If you’ve ever seen a dart being thrown in slow-motion, you may have noticed that it will usually spin. But what causes this to happen? And is it a good or bad thing?
Most players will throw their darts in a way that causes it to spin in the air. This is typically caused by the finger and thumb not being released at the exact same time. Most dart players do not apply the spin intentionally, and it does not serve any significant benefit in terms of accuracy.
What Causes a Dart to Spin?
A dart will spin after it is thrown if the fingers and thumb do not release the dart at the exact same time.
For example, if a right-handed player were to throw a dart and release their fingers slightly sooner than their thumb then the dart would spin anti-clockwise because it would roll off the thumb.
Spinning may also be caused by slight movement in the finger or thumb when the dart is released. For example, if a right-handed thrower moved their thumb downwards on the release, it would cause the dart to spin counter-clockwise.
Most players will naturally throw in a way that causes their darts to spin slightly. This is because it’s almost impossible for a player to release their dart with their fingers and thumb at the exact same time, so some level of spin is very common.
Are There Any Advantages of a Dart Spinning?
One argument that applying spin to the dart is beneficial is related to the flight of ballistics. The idea is that ballistics are made more stable in flight when they spin, which increases their accuracy.
However, there are many that will argue that darts are travelling at a much slower speed and for a short length of space, so the spinning motion will not help to increase accuracy.
Some will also argue that a dart without any spin is more accurate and consistent, because the spin can introduce inconsistency in the flight of the dart.
The general consensus is that a spinning dart neither helps nor hinders accuracy.
Do Professional Players Spin Their Darts?
Most professional players will spin their darts slightly. There are very few players which will throw a dart without any level of spin. However, in most cases this is due to their natural technique and they are not intentionally trying to apply spin to the dart.
The most successful darts player, Phil Taylor, is well known for throwing spinning darts. His darts spin counter-clockwise as they are rolling off his thumb because he releases his fingers first. Check out this video to see his throw in super slow motion.
Alternatively, another famous darts player, Michael van Gerwen who was ranked #1 in the world from 2014-21, throws his darts in such a way that they barely spin at all. Check out this analysis of his throw to see it in action.
Other Professional Darts Players:
- Gerwyn Price: right-handed, darts spin clockwise
- Peter Wright: right-handed, darts spin clockwise
- James Wade: left-handed, darts spin counter-clockwise
- Gary Anderson: right-handed, darts spin counter-clockwise
- Adrian Lewis: right-handed, darts spin clockwise
Should I Try and Make My Darts Spin?
If your darts do not naturally spin in the air when they are thrown, then it is not recommended to try and apply spin to them.
Being a good darts player is all about consistency. Trying to apply spin will typically lead to inconsistency and is not what you should be focusing your efforts on. Keeping things simple help to make things more replicable.
If your darts spin naturally that is completely fine, as long as you’re accurate. Professionals such as Phil Taylor’s darts spin in the air due to his throwing technique.
Bottom line: don’t try and intentionally make your darts spin. However, if they spin naturally and you are happy with your accuracy, it isn’t an issue.
Here are some more articles you might find useful: