An optical illusion triggered confusion among darts fans and commentators as the 2023 Premier League darts season got underway in Belfast.
During the quarter-final between Peter Wright and Chris Dobey, Snakebite took out 121 to win a leg and make it 2-2, although Dobey would go on to win the match and the night overall. The incident that had fans scratching their heads revolved around the second throw of a visit. After Wright had hit the bull when aiming for a 25, he was forced into a rethink with 71 left on the table.
After a moment’s pause to check his mental calculator, Wright hit what appeared to be at first glance a single 13 when he was aiming for a treble. But he then nailed double 16 to win the leg.
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However, Wright had in fact hit treble 13 with the second dart, with the optical illusion making it look like a single. What appeared to be the point on TV was in fact the flight, meaning referee Russ Bray had called the leg correctly.
Sky Sports commentator Rod Studd was even confused, saying at the time: “Treble 13 is the probable target. That was the target but he didn’t hit it.”
But when Wright hit the double 16, Studd corrected himself, joking: “I need to get my eyes checked.”
Fans didn’t quite believe what they were seeing at first either, with one posting on social media: “I didn’t think it was in at first either, but it’s definitely the tip of the flight now that I looked at it again.”
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Another said: “I think it’s the flight what most people see as the tip. Out of this view, you wouldn’t see the tip.”
A third added: “I don’t think Wright's the sort of person to cheat, has never done so in the past.”
A fourth fan pointed out: “Nobody on the stage even flinched. The dart was in. What you see from that angle is the flight, not the point.”
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