How far should you stand from a dartboard?

Darts is a sport that requires precision and accuracy. To play darts, you need a dartboard, light, darts, and a regulation measurement of 7ft 9.25 inches (237cm) from the thrower to the face of the board.

The official dartboard height is 5 feet 8 inches (172cm) from the floor to the centre of the bullseye. The throwing line, also known as the oche, is not to be overstepped from the 7ft 9.25 inches (237cm). In amateur and professional competitions, the oche is often raised to reduce the chance of players overstepping the mark and ensuring their feet are firmly planted on the ground. This is the standard distance used in all forms of professional steel tip darts. You are allowed to lean over the line with other parts of your body, but your feet must be behind.

To help measure the length you need to stand away from the board before throwing, you can purchase a dart mat which indicates a throwing line but also protects your darts from fall outs of the dartboard on your floor. Below are several options of dart mats that are all fit to regulation size from the face of your board.

It is also important to note that the lighting in the room can affect your ability to see the dartboard clearly. If the room is too dark or too bright, it may be difficult to see the target. Make sure the lighting is appropriate for the game, and adjust as needed. Target Darts have a selection of lighting options available and the Corona Vision Light is the number 1 selling dartboard lighting system in the world.

Whilst dart mats help protect your floor from fall outs, a surround goes around your dartboard to protect your walls and surrounding area from stray darts. Using a softer material, darts hitting the surround are less likely to damage your dart compared to your wall, ensuring you don't need to repoint your darts regularly. In addition, dartboard surrounds offer a quieter game by absorbing the sound of darts hitting the dartboard. Browse our dartboard surrounds available in multiple colours.

What's the difference for soft tip darts?

Setting up for a soft tip dart home set-up is very similar to steel tip darts, however, the key difference is the oche, or the throwing line, is longer. The standard length for soft tip darts play is 8ft (244cm) from the dartboard compared with steel tip darts at 7ft 9.25 inches (237cm).

The reason for the longer length is due to the weight and construction of the darts as they are typically lighter and have a plastic tip, which means they need less force to penetrate the dartboard. Comparatively, steel tip darts are heavier with a metal point, so players need to stand closer to the dartboard to achieve the same level of accuracy and consistency.