How does a game of darts work?
B · Beginner · The game · 1 of 4Each player starts on a set total, usually 501, and takes turns to throw three darts. The score of each throw is taken off what remains. The first player to reach exactly zero, with the last dart in a double or the bull, wins the leg. A match is a set number of legs, sometimes grouped into sets.
How it works
- The start: a fixed odd total set by the event, such as 501, 701 or 1001.
- A throw: up to three darts per turn.
- Subtracting: each throw's score comes off the score remaining.
- Starting to score: any dart inside the outer double wire counts from the first throw.
- Finishing: the last dart must land in the double, or the bull, that brings the score to exactly zero.
- Bust: going below zero, reaching zero without a double or leaving one cancels the whole throw.
- Legs and sets: a match is the best of an odd number of legs, or of sets made of an odd number of legs.
- Darts used: steel-tipped darts on a bristle board.
The glossary has the leg, the throw, the straight start, the doubles out, the bust and the match (darts).
Tricky cases
What is the highest score with three darts?
180: three darts in the treble 20, worth 60 each.
Can a player win with a single 50?
Yes. The bull counts as double 25, so it can finish a leg needing 50.
What is the fewest darts to win a 501 leg?
Nine: two 180s and a 141 finish ending on a double. This is the nine-darter.
Is the start total always 501?
No. The event sets a fixed odd number; 501 is the usual one for singles.
Why the rule exists
Counting down and finishing on a double means the end of a leg needs precision, not only high scoring. A player can lead for most of a leg and still lose it on the doubles.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| WDF events | Straight start, double finish | WDF 2.01, 2.02 |
| Event totals | Set by the event: 501, 701, 1001 | WDF 3.01 |
| Other darts bodies | The professional tour has its own rules | Not saved |
From the rule book
World Darts Federation, Playing and Tournament Rules (twentieth revised edition, 28 February 2018), Definition and Playing Rules 1.03, 2.01, 2.02, 2.05, 2.10, 2.11 and 3.01. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the WDF Playing and Tournament Rules.