Why “Dartboard Maths” is the Ultimate Learning Tool
I recently sat down with Emma Paton on the Sky Sports Love the Darts podcast to share something close to my heart. For years, people have known me for my work on the PDC circuit and my passion for grassroots darts. But my newest venture isn’t about hitting 180s—it’s about changing how kids relate to numbers through Dartboard Maths.
https://www.skysports.com/darts/video/12288/13217119/devon-petersen-launches-dartboard-maths
The Spark: Overcoming Math Anxiety at Home
The idea didn’t start in a boardroom; it started at my kitchen table with my 4-year-old son.​Like many young children, he began experiencing number anxiety. When Friday speed tests came around at school, the stress hormone cortisol would spike, causing him to freeze up and score 4 or 5 out of 17. It broke my heart because maths shouldn’t feel like a punishment.​Darts players think of the dartboard as a visual calculator. We don’t just calculate numbers abstractly; we navigate spatial patterns. I realized that if I removed the sharp objects and replaced them with structured, visual movement on a desk-sized dartboard, I could remove the fear and spark dopamine instead.​Within just two weeks of practicing with the dartboard layout, my son’s scores jumped from 4/17 to 14, 15, and 16 out of 17.
How Dartboard Maths Works
Instead of throwing sharp darts in a busy classroom, Dartboard Maths uses a portable Desk Dartboard, magnetic tokens, and interactive guides:
• Visualizing Numbers: Every scoring segment (singles, doubles, triples) becomes a spatial coordinate.
• ​The “Movement Man”: A directional system that guides kids through addition and subtraction across units and tens. For example, adding double-digit numbers like 45 + 33 becomes a clear path of jumps across the board.
• ​Interactive Learning Management System: An online portal with tailored exercises so parents and teachers can track real-time progress.
• ​Gamified Practice: Games like the Battle Deck challenge kids to master numerical combinations and outshots as they level up.
From PDC World Champions to Primary Classrooms
Before bringing this to schools globally, I put the concept to the ultimate test across two very different groups: elite professional darts players and primary school classrooms.
1. The Elite Pro Speed Challenge​
I created a 15-question checkout speed test for top PDC stars, including Luke Humphries, Joe Cullen, Nathan Aspinall, and Chris Dobey.• ​Most pros finished the test in around 58 seconds.• ​Dirk van Duijvenbode blew everyone away by completing all 15 rapid calculations in a mind-boggling 23 seconds!
2. Classroom Breakthroughs​
We tested the system with Grade 4 pupils and Grade 2 non-typical/special needs learners. In classrooms where students previously struggled with double-digit math, applying the Dartboard Maths structure saw overall class scores soar past 70% in just five hours of structured learning.
Building Confidence for the Future
Dartboard Maths is designed primarily for kids aged 4 to 12, laying a foundational understanding of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and fractions before anxiety can take root. Guided by our mascot Darty the Dartboard and his Maths Avengers team, we’re turning math into a game every child can win.
• ​Watch the full interview: You can view the full episode on the Sky Sports Darts YouTube Channel https://youtu.be/xKZXttrb21Y?is=th1PCLkPGWDU_sat.
Learn more & Order: Educational Toolkits are available directly at www.Dartboard-Maths.com
