Henry VIII is remembered for many things: his six wives are the first thing that spring to mind, closely followed by establishing the Church of England in order to divorce the luckier of them. The Tudor monarch was also known for throwing lavish feasts, where he may have stopped between courses to play a round or two of darts.
Alongside pool, the pub game of darts is a timeless classic, but is thought to have been played in France where fléchettes (small arrows) were played in the 19th Century. Earlier versions were thrown in the Middle Ages where English archers used them to hone their target skills before picking up full-size bows and arrows. King Henry was also said to be a fan.
The game prevailed through the ages and experienced a spike in interest this year when Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler took home the PDC World Darts Championship. Now a new generation of fans is interested in the game, once so popular that older readers may remember it was played on prime-time ITV in a show called Bullseye.
There are many perks to playing darts: giving your eyes a break from constant screen time, for one. Throwing darts towards a target also hones hand-eye coordination, sharpens concentration and cranks your brain into action working out scores and improving numerical agility. Aside from anything, it’s a social game that anyone can play with friends and family or by joining a local club.
Whether you want to kit out your garden shed turned private pub with fun games or you’re looking for a housewarming gift that isn’t tea towels or a salt and pepper set, a dartboard is bound to hit the mark.
We’ve rounded up the best options, from tournament-style to magnetic versions for kids, to help you find your dream bullseye.
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Canaveral Steel Tip Dartboard Club 520
Bring the pub vibe home (or at least, to the garden shed) with this fibre dartboard. The design includes steel tips for an authentic feel and comes with a mounting kit so you can fit it securely to the wall. Sold with a two-year warranty.
Buy now £39.99, Decathlon
Winmau Blade 6 Professional Bristle Dartboard
Say hello to Winmau's sixth-generation dartboard, designed for superior durability and performance. The web design includes 'density control wire' and heightened dart retention in the double, treble and bullseye zones. It comes with a Rota-Lock mounting system which is easy to adjust. The high-quality design comes with ultra-thin wire to minimise bounce-outs.
Buy now £49.95, Amazon
WINMAU Professional Dart Set
For those who want a more professional look to their new game, this Winmau board sits within a purpose-built black cabinet. The wings open to reveal the dartboard and score tables on either side and this board also comes with an oche line, chalk and towel to allow easy game play. Oh, and of course you'll get a set of precision profile barrel darts too.
Buy now £75.95, Amazon
Harrows Darts Pro Choice Dartboard Set
Need a gift for darts fan? This dartboard and cabinet promises to get the right reaction with all the accessories needed to play right away.
Made by Harrows Darts, the set includes a high-quality Official Competition dartboard, two sets of brass darts in red and black, a scoreboard, chalk and duster all housed in a durable Rosewood finish cabinet.
Buy now £69.99, Sports Direct
Target Darts Luke Littler Cabinet & Dartboard Set
From JDC Youth World Champion Luke Littler comes this endorsed dartboard set, ideal for encouraging kids and teens into the game. A competition standard dartboard with an ultra-thin wire system sits inside a wall-mounted cabinet which features score panels on the inside. The set comes with a throw line, chalk marker and eraser and a set of six steel-tipped brass darts.
Buy now £65.95, Amazon
Antique Images Green Gold and Orange Game Room Colours Dartboard
A dartboard with a difference, this colourful design offers a contemporary spin on a pub game favourite.
Printed with vibrant colours, this regulation dartboard can be customised for special birthdays or occasions like a leaving gift. It comes with three American flag darts and three UK darts.
The board is finished with an aluminium frame and a hanging hook on the reverse to fix it to the wall.
Buy now £59.33, Zazzle
FOCO Officially Licensed Football Club Dartboard
Bring together two sporting passions in one dartboard with this Man City-themed design. The official piece of merch is tournament-approved and crafted to WDF specs. There are also Chelsea, Liverpool, Man U and West Ham boards available to suit fans' preferences.
Buy now £46.80, Amazon
EastPoint Sports EastPoint Blacklight Dartboard
Turn your new dartboard into a light show with this Belmont board that's all the more fun to play in the dark. There are neon scoring segments and a blacklight ring to throw glow-in-the-dark darts into, guaranteeing fun for all the family. It comes with six darts and a hardware kit to help you hang it in the perfect spot.
Buy now £135.22, Amazon
Target Luke Littler Magnetic Dartboard Set
If you're looking to wrench your kids away from a screen and improve their hand-eye coordination, this magnetic dartboard set could be a triumph. Endorsed and made with darting sensation Luke Littler, the set includes a double-sided magnetic board, a throwline and fixing kit, plus 12 magnetic darts to get them going.
Buy now £20.00, Argos
