Circuit Basics / Mystery Out

If you already know how the Mystery Out works and are looking for the current status and amount of money in the "Mystery Out Pot" for a specific area, please click on "What's the Mystery Out?" in the upper left corner of this page and then on the specific area in which you are interested.

What is the "Mystery Out Pot"?
Each "Mystery Out Pot" is a continuously accruing amount of money held by Pub Sports Promotions (or an "area licensed director") until a player and his/her partner successfully wins a percentage of the total amount of money in the pot. This is an optional event. Every player who chooses to participate, in order to have a chance to win the money in this pot, MUST pay $2.00 at the time they sign-up for that night's tournament. A player must pay their $2.00 to have a chance to win. If a player chooses NOT to participate in the "Mystery Out Pot" that night and does NOT pay his/her $2.00, but throws as a "double out" the winning number pulled, then ONLY his/her partner wins their appropriate share of the "Mystery Out Pot" (as long as the partner put in his/her $2 fee).

How does it work and how does someone win the "Mystery Out Pot"?
We play two different games in the Circuit's dart tournaments, "Killer Cricket" and "501(SS/DO)". In order to win the 501 game an individual player must throw a "double out" with 3 darts or less (e.g. 16= double 8 / 45= 13, double 16 / 112= triple 20, single 12, double 20). If the player wins the game by throwing a "double out" equal to or greater than 41 but, less than 140, that number is reserved in their name until the end of that night's dart tournament. As the tournament progresses the number of players who accomplish this goal increases and many numbers are reserved in different players' names.

When the tournament is over, a number is pulled (by the bartender or waitress) from the Mystery Out bag. In the bag are 100 little circled chips that have the numbers 41 to 140 printed on them. If the number pulled matches one of the reserved numbers hit by a player, then that player and his/her partner (if entered) wins a percentage of the total amount of money in the "Mystery Out Pot" accrued to date.

What Percentage of the "Mystery Out Pot" is paid to a winner?
There will be ONLY ONE draw each tournament. After the tournament is over a bartender or waitress with at least ONE witness will draw a "Mystery Out" number from the bag. If this number is a number hit/thrown as a "double out" in a 501 game, the player and his/her partner would split 80% of the existing pot. ONLY 80% of the Pot can be won on the draw. The 80% is usually split 40%/40% by the participating partners. (for exceptions to this split see below - 2 locations, 2 winners)

What happens after someone wins?
After 80% of the MO Pot has been won, the remaining funds MINUS a PSP or "Licensed Area Director" funds management fee

(5% of the total funds in the Mystery Out Pot at the time a winning number was pulled - $50 limit)

What happens if it is NOT won at that evening's tournament?
If there is NO winner that night, the "Mystery Out Pot" becomes available at the next "stop" on that neighborhood's dart tour. Look at the schedule to determine which Sponsoring Tavern in that area is having the Circuit's dart tournament the next evening. The "Mystery Out Pot" travels or moves right along with the tournaments from one location to another each and every night of the week.

What "Double Out" numbers are available?
The numbers that can be reserved by a player are the numbers 41 through 140. However, if a player throws a "double out" greater than > 140, he/she gets to choose (at that time) TWO (2) numbers which have not been reserved already.

What about the winning player's partner?
If the winning player's partner has also paid his/her $2.00 entry fee, then the total amount won is split equally between both players. However, if the winning player's partner did NOT pay $2.00 to enter, than the winner is NOT obligated to share his/her winnings.

Does a player (or partner) have to be present at the time of the draw to win the Mystery Out?
NO! A player does NOT have to be present at the end of the tournament to win. If the winners are not there when the number is drawn, they will be notified by the Circuit Director either via phone or email. The Director must have that player's information in order to be notified. The names of the most recent winners are posted on the website, so a player can see if they won the "Mystery Out Pot" or not even if the Director does not have sufficient personal information to contact the winner. Winners will receive their funds via mail (money order) within ONE week. If no mailing address is known, the funds will be held by the Circuit until the winner has notified the Director of where the funds should be delivered or mailed.

How fast does the "Mystery Out Pot" grow?
With six tournaments a week, the MO usually increases $150 to $300 a week. So, it is NOT unusual to have a MO total over $1,000 quite often.

How often is it won?
It is difficult to answer this using a time frame. The average size of the "Mystery Out Pot" won has been near $1,000. Depending on the number of players entering the MO pot each week, it could take from three to five weeks to reach this amount again. With the advent of the "Cap" (see next question), the record will stand at $4,128. It only took 10 weeks to reach that amount before it was won. However, to keep things in perspective, the "Mystery Out Pot" has also been won 8 times in 14 days. So, like I said, it's difficult to say how often it is won. Just visit the website daily to find out.

How high can the total amount of money in the "Mystery Out Pot" get?
From April 4th, 2002 to May 24th, 2004 there was a "CAP" on the size of the Mystery Out Pot. However, due to an overall dislike of this CAP by the players and the sponsoring clubs, this CAP was lifted and eliminated. The total amount of monies in the Mystery Out Pot will continue to increase, until a WINNER has been drawn. At which time the remaining 20% of the total funds (minus the PSP funds managment fee of 5% - $50 limit) will become available at the next tournament.

With Multiple Areas & "Neighborhoods" in the Circuit is there ONE BIG Pot or does each neighborhood has its own "Mystery Out Pot"?
In order to keep the FUNDS invested into the MOP by all the players in ONE specific neighborhood or area, it is important to keep these Mystery Out Pots specific to each separate "Neighborhood". For instance, the Dallas neighborhood has its own "Mystery Out Pot", so does the Arlington/Ft. Worth neighborhood, as well as North Dallas. Plus, each NEW "Area", as they are established, and its separate neighborhoods will have it's own MOP. St. Louis, for instance, has its own Mystery Out Pot and as the "Area" develops additional "Neighborhoods" each neighborhood will have its own separate MOP.

Does any condition exist whereby a "Neighborhood's" Mystery Out Pot is available in more than one location at the same time?
YES! There is usually only ONE Tournament a night per neighborhood and since the MOP moves from one sponsoring bar/club in that neighborhood to another sponsoring bar/club in that same neighborhood according to its tournament schedule, the MOP would be available at only ONE club. However, since the Circuit's REPUTATION for FAST PAYMENT to each winner (usually within a week) has spread, the situation has arrived whereby there is NOW more than ONE tournament in the same neighborhood on the same night. In order to accommodate for the increasing DEMAND by local bars/clubs to hold a Circuit tournament, it became necessary to adjust the program and incorporate a NEW Payout schedule that allows for this to happen.

How does this change the Mystery Out Program and the PAYOUT?
The program, itself, remains the same. What I mean is, the method in which a player has a chance to win the MOP is still by hitting an "Out" from 41 thru 140 and having that number come out of the mystery out bag at the end of the night. The difference is – if there is a "winner" at both sponsoring clubs on the same night, then the winners would EQUALLY SPLIT the 80% of the adjusted (adding in the new funds from each club) Mystery Out Pot. They would each win 20% of the MOP (20/20/20/20%). This SPLIT is ONLY in effect if the "winners" happened in the First tournament at each club, or in the second tournament at each separate club. NOT - one "winner' in the First tournament at one club and another "winner" in the Second tournament at a different club.

Is there anytime that MORE than ONE NEIGHBORHOOD'S Mystery Out Pot is available at a CLUB at the same time?
YES! The only time that more than one neighborhood's "Mystery Out Pot" is available at the same club is at a WILD CARD tournament. At this tournament, ALL THREE Neighborhood "Mystery Out Pots" are available. Each 'pot' is still considered separate and has its own draw according the Circuit's normal procedures. However, every "double out" hit by a player during the tournament counts toward ALL 3 neighborhood draws. The 20/20/20/20% split is in effect if necessary.

Is there any OTHER special features about the "Mystery Out Pot" that the players should be aware of?
The money in this pot is the players' money. The participating players voluntarily add $2.00 to this pot every tournament in order to be eligible to win the accrued funds in this pot according to the above procedures. It increases each night as funds are added and decreases by the appropriate percentages when there is a winner.

However, the "Mystery Out Pot" can from time to time decrease without a player winning the pot. This can happen in ONLY TWO ways.

• The first way is when a Participating Player skillfully hits a "170 Double Out" in a 501 game during a legitimate Circuit "Dart Match".
• The second way is through a Memorial Gift Allocation made by the players, themselves.

"170 Double Out" Pot!
When a player throws a "170 Double Out" in a 501/301 game then that player and his/her partner have accomplished a very exciting and usually rare feat! The player who has skillfully hit the "170 (triple 20, triple 20, double bull) Double Out" has earned for his/her team - $170 that is split between partners. These funds will be mailed to the winners within One week unless other arrangements are made between the Circuit Director and the winners.

The funds to pay this "170 Double Out" Pot are accrued from the nightly Mystery out funds to be added to the "Mystery Out Pot". The "170 Double Out" Pot will receive $2.00 each night from the Mystery Out funds until such time as $340 total (enough for two different $170 winners) is held in reserve for payment to the player and his/her partner who skillfully hits a "170 Double Out". After payment to a winner the $2.00 accruement from the Mystery Out funds will begin again until the reserve of $340 is once again reached. If sufficient funds have NOT been raised in the above fashion at the time a 170 "out" is thrown, then that Neighborhood's MOP is reduced by the required funds to pay the 'winners'.

What is a Memorial Gift Allocation?
From time to time the regular participating players in a specific area will mandate PSP to make a gift of 10% of the accrued MO funds to a specific individual or organization for altruistic and/or philanthropic purposes.

Are there any Memorial Gift Allocations mandated at this time?

There are "TWO" mandated Memorial Gift Allocations as of October 7th, 2006

ONE: #64 MGA is assigned to the North Dallas Mystery Out Pot in remembrance of STEVE KINDRED. This FIRST Memorial Gift Allocation (MGA) was established on July 31st, 2001 in remembrance of Steve and has since been called the "Kindred Spirits Memorial Gift Allocation" on behalf of the dozens of fallen Dart Players who have passed away due to serious illnesses or accidents.

STEVE KINDRED - Avid Player and Friend

Steve played darts in the Circuit for almost 2 years, at least 3 times a week. He LOVED the GAME. One of his favorite things to do was to WIN the Circuit's Mystery Out Pot (described in detail on the Circuit's website, www.dartcircuit.com). He managed to accomplish this feat FOUR TIMES in 2 years. Unprecedented! The most amazing thing about his accomplishment is that every time he WON – it was with the #64. I wanted to send this to Ripley's Believe it or Not, because we can't fathom the odds of this happening. Every time he hit a 64 out, that # was drawn as a winner and the only time he won it was when he hit the #64. LOL! After he died (shocked us all), the thought was given to retiring that number in Steve's honor, but we thought of a better way to help remember him. I brought it up to the players that every time #64 was pulled as the Mystery Out number that 10% of the Existing Pot be DONATED to a Heart Research Foundation in Steve's Memory. So, the DALLAS Circuit's many ‘dart players' authorized the Circuit's FIRST “Memorial Gift Allocation” on July 31st, 2001. Now whenever someone hits a #64 “out” we say “I just hit a Kindred”, at least those of us who knew and loved him do.

Memorial Gift Allocation #64 - Assigned to the North Dallas Mystery Out Pot

TWO: #94 MGA is assigned to the Dallas Mystery Out Pot in remembrance of RAY WATKINS who died on 9/4/2006 from arteriosclerosis (heart attack). Ray died in his sleep and was discovered by his sister, Janet, on 9/5. Ray was the local League Administrator for the Dallas Dart Association for many years. His love of the game was fantastic. He was awarded the Circuit's DART-A-HOLIC award at the time this MGA was assigned and it explains the reason this gift was established.

RAY WATKINS - (Dart-A-Holic Award)

Awarded to a most dedicated Dart Player who exemplified the ‘Spirit of Enthusiasm and Passion' for the “Sport of Darts”. He displayed an undaunted desire to ‘play the game', ‘enjoy the game' and ‘teach the game', while maintaining a ‘SUPERIOR attitude of Sportsmanship'. He was always “Up for a Game” and either wore the board out from practice or your ear out with ‘dart stories'. As Dallas' “Dart Aficionado” & DDA Administrator, he kept the local league running smooth and insured it followed the “Rules of the Game”. Thank You, Ray. You will be remembered.

Memorial Gift Allocation #94 - Assigned to the Dallas Mystery Out Pot

Can there be more mandates in the future?
Yes! From time to time, a specific Mystery Out number can also be allocated in memoriam of a fellow dart player. This is determined and initiated on by a majority of the regular participating players at the time the mandate is requested, voted on and issued.

How is a Memorial Gift Allocation authorized?
Any regular Circuit Player in a specific neighborhood can request that an "MGA" be authorized on behalf of a deceased Circuit Dart Player for that neighborhood by emailing the Circuit Director with their request and reasons for this request. This MGA request is then posted on the Circuit's Forum and opened up for discussion by the players. After Two full months of discussion, the MGA is voted on by the "DARTmy" to decide if this MGA goes into effect and when the mandate is authorized to begin.

The intention of every change/addition to the "Mystery Out Pot" is to make it better for the majority of the players and to increase the participation by the players in every tournament.