The dartboard
A standard board is split into 20 numbered wedges, called segments or beds. The numbers aren't in order: going clockwise from the top they run 20, 1, 18, 4, 13, 6, 10, 15, 2, 17, 3, 19, 7, 16, 8, 11, 14, 9, 12, 5. That mix puts big numbers beside small ones, so a slightly missed dart costs you.
Each segment has rings that multiply its number:
| Where the dart lands | What it scores | Example on the 20 |
|---|---|---|
| Single: the wide parts of the segment | The number | 20 |
| Double: the thin outer ring | Twice the number | 40 (double top) |
| Treble: the thin inner ring | Three times the number | 60 (treble 20) |
| Outer bull: the green ring around the center | 25 | |
| Bullseye: the red center, also called the double bull | 50 | |
| Outside the double ring | Nothing |
The double 20 at the top is called double top. The most you can score with one dart is a treble 20, and the most with three darts is 180: three treble 20s.
Taking turns
Players take turns at the oche. A turn is three darts, called a visit, and its score is the three darts added together. Throw all three, then walk up and take them out of the board before the next player throws. A dart that bounces out or misses the board scores nothing, and it isn't thrown again.
To decide who goes first, each player throws one dart at the bull, and the closest throws first. In the UK this is bull up or "middle for diddle"; in American leagues it's called the cork. In a match, players usually take turns throwing first in each leg.
A game of 501 or Cricket is a leg. A match is played over a number of legs, like best of five, and longer matches group legs into sets.
The first games to learn
- 501 is the game you see on TV. Each player starts on 501 and counts down to exactly zero, finishing on a double. Go below zero, or leave yourself on 1, and the visit is a bust. See the 501 rules.
- Cricket is as popular as 501 in American leagues. You hit 15 through 20 and the bull three times each to close them, and score on the ones your opponent hasn't closed. See the Cricket rules.
- Around the World is the best first game for a new player: you hit 1, then 2, all the way to 20, and the first one round wins. It teaches you where every number is. See Around the World.
Keeping score
Darts was scored on a chalkboard for a long time, and the job of keeping score is still called chalking. Today most players use a phone or tablet by the board. The Darts App subtracts your scores in 501, shows a checkout route when you can finish, keeps the marks in Cricket, and keeps your averages from the first leg.
Safety and etiquette
- Never walk between the oche and the board while someone is throwing, and wait for all three darts before you go up.
- Stand behind and to the side of the player at the oche, and keep still while they throw.
- Pull your darts out of the board straight back, with a slight twist, not by bending them.
- Shake hands before and after a match, and keep quiet while your opponent is at the oche.
Questions
How do you score in darts?
Each dart scores the number of the segment it lands in. The thin outer ring doubles it, the thin inner ring (the treble) triples it, the green outer bull is 25 and the red bullseye is 50. A turn is three darts, added together.
What is the highest score with three darts?
180: three darts in the treble 20.
What order are the numbers on a dartboard?
Clockwise from the top: 20, 1, 18, 4, 13, 6, 10, 15, 2, 17, 3, 19, 7, 16, 8, 11, 14, 9, 12, 5.
Who throws first in darts?
Each player throws one dart at the bull and the closest goes first. It's called the cork in American leagues and bull up or middle for diddle in the UK.
Free darts scoring that tracks your averages.