Why Do My Darts Keep Falling Out?
Few things kill your rhythm faster than a dart that hits the board and drops straight to the floor. The good news: this is almost always fixable. There are only three real causes — the point, the board, or the angle — and you can diagnose which one in under a minute.
Cause 1: Dull or damaged points
The most common reason by far. Steel-tip dart points wear down over time, especially if you play on hard surfaces or your darts hit the wire segments and floor regularly.
How to check:
- Gently run your fingertip over the point. It should feel slightly rough, like fine sandpaper. If it feels polished-smooth, it needs sharpening.
- Look at the tip under a light. A good point has a subtle crown shape — rounded but not sharp like a needle. A completely flat or rounded tip will slide off sisal fibres instead of gripping them.
How to fix it:
- Use a dart sharpener or fine-grit sharpening stone (available for £3–£5). Gently rotate the point against it at a slight angle. You're not trying to make it needle-sharp — you want a rough, slightly rounded tip that grips the sisal.
- Avoid using files or coarse sandpaper — they remove too much metal and can make the point too sharp, which actually causes more bounce-outs (the point passes through fibres instead of catching them).
Cause 2: Worn-out dartboard
Sisal dartboards have a natural lifespan. The fibres compress over time, especially in popular target areas like the treble 20 and bullseye. When the sisal gets packed too tightly, there's nothing for the point to grip.
How to check:
- Run your finger across heavily used areas (T20, D16, bull). If the surface feels hard and flat compared to unused areas, the sisal is worn.
- If darts stick fine in less-used areas but drop out of T20, the board — not the dart — is the problem.
How to fix it:
- Rotate the board. Most quality dartboards have a removable number ring. Take it off, rotate the board 2–3 segments, and put the ring back. This spreads the wear to fresh sisal.
- If the entire surface is worn (typically after 1–3 years of heavy use), it's time for a new board. A good sisal board costs £30–£50 and lasts most casual players 2+ years.
Cause 3: Entry angle is too flat
Darts need to arrive at the board with some downward angle. If your dart hits the board almost horizontally — or worse, slightly nose-up — the point can't penetrate cleanly and the dart deflects off.
How to check:
- Watch where your darts land from the side. If they stick in at a very shallow angle (almost horizontal), your throw arc is too flat.
- This is more common with lightweight darts thrown very hard — the dart doesn't have enough mass to arc naturally.
How to fix it:
- Try slightly heavier darts — even 2g heavier can add enough arc. Read our weight & grip guide for recommendations.
- Check your flight size. Larger standard flights create more drag and lift the rear of the dart, increasing the angle of entry. If you're using slim or kite flights, try standard-shape flights first.
- Try slightly longer shafts. Like larger flights, longer shafts shift the balance point rearward and increase arc.
Bonus: Wire bounce-outs
Sometimes the point hits the wire divider between segments and ricochets off. This isn't a dart or board defect — it's geometry. However:
- Thinner wires help. Budget boards use thick round-wire dividers that cause more bounce-outs. Mid-range and premium boards use thin blade wires (triangular cross-section) that deflect the dart into the sisal instead of bouncing it away.
- If you're getting frequent wire bounce-outs, upgrading to a blade-wire dartboard is the single most effective fix.
Quick diagnostic checklist
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Darts fall out of all areas | Dull points | Sharpen with dart stone |
| Fall out of T20/bull but stick in 19s | Worn sisal | Rotate board or replace |
| Darts hit board almost horizontally | Flat entry angle | Heavier darts, bigger flights |
| Darts ricochet off metal dividers | Wire bounce-out | Upgrade to blade-wire board |