How to Improve Your Darts Average: 8 Proven Methods for Every Level

What is the 3-dart average?

The 3-dart average measures how many points you score on average per turn of three darts. You calculate it by dividing total points scored by the number of rounds.

Example: finishing 501 in 7 rounds = 501 ÷ 7 = 71.6 average per 3 darts. ScoreApp calculates this automatically and saves it in your progress tracker after every completed game.

Reference levels

• Beginner20–45

  Inconsistent throw, many misses on T20
• Recreational45–70

  Stable throw, fundamentals in place
• Club level70–90

  Consistent T20s, doubles landing more often
• Semi-pro90–105

  Reliable checkout strategy, few bust attempts
• Professional105+

  Premier League / PDC Pro Tour level

Your grip and stance are the foundation of a repeatable throw. A bad grip causes rotation errors that cost you 20–30 points per round. Use 2–3 fingers on the barrel and keep your thumb in line with your index finger. Stand at a 45° angle to the board — this gives maximum stability and minimal body movement during the throw. Practise in front of a mirror to analyse your stance.

A higher average is almost always the result of a more consistent throw, not more power. Train your repeatability by throwing 100 darts per session at exactly the same point (e.g. the centre of T20). Count how many darts actually land in T20 or D20. A repeatability rate of 70%+ on T20 is achievable for recreational players after 3–4 weeks of focused practice.

T20 (triple 20) scores 60 points per dart — the maximum score for a single dart. Three T20s per round gives 180 points: the achievable ceiling for any player. Practise 15 minutes daily solely on T20. Analyse your miss patterns: do you consistently land left, right or high/low? Adjust your aim based on this pattern. After 30 sessions your T20 miss spread should be significantly tighter.

Doubles are the most under-practised skill for hobby players. A player who hits every third checkout attempt (33%) scores significantly higher than someone who hits every eighth (12%). Train doubles with 'Around the Clock': throw at every double from D1 to D20 and then bullseye. Note how many attempts you need per double. Repeat weekly and track your improvement.

Many darts players throw significantly better in practice than in actual games. Performance pressure increases muscle tension and disrupts your rhythm. Train this with 'pressure doubles': you may only end a session after hitting three doubles in a row. Simulate pressure situations by playing small-stakes games with friends. Consciously learning to handle pressure reduces performance drop-off by 30–50% for most players.

Poor darts cost an average of 5–15 points per round. Invest in a set of darts between 20–26 grams with a good barrel grip. Ensure your flights are undamaged (damaged flights cause irregular trajectories). Use a correctly hung board: bullseye at exactly 173 cm height, throwing line at 237 cm from the board.

Three hours of mindless throwing improves your average less than four focused 30-minute sessions. Plan one specific goal per session: today only T20 repeatability, tomorrow only doubles, the day after checkout training from 40–80 remaining. Increase focus and reduce fatigue errors by keeping sessions short. Aim for 4–5 sessions per week, not one marathon session.

Without tracking you don't know whether you're improving. ScoreApp automatically saves your 3-dart average after every completed game and shows a rolling average over your last 10 games. This gives a clear trend: rising, falling or stable. Review your progress after every session via the progress tracker and adjust if your average plateaus by shifting your practice focus (e.g. from T20 to doubles if T20 consistency is already high).

Frequently asked questions