Dartboard Measurements

Hitting the 'bullseye' in a game of darts can earn you 50 points, but hitting the triple circle zone in the section marked 20 can earn you 60 points. That is the charm of the game of darts, and this is where dartboard measurements come into the picture. Players spend hours together perfecting various dart techniques in order to make the perfect cut, and earn the maximum points.

Darts: An Overview

Darts is a throwing game, wherein small darts (small narrow pointed objects) are aimed and thrown at a circular board (dartboard) in order to score points. The dartboard is divided into 20 sections, and each section is given a specific number. Hitting the dart within the range of the particular section within the outer circle wire earns the players some valuable points. The points scored in darts are calculated on the basis of simple mathematics, and the highest possible score one can make in a game of darts is a "ton 80" or 180.

Official Dartboard Measurements

A standard dartboard is divided into 20 sections or regions, and each of these sections is assigned a particular number, starting from 1 to 20. These numbers are assigned in the clockwise direction in the following order: 20, 1, 18, 4, 13, 6, 10, 15, 2, 17, 3, 19, 7, 16, 8, 11, 14, 9, 12 and 5. Each of these sections are marked alternately with black and white colors. The dartboard also features two concentric circles. The outer circle is referred to as the 'double ring', while the inner circle is referred to as the 'triple ring'. The center of the dartboard, referred to as the 'bullseye', is also divided into two parts - the outer bull, which is green in color, and the inner bull, which is red in color. If the darts hit anywhere in the double ring zone, the player scores the double of the number assigned to that particular section, and if the dart hits the triple ring zone, the player scores the triple of the same. Similarly, hitting the outer bull earns the player 25 points, while the inner bull earns him 50 points. The region outside the outer circle, where the numbers are marked, is referred to as the no scoring area, meaning the shots which hit this area don't gain any points for the player.

Dartboard Height and Distance Regulations

According to the official guidelines, the dartboard has to be set up in such a manner that the distance between the center of the bullseye and the floor should be exactly 5 feet 8 inches. On the other hand, the distance between the throwing line and the front portion of the dartboard should be exactly 7 feet 9 ¼ inches. Even though the throwing line is marked by a small barrier, referred to as the oche or the hockey, in competitive matches, you can simply resort to a tape to mark this line.

Interestingly, no one knows why the dartboard was designed in the specific layout, but theories suggest that this layout ensures that there are no particular point rich areas on the board.