Darts
Darts is one of a number of sports to have emerged from the bars and clubs and onto the world stage. The increase in live television broadcasts has played a part in that success and it’s therefore fitting that Unibet TV is here to back the new era. The sport has enjoyed a long and complicated journey but, in the present day, it’s simply thriving and there is a host of darts to enjoy right through the calendar year. Along with our live streaming service, an extensive set of betting markets is also in place to help you get the best out of all the action on the oche.
World Championships
In the 1960s and 1970s, television was just starting to take an interest in the few darts tournaments that were taking place. If the sport was to grow, it had to build on the small schedule of events that were on the calendar as it needed to reach out to a global audience.
Accordingly, the very first edition of the World Darts Championship was held at the Heart of the Midlands Club in Nottingham in 1978. Champion Leighton Rees was one of just eight finalists in a competition that was held across five days and it’s fair to say that the tournament has grown considerably since this point.
From the late 1970s to the early 1990s, some of darts’ most unforgettable characters entered the arena and subsequent world championships were won by Eric Bristow, John Lowe and Jocky Wilson amongst others. The game had reached its target audience but, where there had been one world championship, darts was about to get a second.
The Split in Darts
The notorious ‘split in darts’ led to the formation of an additional governing body within the game. To this day, the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC), sits alongside the British Darts Organisation (BDO) and both have their own version of the world championship.
It’s fair to say that with more money coming in from TV revenue, the PDC attracts the best throwers in the sport and their version of the Worlds is the one that the players all want to win. Since the very first edition of the PDC World Championship in 1994, some great darters have lifted the title including Phil Taylor, Gary Anderson, Raymond Van Barneveld and Michael Van Gerwen.
Both versions of the World Championship are extensively covered by Unibet TV and we have that exceptional set of betting markets to back them both up.
Major Tournaments
Both the PDC and the BDO versions of the world championships are concluded by mid-January so that leaves us with a whole year to fill. That’s no issue for the organisers who have steadily implemented a busy calendar with major events taking place across the remaining 11 months.
The most important of these are the PDC Premier Events where the biggest prize money always leads to the strongest fields. The organisation has five ‘majors’ which start with the world championship and continue with the Premier League, the UK Open, the World Matchplay and the World Grand Prix. As main tournaments, there is a big focus on these, in terms of betting and live television coverage.
Other competitions to watch out for during the season include the World Cup of Darts, the German Darts Masters, the Dutch Darts Masters, the Welsh Open, the Northern Ireland Open and many more. The PDC circuit even heads Down Under these days with sanctioned events in Australia and New Zealand.
As for the BDO, the list of events is much smaller as many of the players are amateurs. Aside from the World Championships, the World Masters and the World Trophy are the tournaments to aim for.
Unibet’s TV coverage is focused on the bigger events so expect to see more competitions from the PDC throughout the year. The live stream is backed by a set of betting options but what, exactly, can you bet on?
Betting on and Watching Live Darts
The market for outright PDC World Champion is posted up for much of the calendar year so that our customers can consider a long range bet that might come in at longer odds. The action really starts once the draw is confirmed and the tournament is about to get underway.
Similarly, the outright bets for all professional tournaments will be published ahead of time and the match betting comes along in the days leading up to the first throw. With the exception of rare events such as the Premier League where a drawn game is possible, the moneyline bet for match winner focuses on either player. Prop bets are also available and, among the many side markets quoted, you can choose to stake on Match Score and Total Legs.
Unibet TV is standing by to cover those big tournaments and you don’t need a subscription to access our live stream. All that we ask is that you either have funds in your customer account or that you have placed a cash bet within the previous 24 hours. You don’t even need to have staked on the event that you intend to watch and, as long as you meet those simple terms, a world of top class live darts coverage is at your fingertips.
For the bigger screen experience, Unibet TV is available on desktop or laptop but if you want more flexibility while on the move, it’s also steamed to mobile devices.
