Dartboard Regulations

In olden times, nothing was more entertaining than a beer at a pub combined with a great game of darts. Even today, the trend continues, with darts now being officially considered a pub sport, and with official dart tournaments and championships being organized. What started out as a simple entertainment has now become a world renowned indoor sport. If you wish to play an authentic game of darts, take a look at this guide that can help you organize your very own championship. These are the official American dartboard regulations, as recognized by the American Darts Organization (ADO).

Parameters of a Dartboard

• The diameter of the dartboard should be a maximum of 18 inches or 457 mm.
• The first ring in the dartboard, beginning from the outside, after the ring with the numbers, is known as the Double Ring.
• Further inward, the narrow ring is called the Triple Ring.
• The ring encircling the exact center of the board is called the Bull.
• The circle at the exact center of the board is the Bull's eye.
• The maximum size of the dart should not exceed 12 inches.

Placement of a Dartboard

• The center of the dartboard, or the bull's eye should be placed at a height of 1.73 m or 5 ft 8 inches from the floor.
• The minimum distance from where a player will throw a dart is 2.37 m or 7 ft 9¼ inches.
• A hockey (pronounced 'okki') line marks the position of the player. Ideally, it should be a 38 mm or 1½ inch raised bar, and 610 mm or 2 ft long, placed at the minimum throwing distance. In case a bar is not available, you may use a tape to mark the hockey line, placed at the minimum throwing distance from the inner edge of the tape to the dartboard.
• The scoreboard is to be placed laterally, at a distance of 4 ft from the board.

Game Rules

• All darts are to be thrown by the hand, held in the manner one holds a pen.
• Every throw provides 3 chances, unless the bull's eye is hit within less than the given amount.
• No dart is to be touched once it hits the dartboard, during the throw. If it is touched, the throw will be deemed completed.
• If a dart bounces off the board, or falls before a minimum of 5 seconds after hitting it, it cannot be thrown again.
• This game is usually played among 2 people only, though in some cases there may be team events. The decision as to which player will begin is decided by flipping a coin. The player who wins the coin flip decides who goes first.
• The game begins by 'throwing the cork', that is hitting the bull's eye or bull. Thus, the player who throws first, first throws the cork. The player who throws closest to the cork throws the 1st leg, or the 1st game of the match.
• The player who loses the first leg, can throw the cork first in the second leg. A third leg may be necessary in some cases, in which the player who lost the coin flip can throw the cork first.
• The second player or thrower may ask for the dart of the first player to be removed, after acknowledging it as an inner or outer Bull or Cork. If the dart is removed without consent of the second player, then there will be a re-throw, where the second player will now go first.
• A re-throw also occurs when a scorer is unable to decide the placement of the dart closest to the cork, after all the darts have been removed. However, the decision of the scorer will be final.
• The game is played when each player has been given a preset score, either 501 or 301. The game is completed when this score is reduced to an exact zero. If a player attains a score that is less than zero, then he is 'busted' and his score is reset to the required score at the beginning of the throw.
• A leg is completed when a player hits the 'double' that is necessary to reduce the score to zero.

Scoring Pattern

• A dart must remain fixed on the dartboard for a minimum of 5 seconds, after the third or last dart has been thrown by the player, to be counted for a score. It should be affixed to the bristle of the board.
• A score is decided by the side of the wire on which the dart hits the board. In case it hits the connecting wires on a dartboard, the higher value of the segment is considered as the score.
• Without consent of the scorer, no dart should be touched by any person in the room. The throw will be considered complete in case such an event occurs.
• The score should be verified by the player before removing the darts from the board, and before beginning a new throw, else the scores are final and binding on the players.
• The scoreboard should be visible by the players at the hockey.
• The scores are determined by the position the dart hits the board. If it hits one of the larger segments of the board, the score of that segment is considered the score attained by the player.
• If the dart hits the double ring, then the score of that segment is doubled, for instance if he hits the double ring in the segment marked 18, the actual score is 36.
• Similarly, if the dart hits the triple ring, the score of that segment is tripled. As such, if he hits 18, the score will now be 54.
• Hitting the bull will give the player 25 points, while the bull's eye is worth 50 points.
• All these scores are deducted from the set total of 501 or 301. These totals may vary and be higher or lower.

While darts originated in the UK, this game has now been universally accepted. The rules and regulations may slightly differ in different parts of the world, but the basics remain the same as regulated by the World Darts Federation.