"So many people have dartboards, but they're not playing": Winmau's CEO hopes the free Autodarts app can change the tide

There's no doubt about, darts is undergoing a period of resurgence, thanks in no small part to the young generation of pro players sweeping the world with their talent. Luke Littler (19) and Gian van Veen (24) are ranked first and second in the world respectively, and their success is prompting new junior players to seek their local clubs and organisations.

Meanwhile, the sport is also gaining in popularity thanks to its gamification. Interactive darts centres and venues, like Flight Club, are springing up around the UK, Europe and the US at a rapid rate, bringing a fun, tech-fuelled side to the sport for families and friends to explore.

But what if you don't have a darts club or interactive experience nearby, or there's a dearth of players in your area to coax into a leg or two? What then?

Well, Winmau believes it has found an answer – a solution that combines the passion and skill of the new wave of pro players with the fun, interactive elements of a Boom Battle Bar. It has Autodarts.

The democratisation of darts

Having bought Autodarts from its developers around a year ago, Winmau has further developed the app and service for a wider, grander launch during IFA 2026.

It essentially automates the nuts and bolts of darts for you, like scoring, assessing checkouts, and keeping stats, while also adding different games and activities. The app can even match you with players around the world of a similar skill level, to play against remotely. But the best part is it does this from a smartphone pointed at a normal, regular dartboard, old or new – no other equipment is necessary.

Oh, and the app is free.

"So many people have dartboards, but they're not playing," explained Winmau's CEO, Tom Brown, to T3.

"I think that this is a really exciting step for them because they, at one point, were interested enough in darts to go and buy a dartboard. They may or may not follow darts. So they'll probably come across the app and they'll think, okay, that's pretty fun."

And once they see how much it has to offer, it might have them dig out their board once more. That's the idea.

"We just want people to play. If you've already got a dartboard, download the app and let's get going," added Brown.

"If you don't, you can get one from Amazon, Argos, John Lewis."

The app itself doesn't distinguish: " We use the Blade X that on the stage, and that is our more premium board, but you can use a board that you can buy for under £50.

"So you get that, a surround, and download the app, you're ready to go – for around 60 quid.

"I was also adamant that I don't want to use the app to push people to buy more things. It's just about building a community, getting people to play, getting people excited about about playing the game again."

Autodarts X

The one thing that breaks from that a touch is Autodarts X – a step-up system that takes auto scoring and data collection to a whole new level.

Where Autodarts is an app that runs on just about any Android phone or iPhone with a camera, Autodarts X is hardware in itself. It is a camera system that physically clips onto any dartboard and provides an even more accurate experience.

It's also built in such a way that it can be fitted and removed in minutes.

"There's just two pieces in the box. First piece, you take it out, you click it onto the board and it clicks into place. Really satisfying," revealed Brown.

"Then you take the second piece out, you unfold the four legs, and you click that on. No drilling, no screwdriver, that's it. That's done.

"To connect it, you plug in a USB-C cable. That pairs with your phone and the app. You then disconnect the cables, and that's paired forever. You're ready to play."

It's this simplicity that Winmau believes is key, and a real advantage over rivals. After all, Autodarts is meant to lesson the barriers to play, not create new ones.

The price

Of course, to go the whole Autodarts X route, you'll probably take your darts a bit more seriously. The camera system will cost around £450 when it arrives for pre-order in October.

But then there's still the app for everyone else, which starts at zero cost.

You can unlock more features and additional games (such as fan favourite, Killer) with a £5.99 monthly subscription, but you'll still get five matches to play using the LENS capture function each month for free, plus many of the other capabilities.

And the app is available to download and use right now.

So will Winmau succeed in democratising darts – to bring it to a new and disenfranchised audience. Time will obviously tell. One thing's for certain though, everyone will have plenty of fun while we find out.