What is the throwing line in darts commonly called?

The throwing line in darts is commonly called the oche.

A player must remain behind the oche when delivering a dart. In standard steel-tip darts, the front edge of the throwing line is positioned 2.37 metres from the face of the dartboard. Stepping over it before the dart leaves the hand can result in a foul throw.

The word’s exact origin is uncertain. One popular story links it to brewery advertisements or the name of a player, but historians have found no single proven explanation accepted by everyone. The term is nevertheless standard in international darts vocabulary.

The oche is often a raised strip, mat, or clearly marked line. In televised events, it helps players, officials and viewers identify the legal delivery position. The distance is measured horizontally from the board face, not from the wall behind it.