Darts is most liked in the United Kingdom ( which was the first country to call darts a sport ) , mainly in England , and is a pub game . Though various different boards and games have been used in the past , the term `` darts '' usually now refers to a standardised game involving a specific board design and set of rules . As well as being a professional competitive activity , darts is a traditional pub game , commonly played in the United Kingdom , across the Commonwealth , the Netherlands , Ireland , the Scandinavian countries , the United States and elsewhere .