“Dartboard and Dart Set – What is the Official Set Up for Darts?”
A dartboard and dart set are a simple combination of home game equipment that is simple to use and creates hours of fun for family and friends. If you’re new to the game or classify yourself as a casual player, then we’re talking to you. The experts at edartboards.com are constantly being asked to speak to the casual dart player.
Darts are a social game, and we want you to have fun, but there are a few basic pieces of equipment you need. You will also have more fun if you know how to set your dartboard up correctly.
Dart Board Distance and Installation
The proper distance from the face of the electronic dart board to the throw line is eight feet. This line is commonly called the oche. The history behind this distance is well documented. The official distance from the oche to the dartboard face for steel tip darts is 7 feet 9 ¼ inches. This measurement is determined by the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC).
The digital dart board was developed along with its counterpart soft tip darts. This development created an obvious need to change the distance to the dartboard. These modifications were necessary to reduce bounce outs. Soft tip darts are much lighter than their steel tip counterparts.
If the throwing distance were not modified, bounce outs would become a major problem. The internal sensors that registered the scores would also stand a chance of being damaged.
The soft tip dartboards that we’re talking about in this article are very lightweight. Therefore, the installation manuals that come with your unit will instruct you to use the drywall anchors and screws which are included. However, we do have an installation hardware tip for you.
Keep in mind, you’re not hanging a picture. Your electronic dartboard and dart set will be withstanding a lot of movement. What kind of movement? Obviously, darts will constantly be hitting the target area, then they will be twisted and pulled out so your opponent can throw their round. If you have a dartboard and cabinet model, the door panels will be opening and closing. Buttons and switches will be used to choose the game you want to play.
Movement – you get the picture.
While the hardware included will be good for most installation applications, you will want to beef up your anchor and fastener hardware for most drywall installations. You already know why…movement. The image shown here gives you an example of the type of anchor and fastener that’s best for a secure mount. Fasteners like these are available at all big box home improvement stores. They are super easy to use.
Dartboard Rules - Top Two Games and Rules
The dartboard and dart set that are available at edartboards.com come standard with hundreds of games and game playing options. All our electronic dartboards come with a detailed operators manual which also has a list of games and how to play them.
To whet your dart player appetite, the following will give you the ground rules for the top three soft tip dart games being played in the United States today.
501 and 301 - The most played dart games in competitive settings are 501 and 301. The objective is to start with a score of 501 (or 301) points and reduce the total to exactly zero, finishing on a double. Players take turns throwing three darts per turn and subtract their score from their starting total. If a player "busts" by going below zero, their turn ends, and their score resets to what it was at the beginning of that turn.
Cricket is a strategic dart game where players aim to "close" numbers 15 through 20 and the bullseye while accumulating points. A number is closed when a player hits it three times (a triple counts as three, a double as two, and a single as one). Once a number is closed, additional hits score points unless the opponent also closes it. The game ends when a player closes all their numbers and has the most points.
If you want to get started immediately while you wait for your dartboard and dart set to be delivered, you can get a free download compliments of edartboards.com of “The Top Ten Most Popular Dart Games” by clicking this image:
As one of our casual electronic dart players, you’ll soon zero in on your favorite dart game and experience many hours of fun and challenges. Our motto of “Faster play. Better game” was created for that very reason.
Dart Accessories – Get to know the Basics
Dartboard Mat - No matter how good you are, when you play soft tip darts, you will have bounce outs. Your darts will hit the floor. This causes damage to both your darts and your floor. For you to solve this problem, we recommend using a dartboard mat. This mat is padded and will absorb some nasty bounce outs which will extend the life of your tips. You will also save your floors from punctures, snags, and dings.
Your dartboard mat will also serve as an oche line. The oche line indicates where you will stand to throw your darts.
Dart Cases - Players invest in their dart collections. Their investments are made for either general style and design reasons or their dart set gives them specific performance value. Whatever the reason, it’s important to organize and protect your investment. To get the full skinny on recommended dart cases see our previous article cleverly titled, "Dart Cases are a Dart Sets Only Friend."
Dart Sets for Casual Players
The personalization of your dartboard and dart set is the dart sets. Darts sets are a category with thousands of designs, price points and features to choose from. At edartboards.com, we want to make it as easy as possible to point you to the dart set that’s right for you. So, in this effort, we want to present a good, better, best dart set offering as an ideal starting point.
Good – Viper Black Magic - Soft Tip Darts
These dart sets are the ultimate scoring weapon of casual players everywhere.
Black Magic darts are engineered with ten-ring knurled grips precision machined from a jet-black coated alloy. When you have a comfortable, firm grip your throws are more accurate. This darts grip is tactically designed so you look and play like a true champion.
These viper darts are aerodynamic beasts. Black Magic darts come standard with slim hyper speed flights to deliver both speed and accuracy in every throw. The faster your game, the more exciting it is!
Soft tip dart shafts are prone to come loose and affect your performance throughout the game. Each shaft of the Viper Black Magic is made from aluminum and has a tightening hole that is used with a special tool to make sure your shafts are secure and ready to throw.
Better – Viper Bobcat Adjustable - Soft Tip Darts
If you fall within our casual dart player profile, you’ll want to be able to test different weight darts as you develop your throwing style. Dart sets that offer custom features give you a competitive advantage. The ability to customize the dart weight is a feature that can make a huge difference to your game. This soft tip dart set is designed with a unique add-a-gram system that allows you to adjust your dart’s weight between 16, 18, or 19 grams.
Best - Viper Astro Tungsten Soft Tip Darts
The Viper Astro is a premium set of soft tip darts engineered from 80% tungsten metal. Tungsten is used in aerospace, military equipment, medical devices, and other sporting equipment.
A soft tip dart player must constantly battle against bounce outs. Bounce outs occur when your dart hits the board at an irregular angle or strikes another dart in a tight grouping situation when you need a specific number on the dartboard to score.
Tungsten metal is a very dense metal, which means that the darts barrel can be designed with a much slimmer profile so your target groupings will be smaller. The results are higher scores!
Key Take-Aways
Setting up your dartboard and dart set correctly is key to maximizing your enjoyment and improving your game. This blog post provides an essential guide for casual players, covering proper dartboard installation, throwing distances, and tips for secure mounting. It also introduces the top dart games—501, 301, and Cricket—so you can start playing with confidence.
Additionally, the post highlights must-have dart accessories like dartboard mats and cases, along with a breakdown of the best dart sets for casual players, ranging from affordable options to high-performance tungsten darts.
Ready to step up your dart game? Visit edartboards.com to explore our selection of dartboards, dart sets, and accessories designed for every skill level. Plus, download our free guide, “The Top Ten Most Popular Dart Games,” and start mastering the game today!