Paddling
When we think of paddling, our minds might drift to the British term for rowing, a beautiful sport, by the way. You sit down, row backwards and have no idea where you’re going. Sounds like a metaphor for life, doesn’t it? But “paddle” can also mean splashing around or struggling in water. So, if you step over the oche line with one or two feet, you’ve basically crossed the “waterline.” And no, this has nothing to do with padel, the sport for people who aren’t quite good enough at tennis or squash. Let’s be honest, that’s the only reason padel is so popular.
Patriot
A patriot in darts is when you hit a triple or a bullseye with your first dart, exactly when you need it most. It’s like pulling off a miracle just in the nick of time. The term is a cheeky nod to those high-tech missile defense systems that can take out planes, helicopters or even cruise missiles. Basically, when you throw a patriot, you’re not just saving your score, you’re preventing a full-blown darting disaster. Think of it as your way of saying, “Not today, chaos!”
PDC Professional Darts Corporation
The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) is basically the rockstar of dart organizations in the UK, born in 1992 when a bunch of top players decided they’d had enough of the British Darts Organisation (BDO) and staged a darting rebellion. Originally calling themselves the World Darts Council (WDC), because every revolution needs a cool name, they later rebranded to PDC. And who’s steering this darting ship? None other than sports promoter extraordinaire Eddie Hearn, the PDC’s chairman and the guy who probably has “180” as his ringtone. The PDC is like the Willy Wonka factory of darts tournaments, churning out epic events like the annual PDC World Darts Championship (where dreams are made and hearts are broken), the World Matchplay, the World Grand Prix, the UK Open, the Premier League and the Grand Slam. They even have their own world rankings, because if you’re going to throw tiny pointy things at a board, you might as well get ranked for it.
Perfect Finish
Perfect Finish, also known as Maximum Finish or the legendary Big Fish. It’s when you pull off the ultimate darting feat by scoring a 170 finish, the highest possible with just three darts. How? By nailing two triple 20s and then finishing with a bullseye. It’s like the dartboard equivalent of a mic drop, cue the applause, because you’ve just become the stuff of darting legends!