If we are being honest – how many times have we, the darts faithful, scrolled through social media groups and spotted questions that make us want to slap a hand to our forehead, somewhere between bemusement and disbelief?
Even though that sentence almost writes itself as rhetorical, any genuine darts enthusiast knows exactly what I mean.
But, let’s not be too harsh or quick to criticise. After all, there was a time when we were clueless ourselves, wide-eyed and slightly terrified of the oche. Just as we get frustrated at learner drivers crawling along at 12mph, we too were once in that metaphorical (or literal) car.
The point is, perhaps we should guide, help, and educate. Or the online trolls could just feed them a funny load of nonsense then try and keep a straight digital face.
It’s our unofficial duty as fans, and the longest standing champions of darts, to bring new people into the game rather than alienate them with cynical, sarcastic answers – or worse, a blunt “have you heard of Google mate?”
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Of course they’ve heard of Google. They just prefer the social enlightenment of asking and darts has always been the most social of games
It’s probably worse when your mate in the pub – who, let’s be honest, knows absolutely nothing about darts – starts asking questions. And at the end of the day, these people are your drinking buddies – don’t be overly sarcastic or insulting. Or do, if that’s your thing.
Either way, here’s a handy way to be both.
Q1: What do the numbers in brackets after a player’s name mean?
GENUINE: That’s either their ranking or their seeding, depending on the tournament. For example, during the World Series events, you might wonder why Stephen Bunting has a (1) next to his name even though Luke Humphries is ranked number one in the world. The answer: it’s all about seeding for that event. Bunting had racked up more points in the series at that stage, so he tops that particular pecking order. In 2025, think of it as Bunting earning more “series brownie points” than the rest.
SARCASTIC: The players are judged on their walk-on performance and ranked accordingly. Bunting, for example, choreographed his stage routine, managed to remember all the lyrics, and sang convincingly to the crowd. Naturally, he receives the coveted number one ranking.
RANKING EVERY PDC WALK ON: Bunting tops the chart but where was your favourite?
Q2: What does the PDC stand for?
GENUINE: Professional Darts Corporation.
SARCASTIC: Absolutely zero nonsense!
HOW DID THE PDC COME INTO BEING: The birth of a global phenomenon
Q3: How do players get onto TV events?
GENUINE: Every tour card holder – there are 128 – can compete in 34 Players Championship events throughout the year, plus qualification events for the 14 European Tour events (10 places available in each). Money earned converts into points, tracked on the Pro Tour Order of Merit, a rolling one-year system. Generally, the top 16 make it to televised events. In short: play well, earn points, and hope the gods of darts smile on you.
SARCASTIC: At the start of a TV tournament – say, the World Matchplay in Blackpool – everyone lines up on the beach. They are then put through a seaside-style assault course: eat a candy floss as fast as possible, lose £5 in two pence pieces at the arcades then race back to the beach, jump on a donkey and race to the finish line. The fastest 32 gain entry.
HOW DOES THE PDC SYSTEM WORK: Tours, qualification, ranking details, and more
Q4: Can I watch darts on TV live?
GENUINE: Absolutely. Most major events are broadcast on Sky TV or ITV (usually ITV3 or ITV4) and variety of international broadcast partners. Players Championship events are streamed on PDC.TV, with all quarter-final matches and beyond available live. European Tour events are also streamed there.
TWO NINE DARTERS FROM MICHAEL VAN GERWEN IN ONE MATCH!!
SARCASTIC: No. Darts is never televised even though we literally just finished watching it Dave - do you not remember? [Dave is on his eighth pint]. All we know about the game comes from eyewitness reports of lads dressed as bananas, traffic cones, and occasionally someone trying to balance a dartboard on their head.
Q5: What is Q-School?
GENUINE: It’s the doorway to becoming a professional player. Only 128 tour cards exist at any time, and anyone can try. There are two locations: Milton Keynes for UK players and Germany for overseas hopefuls. Tour cards are up for grabs depending on who dropped off the main tour the previous year. Novices start at the first stage, and like golf, there’s a cut: win, and you progress; lose, and you go home to nurse your bruised ego. Points are awarded per victory, and the final stage consists of four action-packed days. Winners automatically receive a tour card, and the rest are allocated based on league positions.
Think of it as a darts boot camp – gruelling, thrilling, and slightly addictive.
SARCASTIC: It’s a magical place reached via a secret platform at London St Pancras. There, Latin-speaking coaches will teach you how to float tiny arrows into a cylindrical target propped on a wall. Mostly it involves adding a couple of letters to English words, shouting them out whilst waving a wand and pretending it’s advanced technique.
Q6: Can I try?
GENUINE: Why not? Q-School takes place every January and costs around £500 to enter, plus hotel and travel.
SARCASTIC: I just saw you throw a dart that almost hit Pete - and he was stood behind you. Then you tripped on the oche, and almost broke your nose on the floor. When you did manage to land your darts, the scores were… generous. Best give me the £500 and when you return from reality, I’ll hand it back.
YOU TOO CAN BE A PRO DARTS PLAYER: From PDC Q-School to professional mastery
There you have it. If you want to know anything else, our door is always open. Metaphorically, of course – we’d be subject to regular burglaries if it were literal.
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