Dartboard height and throw distance: the official measurements
Hang the board a little too high or chalk the throw line by eye, and every hour of practice is built on the wrong numbers. The official measurements come down to three figures, and a tape measure and ten minutes are all it takes to get them right at home.
The official measurements at a glance
These are the figures used by the governing bodies (WDF, PDC) and by almost every club and league. For steel tip, they are the same the world over.
| Steel tip | Soft tip (electronic) | |
|---|---|---|
| Height to the centre of the bull | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) |
| Throw distance | 2.37 m (7 ft 9¼ in) | 2.44 m (8 ft), the most common |
| Diagonal, bull to the oche at floor level | 2.93 m (9 ft 7⅜ in) | about 2.99 m |
Height: 1.73 m to the centre of the bull
Height is measured from the floor to the centre of the bullseye, not to the top of the board and not to the mounting screw. That's the classic mistake: the bracket goes up at 1.73 m and the board ends up higher or lower depending on where the bracket sits on its back.
Distance: 2.37 m from the face of the board
The throw distance is measured horizontally from the face of the board, the surface the darts land in. Not from the wall: a board is several centimetres thick, plus its bracket, plus any surround. Measure from the wall and you'll be throwing from closer than everyone else.
The throw line is called the oche (it rhymes with "hockey"). The distance runs to the edge of the line your toes rest against: your feet stay behind it, and you can lean over it as much as you like.
Soft tip: usually 2.44 m
Electronic boards are usually played from 2.44 m (8 ft), at the same 1.73 m height. Some soft-tip leagues and events use the steel-tip 2.37 m instead, so check your league's rules. For the other differences between the two, read steel tip vs soft tip.
Measuring and marking the oche at home
You'll need a tape measure (5 m is ideal), a pencil, a plumb line or spirit level, and some strong tape.
- Hang the board so the centre of the bull is 1.73 m off the floor. Measure to the exact centre with the board already on the wall.
- Find the point below the face: let a plumb line hang against the surface of the board (or hold a level upright against it) and mark the floor directly underneath.
- Measure 2.37 m out from that point, square to the wall, and mark it.
- Mark the oche: a strip of tape running parallel to the wall, with its board-side edge on your mark. A wooden bar or a mat with a built-in oche works just as well.
- Check the diagonal: from the centre of the bull to the edge of the oche at floor level, you should get 2.93 m. If you don't, the height or the distance is off. Check both ends of the oche if you want to be sure it's square.
The diagonal is just Pythagoras applied to your board: it only comes out right if the other two measurements are right. It's the most reliable check there is, and the one referees use.
Common mistakes
- Measuring the height to the bracket instead of the centre of the bull.
- Measuring the distance from the wall, or from the front of the surround, rather than the face of the board.
- Forgetting the mat: put a thick throwing mat down afterwards and you're standing a little higher. Measure the height from the surface you actually stand on.
- A sloping floor: in a garage or a cellar, the floor at the foot of the wall isn't always level with the floor at the oche. The diagonal will tell you.
- A board that spins: if it turns on its bracket, the 20 won't stay at the top. A stabiliser or anti-rotation bracket sorts that out.
- The wrong distance for your game: if you play steel tip, don't keep the 2.44 m line from an old electronic board.
Short on space?
The official set-up needs a little over 3 m of length once you count room to stand behind the line. If you don't have it, keep the correct height and shorten the distance slightly rather than the other way round: height changes your trajectory far more than you'd think. For children, there's nothing wrong with lowering the board and bringing the line closer; the point is to have fun.
The rest of the job (mounting, protecting the wall, flooring, lighting) is covered in how to set up a dartboard at home.
Once the board is up
With the board at the right height and the oche at the right distance, your averages mean the same as anyone else's. Stand your phone off to the side, 1.5 to 2 m from the board, and Throw keeps score on its own while you play a game of 501 or cricket. The full set of official rules is in the rules section.