There are few better things to witness on the oche than a 9-darter. Of course, maximums from three darts are ubiquitous and the deep, husky tones of the 'Voice of Darts' Russ Bray bellowing out '180' sends shivers down the spines of fans.

Throwing a 9-darter is akin to reaching darting nirvana as there is a level of sporting perfection achieved by making it that many strive for, but very few pull it off.

Over the years, the PDC (Professional Darts Corporation) has been treated to some magical 9-darters and since 1996, there has been 328 '9 Darters', but only 50 of those have been televised.

Michael van Gerwen leads the way with 23 to his name and there has been a phalanx of stars that have weighed in with some terrific contributions.

Bookies.co.uk has delved into the archives and brings you eight of the best televised 9-darters.

1. Michael Smith (Premier League Darts - 2020)

Away from the exuberant atmosphere of Ally Pally and the World Darts Championship, the Premier League is relentless but one that guarantees entertainment. Michael Smith is classed as a high scorer and he recorded his first televised nine-darter in Dublin.

After producing a stunning 141 checkout after hitting two 180s, Smith looked almost nonplussed after the crowd was whipped into a frenzy. It had been the first nine-darter in nearly three years in Dublin after Adrian 'Jackpot' Lewis hit the last one in April 2017. Smith had looked to be dead and buried against Daryl Gurney as he was trailing before he rattled off three legs to claim a 7-5 victory.




2. Phil Taylor (World Matchplay - 2014)

Phil Taylor is a man that needs little introduction as the 'Power' left an indelible mark on darts before he hung up his arrows after the 2018 World Championship. He dished out some drubbings during his decorated career and Smith was on the receiving end in the final of the World Matchplay.

Taylor obliterated Smith 13-6 in the second round of the 2014 World Matchplay Championships in Blackpool and the 9-darter never seemed in doubt. The double 12 was bang in the middle of the bed and Taylor stood out with his arms aloft on stage as he basked in the glory. An unforgettable moment!




3. Adrian Lewis (World Darts Championship - 2014)

Famed for his high scoring and his seamless ability to hit 180s, Lewis is third on the all-time list of most televised 9-darters struck. The Englishman is one of the game's flamboyant stars and against Raymond van Barneveld at Ally Pally, he was fired up.

In their last-16 clash, Lewis had racked up three 180s in the first set and his 9-darter seemed like kid's play. After making it, Lewis - with his hands in his pockets - was calm and collected as he turned to the corner with shrugged shoulders while pandemonium ensued.

4. Michael van Gerwen (World Players Championship final - 2019)

Michael van Gerwen is one of the most fearsome competitors and he has a champion mentality. This shone brightest in the World Players Championship final when he lorded it over Lewis.

Minehead was the venue and the victory heralded van Gerwen's 13th major title on the PDC circuit. While two 180s and a 141 is the traditional route, van Gerwen doesn't always follow normal conventions and he finished with a 144 checkout. He lapped up the attention and Lewis couldn't help but smile afterwards.

5. Raymond van Barneveld (Premier League Darts - 2010)

When the Premier League roadshow swung to Aberdeen, it felt like there was something special in the air. Van Barneveld didn't disappoint as he floated in some magnificent darts and the crowd went ballistic.

While he was a great showman, van Barneveld's career ended with a whimper as he crashed out in the first round at the 2020 World Darts Championship.




6. James Wade and Robert Thornton (World Grand Prix - 2014)

As we have seen, 9-darters are relatively rare, and it is very uncommon when there are two in one match!

Indeed, that happened when James Wade and Robert Thornton faced off at the World Grand Prix. Both checked out on 161 as their individual flourishes ended with striking the bull.




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7. Michael van Gerwen (Master of Darts - 2007)

Van Gerwen is prolific when it comes to 9-darters and he announced himself on the global stage when he made his first one against compatriot van Barneveld at the Master of Darts at the tender age of 17.

The treble 20 took a pounding on that day and when 'Mighty Mike' finished on D18 for a checkout of 147 for his first televised 9-darter which sparked some wild celebrations.




8. Gary Anderson (World Matchplay - 2018)

Having won pretty much all there is in the game, Gary Anderson has written himself into darting folklore. Although he has been prone to miscounting some of his visits at the oche, he was in full flight against Joe Cullen in the quarter-finals of the World Matchplay.

His 9-darter was lucrative as it earned him a £45,000 bonus and it was the first 9-darter in the competition since 2014. The 9-darter he produced was magnificent and what was even more incredible was that the 'Flying Scotsman' survived two match darts en route to victory.