Bogey Numbers in Darts: The 7 Scores That End Your Leg (and How to Avoid Them)

What Is a Bogey Number?

A bogey number is any score under 170 that cannot be taken out in three darts. The phrase comes from golf, where "bogey" means one over par — a score that costs you. In darts, a bogey number costs you the leg because even a perfect visit cannot finish it.

To finish a leg of 501, your last dart must hit a double. The highest possible score in one dart is treble 20 (60 points). In three darts, the theoretical maximum is 180, but the maximum checkout is 170 because the third dart must be a double. To land on exactly 170, you throw two treble 20s (60 + 60 = 120) and the bullseye (50 points = double 25).

A bogey number is a score where every possible combination of three darts either overshoots the total or leaves a remainder that requires a non-existent double (like D21 or D24) or a score that simply is not a double on the board.

The 7 Bogey Numbers: Why Each One Is Unfinishable

169 — One Point from Perfection

Two treble 20s (120) leave 49. 49 is not a double on any dartboard. You could try T20 + T19 (117) and leave 52 — also not a double. T19 + T19 (114) leaves 55. Every route from 169 hits a dead end.

The fix: Leave 170 instead. T20 + T20 + bullseye is the highest three-dart finish in darts. The difference between 169 and 170 is one single point — but it separates a winning checkout from a wasted visit. Read the full breakdown on our how to avoid 169 page.

168 — The Phantom D24

Two treble 20s (120) leave 48. D24 does not exist on a standard dartboard — the highest double is D20 (40), then bullseye (50). T20 + T19 (117) leaves 51, which needs T17 to reach zero — but you must finish on a double, not a treble.

The fix: Leave 167 instead. T20 + T19 + bullseye is a clean out. Dropping one treble 20 to a treble 19 converts a dead score into a live finish. Read the full breakdown on our how to avoid 168 page.

166 — Two Points Either Way

Two treble 20s (120) leave 46, which needs D23 (non-existent). T20 + T19 (117) leaves 49. T19 + T19 (114) leaves 52. 166 is unfinishable from every angle.

The fix: Leave 167 or 164. 164 uses T20 + T18 + bullseye, shifting your second dart target to create a live out. Read the full breakdown on our how to avoid 166 page.

165 — Five Points from a Finish

Two treble 20s (120) leave 45, which is not a double. T20 + T19 (117) leaves 48 (needs D24). T19 + T19 (114) leaves 51 (needs T17, not a double). 165 is a dead score.

The fix: Leave 167 or 164. Both are valid three-dart finishes that start with T20 and adjust the second and third darts. Read the full breakdown on our how to avoid 165 page.

163 — Just Off the Board

Two treble 20s (120) leave 43. T20 + T19 (117) leaves 46. T19 + T19 (114) leaves 49. None of these are doubles on a standard board.

The fix: Leave 164 instead. T20 + T18 + bullseye is a valid out that uses the same first dart but adjusts your second dart target. Read the full breakdown on our how to avoid 163 page.

162 — The D21 Dead End

Two treble 20s (120) leave 42, which would require D21 — the highest non-existent double on this list. T20 + T19 (117) leaves 45. T19 + T19 (114) leaves 48. 162 is a classic bogey number because it is tantalisingly close to 161, which is a valid finish.

The fix: Leave 161 instead. T20 + T17 + bullseye is a valid out that shifts your scoring target to create a live finish. Read the full breakdown on our how to avoid 162 page.

159 — The Lowest Bogey over 100

Two treble 20s (120) leave 39, which is not a double. T20 + T19 (117) leaves 42 (D21). T19 + T19 (114) leaves 45. 159 is the lowest bogey number above 100, and one of the most common ones amateur players leave without realising.

The fix: Leave 160 instead. T20 + T20 + D20 (tops) is one of the most common finishes in darts. One point higher converts a bogey into a favourite out shot for most club-level players. Read the full breakdown on our how to avoid 159 page.

Board Management: The Skill That Prevents Bogey Numbers

Board management is the practice of thinking one visit ahead. Before you throw your last dart of a turn, you should know exactly what score you want to leave. If your current score minus the darts you have thrown leaves a bogey number, adjust your target.

For example, if you are on 329 after five visits, your last three darts should leave a valid out. If you throw treble 20 (60) and then treble 20 again (60), you are on 209. Your third dart should not aim at treble 20 (which would leave 149 — a score that needs 2 visits to finish). Instead, aim to leave one of the valid three-dart finishes: 170, 167, 164, 161, or 160.

This is the difference between a player who finishes legs and a player who gives away opportunities. Board management is a learned skill, not a natural instinct. The more you practice it, the more automatic it becomes.

The Five Valid High Out Shots to Memorise

There are five valid three-dart finishes above 159. Memorising these is the fastest way to stop leaving bogey numbers:

• 170: T20 (60) + T20 (60) + bullseye (50) — the big fish
• 167: T20 (60) + T19 (57) + bullseye (50) — the crown jewel
• 164: T20 (60) + T18 (54) + bullseye (50) — the alternate route
• 161: T20 (60) + T17 (51) + bullseye (50) — the blocker special
• 160: T20 (60) + T20 (60) + D20 (40) — tops

These five finishes share a pattern: start with T20 (or T19 when 20 is blocked), adjust the second dart based on the remainder, and finish on the bullseye or D20. If you learn these five routes, you eliminate every bogey number from your game.

Test Your Knowledge: Bogey Numbers Quiz

Think you know your bogey numbers? Take our Bogey Numbers Quiz and find out. Five random questions pulled from a pool of ten — a different challenge every time. Match-level board management starts with knowing which scores are dead before you step to the oche.

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