Darts: Gian van Veen’s Record 120.24 Average, in Time For Ally Pally

Gian van Veen set a new PDC European Tour record average of 120.24 in Maastricht on Saturday, October 17th, whitewashing Sebastian Bialecki 6-0 at the Dutch Darts Championship. It beat the 118.66 Dave Chisnall set at the German Darts Championship in September 2018.

Earlier in the season he threw 106.04 and 105.05 at Players Championship 18, the two highest averages of that event. Put together, I think he is the heaviest scorer in the game heading into the Worlds at Alexandra Palace, which start on December 11th.

How Big Is A 120 Average In Darts?

Huge. A 100 average is a strong night for anyone on the tour. Here is how Van Veen’s numbers stack up against some of the best recent efforts from the field.

Player	Average	Match
Gian van Veen	120.24	v Sebastian Bialecki, Dutch Darts Championship
Dave Chisnall	118.66	Previous European Tour record, 2018
Gian van Veen	106.04	v Jeffrey de Zwaan, Players Championship 18
Gian van Veen	105.05	v Joe Cullen, Players Championship 18
Nathan Aspinall	102.45	v Michael Smith, Dutch Darts Championship
Rob Cross	100.64	Players Championship 18

What Did Van Veen Do At Players Championship 18?

He threw the two highest averages of the tournament, 106.04 against Jeffrey de Zwaan in the quarter-finals and 105.05 against Joe Cullen in the semis. Nobody else broke 105 that day.

And he still lost the final 8-1 to Gerwyn Price, who did not average above 100 all event. Scoring wins you games. It does not always win you titles.

What Is A Good Darts Average?

At Players Championship 18, Van Veen, Lee Evans (101.57), Jamie Hughes (101.33), Cross, Ritchie Edhouse (100.33) and Stefan Bellmont (100.04) all topped 100. That is the level a strong night sits at.

Nathan Aspinall summed up how high the bar has gone after his 6-1 win over Michael Smith in Maastricht.

“I see the averages, and I’m playing fourth or fifth in the world at the moment in terms of averages.”

Then came the punchline, as he told reporters.

“But I’m walking off there thinking, ‘That was rubbish,’ when it’s a 102 average.”

If a 102 feels ordinary to a former world champion, a 120 is another planet.

Can Van Veen Win The World Darts Championship?

He has the numbers. The question is finals, and the defeat to Price at Players Championship 18 shows scoring alone is not enough. He also beat Brendan Dolan 6-1 the day after his record, averaging 96.72, which shows how hard it is to stay at that level.

Before Ally Pally he defends his European Championship title in Dortmund from October 22nd, opening against Andrew Gilding. Keep an eye on him in the darts rankings and on our PDC majors news page.

Your Questions Answered

What Is The Highest Average On The European Tour?

120.24, by Gian van Veen against Sebastian Bialecki at the Dutch Darts Championship on October 17th, 2026. The previous record was Dave Chisnall’s 118.66 in 2018.

What Is Considered A Good Darts Average?

Over 100 is a strong performance. Nathan Aspinall called his 102.45 against Michael Smith “rubbish”, even though he says he is fourth or fifth in the world on averages.

When Is The World Darts Championship?

It starts at Alexandra Palace on December 11th. Before that come the European Championship in Dortmund from October 22nd to 25th and the Grand Slam of Darts from November 14th to 22nd.

For every session this week, check our darts on TV today guide, and read our report on Luke Littler and Luke Humphries chasing World Cup legacy.

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