Darts Official Reveals Why There Are Two Circles on Oche at World Championship

A darts official has explained why there are two circles on the oche at all times during the 2026 World Darts Championship.

The second round of matches are now well underway at Alexandra Palace, with players who make it through to round three returning to London after Christmas.

There have been a number of surprise results, with 2021 champion Gerwyn Price knocked out in round two by Wesley Plaisier on Sunday.

Kenya's David Munyua - who had never left Kenya before the trip to Ally Pally, and only started playing darts three years ago - pulled off one of the biggest shocks in the tournament's history when he defeated 2024 Grand Slam champion Mike De Decker in round one.

There have been a number of controversies as well, with Joe Cullen accusing Mensur Suljovic of 'cheating' after the Austrian defeated him 3-1 in round two.

And the whistling and booing of certain players - especially during their throw - continues to be a growing issue at Ally Pally.

Away from the darts itself, one part of the arena that has been introduced in recent years are two metal circles that are placed horizontally across the oche.

A number of fans have asked the reason behind the circles - and PDC referee Owen Binks, through another PDC official, has the answer.

Taking to Twitter, the official explained: "I know [what they're for].

"Those circle things, they've got lights in. So they help to cut out the shadow of the darts.

Ever wondered what the circles on the oche are for? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/XrGpLdZcUf

— Owen Binks (@BinksOwen) December 20, 2025

"When the board is in, those two lights - they're angled in, about 17 degrees, I think, from the 90.

"The darts go in like that, and they stop the shadows."

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The lights, therefore, help the match scorers to identify each dart and make it easier to see exactly which part of the board they have hit.

It also assists the match referee to promptly call out each score at the end of every throw.