From pub game to world gtage - the greatest comebacks in darts history

Indeed, what started as a pub game is now a widely accessible sport: to keep abreast of all upcoming events, check out player stats, and follow the matches as they evolve, it’s just enough to visit specialized online platforms like darts at GGBet.

However, things were different at the dawn of darts popularity, and the game was even banned at a certain point in its history. Let’s explore the path it took to transform from a glorified pub game to a full-fledged sports discipline, as well as recall the most memorable and dramatic moments on the Oche.

Darts Origins

The earliest version of darts was adopted by soldiers in the 1300s when they competed against each other by throwing spearheads at wine barrels while sitting in the trenches. Later, the target was changed to tree trunks where the concentric growth rings served as a dartboard we know today. The game has developed progressively over time and began to gather momentum during the 1800s, which encouraged a wave of innovation in its rules. This is when different numbering systems saw the light, including the one used on modern dartboards. It was invented in 1896 by Brian Gamlin, a carpenter from Lancashire, and contained the 1-20 number sequence we are all familiar with today.

Entering the Pub Scene

Darts first entered the pub scene in 1908 in Leeds when Jim Garside allowed playing it in his tavern. The game was met with controversy, and the pub owner was even taken to court for promoting gambling, which was not allowed in such establishments at that time. To prove that darts is not a game of chance but a game of skill, Garside came to court with William ‘Big Foot’ Annakin, one of the best players around. After Annakin hit the target several times in a row, the court declared darts to be a legal game of skill.

First World Darts Championship

1924 was marked by the formation of the National Darts Association and, already in three years, NDA organized the first News of the World Darts Championship featuring 1,010 participants. In 1939, the number of players participating in the competition grew to an astonishing 280,000. Despite the rise in its popularity, darts was banned in several parts of the UK during the 1930s, including Huddersfield, Glasgow, and Liverpool, assuming that the game would encourage drunkenness or attract young people to pubs.

Second World War and Post-War Years

During the Second World War, the News of the World competitions were canceled, but darts kept rising in popularity as servicemen used the game as a pastime. The Air Force, Navy, and Army even had darts in their sports packs to practice their aim whenever they had time. British troops also shared the game with their allies from Australia, America, and New Zealand, which helped it to spread globally. In 1954, the National Darts Association of Great Britain was founded, but the golden era of darts on TV started after the establishment of the British Darts Organization in 1973. The BDO encouraged television coverage to popularize the game internationally, so already in the 1980s, the world learned such big names as John Lowe, Cliff Lazarenko, and Jocky Wilson.

Our Days

The monumental changes occurred in 1992 when the 15 top professional players broke away from the BDO to create their own organization – the World Darts Council. The WDC was then rebranded to the Professional Darts Corporation, which is so far considered a leader in the darts scene since it has extensive media coverage and draws together the top stars over the season. Female competitions are there too, and the first Women’s World Championship was held in 2001 by BDO. Now, the event is organized by the World Darts Federation, while the PDC runs the Women’s Series.

Best Darts Comebacks in History

Professional darts scene has seen lots of memorable performances, but we would like to recall the top 5 comebacks in the game’s history:

Phil Taylor vs. Raymond van Barneveld (2007): this is arguably the most epic World Championship final that made the Circus Tavern go wild when Barneveld celebrated a 7-6 victory after trailing 3-0 in sets.

Chris Dobey vs. Rob Cross (2024): the World Championship quarter-final tie saw one of the biggest comebacks ever as Rob Cross beat his opponent 5-4 after falling 0-4 and reached the World Championship semi-finals on the Alexandra Palace stage.

Ted Evetts vs. Fallon Sherrock (2019): this match entered history when Fallon Sherrock beat Ted Evetts 3-2 in the tough clash and became the first woman to gain a PDC World Championship title.

Jose de Sousa vs. Ryan Searle (2023): The Portuguese star lived up to his nickname 'The Special One' after recovering from 3-0 down with nine 180s and defeating Ryan Searle 4-3. This allowed Jose de Sousa to progress to the Last 16 of the World Championship.

Raymond van Barneveld vs. Michael Smith (2016): as the king of comebacks, Raymond van Barneveld showed a magnificent performance in a World Championship quarter-final tie against Smith. The Dutch managed to knock out his opponent with a 5-4 win after losing 0-3 at the beginning of the match.