearly 50 years of World Championships as of 2024, only 15 nine-dart legs have been thrown – and just two in the final. At another of the long-format tournaments, the Grand Slam of Darts (first played in 2007), there have been just five thrown in total.
It wasn’t until 2010 that a player threw more than one 9-dart leg in a single televised game (Phil Taylor is still the only person to do so).
A Gerwyn Price 9-darter double dose in 2021 was the only occasion in which two perfect nines have been thrown on the same Premier League night.
The 2014 World Grand Prix contest between James Wade and Robert Thornton was also noteworthy: it remains, as of 2024, the only televised game in which both players have thrown a nine-dart out.
How Many 9-Dart Finishes Have There Been?
As of January 2024, just 89 on TV in more than 50 years of action!
Betting on Darts Tournaments
Did you know that you can bet on a 9-darter being thrown in some games and tournaments?
You’ll find darts betting odds for that and many other markets right here at BetVictor Canada, where new customers can claim a welcome bonus and use other promotions in their darts wagering.
From match winner and total legs to 180s and nine-darters, you’ll find dozens of options – but remember to always gamble responsibly. You can find out more about safer betting here.
