Nine-dart Finish - Most Prolific Nine-darters

Most Prolific Nine-darters

Shaun Greatbatch hit the first ever nine-dart finish during a live televised darts match. The feat was achieved during the 2002 Dutch Open final against Steve Coote, which was broadcasted on Dutch television.

Phil Taylor has achieved this feat more than any other darts player on television, having done so nine times: the first came on August 1, 2002 during a quarter final tie against Chris Mason, at the 2002 PDC World Matchplay in Blackpool. It was the first live-televised nine-dart finish on British television and Taylor received £100,000.

The 2007 International Darts League became the first televised tournament to witness two nine-darters when Phil Taylor's effort was matched the following day (May 9) by another perfect game from Tony O'Shea against Adrian Lewis.

Mervyn King hit his first televised nine-dart finish in the 2009 South African Masters on September 27, 2009 against James Wade — he became the first player to hit a televised nine-darter outside of Europe.

James Wade achieved three nine-dart finishes during a calendar year (2006) in tournament play at the UK Open North West finals in March, the PDPA event in Hayling in June and the Vauxhall Open in November. However, none of the events were televised. Wade briefly changed his playing nickname from the Gladiator to 009, a play on James Bond and reference to his nine-dart achievements. Wade's first televised nine-darter, came against Gary Anderson at the 2008 Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton on November 20, 2008, shown live on ITV4. It was the first time the feat had been achieved live on terrestrial, free-to-air television in the UK.

The youngest player to throw a televised nine-darter is Michael van Gerwen, who hit the perfect leg in the semi-finals of the Masters of Darts tournament in the Netherlands. The event was screened live in the Netherlands. Van Gerwen was just 700117000000000000017 years, 7002298000000000000298 days old at the time. The Dutch youngster scored 174 (T20, T19, T19) and 180, then checked out 147 with T20, T17, D18. Van Gerwen's nine-darter was the first live televised nine-darter that did not start with two 180s.

On May 24, 2010, in the Premier League final against James Wade, Taylor made history by being the first player to ever hit two 9-dart finishes in a single match. These were his seventh and eighth nine-dart finishes.

Brendan Dolan became the first player ever to hit a nine-darter in a game which required a double to commence scoring. He did this in the semi-final of the 2011 World Grand Prix against James Wade on 8 October 2011. He opened with double 20, before hitting successive treble 20s (160, 180) and then finished on 161 with T20, T17 and a bullseye.

Currently the full list of professional nine-darters (both televised and not) stands at over 105. Prior to 2006 there were only 10 or so professional nine-darts hit. Almost 100 have been hit in the 7 years since.