Darts Rules: How to Play 501 & 301

Darts looks simple: throw three darts, add up what you hit, take it off your score, and race a friend to zero. The details — how you're allowed to finish, what counts as a bust, and how a match is structured — are where beginners trip up. This guide covers all of it for the two standard games, 501 and 301.

The board and how scoring works

A standard board has 20 numbered segments plus the bullseye. Where a dart lands decides its value:

The most points you can score with three darts is 180 — three treble 20s. That maximum is the number every player chases, and it's why "one hundred and eighty!" is the sport's signature call.

501 — the standard game

501 is the game you'll see in every professional final. The rules are short:

1. Every player (or team) starts on 501.
2. You throw three darts per turn and subtract the total from your score.
3. The first to bring their score down to exactly zero wins the leg — but the last dart must land on a double (or the bullseye, which counts as a double). This is the double-out rule.

The double-out (checkout) rule

You can't just run your score to zero any old way — the dart that finishes must be a double. If you're sitting on 40, you finish on double 20. On 32, the classic finish is double 16. Working out which double to leave yourself is the skill of "checking out" — our checkout chart gives the recommended finish for every score from 170 down to 2.

The bust rule

Your turn is a bust — no score counts and you go back to what you had at the start of the turn — if you:

• score more than your remaining total,
• bring your score to exactly 1 (you can't finish on 1, because there's no "double ½"), or
• reach zero without finishing on a double.

Example: you're on 20 and hit a single 20 with your first dart — that leaves 0 but not on a double, so it's a bust and your score stays at 20. Leave yourself 16 (single 4) or go straight for double 10 instead.

301 — the shorter game

301 plays exactly like 501 but starts 200 points lower, so legs are quicker — good for bigger fields and casual nights. It's often played double-in, double-out: your scoring doesn't begin until you hit a double, and you still finish on one. Double-in adds a jolt of tension at the start, since a cold player can throw several turns before they're even "in". PowerDarts League lets you switch double-in on or off in settings.

Legs, sets and who wins the match

A single game to zero is a leg. Matches are usually best of an odd number of legs — best of 5 means first to 3. Longer matches add another layer called sets, where you win a set by winning a number of legs, and the match by winning a number of sets. For a home league, best-of-5 or best-of-7 legs keeps games competitive without dragging.

Who throws first?

Players decide the first throw with a "bull-up" (also called the cork): each player throws one dart at the bull, and whoever lands closest throws first. The inner bull beats the outer bull. In later legs, the loser of the previous leg usually throws first to keep it fair.

Etiquette and the basics of a fair game

• Stand behind the oche (the throw line) — no leaning over it. See our board setup guide for the regulation distance.
• Only retrieve your darts once all three are thrown and the score is agreed.
• Don't distract a thrower at the line — wait until they've thrown.
• Agree the game (501 or 301), the finish rule (straight or double out) and the match length before the first dart.

Keep reading

Checkout chart (170–2) · Dartboard height & distance · Darts glossary · How to run a league night