What is the purpose of darts?

Jul 4, 202311 min read

Purpose of darts featured image with social dartboard and darts setup

The purpose of darts is to score points by throwing darts at numbered sections of a dartboard, then in common 501 play reduce your score to exactly zero before your opponent, usually finishing with a double or the bullseye. At a deeper level, darts is a test of accuracy, counting, nerve and repeatable decision-making.

Last reviewed: 23 August 2026. This guide focuses on standard steel-tip darts and common 501-style play. Other games, including cricket, around the clock and soft-tip formats, can have different objectives.

Purpose of darts infographic showing aim score set up and finish to exactly zero — The strategic purpose of darts is controlled finishing: score, set up, then reach exactly zero the right way.

The direct answer

In the simplest sense, the purpose of darts is to throw accurately at a dartboard and score according to where the darts land. In the most common match game, 501, each player starts on 501 points and subtracts their score after each visit.

The winner is the player who reaches exactly zero first. Under standard double-out rules, the final dart must land in a double segment or the bullseye. That is why darts is not only about scoring heavily; it is about finishing correctly.

The purpose in one sentence

Darts is about using three darts per visit to reduce the score with control, leave a finish you can take, and land the final required double before your opponent does.

That sentence matters because it corrects a beginner mistake. New players often think the purpose is simply to hit the highest score. High scoring helps, but it can become wasteful if it leaves an awkward checkout or causes a bust.

How 501 gives darts its shape

501 is the format most people recognise from professional darts. Two players or teams start on 501. Each visit usually consists of up to three darts. The total scored is subtracted from the remaining score.

As the score gets lower, the purpose changes. Early in the leg, players want scoring power. In the middle, they want to leave a sensible finish. At the end, they need precision on doubles. The game gradually shifts from attack to control.

This is why a player on 181 may not simply throw at treble 20 without thinking. They are trying to leave a score that can be finished cleanly on the next visit. The purpose of the throw is shaped by the next throw.

Scoring is only the first layer

The dartboard rewards different areas differently. Singles score the number shown. Trebles score three times the number. Doubles score twice the number and are normally required to finish a leg. The outer bull scores 25 and the bullseye scores 50.

Because treble 20 is worth 60, it is the main scoring target for many players. But once a player is on a finish, the best target may change. On 40, double 20 matters more than treble 20. On 32, double 16 is the direct finish.

So the purpose of each dart is not fixed. A dart can be used to score, to leave, to correct a miss, to apply pressure, or to win the leg.

What finishing teaches you

Finishing is the part of darts that makes the game strategic. You cannot always win by hitting the biggest number available. You need to land the right number at the right time.

If you need 32, the purpose is double 16. If you need 40, the purpose is tops, or double 20. If you need 50, the bullseye can finish the leg. If you need 170, the famous route is treble 20, treble 20, bull.

This is why checkout knowledge matters. A player with moderate scoring but good finishing can beat a player who scores heavily and keeps wasting darts at doubles.

Why exact zero matters

In standard double-out darts, you must reach exactly zero. If you go below zero, leave one, or hit zero without the required double, the visit is bust and the score usually returns to what it was at the start of the visit.

This rule gives darts much of its tension. A player can be close to winning and still lose control of the leg. The closer the score gets to zero, the more each decision matters.

How the purpose changes during a leg

At the start of a 501 leg, the purpose is usually scoring pressure. Players aim for high-value trebles because reducing the total quickly creates control. A strong opening visit does not win the leg by itself, but it can force the opponent to chase.

In the middle of the leg, the purpose becomes route management. A player wants to leave a finish that can be taken in three darts or fewer. That is why experienced players think about the next visit before the current visit is over.

At the end of the leg, the purpose is finishing. The target is no longer “score as much as possible”. The target is the exact double, bull, or setup number that gives the player the best chance to end the leg legally.

Bust management

Busts are one of the clearest signs that darts is a control game. If a player has 16 left and hits a single 16, that does not win under double-out rules. If a player has 12 left and hits treble 12, they have scored too much.

Good players manage that risk. They know which targets leave a double if the first dart misses. They also know when a safer single is better than an ambitious treble. The purpose is not to look brave; it is to leave the highest percentage winning chance.

The social purpose

Darts is also a pub game and a social sport. It gives people a competitive structure that is easy to start but difficult to master. A board, a set of darts and a clear throw line are enough for a meaningful game.

That social purpose explains why darts works in pubs, clubs, homes and professional arenas. Players can talk, compete, improve and watch each other without needing a large pitch or expensive equipment.

The game is accessible, but not shallow. A beginner can enjoy trying to hit singles. A league player can work on checkout routes. A professional can be judged on scoring power, averages, doubling percentage and pressure finishes.

The skill purpose

As a skill game, darts trains repeatable accuracy. The player has to build a stance, grip, throw and follow-through that can survive pressure. The board gives instant feedback because every dart lands somewhere visible.

It also trains arithmetic. Players constantly subtract scores, recognise finishes and choose routes. Good counting does not replace good throwing, but it stops good throwing being wasted.

Finally, darts trains composure. A player may have three darts to win, miss all three, then need to return and throw the same target again under greater pressure. That mental reset is part of the game.

Different games, different purposes

Not every darts game has the same objective. In 501, the aim is to reduce a starting score to exactly zero. In cricket, the purpose is to close scoring numbers and outscore the opponent. In around the clock, the purpose is to hit numbers in sequence.

That is why “what is the purpose of darts?” needs context. The broad purpose is accurate target throwing. The specific purpose depends on the game being played.

There is also a difference between winning a leg and winning a match. A leg is the immediate scoring race. A match asks whether you can repeat that purpose across pressure, rhythm changes and missed chances.

Beginner priorities

A beginner should focus on four things: stand at a legal oche, hit the board consistently, understand basic scoring, and learn the idea of finishing on a double. That is enough to make real games meaningful.

After that, add checkout routes. Learn common finishes such as 40, 32, 24, 20, 16 and 50. These routes explain why players stop aiming at treble 20 near the end of a leg.

Do not judge progress only by 180s. A first maximum is memorable, but a player who steadily improves grouping, counting and doubles will become more reliable.

A simple practice session for the real purpose

Start with ten minutes of scoring practice on the 20 segment. The aim is not only trebles; it is a repeatable group. Record the total every three darts so you start connecting throw quality with scoring output.

Then spend ten minutes on setup numbers. Throw from 61, 81 and 101 and try to leave a finish after one visit. This trains the middle-leg purpose: making the next visit easier.

Finish with ten minutes on doubles. Use double 20, double 16, double 8 and bull. This trains the final purpose of the leg, which is landing the dart that actually wins.

What this means when watching darts

When you watch professional darts, listen for the change in commentary. Early in a leg, commentators talk about maximums and averages. Later, they talk about leaving finishes, preferred doubles, missed darts at double and pressure.

That shift is the purpose of darts made visible. A player who scores 180 but leaves no finish has not completed the job. A player who scores less but leaves a clean double may have made the better decision for the leg.

Equipment that supports the purpose

To play properly at home, start with a quality dartboard, a safe dartboard surround and a correctly measured oche. A dartboard stand helps when a permanent wall setup is not possible.

For throwing, browse darts, dart sets and darts accessories. The right setup supports the real purpose: repeated practice under fair, consistent conditions.

Visual guide: how to apply this at the board

A practical decision map for applying the the purpose of darts answer at a real board.

Use this matrix to turn the the purpose of darts question into the right practice, scoring or setup decision.

Sources used

The purpose changes during the leg

At the start of a leg, the purpose is to score efficiently and leave a finish. In the middle, it is to manage the remaining number. At the end, it is to hit the required double. Darts looks simple because the target is fixed, but the purpose of each visit changes with the score.

Bottom line

The purpose of darts is to throw accurately, score intelligently and, in common 501 play, reach exactly zero before your opponent with the correct finishing dart. The best players are not only high scorers; they are controlled finishers.