How far from bullseye to throw line?

May 17, 202311 min read

From the bullseye to the throw line, the diagonal setup check is 293 cm, or 9 ft 7.5 in. The official throwing distance is different: 237 cm, or 7 ft 9.25 in, measured horizontally from the face of the dartboard to the front of the oche.

Last reviewed: 23 August 2026. These measurements apply to standard steel-tip darts. Soft-tip darts, wheelchair darts and local league rules can use different setup details, so always follow the rules for the match you are playing.

Darts setup reference showing 237 cm board face to oche distance and 293 cm bullseye diagonal measurement — The important distinction: 237 cm is the official horizontal oche distance; 293 cm is the diagonal bull-to-oche check.

The direct answer

If you mean a diagonal tape measure from the bullseye down to the throw line on the floor, use 293 cm, or 9 ft 7.5 in. That number works as a setup check when the bull is already at the correct height.

If you mean the official distance a player stands from the dartboard, use 237 cm, or 7 ft 9.25 in. That is measured from the face of the dartboard to the front edge of the oche, not from the wall and not from the bullseye.

Why there are two numbers

The two numbers describe different lines. The official playing distance is a horizontal measurement along the floor from the board face to the oche. The bullseye-to-throw-line measurement is diagonal, because it runs from the centre of the board down to the line on the floor.

The diagonal is longer because it includes the board height. The centre of the bull should be 173 cm, or 5 ft 8 in, above the floor. When that height is paired with a 237 cm oche distance, the diagonal check comes out at about 293 cm.

This is where many home setups go wrong. A player hears “bullseye to throw line” and uses 237 cm diagonally from the bull. That puts the throw line too close. Another player measures 237 cm from the wall, forgetting the thickness of the board or cabinet. That also shortens the lane.

The three setup measurements

Measurement	Metric	Imperial	Use
Bull height	173 cm	5 ft 8 in	Mounting the board
Board face to oche	237 cm	7 ft 9.25 in	Official throwing distance
Bull to oche diagonal	293 cm	9 ft 7.5 in	Quick setup check

Measure from the board face, not the wall

The official oche distance starts at the face of the dartboard. That detail matters because a dartboard has depth. If the board is in a cabinet, the playing face may sit even further out from the wall.

Measure from the vertical plane of the scoring surface, then mark the front edge of the throw line at 237 cm. If you measure from the wall behind the board, the oche will usually be too close and practice will not match a proper board setup.

A simple way to avoid the mistake is to drop a plumb line from the board face to the floor, mark that point, then measure 237 cm along the floor from that mark. The oche sits at the far end of that floor measurement.

How to use the 293 cm diagonal

The diagonal measurement is useful when one person is setting up the board alone. Fix the tape at the centre of the bull, pull it down to the floor, and check where 293 cm lands. That point should align with the front edge of the oche.

Do not treat the diagonal as a replacement for understanding the official distance. It is a check, not the definition of the throwing distance. If the bull height is wrong, the diagonal can mislead you.

That is why the order matters: first set the bull height at 173 cm, then set the oche at 237 cm from the board face, then use the 293 cm diagonal as a confirmation.

Step-by-step setup

Mount the dartboard so the centre of the bull is 173 cm from the floor.
Make sure the board is vertical and secure, not leaning forward.
Find the point on the floor directly below the board face.
Measure 237 cm from that point to the throw line.
Mark the front edge of the oche clearly.
Check the diagonal from bull to oche: it should be about 293 cm.

What counts as the throw line?

The oche is the throw line. A player must stand behind its front edge when throwing. In a casual home setup, the oche may be tape, a mat line or a raised strip. In a more permanent setup, a raised oche gives a clear physical stop.

The front edge matters. If you use a mat, make sure you know whether the printed line, the front of the mat or another marker is the actual oche. Small errors are noticeable over time because they change every practice visit.

Uneven floors and temporary setups

Temporary setups are where the diagonal check becomes especially useful. If the floor is not perfectly level, or the board is on a stand, a single wall-to-floor measurement can hide errors. The line can look correct while the bull height or board angle is slightly off.

Start by making the board secure and vertical. Then check the bull height from the same floor level the player stands on. If the throwing area is on a mat, do not measure from bare floor in one place and mat height in another. The player throws from the surface under their feet, so the setup should be measured against that surface.

For a stand, re-check after tightening everything. Stands can shift slightly when moved, and even a small lean changes where the board face sits. A stable stand is useful, but it still needs the same measurement discipline as a wall-mounted board.

How to check it with two people

The easiest accurate method uses two people. One person holds the tape at the board face or centre bull, while the other marks the floor. This reduces the chance of the tape slipping, bending around the board edge or being pulled from the wrong starting point.

Use the horizontal measurement first. Hold the tape against the board face, drop straight to the floor below that plane, and measure 237 cm to the front edge of the oche. Then hold the tape at the bull and confirm the diagonal lands close to 293 cm.

If those two checks disagree, do not split the difference. Find the error. Usually the bull height is wrong, the board is leaning, the tape started from the wall, or the oche mark was placed at the back edge of a mat instead of the front edge.

Common setup mistakes

Measuring 237 cm from the bull: that is too short because 237 cm is the horizontal board-face distance.
Measuring from the wall: the board face projects forward, so the throw line moves too close.
Ignoring cabinet depth: a cabinet can add extra projection that must be accounted for.
Setting the bull height after the oche: height affects the diagonal check.
Using a soft-tip distance for steel-tip darts: soft-tip boards commonly use a longer throw distance.

Steel-tip versus soft-tip

For standard steel-tip darts, use 237 cm from board face to oche. Soft-tip darts commonly use 244 cm, or 8 ft, but rules can vary by board, venue and competition.

If you are setting up a board for practice, match the format you actually play. Steel-tip players preparing for pub, club or league 501 should use the steel-tip setup. Soft-tip players should follow the board or league instructions.

Wheelchair darts note

Wheelchair darts uses a different board height while keeping the lane concept clear. Do not mix wheelchair setup measurements into a standard standing setup unless the format specifically requires it.

The key principle is the same: follow the recognised format, measure from the correct reference point, and make the line repeatable. Guessing the distance from memory creates unfair and inconsistent practice.

Why accuracy matters

A small setup error changes the feel of every throw. If the line is too close, doubles, trebles and bull practice can feel easier than it should. If the line is too far back, practice becomes artificially difficult.

That matters when you move between home practice and match play. A player who has practised from the wrong distance may feel as if their rhythm has disappeared when they step onto a correctly measured oche.

Good setup does not make you a better player by itself, but it makes your practice honest. Honest practice is what lets grip, stance, aiming and checkout work transfer into matches.

Practice should match the board you play on

If you mostly play pub or league steel-tip darts, measure your home lane to the steel-tip standard and keep it there. Do not move the line for comfort once practice starts. The whole point of a home setup is to make the board feel familiar when match pressure arrives.

If several people use the same room, mark the oche clearly enough that it can be restored after furniture moves. A small floor marker, a proper mat or a raised oche prevents the slow drift that happens when a temporary tape line is replaced by guesswork.

Review the setup every few weeks. Boards rotate, stands move, cabinets loosen and mats creep. Rechecking the measurements takes a few minutes and protects every practice session that follows.

Equipment that helps

A consistent setup starts with a stable dartboard and a clear oche. If wall mounting is awkward, a dartboard stand can make the board easier to place without drilling.

Use dartboard surrounds to protect the wall around the board, especially in shared rooms. A good darts accessory setup can include measuring aids, mats, spare points, flights and stems.

For the throwing side, browse darts and dart sets. The right darts will not fix a wrong oche distance, but they make a correctly measured board more useful to practise on.

Related setup guides

For more detail, read dartboard to oche distance, dart throw line distance, how far and high a dartboard should be, how to measure the oche and what an oche is.

Sources used

Bottom line

The bullseye-to-throw-line diagonal is 293 cm, or 9 ft 7.5 in. The official steel-tip throwing distance is 237 cm, or 7 ft 9.25 in, measured horizontally from the dartboard face to the front of the oche.