The Rules of Darts

Introduction

The game of darts is believed to be invented by English soldiers in the 1300s. Back then, soldiers threw spearheads at wine casks or tree trunks. This was also seen as an effective way to practice accuracy and throwing, making it an effective pastime between battles. It is even said that King Henry VII enjoyed the game so much that his wife to be, Anne Boleyn, gifted him a decorated set of darts to win his favor.

The modern-day rules of darts were invented by a carpenter named Brian Gamlin in 1896. The biggest impact he had on the game was the invention of the number system we all know today (although doubles and trebles were not introduced until later). This further boosted the game’s popularity, making its way into the pub scene. This increased popularity eventually lead to the founding of the National Darts Association (NDA) in 1924, and the World Darts Federation (WDF) in 1976.

Nowadays, darts has grown from a humble pub pastime into one of the most popular sports in the world. Due to its accessibility, it has a loyal following of nearly 50 million active players around the globe. Its biggest events include the World Darts Federation (WDF) World Cup and the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) World Cup of Darts. 

The object of the game

The basic rules of darts are relatively simple; you must throw metallic darts into a dartboard and try to score more points than your opponent. Of course, your opponent has the same goal as they try to out-score you.

Scoring in darts

Players score points by throwing darts at the board. Wherever the dart lands, the player gets an equal amount of points. The board also has a double point area (small outermost ring) and a treble/triple point area (smallest ring closer to the center). A double bullseye (red ring) is worth 50 points whereas a single bullseye (green ring) is worth 25 points. 

Once all darts have been thrown, the points will be added to the player’s overall score. A game is finished when a player or team reaches a predetermined amount of points/legs. This varies greatly depending on the gameplay style.

Gameplay

There are several different playing styles in darts. The most common ones are 301, 501, 701, and 1001. The 501 is also the preferred playing style in darts competitions and elite-level tournaments. 

Although the scoring methods vary between playing styles, most of them share some similarities. These include the throwing distance of 2.37m (7ft 9.25in), dart board height of 1.73m (5ft 8in) and the use of three darts. Additionally, most games only count the darts on the board whereas fallen darts may not be thrown again. Most games also use the double and triple rings of the board.

Below you can find the most common darts games played around the world. 

301, 501, 701 and 1001

Most professional matches are played as ”501 up”, often simply referred to as 501. This means that both players start from 501 points and take turns throwing three darts. After each turn, the points are calculated and deducted from the overall score. The objective is to reach exactly zero points. However, the final dart must land in the double segment or the bullseye to win. Of course, 301, 701, and 1001 follow the same rules but start at a different amount of points. 

If the player goes to one point, below zero, or zero without ending with a double, the turn ends immediately in a bust and the score remains the same as at the beginning of the round. There is also no need to use all three darts in a single round. 

In some tournaments, such as the PDC World Grand Prix, a player must hit a double to begin scoring. This is known as ”doubling in”. 

We’ve also created a darts checkout chart to help you calculate which shots to go for. It is free to download and share!

Around the clock

In around the clock, players must hit all numbers on the board in order from 1 to 20. The game is played with two players, each throwing three darts in a row. The player who hits the all numbers first is the winner. Players may also choose to hit the inner and outer bullseyes at the and for added difficulty.  

Cricket

Cricket is played in two teams or by two players. Each round consists of three darts per team/player, also known as an ”inning”. The game only uses the numbers 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, and the bullseye. 

The idea of cricket is to ”close” the numbers on the board and get as many points as possible. Closing an inning is done by scoring three of a number – three singles, one single and a double, or a triple.

Once a player/team has scored three of a number, they ”own” it. After owning a number, the team/player may score as many points on that number as possible before the other team/player ”closes” it. This is done by scoring three of the same number. To close the bullseye, the outer bull counts as a single whereas the inner bulls counts as a double.

The team/player that scores the most points and closes all innings first is the winner. If teams/players are tied, the one that closes the last inning is the winner. However, if a team closes all innings first but is still trailing in points, they may keep scoring on any innings that are not closed. 

Fives

Fives can be played with any number of players. The game starts with choosing a target number, usually 50 or 100 (choose a lower number if several people are playing). 

The idea of fives is to throw three darts on the board and score a number that is divisible by five. For every five points you score, you get one point. If you score a number that is not divisible by five, you do not score any points. 

Note that doubles and trebles are not included in this game. 

Killer 

Killer is a knockout game for three or more players (the more the better!). At the beginning of the game, players throw a single dart to the board with their non-dominating hand. The number it lands on becomes the player’s assigned number. If two players land on the same number, the latter must throw again to get another number.

After all players have their assigned numbers, the game continues with each player trying to hit their predetermined double area. Each player throws three darts on their turn. Once the player has hit their double area a predetermined amount of times (usually 1-3), they become the killer.

A killer may eliminate other players by throwing a dart to the other player’s assigned double. When a double is hit, the victim “dies” and is removed from the scoreboard. Note that a killer may also accidentally remove themselves from the game. The last player alive is the winner. 

Shanghai

Shanghai is played with two or more players, each throwing three darts in one round. The basic rules are simple; players must try to hit all sections (single, double & treble) of the same number, starting from number 1. These sections may be hit in any order. 

The first player to hit all three sections in a single round is the winner. However, if players are unable to do this on number one, the game continues from number two, and so on. 

To spice things up, some numbers may also be used to eliminate players if they don’t score any points on them. Often times 5, 7, and 9, are used for this because they are the most challenging.