Is Darts a Sport? The Battle of the Ultimate Pub Game

Some sporting activities have a harder time being recognised as an official sport. From cheerleading to pool, darts is right in the middle of the ongoing battle of getting officially recognised. In this article, we discuss whether darts is a sport and all the reasons to believe that it is! 

What constitutes a sport?

For many, the word sport means some kind of (physical) activity. Indeed, if we investigate the original meaning of the word, we find that the old french word “desport” refers to leisure. A kind of activity, that humans can enjoy and get some entertainment out of. When we discuss official sporting activities, however, the case is different. The focus is often on the physical demand and athletic skills required.

Moreover, competition is key when it comes to the definition of today’s acknowledged sporting activities. May it be individual or team effort, the level of competitiveness defines sporting disciplines, events and achievements. Regardless, the ongoing battle of whether darts is a sport seems to endure, since there are a number of arguments on each side. However, according to online sportsbooks in the UK, darts definitely falls into the category of a competitive sport. To see some of our takes on other cases, see why we consider cheerleading and poker as sports!

Physical effort and skills make darts a sport

To settle the debate, let us take a look at each criteria darts need to pass to be considered a sport. Physical extortion, skill, organisations and competitions. Going back to the very definition of sport today, darts does require physical prowess. While it can be argued that the physical effort is less than in other sports,  nevertheless players have to be able to hit the target. And by doing so, players ultimately pass the criteria, since hitting a bullseye is an achievement of physical activity.

What do we mean by skill? While the rules of darts are plain and simple, being able to deliver professionally is not so much. In professional darts, highly skilled players repeatedly throw at the dartboard from the exact same position with the aim of hitting the bullseye as close as possible. In the darts skillset, there are fundamental requirements. They include lining up properly, consistency with the angle of your stance, shoulder position, and having a firm footing. Being able to measure the distance, master the right throwing techniques in a repeated manner are all great examples to see how difficult darts can get.

Is darts a sport? Competitions and organisations say yes!

If familiar with darts, you may as well know the world championships surrounding the sport. Different competitions run in Europe and the U.S. on various levels. Moreover, darts enjoys great popularity in online gambling sites in the UK as well. On Unibet Sportsbook betting on darts has a variety of options, following up-to-date championships. To this end, we recommend our detailed article on how to bet on darts successfully.

Having an official governing body is essential for any competitive/professional sports. In the case of darts, there are two mainstream professional organizations. The British Darts Organization (BDO) and the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC). For amateur organizations, the American Darts Organization (ADO) is the main one. Hence, by all means, we consider darts a sport. Moreover, with countless online sportsbooks, bettors can enjoy making money on competitions. Discover the best odds offered by Unibet Sportsbook on the upcoming Unibet Premier League of Darts!

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