Darts is a game in which the players throw darts at a target called a dartboard. A regulation dartboard measures about 18 inches (46 centimeters) in diameter. It is divided into 20 equal-sized areas shaped like wedges of a pie. A player scores from 1 to 20 points by hitting different wedges. The board is further divided by a narrow outer ring called the double ring and a narrow inner ring called the triple ring. A dart that hits one of the rings scores either double or triple the value of the wedge. The bull’s-eye is worth 25 points. A double bull’s-eye inside the bull’s-eye is worth 50 points.
The dartboard is mounted so the bull’s-eye is 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 meters) from the floor. In tournaments, players stand at one of two authorized distances from the board, 7 feet 91/4 inches (2.37 meters) or 8 feet (2.44 meters). They take turns throwing three darts that measure up to 81/4 inches (21 centimeters) long. To win, a player must score an exact number of points—in most cases 301, 501, 1001, or 3001. The winner must start and end the game by hitting the double ring or the double bull’s-eye.
