How to play 501 darts.
Start on 501, subtract each visit and finish exactly on zero with a double. Here is the full flow in plain language, plus a free scorer when you want to play.
OPEN FREE 501 SCORERStart every leg on 501
Each player begins with 501 points. Players take turns throwing up to three darts, then subtract the visit total from their remaining score. The aim is to reach exactly zero before the opponent.
Finish on a double
Standard 501 is usually played double-out. Your final dart must land in a double segment, including the inner bull which scores 50. If you have 40 left, for example, double 20 wins the leg.
Understand a bust
A visit is a bust when it takes the score below zero, leaves exactly one in double-out, or reaches zero without finishing on a valid double. When a bust happens, the player's score returns to what it was before that visit.
Legs, sets and match formats
A single game of 501 is a leg. Matches are commonly best-of an odd number of legs, while some competitions also group legs into sets. Dartava keeps the active player, remaining score, bust handling and leg state together in the scorer.
Common questions
Why do players start on 501?
501 creates enough scoring depth for high scoring and checkout strategy while still producing a practical leg length for casual and competitive play.
Can you finish 501 on a single number?
Not in standard double-out 501. The final dart must be a double, or the inner bull when it is treated as double 25.
What happens if I leave one point?
In double-out 501, leaving one is a bust because there is no legal one-dart double finish from one point.