Darts Rules: How 501 Works

Darts looks simple from the sofa: throw three darts, score as many points as you can. But step up to the oche in a league match and you need to know about finishing on a double, going bust, legs and sets, and who throws first. This page explains the official rules of darts, focusing on 501, the format used in almost every competition and on television. By the end, you will know exactly how a match works and what is and is not allowed.

The board and how scoring works

A standard steel-tip dartboard is divided into 20 numbered segments. The 20 sits at the top, with the 1 to its right and the 5 to its left. Each segment contains several scoring areas:

• Single: the large areas, worth the number of the segment.
• Double: the thin outer ring, worth twice the segment value. Double 20 scores 40.
• Treble: the thin inner ring, worth three times the value. Treble 20 scores 60, the highest single-dart score.
• Outer bull: the green ring around the centre, worth 25.
• Bullseye: the red centre, worth 50. It also counts as a double (double 25).

The maximum score with three darts is 180: three treble 20s. A dart only counts if it stays in the board. Darts that miss the scoring area, bounce out or fall out before being removed do not score.

The board setup

For steel-tip darts, the centre of the bullseye is 173 cm (5 ft 8 in) from the floor. The throwing distance, measured horizontally from the face of the board to the back of the oche, is 237 cm (7 ft 9¼ in). The diagonal from the bullseye to the back of the oche is 293 cm (9 ft 7⅜ in). Use that diagonal to check that your setup is right.

Steel-tip and soft-tip

The rules on this page apply to steel-tip darts, thrown at a bristle board. Soft-tip darts are played on electronic boards that score automatically. The basic 501 rules are the same, but soft-tip competitions often use a slightly longer throwing distance of around 244 cm (8 ft), and some formats allow straight-out finishes without a double. Bounce-outs on electronic boards may also be treated differently, because the board registers the score as soon as the dart hits the segment. If you play in a soft-tip league, check the specific rules of that organisation.

How 501 works

In 501, each player starts on 501 points. Players take turns to throw three darts, and the total of each turn is subtracted from their remaining score. The first player to reach exactly zero wins the leg.

Finishing on a double

The key rule: you must finish the leg with a dart in a double or the bullseye. If you have 40 left, you need double 20. On 32, you need double 16. This final shot is called the checkout. For the best routes to every finish, see our checkout chart.

Going bust

If you score more than you need, leave yourself on 1, or reach zero without finishing on a double, you have gone bust. The whole turn is cancelled and your score goes back to what it was at the start of that turn. You can never finish on 1, because there is no double worth half a point.

Example of a turn

You need 60. Your first dart hits single 20, leaving 40. Your second dart drifts into single 5, leaving 35, an odd number you cannot finish with one double. Your third dart hits single 3, leaving 32. Next turn, you go for double 16.

Legs, sets and matches

• Legs format: the first player to win a set number of legs wins the match. In a "best of 11 legs" match, the first to six legs wins.
• Sets format: legs are grouped into sets, usually best of five legs. The first to three legs wins the set, and the first to a set number of sets wins the match. This format is used at the PDC World Championship.

Players normally alternate who throws first in each leg. The player who throws first has a small advantage. Winning a leg your opponent started is called a break of throw.

Who goes first? Bulling up

Before a match, players usually bull up: each throws one dart at the bullseye, and the closest gets to choose whether to throw first. If both players hit the same scoring area of the bull, most rules require them to throw again. Exact procedures vary between organisations.

Rules at the oche

• Behind the line: your feet must stay behind the oche while you throw. You may lean forward.
• Three darts per turn: you throw a maximum of three darts. A dart dropped by accident can usually be thrown again if it is within reach from behind the oche.
• Score before removing: the score is called once all three darts have been thrown. Only then do you retrieve them.
• Where it counts: a dart scores where its point enters the board, not where the barrel or flight rests.
• Etiquette: do not distract your opponent or stand in their line of sight while they throw.

Other formats

Not every game starts on 501. 301 is shorter and is often played in pub leagues, sometimes with double in: your score only starts counting once you hit a double. Team games sometimes use 701 or more. Games such as Cricket follow completely different rules.

The perfect leg: a nine-darter

The fastest possible leg of 501 takes nine darts. The classic route is two 180s followed by a 141 checkout, such as treble 20, treble 19 and double 12. A nine-darter is the darts equivalent of a hole-in-one: rare, spectacular and the dream of every player.

Averages explained

Players are often rated by their three-dart average: the average score per turn of three darts. Casual players often average between 30 and 50, strong league players are above 60, and the world's best regularly average around 100 or more. To raise yours, try our practice routines.

Frequently asked questions

Do you always have to finish on a double?

In official 501 matches, yes. In casual games at home, players sometimes agree that any finish counts, but that is not the official rule.

Does a bounce-out count?

No. A dart that does not stay in the board scores nothing and, under most rules, cannot be rethrown in the same turn.

What is the highest score in one turn?

The highest score with three darts is 180, scored with three treble 20s. Practise on the treble 20 to push your scores higher.