The original target in the game was likely a cross-section of a tree trunk, whose circular shape and natural concentric rings inspired the standard dartboard design used today.

In 1908, darts was declared to be a game of skill and was thus allowed to be played in pubs.This came about after the landlord of the Adelphi Inn in Leeds was prosecuted for allowing darts to be played in his pub. As darts was considered a game of chance at the time, it was not allowed on licensed premises. The landlord was supported in his case by the best darts player in the region, William ‘Bigfoot’ Anakin. A dartboard was hung in the court and Anakin proved that darts was not a game of chance by hitting three double 20s in a row.