Tournament Formats
Not every darts match is the same length, and not every tournament uses the same rules. This guide explains the building blocks - legs, sets, starts, knockouts and group stages - and then maps them onto the PDC calendar so you know what you are watching.
Legs
A leg is one complete game of 501 to zero. "Best of 11 legs" means the first player to win 6 legs wins the match. All PDC matches are built on legs.
Several majors (World Matchplay, Premier League, Masters, UK Open, European Championship) are legs-only - there is no set layer on top. The scoreboard just counts legs.
Sets
A set is a collection of legs. In most set-based events, a set is first-to-3 legs. The PDC World Championship and World Grand Prix use sets.
Example: "best of 13 sets" (the World Championship final) means first to 7 sets. Each set is first to 3 legs. A maximum-length match could therefore last 91 legs (7 sets of 13 legs at 2-2 going to a decider).
- Why sets?
- Sets create natural breaks and momentum swings. Losing one leg does not hurt as much when you can win the set. Commentators describe sets-based matches as "more dramatic" because a player can lose early legs and still win the set.
- Tie-break
- In the deciding set at the PDC World Championship, if tied 5-5 in legs, the match goes to a sudden-death leg.
Starting rules
- Straight-start
- Any scoring dart counts from the first throw. Used in all PDC events except the World Grand Prix.
- Double-in (double-start)
- A player must hit a double before any scoring counts. No darts score until a double is struck. Used at the World Grand Prix only.
- Double-out
- The final dart must be a double (or bullseye). This rule applies at every professional event.
Format by tournament
| Tournament | Format | Final length |
|---|---|---|
| World Championship | Sets (first to 3 legs per set) | Best of 13 sets |
| World Matchplay | Legs only | Best of 35 legs |
| World Grand Prix | Sets + double-in/double-out | Best of 11 sets |
| Premier League | Legs only (nightly knockout) | Best of 21 legs (Play-Off final) |
| Masters | Legs only | Best of 21 legs |
| UK Open | Legs only | Best of 21 legs |
| European Championship | Legs only | Best of 21 legs |
| Grand Slam | Group (legs) + knockout (legs) | Best of 31 legs |
Group stages and knockouts
- Knockout
- Lose and you are out. Most PDC majors are straight knockouts from round one.
- Group stage
- Used at the Grand Slam of Darts. Eight groups of four; round-robin within the group; top two progress to knockout rounds.
- Nightly knockout (Premier League)
- Each night is its own mini-knockout: QF-SF-F. Points from each night accumulate into a league table across the season.
- Random draw (UK Open)
- A new draw is run live after every completed round. There is no fixed bracket beyond the current round.