Most people hang a board by eye, stand roughly where it feels right, and then spend a year building a throw around measurements that are subtly wrong. It takes ten minutes to get this right, and it is the cheapest improvement available to you.
The setup
A regulation setup. Height is measured to the centre of the bull; distance is measured horizontally from the face of the board.
Height: 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) from the floor to the centre of the bullseye. Not to the top of the board, not to the middle of the 20 — to the bull.
Distance: 2.37 m (7 ft 9¼ in) from the face of the board to the front edge of the oche, measured horizontally along the floor.
Diagonal: 2.93 m (9 ft 7⅜ in) from the centre of the bull to the front edge of the oche.
These are the same under both PDC and WDF rules, and they are the same for every category of play.
Getting the board itself right
The 20 segment goes at the top, and it must be a black segment.
A dartboard, showing the triple 20 region highlighted.
Rotate the board every few weeks so the 20 bed does not wear into a crater. Most modern boards have a removable number ring precisely so you can do this.
Once it is set up
The setup is fixed. Your throw is not. The useful question is how tightly your darts group around wherever you are aiming, and that number moves with practice in a way you can actually measure.
Darts Lab gives you a fitted profile of where your darts actually land and daily practice to help you improve faster.
Frequently asked questions
How high should a dartboard be?
The centre of the bullseye should be 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) from the floor. This is the same for men's, women's and youth play under both PDC and WDF rules.
How far should you stand from a dartboard?
The front of the oche should be 2.37 m (7 ft 9¼ in) from the face of the board, measured horizontally along the floor. You may not step over that line, though you can lean past it.
What is the diagonal measurement for a dartboard?
2.93 m (9 ft 7⅜ in), measured from the centre of the bullseye to the front edge of the oche. Checking the diagonal catches errors in either the height or the distance.
Which number goes at the top of a dartboard?
The 20, and it sits on a black segment. If your 20 is on a light segment, the board has been hung a segment out of alignment.
