If you want to know how to win at cricket darts, you have to stop thinking like a target shooter and start thinking like a tactician. Most people walk up to the oche, aim for the 20s, and hope for the best, but that's a quick way to lose your beer money. Winning at Cricket isn't just about having a steady hand; it's about understanding the "point-spread" and knowing exactly when to stay on a number and when to run for cover.
It's a game of pressure. Unlike X01 games where you're just counting down to zero, Cricket is dynamic. Your opponent can mess up your entire plan with one lucky triple. To come out on top, you need a mix of aggressive scoring, defensive closing, and a little bit of psychological warfare. Let's break down the strategies that actually work when the pressure is on.
Points are Your Best Friend
The biggest mistake beginners make is trying to close all their numbers as fast as possible. They think that if they hit their 20s, 19s, and 18s quickly, they're winning. They aren't. In Cricket, points are the only thing that actually protects you. If you're ahead on points, your opponent is the one sweating. If you're behind, you're the one chasing.
If you have the 20s open and your opponent doesn't, keep hitting those 20s until you have a comfortable lead. I'm not saying you need to run the score up to 200 points—that's a good way to lose friends—but having a 40 or 60-point cushion changes the entire vibe of the game. It forces your opponent to choose between trying to close your 20s or trying to score on their own numbers. Usually, they'll panic and do neither very well.
Think of points as your armor. Without them, one good turn from your opponent can end the game before you've even had a chance to look at the bullseye.
The Power of the 20s and 19s
You've probably noticed that most of the game happens at the top of the board. There's a reason for that. If you can dominate the 20s and 19s, you're basically controlling the high ground. When you're learning how to win at cricket darts, you should spend about 70% of your practice time on these two segments alone.
If you hit a triple 20 on your first dart, don't immediately jump down to the 19s. Use your next two darts to rack up some points. If you can start a game with 60 or 80 points before your opponent even touches the board, you've already won the mental battle. Most casual players will see that score and start over-throwing, trying too hard to catch up, which leads to stray darts and wasted turns.
Don't Get Distracted by the Small Stuff
It's tempting to jump around the board. You hit a 20, then you see the 18 is wide open, so you take a shot at it. Stop doing that. Consistency is what wins games. Stay on a number until it's closed or until you've squeezed enough points out of it to make your opponent miserable.
Jumping around leads to "scattergun" throwing. Your arm gets used to the height of the 20s, and then you suddenly drop it for the 17s. That shift in mechanics often leads to misses. Pick a target and stay there until the job is done. The only exception is if your opponent is about to close a high-scoring number that you're currently using for points. In that case, you might need to shift gears to shut them down.
When to Move to the Bullseye
The bullseye is the "great equalizer" in Cricket. It's also the hardest part of the board to hit consistently. A common question when figuring out how to win at cricket darts is when to start throwing at the red and green.
Ideally, you don't want to touch the bull until everything else is closed. However, if you're way behind on points and your opponent has closed everything except the bull, you have no choice. You have to go for it. On the flip side, if you have a massive point lead and only the bull left, take your time. You don't need to hit a double bull on the first try. Single bulls are perfectly fine when you're in the lead.
One pro tip: if you're struggling with the bullseye, try aiming slightly for the "fat" part of the green ring first to get your rhythm. Once you hit one, the second and third usually follow much easier.
The Defensive Close
Sometimes, the best offense is a good defense. If your opponent is a monster at hitting 18s, don't let them have them. Even if you aren't ready to score on 18s yet, if you see them racking up points, you need to head down there and close that number out.
Winning at Cricket is often about "denial." You want to deny your opponent the ability to score. If they're feeling confident on a certain number, take it away from them. It breaks their rhythm and forces them to move to a number they might not be as comfortable with. It's a little bit mean, sure, but we're talking about how to win, not how to make friends.
Watch Your Opponent's Body Language
Darts is as much a mental game as it is a physical one. If you notice your opponent is getting frustrated because they keep hitting the 1 or the 5 when aiming for 20, keep the pressure on. Stay on the 20s and keep scoring.
The more they miss, the more they'll rush. When they rush, they miss more. It's a beautiful, vicious cycle. On your end, keep your pace slow and deliberate. Take a breath between every dart. Even if you're screaming internally because you just missed a "big" triple, don't let them see it. Stay calm, stay collected, and keep your eyes on the scoreboard.
Practicing the Right Way
You can't expect to show up to the pub and win if you haven't put in the work. But don't just throw aimlessly. If you really want to master how to win at cricket darts, you need to practice under pressure.
Try a drill where you have to hit three of every number (20 through 15) and the bullseye in a certain amount of darts. If you miss, you start over. This mimics the feeling of a real game where every dart matters. Another good one is "Point Hunting"—practice hitting the triples of the 20, 19, and 18 repeatedly. If you can hit triples on command, the rest of the game becomes a lot easier.
Finishing the Game
The end of a Cricket game can be agonizing. You both have everything closed except the bull, and someone is up by 10 points. This is where most people choke. They start "aiming" the dart instead of "throwing" it.
When you're down to that final bullseye, remember your follow-through. A lot of players shorten their throw because they're nervous, which causes the dart to dip low into the 3 or the 19. Keep your arm moving all the way through the shot. Trust the muscle memory you've built up during practice.
If you're the one behind on points at the end, you have to hit those bulls. There's no way around it. But if you're the one ahead, remember that you only need to close the number. Don't overthink it. Just put the dart in the green or the red and call it a night.
Wrapping Things Up
At the end of the day, winning at Cricket comes down to a simple philosophy: Score when you can, close when you must. Don't get fancy, don't try to show off with unnecessary bullseye shots early on, and never, ever let your opponent get a point lead that you can't erase in one turn.
If you stay focused on the high numbers, keep your point cushion healthy, and play a bit of defense when your opponent gets hot, you'll find that winning becomes a lot more common. It's a game of inches and angles, but more than anything, it's a game of who can keep their cool the longest. Grab your darts, focus on those 20s, and go get that win.