Standard Rules for Darts

The origin of darts can be traced back to Medieval England, when people threw arrows at the bottom of wine barrels. The dart board used today was developed in Britain by Brian Gamblin. Leagues began appearing in Great Britain after World War I and the activity spread to America after World War II. The World Darts Federation was formed in 1973 and, in 1992, a competitor to the WDF, the Professional Darts Corporation, was created.

  1. Playing Area

    • The playing area should be at least 5 feet wide and 11 feet long. Hang the dart board on the wall with the bull's-eye 5 feet 8 inches off the ground. The standard throwing line should be 7 feet 9 1/4 inches from the front of the dart board rather than the wall.

    Equipment

    • The dart board is approximately an 18-inch circle that is divided into sections by a wire frame. The circle is divided into 20 slices with a bull's-eye in the center. The darts cannot be more than a foot long and cannot weigh more than 1.76 ounces.

    Valuing Throws

    • Hitting the large part of a numbered section earns the point value of that section. If the dart lands in the outer ring, the point value of the throw is tripled. If it lands in the inner ring, the point value is doubled. The bull's-eye is worth 50 points and the ring around the bull's-eye is worth 25 points.

    Matches

    • A match is divided into sets, which are divided into legs. Each leg is played to a predetermined odd number, most commonly 501. Each set is made up of an odd number of games, such as nine, with the winner of the set being the competitor who won the most games. Each match is made of an odd number of sets. For shorter game lengths, you can use smaller numbers for each, such as 301, and eliminate the need to win multiple sets or multiple legs.

    Game Play

    • Each leg of the game begins with a straight start, which means points are scored as soon as a thrower lands a dart on the board. Each player throws three darts in a turn, then the opponent throws. Each player starts with 501 points, or another predetermined point total, and has their score reduced by the value of each throw, with the objective to get to zero. For example, if your first throw is worth 50 points, your score drops to 451. In order to win a leg, you must go out on a double. For example, if you have 20 points left, you must hit a double 10 to win. If you score higher than the points you have left, the score is reset to the total before that turn.