How do you play 501 darts?

Each player starts on 501 and takes turns throwing three darts. The total is subtracted from their score, and the first player to reach exactly zero — finishing on a double in standard rules — wins the leg.

What happens if you go below zero in 501?

That visit is a bust: your score returns to what it was before the visit and your turn ends. Leaving exactly 1, or reaching zero without a double in double-out play, is also a bust.

Who throws first in darts?

Players usually throw one dart each at the bull and the closest goes first. In a match the first throw then alternates every leg.

What are legs and sets in darts?

A leg is one game of 501. A set is a group of legs — usually first to 3 legs — and pro matches are decided by sets.

ChillDarts › Learn › How to Play 501

How to Play 501 Darts

501 is the game you see on TV and in every pub league: each player counts down from 501 to exactly zero. Here's everything you need to play your first leg.

The basic rules

Every player starts on 501.
Players take turns throwing three darts — one turn is called a visit.
The total of the three darts is subtracted from your score.
The first player to reach exactly 0 wins the leg.
In standard 501 the last dart must be a double (or the bullseye, which counts as double 25). This is called double out.

New to the board itself? How darts scoring works explains singles, doubles, trebles and the bull.

What is a bust?

A visit is a bust if it would take you below zero, leave you on exactly 1 (you can't finish 1 on a double), or reach zero without a double. When you bust, your score goes back to what it was at the start of that visit and your turn ends — any darts you haven't thrown yet are lost.

Example: you need 32. Your first dart hits single 20 (12 left), your second hits single 12 — that's zero, but not on a double. Bust: you're back on 32 next visit.

An example leg

Here's a realistic casual leg, visit by visit:

Start501

Visit 1: T20, S20, S5 (85)416

Visit 2: T20, S20, S20 (100)316

Visit 3: S20, S1, T20 (81)235

Visit 4: T20, T20, S20 (140)95

Visit 5: T19, S6, S16 (79)16

Visit 6: S8, S8 — zero, but not on a doubleBust → 16

Visit 7: D8Game shot!

Notice visit 5: aiming at double 16 (32 left) and landing in the single 16 still left a double — 16 is D8. That's why players love 32 and 40 as finishing numbers.

How to score well

Aim at treble 20 while your score is high. If your darts drift left a lot, treble 19 is a safer area (its neighbours, 7 and 3, are kinder than 20's neighbours 1 and 5).
Plan your finish from about 170 down. 170 is the highest checkout (T20, T20, Bull); a few numbers below it, like 169, can't be finished at all.
Leave yourself a friendly double — 32 (D16) or 40 (D20) — instead of an odd number.
Not sure what to throw? Use the checkout chart & calculator.

Who throws first?

Usually each player throws one dart at the bull, and the closest goes first ("bull up" or "middle for diddle"). In a match, the start then alternates every leg so nobody keeps the advantage of throwing first.

Legs and sets

One game of 501 is a leg. Casual matches are often "best of 3" or "best of 5" legs. Professional events group legs into sets — typically first to 3 legs wins a set, and the match is first to a number of sets.

How long does a leg take?

The fewest darts possible is nine (for example 180, 180, then a 141 checkout) — the famous nine-darter. Casual players usually need somewhere between 20 and 40 darts, and that's completely fine.

Play it free

Ready to throw? The free ChillDarts 501 scorer counts down for you, catches busts, and suggests checkouts as you go.

Play 501 free →