How to Score Darts: The Complete Beginner's Guide to Darts Scoring

The Dartboard: How Each Scoring Zone Works

A standard dartboard is divided into 20 numbered segments. Each segment has four scoring zones: the single ring, the double ring, the triple ring, and another single ring before you reach the bullseye. The number at the top of the board tells you which value that segment is worth. Here is how each zone works.

The Single Ring

The single ring is the largest area on the board. It is the wide section between the double ring (outermost) and the triple ring (inner thin ring), and then again between the triple ring and the bullseye. Hitting the single ring scores the face value of that segment. A single 20 gives you 20 points. A single 5 gives you 5. Most of your early scoring will come from hitting singles on the high numbers.

The Double Ring

The double ring is the thin outermost ring on the board. If your dart lands here, you score double the segment's number. Double 20 is worth 40 points. Double 10 is worth 20. The double ring matters more than any other zone because you must hit one to win a game of 501. You cannot check out (finish) on a single. Every leg of 501 ends on either a double or the bullseye, which counts as a double.

The Triple Ring

The triple ring is the thin ring roughly halfway between the double and the bullseye. Hitting it triples the segment value. Triple 20 is 60 points. Triple 19 is 57. Three triple 20s in a single turn gives you 180 points, the highest score possible in one visit. This is called a "ton eighty" and it is the most celebrated feat in darts scoring.

The Bullseye: Outer and Inner

The bullseye sits at the center of the board and has two scoring zones. The outer bull (the green ring) is worth 25 points. The inner bull (the red center) is worth 50 points. The inner bull also counts as a double, which means you can finish a leg on it. Many beginners think the bullseye is the highest-value target, but three triple 20s (180) score more than three inner bulls (150). For a deeper breakdown, see our guide to how much a bullseye is worth in darts.

How 501 Scoring Works: Counting Down to Zero

501 is the standard format for professional darts. Every player starts at 501 points and takes turns throwing three darts. The total value of each turn is subtracted from their current score. The first player to reach exactly zero wins the leg. Here are the rules that govern every turn.

Three darts per turn. You throw all three darts before the total is subtracted. You cannot stop after one or two darts unless you win. If your third dart leaves you on 1, that is okay — you just need to set up a double on your next turn.

Double out. You must hit a double (or the inner bullseye) to reduce your score to zero. Hitting a single that would leave zero does not win the leg. For example, if you need 32 points, you must hit double 16. A single 16 leaves you on 16, and you still need another double.

Busting. If your three-dart total exceeds your remaining score, or if it leaves you on 1 (since 1 has no double), you "bust." Your score stays unchanged for that turn, and it is the next player's turn. The one exception: if your third dart leaves you on 0 and it is a double, you win. Otherwise, a bust resets your score to what it was before the turn.

Winning. The minimum number of darts needed to finish a leg of 501 is 9. That requires six triple 20s for 360 points, then triple 20 (60), triple 19 (57), and double 12 (24) for the remaining 141. A 9-darter is the perfect leg and extremely rare. Most legs take 15 to 18 darts at the professional level and 30 to 40 darts for amateur players.

Checkout Math: The Finishing Numbers You Need to Know

You do not need to be a math genius to score darts, but knowing a handful of checkout numbers saves you from stepping up to the oche without a plan. Here are the most common finishes and the doubles you should memorize.

Common Two-Dart and Three-Dart Checkouts

40: Double 20. If you hit single 20 instead (left on 20), you go for double 10 next dart.

32: Double 16. Single 16 leaves 16, and double 8 finishes it. This is one of the safest checkouts because you have two chances at a double.

36: Double 18. Single 18 leaves 18 (double 9).

50: Bullseye. Many pros go 10 - double 20 or 18 - double 16 instead, depending on confidence.

100+ finishes: With three darts in hand, you can finish any score from 61 to 170 except the seven bogey numbers (169, 168, 166, 165, 163, 162, 159). The most famous is the 170 or "big fish" — triple 20, triple 20, inner bullseye. Our guide to darts slang covers why 26 points is called "breakfast" and other scoring lingo you will hear in a pub match.

The best way to get comfortable with checkout numbers is to practice them. Dartsva's performance tracking tools let you log your checkout attempts and see which doubles you hit most often, so you know exactly what to work on.

Try It: The 501 Score Simulator

Reading about scoring helps, but practicing the countdown is what makes it stick. Try the simulator below. Select a segment, click "Throw," and watch the score subtract from 501. The simulator handles busts, double-out finishing, and turn management so you can focus on the math.

Keep going until you can mentally calculate what a triple 20 + single 20 + double 10 leaves you on. With the simulator, you can run through dozens of practice legs in a few minutes without picking up a real dart.

Common Scoring Mistakes Beginners Make

Even experienced players mess up scoring sometimes. Here are the most common errors to watch out for.

Forgetting You Need a Double

The most common beginner mistake: reaching zero with a single and thinking you won. If you need 20 and hit a single 20, you did not win. You still need double 10 (or any double worth 10). The leg continues. This catches every new player at some point.

Misunderstanding the Bullseye

Beginners often think the outer bull (25) is a double. It is not. Only the inner bull (50) counts as a double for finishing. So if you need 25 to finish, hitting the outer bull does not win the leg — you need double 12 (24) and you have missed. The outer bull is a single. The inner bull is a double.

Busting When You Meant to Set Up

When you are on a score like 2, you must hit double 1 to finish. Many players try to aim for a single 1 (leaving 1) or something else to reset, but hitting a single 1 puts you on 1, which has no double, and that is a bust. The correct play on 2 is to either hit double 1 or miss the board entirely (wasting one dart) and set up on your next turn.

Mental Math Errors Under Pressure

When the pressure is on, simple subtraction goes wrong. You hit triple 20 (60) and think you are on 121 when you are really on 111. Then you aim for the wrong double and bust. The fix: always do the subtraction out loud before picking up your darts. Say "501 minus 60 is 441" so your brain processes it before you throw.

Darts Scoring Etiquette: How to Keep Score in a Match

Whether you are scoring a pub league match or a casual game with friends, a few unwritten rules keep things smooth.

The chalker calls the score. Whoever is keeping score announces the total after each player's turn before it is written down. The thrower can disagree and request a recount, but once the score is written, it stands. Do not change a written score unless both players agree.

Pull your darts before the score is written. If the scorekeeper has not finished writing, do not pull your darts from the board. The marks in the board are the evidence. Pulling early makes disputes impossible to resolve.

Use the right notation. Standard scoring uses a slash (/) for the first mark on a segment in games like cricket, and simple numbers in X01. Write clearly so both players can read the board. Dartsva's match tracking handles all of this automatically — no chalk, no disputes.

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