Is it legal to bet on the World Darts Championship?
Author:
Zach Lutz
Reviewed by:
Published:
Dec 24, 2024
,
10:03 a.m.
ET
The 2025 PDC World Darts Championship is taking place at the iconic Alexandra Palace in London. The tournament runs from December 15 through January 3, 2025, with 96 of the world's best players competing for the Sid Waddell Trophy and a share of the $3.2 million prize pool.
The scoring format is best-of-five 501. Players attempt to whittle their score down from the starting point of 501. The first player to do so wins the leg, and players need to be the first to win 3 legs to win the set and advance. The World Darts Championship isn't available on free-to-air or cable TV in the United States. However, DAZN and PDCTV offer live streaming in the U.S.
Whether you're a dedicated fan or a casual viewer, the World Darts Championship offers unique sporting entertainment – and for some, an opportunity to place bets. But is betting on the World Darts Championship legal in the U.S.? The answer depends on where you live, as sports betting laws vary by state. In this article, we explore the legality of betting on darts, the available betting markets and how to bet responsibly if you do decide to place a wager.
Legal betting options in the U.S. for the 2024 World Darts Championship
As far as betting on darts in the U.S. goes, every jurisdiction where sports betting is legal allows betting on darts. It’s more a matter of whether your sportsbook of choice offers darts, but the most popular legal options such as DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars, BetMGM and Bet365 all offer darts markets.
As of December 2024, sports betting is legal in 38 states and Washington, D.C., with Missouri on track to join as the 39th state sometime in 2025. Each state has its own rules regarding sports betting, with some offering online options, while others only allow in-person betting at retail sportsbooks.
States with Online Sports Betting:
Arizona
Arkansas
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Missouri (pending)
New Hampshire
New York
New Jersey
Nevada
North Carolina
Ohio
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Tennessee
Vermont
Virginia
Washington D.C.
West Virginia
Wyoming
States with Retail-Only, In-Person Sports Betting:
Mississippi
Montana
Nebraska
New Mexico
North Dakota
South Dakota
Washington
Wisconsin
Important Note: In Mississippi, mobile betting is allowed but only on casino property using licensed apps.
Age Restrictions for Betting:
Most states require bettors to be 21 years old to place a wager, but eight states – Kentucky, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Washington D.C., and Wyoming – allow individuals as young as 18 to participate.
Worried about your or someone else's sports betting habits? Birches Health can help.
What betting markets are available for the World Darts Championship?
Legal sportsbooks in the U.S. offer a wide range of betting markets for darts, making it an exciting option for both seasoned bettors and newcomers. Here are some of the most popular betting types for the World Darts Championship:
1. Outright Winner
This is the simplest and most popular market: betting on who will win the tournament. Prior to the event starting, defending champion Luke Humphries was among the favorites with +300 odds, while 17-year-old sensation Luke Littler led the pack at +200. Currently, at DraftKings, you can only bet on Quarter Winners. Current markets include “To Win 3rd Quarter” and “To Win 4th Quarter.”
2. Match Lines
Bet on a player’s money line, the match spread or the total legs played in the match. This market is straightforward and similar to betting on money lines in other sports.
3. Nine-Dart Finish
This is a wager on whether any player in the tournament will achieve the perfect leg – a nine-dart finish, or “nine-darter.” The most common way to hit a nine-dart-finish is by nailing triple 20 (60 points) with the first seven tosses, then triple 19 (57 points) with the eighth toss, before finishing it off with a double 12 (24 points) to wipe out 501. This consists of The odds vary depending on the quality of players in the match.
4. Highest Checkout
A checkout in darts is the total number of points a player scores in their final leg-winning turn. All legs must end on a double or the bullseye. Checkouts range from 2 to 170 points, and all but seven numbers can be taken out in three darts. Place a bet on the highest checkout (over/under a set number) in a match or the entire tournament. You can also bet on whether a player will achieve a specific checkout, such as 170, which is the highest possible score.
5. Most 180s
Bet on the player or team with the highest number of maximum scores (three darts landing in triple 20) during a match or the tournament.
6. Correct Score
Predict the exact score of a match in terms of sets or legs. For example, you can bet a specific player to win 3 legs to 0, 3 legs to 1 or 3 legs to 2.
Do NOT use offshores, bookies or sweepstakes platforms for betting on darts
Perhaps darts betting feels more suited for offshore sports betting because it’s not a major sport that’s nationally televised in the United States. However, the fact that the most prestigious legal sportsbooks offer a variety of World Darts Championship markets means it’s wise to stick with them. While it may be tempting to use offshore sportsbooks or participate in sweepstakes betting platforms, these options are fraught with risks. Here’s why you should stick to regulated and legal sportsbooks.
Risks of Offshore Sportsbooks
Offshore sportsbooks are not subject to U.S. laws, meaning there’s no recourse if they refuse to pay your winnings.
These platforms lack responsible gaming measures, leaving bettors vulnerable to addiction and financial loss.
Offshore sites often have poor cybersecurity, putting your personal and financial information at risk.
Many offshore sites require funding with cryptocurrencies or unfamiliar e-wallets, which can complicate transactions.
Betting on offshore platforms is illegal and could result in fines or other penalties.
Modern-Day Bookies and PPH Sportsbooks
New-age bookies operating through pay-per-head (PPH) platforms also pose significant risks. These services allow individuals to set up unregulated sportsbooks, often offering credit betting. This means bettors can place wagers without depositing money upfront, leading to excessive debt and financial strain.
Sweepstakes Betting Platforms
Some sweepstakes sites market themselves as a legal workaround to traditional sports betting, but they often fall into regulatory gray areas. These platforms use two coin-based systems that mimic sports betting but lack transparency. Many states are cracking down on sweepstakes betting, so it’s best to avoid these platforms altogether.
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