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Bounce outs are one of the most frustrating things in darts, but is there a way how to stop dart bounce outs?
You throw a perfect dart, it hits exactly where you aimed and it bounces straight back out of the board.
Not only do you lose the score, but if you’re playing a double finish, a bounce out can feel completely demoralising. The good news is that most bounce outs have specific, fixable causes.
Here at Throw For 180 we are going to try and tackle one of the most frustrating aspects of darts for you.
What Causes Dart Bounce Outs?
Bounce outs happen when the dart tip hits the wire between segments rather than penetrating the sisal fibres of the board. The wire deflects the tip and the dart falls out.
The main causes are:
- Hitting the wire — the dart literally lands on the segment divider
- A blunt dart point — dull tips are more likely to deflect off wires than sharp ones
- A worn dartboard — old boards lose their self-healing properties and segments become less receptive
- Poor entry angle — darts that land at a very steep or shallow angle are more likely to bounce out
- Cheap board wiring — thick, round wire systems cause more bounce outs than thin blade wire systems
How to Stop Dart Bounce Outs
I’ll be honest and say now, some bounce outs are completely unavoidable, just bad luck for players. You’ll see it when you watch on TV, these things just happen from time to time.
But below, we’ve got some tips that will help you try and cut down on them as much as possible.
Much of it is to do with your setup, and this is a common theme. To get the most from your darts, whether it’s fewer bounce outs, a better score, or something else, you need to ensure you are set up correctly.
1. Keep Your Dart Points Sharp
This is the single most effective fix for most players. A sharp point cuts cleanly into the sisal fibres, while a blunt tip slides across the surface or deflects off wires.
Invest in a dart point sharpener, they cost just a few pounds and sharpening your tips before every practice session makes a noticeable difference.
The ideal point is slightly rounded rather than needle-sharp, a very fine point can break off; a slight rounding gives optimal grip in the board.
2. Upgrade to a Quality Bristle Board
If you’re playing on a cheap board, the wiring system is likely thick and round, which creates much bigger dead zones where bounce outs occur.
Quality boards like the Winmau Blade 6 or Unicorn Eclipse Pro use ultra-thin blade wire systems that dramatically reduce the dead area between segments.
The difference is significant. See our guide to the best dartboards for home use for recommendations.
3. Rotate Your Dartboard Regularly
The numbers ring on most quality boards can be rotated, allowing you to distribute wear evenly across the board.
The treble 20 area takes the most punishment, rotating the board regularly means the sisal fibres in that area get time to recover, staying more receptive to dart tips and reducing bounce outs.
4. Improve Your Dart Entry Angle
Darts that land at an extreme angle, either nose-up or nose-down, are more likely to deflect off wires.
A dart that enters the board relatively flat (slightly nose-down is ideal) will penetrate more cleanly and is less likely to bounce out.
Work on your release and follow-through to ensure a consistent entry angle. Our guide on how to throw a dart with proper technique covers this in more detail.
5. Use Flight Savers
This one doesn’t directly reduce bounce outs but prevents the secondary problem, when another dart knocks a dart that’s already in the board and causes it to fall out.
Flight savers (small metal or plastic rings at the base of the flight) prevent incoming darts from splitting flights and dislodging your scoring darts.
6. Try Longer Dart Points
Some players switch to longer dart points (such as the 45mm Swiss Points favoured by Luke Littler) which penetrate deeper into the board and are less susceptible to being knocked out by subsequent darts.
Longer points also take up less surface area on the board, leaving more room for grouping darts tightly.
Are Some Bounce Outs Unavoidable?
Yes, even professionals suffer bounce outs.
If you’re throwing at a segment that already has two darts in it, the third dart has very little sisal to grip.
Wire hits are also sometimes simply unavoidable. The goal isn’t to eliminate bounce outs entirely, it’s to minimise them through good equipment maintenance and consistent technique.
How to Stop Dart Bounce Outs: Final Thoughts
Start with the basics: sharp tips, a quality board, and regular rotation.
These three things alone will reduce your bounce outs significantly. For board recommendations visit Winmau and Unicorn Darts.
For more darts setup advice browse our Darts Setup section.