Quick start: how to play in 60 seconds
- Standard games (501, 301) start each player at that score and count down.
- Each turn is three darts. Subtract everything you score that turn from your remaining total.
- You must finish (checkout) by reaching exactly zero with a dart that lands in a double segment or the bullseye.
- If you'd go below zero, land on exactly 1, or reach zero without your final dart being a double, that turn is a 'bust' and your score reverts to what it was before the turn started.
- First player to reach exactly zero with a valid double-out finish wins the leg.
- On the club's FLYBY boards, all of this is scored automatically — the board tells you what you need to check out.
Equipment and setup
The club's boards are electronic FLYBY boards rather than traditional bristle boards, but the throwing basics are identical.
- A dartboard (the club uses electronic FLYBY boards with automatic scoring)
- A set of darts per player (usually three per set)
- An oche (throw line), typically 7ft 9¼in from the board face
- A scoreboard — handled automatically by FLYBY
Objective
In 501 and 301, the objective is to reduce your score from the starting total to exactly zero before your opponent, finishing your final turn with a dart in a double segment (or the outer/inner bullseye counts as a double in most rule sets). Cricket and Around the Clock have their own objectives, covered below.
Starting the game
Players usually throw one dart each at the bullseye to decide who goes first (closest to the centre throws first), though on the club's FLYBY boards you can simply select who starts. Each player then throws three darts per turn, alternating turns.
The turn sequence: 501 and 301
Each visit to the board is three darts (unless you check out or bust sooner). Add up what you scored across all three darts and subtract it from your remaining total. Doubles score double the segment's number, and trebles score triple; the bullseye scores 50 (inner) or 25 (outer, sometimes not counted as a double for finishing purposes — check the board's settings).
Whoever reaches exactly zero first, on a valid double, wins the leg. Matches are usually best-of-a-set number of legs.
Scoring and checkouts
A checkout is the finishing combination of darts that brings your score to exactly zero on a double. Common checkouts include 40 (double 20), 32 (double 16), and the highest possible finish, 170 (treble 20, treble 20, bullseye) — nicknamed 'the big fish'.
Good players plan their route to a double several throws in advance rather than just throwing at the highest number available, since leaving yourself on an awkward number (like 169, which has no checkout) can waste a whole turn.
The bust rule and doubles
If a throw would take your score below zero, land you exactly on 1 (which can never be checked out, since there's no double-½), or bring you to zero without the final dart being a double, the turn is a 'bust': none of that turn's scoring counts, and your total reverts to what it was at the start of the turn.
You must finish on a double (or the bullseye, in most double-out formats) — reaching zero on a single or a treble doesn't win the leg, it's a bust.
Other games: Cricket and Around the Clock
Cricket
Cricket uses only the numbers 15 through 20 plus the bullseye. Each number must be 'closed' by hitting it three times (a single counts once, a double twice, a treble all three at once) before either player can score points on it. Once you've closed a number and your opponent hasn't, further hits on it score you points equal to the number's value. The game ends when all numbers are closed and one player has more points, or when one player closes everything first while ahead.
Around the Clock
A simpler game, good for beginners and warm-ups: players must hit the numbers 1 through 20 in order (then the bullseye to finish), moving to the next number only once the current one is hit. First to complete the sequence wins. Some house variants require doubles or trebles to progress on the higher numbers for a harder challenge.
Common variations
301 vs 501
301 is simply a shorter version of 501, starting from a lower total, popular for quicker games or beginners. The bust and double-out rules are identical.
Straight-out vs double-out
Some casual formats drop the double-out requirement, letting any dart finish the leg once the score hits zero. It's faster but generally seen as less skilful, since checkout planning is a core part of the game.
FLYBY game modes
The club's FLYBY interactive boards auto-score every dart and offer multiple built-in game modes beyond standard 501/301 and Cricket — ask staff to talk you through the options on the night if you'd like something different, such as team formats or point-based arcade games.
Glossary
- Bust
- A turn that would take your score below zero, to exactly 1, or to zero without the final dart being a double — the turn is voided.
- Checkout
- The finishing combination of darts that brings a player's score to exactly zero on a double.
- Double-out
- The standard rule requiring the final, leg-winning dart to land in a double segment (or bullseye).
- Leg
- One complete game, from the starting score down to zero.
- Oche
- The throw line players must stand behind.
- Ton
- A score of 100 or more in a single turn (three darts).
Frequently asked questions
How do you finish a game of darts?
By reducing your score to exactly zero with your final dart landing in a double segment (or the bullseye, in most double-out formats). Reaching zero any other way, or going below zero, doesn't count.
What is a bust in darts?
A bust is when a throw would take your score below zero, to exactly 1, or to zero without the final dart being a double — in every case, the whole turn's scoring is cancelled and your total reverts to what it was before you threw.
What is the difference between 501 and 301?
They're the same game with different starting scores — 501 is the standard, longer format, while 301 is a shorter version popular for quicker games or newer players.
What is the highest checkout in darts?
170, made up of two treble 20s and the bullseye (T20, T20, Bull) — often nicknamed 'the big fish'.
How does Cricket scoring work in darts?
Cricket uses only 15–20 and the bullseye. You must hit each number three times to 'close' it before you can score points on it; once closed by you but not your opponent, further hits earn you points equal to that number's value.
Do the club's dartboards score automatically?
Yes — the club's three FLYBY boards auto-score every throw and support multiple game modes, so you don't need to keep score by hand.
How many darts do you throw per turn?
Three, unless you finish the leg or bust sooner in the same turn.
Rules summarised in our own words from the governing bodies below — always check with staff for the exact format on the night.