Learn to play darts
A friend has invited you to do this with them.
In 501, the standard game, you count down from 501 three darts at a time and must finish exactly on a double. Local leagues play it in pubs, bars and clubs on a set night each week, and some, such as the Ventura County Dart Association in California, welcome beginners as well as experienced players.
GentleUnder £100 / $130A few weeksIndoorsWith othersUK and US
How 501 works
Under the World Darts Federation's rules, the narrow outer band of the board scores double the segment number and the inner band treble. The outer centre ring scores 25 and the bull 50. A dart scores only if its point stays in or touches the board; one that bounces off or falls out cannot be thrown again.
Each player starts on 501 and, after each throw of three darts, subtracts the total. To start scoring you only need to land a dart inside the outer doubles wire. To finish you must hit the double worth exactly what you have left, so with 40 left you need double 20, and with 50 left, the bull. If a throw scores more than you have left, or leaves you on one, it does not count and your score goes back to what it was. Some versions also need a double to start; the PDC's World Grand Prix is played double in, double out.
Who goes first is settled by throwing for the bull. The player whose dart lands nearer the centre throws first.
League nights follow the same game. The Cheshire Darts Organisation's Super League plays 501 with a straight start and a double finish, on Sunday evenings, and its rules say players must play Super League in Cheshire to be considered for the county side. The Ventura County Dart Association in California plays steel-tip darts on Thursday nights for teams and Tuesdays for singles, in seasons of about 14 to 16 weeks, with divisions by skill level and a choice of handicapped or not. Players without a team can fill in a form and the association will try to place them.
Ways in and what they cost
| Where | Format | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| Oakleaf Sports Complex, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham | Dartboards to use seven days a week, in 30-minute sessions | £1 a person for members, £2 for non-members |
| Maltby and District Invitation Darts League | Thursday league, teams of seven, 501 starting and finishing on a double; 2026-27 season | £40 registration per team, however many players |
| Ventura County Dart Association, California | Steel-tip team and singles leagues; 501, 301 and Cricket | $25 season league fee |
| American Darts Organization | Individual membership, US residents only | $30 for one year, $50 for two years |
The ADO says current individual members can enter its National Championships at the National Qualifier level. At Ventura County, alternates pay nothing until they have played three times for the same team in a season.
How to start
- Hang a board at regulation height, with the centre of the bull 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) from the floor and the throw line 2.37 m (7 ft 9¼ in) from the face of the board.
- Learn 501 to the rules: three darts a turn, finish on a double or the bull, and a throw that takes you past zero or leaves one does not count.
- Find a league. Ask at local pubs and your county darts organisation; in the US, the American Darts Organization lists affiliated associations, which you can filter by state.
Where to go
- World Darts Federation: playing and tournament rules (PDF)
- Cheshire Darts Organisation: Super League UK
- Oakleaf Sports Complex, Newton Aycliffe: darts UK
- American Darts Organization: affiliated associations US
- Ventura County Dart Association: sign up (California) US
We opened these links on 13 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
Plan this
Two ways to plan it.
Plan it yourself Free
The links you need to book it, get there, find somewhere to stay and eat, and see what else there is to do nearby. They are searches for you to run; nothing is saved.
Show the links
Plan it with dates
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. Courses and classes have start dates and can fill up, so the plan begins with finding and booking one. Kit comes after the first session, once you know what you need.
Questions people ask
How high should a dartboard be?
The World Darts Federation's rules put the centre of the bull 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) from the floor, with the throw line 2.37 m (7 ft 9¼ in) from the face of the board. The diagonal from the bull to the back of the oche at floor level is 2.93 m.
Do you have to finish on a double in darts?
In 501, yes. You must finish on the double, or the bull, worth exactly your remaining score; a throw that goes past zero or leaves you on one does not count.
Who throws first in darts?
Players throw for the bull, and the one nearer the centre throws first.
How do I join a darts league?
Ask at local pubs or your county darts organisation. In the US, the American Darts Organization lists affiliated associations by state, and some, such as Ventura County, will place individual players with a team.
Where this comes from: World Darts Federation, Playing and tournament rules (rev. 20, 28 February 2018); PDC, Rules of darts; Cheshire Darts Organisation, Super League; Maltby and District Invitation Darts League, Rules 2026-27 (PDF); Great Aycliffe Town Council, Oakleaf Sports Complex darts; American Darts Organization, Current affiliations; American Darts Organization, Individual membership application; Ventura County Dart Association, Sign up. Opened 13 November 2026.
Read next
Brenda Willison, Newmarket's town crier, took two Guinness records with one oyez
How Brenda Willison, a former catering manager, became a town crier in 1987, cried at Buckingham Palace and the River Kwai, and in 2026 set Guinness World Records for the loudest shout by a woman and the loudest female town crier; and how to use, train and look after your own voice, from a choir to a crier's competition.
Toasters, fans and a red vacuum: the Cincinnati volunteers who have mended nearly 1,400 cast-offs
Cincinnati's Tinker Team has restored nearly 1,400 household electronics in a year and a half, with no budget for parts and no experience needed to join. What they fix, why repair is worth learning, and how to find a repair event near you.