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What is Leg Darts? Leg Darts Explained in 2 minutes

David Genge

Editor

Publish Date: March 31, 2021

Fact checked by: Jesse M Cox

What is a Leg (Darts)?

A leg is a single game of darts where the aim is to be the first player to get to zero after starting with 501 points. Each player takes turns to throw three darts at a time to reach the target. All points are counted but the leg must finish with the throwing of a double.

Depending on the tournament the aim of a match might be to win a certain amount of legs – for example first to 10, or best of 19. But some competitions such as the World Championships use the sets formats where each set is best of five legs.

How to use Legs (Darts) in Sports Betting

There are plenty of outrights and other betting opportunities – such as most 180s – when it comes to darts but wagering on the legs markets are some of the most popular.

Bettors can choose from a variety of markets including total amount of legs in a match, or the winner of the next leg. There is even the chance to predict what colour the next leg winning double will be (each number around the board has a double that is coloured either red or green).

Handicap betting has become very popular in darts – especially with the mismatches in the early rounds of tournaments. Here players are given a number of legs head start and bettors factor that into their match predictions.

Did you know…

One of the most notoriously bad darts legs in history happened in 2010 when Australian Anthony Fleet felt the nerves live on prime time television. Not only did the player score terribly in the very first leg of the match, he compounded his misery by dropping his darts at one point as well.

Why is It Called a Leg in Darts?

The term “leg” in darts is used to describe the individual scoring cycles in a game. In traditional games, players would typically throw three darts each at a target round and the number of points scored with those three throws would be added up for that turn. A single leg refers to completing one entire turn, starting from throwing your three darts until you score your total points for that round. This is why it’s called a “leg”, as it looks like you are walking around the board in some sort of pattern until you reach the bullseye or other designated target.

What Do Legs Mean in Darts?

Legs in darts refer to rounds of the game. A standard darts match is made up of legs – each one won or lost when a player scores more points than their opponent during that leg. Winning 3 out of 5 legs wins the overall match for the player or team. Legs can also refer to individual turns – players take turns throwing at their target until all their darts are thrown, then it’s the next person’s turn. This variation is often used in home games and social events, where the score isn’t tracked as intensely as in professional competitions.

How Many Legs in a Set of Darts?

Darts typically come with three darts per set. Each dart in the set will have four legs for a total of twelve legs in the set. The four legs on each dart usually consist of two shorter “wires” that attach to a longer shaft, which allows the dart to spin when it meets the board.