DartMate guide

How to score a game of 501

The rules of 501 darts in plain English, from the first visit to the winning double.

501 is the standard game in pub, league and professional darts. Each player starts on 501 and counts down to exactly zero. Here is everything you need to keep score correctly.

The basic rules

1. Each player throws three darts per turn, called a visit.
2. Add up the three darts and subtract the total from your score. The most you can score in one visit is 180 (three treble 20s).
3. You must reach exactly zero, and the final dart must land in a double or the bullseye. This is called double out.
4. The first player to check out wins the leg. Matches are played as best of a number of legs, and longer matches are grouped into sets (usually best of five legs per set).

How the board scores

• Single: the large areas score the number shown on the outside of the board, 1 to 20.
• Treble: the thin inner ring scores three times the number. Treble 20 = 60.
• Double: the thin outer ring scores twice the number. Double 16 = 32.
• Outer bull: the green ring around the centre scores 25.
• Bullseye: the red centre scores 50 and counts as a double, so it can finish a leg.
• A dart that misses the scoring area, or bounces out, scores nothing.

Busts

Your visit is bust and scores nothing if any dart:

• takes you below zero (on 32, hitting 40),
• leaves you on exactly 1, which can't be finished on a double, or
• takes you to zero on anything other than a double or the bull (on 20, hitting a single 20).

When you bust, stop throwing. Your score goes back to what it was at the start of the visit and it's your opponent's turn. Example: you're on 2 and hit a single 10. That's bust, so you stay on 2.

A worked example

On 96 the book route is T20 · D18; see the checkout chart for every score.

Setting up the board

• Hang the board so the centre of the bullseye is 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) from the floor, with the 20 at the top.
• The throw line (the oche) is 2.37 m (7 ft 9¼ in) from the face of the board, measured along the floor.

Other X01 games

301 is a shorter version that suits beginners and quick games; some players play it "double in", where scoring only starts once you hit a double. 701 is a longer game, often used for pairs. The rules are otherwise the same.

Common questions

What is a bust in darts?

A visit is bust if it takes your score below zero, leaves exactly 1, or reaches zero without the last dart landing in a double or the bullseye. The whole visit is cancelled and your score goes back to what it was before that visit.

Do you have to finish on a double in 501?

Yes in standard 501: the last dart must land in the double ring or the bullseye (50). Some casual games are played "straight out", where any segment can finish.

What is the fewest darts to win a leg of 501?

Nine. A nine-darter usually goes 180, 180, then a 141 checkout such as treble 20, treble 19, double 12.

How many darts do you throw per turn?

Three. A turn is called a visit. You can stop early if you check out with the first or second dart.

Who throws first?

Usually each player throws one dart at the bull and the closest throws first in the first leg. After that, the start alternates each leg.