How Darts Is Scored: The Dartboard Explained for Beginners

If you've ever watched darts and wondered why a player aimed at the 19 instead of the 20, this guide is for you. Here's how the dartboard works.

The numbers

The board is split into 20 segments, numbered 1 to 20. They aren't in order. Going clockwise from the top, they run:

20, 1, 18, 4, 13, 6, 10, 15, 2, 17, 3, 19, 7, 16, 8, 11, 14, 9, 12, 5

The layout is designed to punish missing. High numbers sit next to low ones, so the 20 is between the 1 and the 5. Aim at the 20, drift slightly, and you score very little.

Singles, doubles and trebles

• Single: the large areas of each segment. You score the number.
• Double: the thin outer ring. You score twice the number. Double 20 is worth 40.
• Treble: the thin inner ring. You score three times the number. Treble 20 is worth 60, the highest single-dart score on the board.

The bullseye

• Outer bull (the green ring): 25 points.
• Bullseye (the red centre): 50 points. It counts as a double, so you can use it to finish a game (double 25).

Anything outside the double ring scores nothing.

The highest scores

• 180 is the maximum with three darts: three treble 20s.
• 170 is the highest checkout (finish): treble 20, treble 20, bullseye.

Why do pros aim at the 19?

If the treble 20 is blocked by darts already in it, or a player's darts keep drifting left, they switch to the treble 19. It's worth 57, and the numbers around it (7 and 3) are better than the 1 and 5 around the 20.

How a game works

The most common game is 501. Each player starts on 501 and subtracts what they score each turn. To win, you need to hit exactly zero, finishing on a double. Full details in our guide to 501 rules, and see checkouts explained for how to finish.

Keep score the easy way

Doing maths while trying to aim is hard. A Light Up Scoreboard next to your board means you can write the scores down as you go and see them from across the room. Free UK delivery on every order.