Five mental benefits of playing darts

Huge darts stars such as Luke Littler, the sensational young prodigy from Warrington, have helped propel darts firmly into the mainstream, leading to a notable influx of newcomers to the sport.

With the 2026 PDC World Darts Championship ongoing at Alexandra Palace in London, even more excitement is bubbling around it and we want to know what brain-boosting effects regularly playing darts can offer.

We spoke with Dr Chris Gunn, senior lecturer in psychology at Arden University and founder of a private sport and exercise psychology practice, who has outlined five major mental benefits associated with playing darts.

1. Improves focus and concentration 

Playing darts regularly can help improve our concentration and focus through mindfulness.

“Darts is an ideal environment for developing mindfulness because it requires that real focused attention and concentration, steady breathing and awareness of what’s going on in your own body,” says Gunn. “You have to focus on the weight of the dart, where it’s going to land, when you’re going to release it and have to tune out any distractions.

“There’s also so much repetition in the throw, reset, throw of darts, which gives you opportunities to refocus and re-anchor your attention. Consistently doing that helps you develop an ability to stay present and recover after small setbacks, which is what mindfulness is all about.”

2. Reduces stress and boosts mood

People often report that playing some darts, alone or with friends, after a long day of work can be a great stress reliever.

“We are hardwired to compete a little bit, so sports and games like darts provide us with a really healthy outlet for that, which can be really useful for letting off stress and feeling good,” says Gunn.