Sports
Why Darts Players Celebrate to the Left
Darts fever is once again preparing to sweep the nation as the 2026 World Championship kicks into gear at Alexandra Palace, with Luke Littler aiming to defend the crown he won for the very first time 12 months ago. A record-breaking initial field of 128 players began the tournament, all vying for the eye-watering £1 million top prize.
By comparison, Littler won exactly half that amount when he raised the 2025 trophy. With such huge riches on offer, every player who steps into the oche will be dreaming of a victory, which, for many, would be life-changing.
One thing that happens every single year with the World Darts Championship is the arrival of new fans. Whether they are newly introduced to the sport that year, or just enjoy the atmosphere of the crowds inside the Ally Pally, the tournament around Christmas and New Year always piques the interests of millions, and this year has been no different.
However, with new fans comes questions about the sport, like why do legs start at 501 instead of 500? Well, another big question is why do the darts players always celebrate to the left of the oche after securing a leg or a set, or even when they win the match entirely? Fortunately, we have that answer thanks to former PDC Tour Card holder Matthew Edgar, who let new fans know why players do it in a video for TikTok.
Darts Player Reveals Why They Turn to the Left When Celebrating
What fans of darts will notice is that every time something crucial happens in a game, the player will turn to their left to celebrate. There are actually three reasons behind them doing this.
The first reason is because of the cameras. They are all set to the left of the oche to get the best possible view of the players, the board, and the fans behind them. So, when they do something important, like hit a 180 or win a leg/set, the players want to turn to the cameras to celebrate, so that’s why they turn to their left. In fact, because of where the cameras are located, all players are asked to walk off the stage to the right after collecting their darts from the board so that they don’t block any of the cameras for the next player’s visit.
The second reason behind why players turn to the left is because that is where there families and friends are located in the arena. As you will see from their walk-ons, their nearest and dearest are sat to the left of the oche, which means when they want to celebrate and see their loved ones, they will have to turn to their left. Simple, but makes sense.
The third and final reason behind the decision to turn left is simply down to the fact it’s the most natural way to turn for the majority of darts players. Most of them on the circuit throw with their right hand, so swinging and celebrating to the left is the most natural way for their body to move after their action. For them to turn to the right would not be as natural, and would require a lot more strain on the body.
So there you have it, that is why darts players always turn to their left when celebrating. Did you know the three reasons already, or are you finding out something brand new today?
