Darts – isn’t that just a pub game where people throw darts at a board until they get bored, right? Admittedly, that’s how darts can sound at first, but it’s actually way more exciting than it seems.
If you’re new to darts, you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we’ll cover all the basics so you can not only survive your next darts match but also understand the game and enjoy it.
In darts, players take turns throwing darts at a circular board, which is divided into segments, each with different point values. So far, so simple.
But of course, there are several rules and nuances to consider. Darts is usually played using the “501 Double Out” format, where each player starts with 501 points and must reduce that score to zero by throwing darts precisely. Each player has three darts per turn, then it’s the next player’s go. The trick is that the last dart must land in a double segment – otherwise, it doesn’t count.
Even if a player hits exactly zero points, the game only counts if the final dart lands in a double segment.
This “Double Out” rule can be confusing for beginners, so here’s an example: You throw darts to reduce your score from 501, but the game ends only when your final throw hits a double segment. For example, if you have 40 points left, the perfect way to finish would be hitting a double 20. If you hit a single 20 and then a 10, you must end with a double 5. However, if you overshoot – say, you score more than 40 points – you’ve “overthrown,” and your round becomes invalid. You’ll start the next round with your remaining points (in this case, 40).
You can see that darts is a sport that requires precision mixed with some solid mental math.
By the way, depending on the material of the board and the darts, players distinguish between steel-tip darts and soft-tip darts.
The numbers from 1 to 20 are arranged in a seemingly random order on the outside edge – but in fact the arrangement is deliberately chosen to minimize lucky hits. If you miss, you often end up with a low number right next to the high number.
Then there are the important segments: The small red dot in the middle is the bullseye, the green circle around it is the bull – in the middle there are 50 points, in the outer ring 25.
The thin rings in the middle of the disc are particularly important: the “triple” field brings three times the value of the respective number, the “double” field double the value. The triple 20 (because it scores 60 points and therefore the highest possible number of points per throw) and the double field, which is needed to end the game, are particularly popular.
When watching a darts match, you’ll frequently hear the terms “legs” and “sets” – these are the units used to structure the match.
A Leg is one round where both players try to be the first to reduce their score to zero. Whoever does this wins the leg.
A Set A Set consists of several legs – typically, players need to win a certain number of legs to win the set.
Depending on the tournament format, the winner is the first player to win a predetermined number of sets.
Sounds complicated? Here’s an example: If a match is played in the “Best of 5” format, a player needs to win three sets to win the match. Each set may consist of three or five legs, depending on the tournament rules.
In short, a darts game is a series of smaller rounds, gradually building up to a grand victory.
If you’ve ever watched a darts match, you’ve probably noticed the crowd going wild when someone hits a 180. This is the highest score you can achieve with three darts – three triple-20s. It’s considered the perfect throw. The ultimate feat, however, is a Nine-Darter. This means a player needs exactly nine darts (three rounds of three darts) to reduce their score from 501 to zero – it’s like a “hole-in-one” in darts. Nine-darters are extremely rare, and even the best players only manage them occasionally.
While darts might seem complicated and boring at first glance, it’s actually easier than it appears, and with incredible throws, it can get quite exciting.
