From your local pub to Alexandra Palace, darts are seemingly everywhere. The sport has experienced a surge in popularity in recent years, from a sport that seemed solely enjoyed by older men in pubs. Now, viewing figures of the World Darts Championship rival those of football matches: Sky Sports reported an average viewing audience of 2.5 million when Luke Littler defended his world title in January.
The sport is growing – and fast. In 2024, a YouGov poll found that 9% of Britons follow darts – even then, it was more popular than snooker (8%) or diving (3%)(2%). Meanwhile, a 2025 study, conducted by Butlin’s Big Weekenders, found that 35% of the UK is now more interested in the sport than they were two years ago – that’s over 23 million Brits.
Many younger people were no doubt attracted to the sport via Littler. The darts player made history as the youngest to reach the PDC World Championships at the age of sixteen, encouraging other younger players and introducing a new generation of fans. Commentators dubbed this ‘Littler Effect.’
So what is behind this surge – apart, of course, from the excitement surrounding Littler?
Jessie Sale, a darts fan and content creator, points to the increased engagement on social media by darts fans and players. “Darts content creators, I think, have brought in so many new people, especially the younger generation. People are enjoying seeing players’ true personalities online, and that helps make people feel closer to the sport,” she says. “It’s also an easy sport to enjoy; you don’t have to know much about it to go and watch. The atmosphere is unbelievable with no proper rivalries like there are in football.”
For women, there has been an increase in interest in the world of darts as female players have shifted the landscape of the sport, becoming increasingly visible. Fallon Sherrock, known as ‘The Queen of the Palace,’ made history as the first woman to beat a man at the PDC Championships in 2020. Beau Greaves, another young sensation in the world of darts, made headlines when she beat Littler in the semi-finals of the World Youth Championships last October.
Deta Heddman has affectionately been dubbed ‘Darts Aunty’ by the internet. She made headlines for winning the world championship last year at age sixty-six, the first black athlete to win in darts. Noa-Lynn Van Leuven became the first openly transgender woman to compete in a televised darts competition in 2022.
“As it’s still a very male-dominated sport, with my own darts social media videos, I like to target them at both men and women,” Sales tells Glamour. “People can choose if they want to watch fun darts content or more serious content – there’s a growing number of darts creators so there is more and more content to suit everybody!”
“When I first started playing darts at 18, I was the only girl in my team and only ever really played against men, but this has changed so much 8 years later, and I’m seeing so many more women in darts university societies and beyond,” she adds. “Female darts players such as Gemma Hayter and Lisa Ashton are also brilliant role models for other women to get into the sport, and seeing a lot more of them online and on stage is a great thing.”
Sales also notes how wonderful the darts community is to newcomers: “I’d love to see even more people get involved in pub teams and realise that you don’t even have to be very good to enjoy a throw and experience the great social aspect of it.”
What was once seen as the hobby for a few old men in their local pubs has become something that can delight just about everyone – either as something to watch with friends, a sport to practice in a pub team, or even just a fun activity to try with friends on the weekend after a few pints. So, why not? Join the movement! Give darts a try! You might just hit a bullseye and find the sport you’ve been looking for.