Short answer: a 45 darts average is good for a beginner or improving casual player. It is not a strong competitive average, but it shows you can score regularly, understand the board and complete legs with some control. The next step is to raise your scoring floor: fewer visits of 11, 15, 22 and 26, and more visits of 41, 45, 60 and above.
Last reviewed: 23 August 2026. This guide uses three-dart average, the usual darts average format. League standards vary by area, format and checkout rules, so treat 45 as a practical benchmark rather than a universal ranking.
What a 45 average means
A darts average normally means three-dart average: total points scored, divided by darts thrown, multiplied by three. In plain English, a 45 average means your typical three-dart visit is worth about 45 points. Some visits will be higher and some lower, but over enough darts the level settles around 45.
That is a useful level for a developing player. You are no longer just learning where the numbers are. You can score, you can repeat some visits, and you probably have enough control to enjoy proper 501 legs. But the average also says there is still a lot of room to improve.
Is 45 good?
Yes, if you are new, casual or still building a repeatable throw. A 45 average suggests you are regularly scoring enough to move down from 501 without relying only on lucky big visits. For pub games, social play and early league experience, it can be respectable depending on the opponent.
No, if you are comparing it with strong league players, county-level players or professionals. Those players are operating in a different scoring bracket and usually pair stronger scoring with better checkout conversion. The point is not to inflate 45. The point is to understand what it says about your current game.
What level does 45 sit at?
| Three-dart average | Typical level | What it usually means |
|---|---|---|
| 30-40 | Beginner | Learning board control and basic scoring |
| 45 | Improving casual player | Some scoring control, but low visits still hurt |
| 55-60 | Useful pub or league direction | More 60-plus visits and fewer loose throws |
| 70+ | Strong club standard | Scoring floor and finishing are both improving |
| 90+ | Very strong player | Serious scoring consistency and checkout pressure |
| 100+ | Elite professional territory | World-class match standard when sustained |
These bands are practical, not official grading categories. They help you understand direction. A 45 average is not embarrassing. It is a foundation. The question is whether the foundation is moving upward.
How many darts is a 45 average leg?
If a player averaged exactly 45 points per three darts, 501 points would take just over 11 visits, or about 34 darts, before allowing for the exact checkout pattern. In real legs, doubles and busts change the number. A player may score well enough to reach a finish, then spend several visits trying to hit the double.
This is why average does not tell the whole story. A 45 scorer with steady doubles can beat a higher scorer who misses ten darts at a finish. Scoring average measures scoring pace; it does not fully measure decision-making, checkout confidence or match management.
What usually holds a 45 average back?
The biggest limiter is usually not a lack of 140s. It is the number of very low visits. Scores like 7, 11, 15, 22 and 26 drag the average down quickly. If you turn several of those into 41, 45 or 60, the average rises without needing constant trebles.
That is why “raise the floor” is better advice than “hit more 180s”. A developing player gets more value from keeping all three darts near useful singles than from throwing one occasional big score and then five poor visits.
What a 45 average looks like in real visits
A 45 average rarely means every visit is exactly 45. It might be 60, 26, 45, 41, 85, 11 and 47. The average hides the shape of the scoring. Two players can both average 45 and have very different games.
Player one might throw steady visits of 41, 45, 45, 60 and 41. Player two might throw 100, 7, 85, 11 and 22. The average may look similar, but the first player is easier to trust in a match because the scoring floor is higher. The second player has more highlight visits but gives away too many turns.
This is why the lowest five visits are so useful. They reveal whether your average is being held back by wild misses, poor target choice, nerves on the third dart, or a lack of recovery when the first dart lands badly.
Why doubles change the story
Averages can flatter or punish different players depending on how finishing goes. If you reach a double quickly and finish it, the leg looks efficient. If you reach a double and miss for several visits, the leg becomes longer and the match becomes harder even if your scoring phase was decent.
For a 45-average player, doubles practice is not optional. It is often the difference between “I can score a bit” and “I can actually win legs”. Start with doubles that appear often: double 20, double 16, double 10, double 8 and double 4. Learn a few routes that leave them deliberately rather than arriving by accident.
What to track after each session
- Your average: useful, but only one number.
- Your lowest five visits: this shows where the damage is.
- Visits under 30: reducing these can move the average quickly.
- Visits of 60 or more: this shows scoring growth.
- Checkout darts: because finishing decides legs.
Write these down for a few weeks. A single practice average can be misleading. A trend is much more useful. If your lowest visits are improving and your doubles are not collapsing, your game is moving.
How to improve from 45 to 55
Start with big singles. A player averaging 45 does not need to become a treble machine overnight. They need fewer complete misses and fewer visits where all three darts land in low-value areas. Big 20, big 19 and sensible cover shots build a stronger floor.
Then add doubles. Finishing confidence changes how the whole leg feels. If you know you can hit double 16, double 20 or double 10 within a few visits, scoring pressure feels more useful. If every finish becomes panic, the average becomes less relevant because legs are not being closed.
Common traps at the 45-average stage
Only practising treble 20: treble 20 matters, but a 45-average player often gains more from keeping poor darts in single 20 or switching calmly to 19s.
Ignoring counting: a player can score reasonably and still leave awkward numbers because they do not plan the final phase of the leg.
Changing equipment too often: new darts can help if the current set is wrong, but constant changes make it difficult to learn what your throw is doing.
Judging one session too harshly: averages move around. Track a trend across several sessions before deciding something is fixed or broken.
Small-sample averages can mislead
A single leg is not enough to define your level. One lucky 140 can lift a short sample, and one terrible doubles spell can make the same player look much worse. Use at least several legs, or a fixed practice block such as 100 darts, before drawing conclusions.
Also separate practice and match data. Practice averages are often higher because there is less pressure and fewer interruptions. Match averages show how the throw behaves when an opponent, score and finishing pressure are involved. Both are useful, but they answer different questions.
Milestones after 45
| Goal | What to improve | Simple measure |
|---|---|---|
| Reach 50 | Reduce visits under 30 | Count under-30 visits per session |
| Reach 55 | Add more 60-plus visits | Track 60+ visits per 100 darts |
| Reach 60 | Improve first-dart line | Record first dart in 20/19/bull area |
| Win more legs | Finish cleaner | Checkout darts from 40, 32 and 20 |
A 30-minute practice plan
10 minutes: big 20 grouping. Count how many darts stay in 20, 5 and 1. The aim is fewer wild misses.
7 minutes: switch between 20s and 19s. This builds recovery when the 20 bed is blocked or the first dart drifts.
7 minutes: doubles 20, 16 and 10. Record how many darts it takes to hit each double three times.
6 minutes: short 101 legs. This connects scoring to finishing, rather than treating doubles as a separate skill.
Equipment and setup checks
Do not buy new darts just because your average is 45. But do check whether the setup is making improvement harder. Worn boards, damaged flights, loose stems and poor lighting all distort feedback. If the board is tired, browse dartboards. If your darts feel uncomfortable, compare dart sets or entry-friendly darts under £50. For flights, stems, mats and small setup fixes, use darts accessories.
When equipment is worth changing
Equipment is worth reviewing if your darts feel actively uncomfortable, if flights are damaged, if stems keep loosening, or if the board is so worn that darts bounce out or deflect unfairly. Those issues make practice harder to read. You cannot judge average honestly if the setup is introducing avoidable errors.
Equipment is not the answer if the group is wide in every direction, if your stance changes every visit, or if you are still learning basic counting. In that case, keep the setup stable and practise. A comfortable, consistent dart is useful; constant tinkering is usually a distraction.
At a 45 average, the best buying decision is usually simple and controlled: one reliable board, one comfortable set of darts, spare flights and stems, and a clear oche. After that, the improvement has to come from repetition, scoring decisions and doubles.
Visual guide: how to apply this at the board
Related reading
If you want a higher benchmark, read whether a 70 darts average is good. For scoring mechanics, see how darts scoring works. If accuracy is the main issue, read how to improve dart accuracy and the best numbers to aim for in darts.
Sources used
- A-Z Darts explanation of three-dart average calculation.
- Digital Darts Online guide to darts averages.
- PDC Europe rules guide for 501 and double-out play.
- PDC Europe glossary for darts terminology.
- Sky Sports context on elite perfect-leg standards.
Bottom line
A 45 darts average is good progress for a beginner or improving casual player. It means you have a scoring base, but the next gains come from consistency: fewer very low visits, more 60-plus visits, better setup choices and calmer doubles.
FAQ
Is a 45 average good in pub darts?
It can be respectable in casual pub darts, but league standards vary widely.
How is darts average calculated?
Usually as total points scored divided by darts thrown, multiplied by three.
What should I aim for after 45?
Work towards 50-plus first, then 55-60, mainly by reducing visits under 30.
Does checkout success affect my average?
Checkout darts affect match performance and can affect recorded averages depending on how the scoring system counts the leg. Either way, doubles decide whether you win.
