Top 10 Popular Dart Games

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The traditional pub game, dart, has become immensely popular over recent years. Moreover, the availability of various dart sets for home or game rooms has skyrocketed the popularity of the games.

The game’s basic concept is to throw small sharp-pointed missiles called darts at a round target board known as a dartboard. But one can try many dart board games for more exciting gameplay.

The game has evolved over the years, and various new dart games have emerged. We have compiled a list of ten popular dart games with which you can challenge your friends for your next game night.

Dart Board
Dart Board (Source: Instructables)

All the dart games have their own rules and instruction. We will try to provide you with the basic concept of the games as efficiently as possible so that you can understand the game and how to play it.

So now, without further ado, let’s look at the top ten popular dart games you should play in 2024.

Quick Overview

Here is a quick overview of our article in the table below.

S.N. Dart Games
10. Baseball
9. Scram
8. Halve-it
7. Shanghai
6. Nine Lives
5. Knockout
4. Killer
3. Around the World 2
2. The 01 Games (301 and 501)
1. Cricket

Top 10 Popular Dart Games

We have taken internet sites like SportsBrowser as our primary reference. 

10. Baseball

If you are new at darting, this game is perfect as the game forces you to aim at unused spaces on the dartboard.

You can play the game single or with teams. The rules of the dart game are different from the actual baseball game and get their name from its last nine rounds or innings. Only 1-9 numbers will be used for the game unless there are extra innings.

According to the game’s rule, each player will take turns throwing their three darts at the number associated with that inning. Thus, all darts should be thrown at number one in the first inning.

Baseball dart games
Baseball dart games (Source: Darthelp.com)

If you hit the single section, you will score one run, the doubles will earn you two runs, and the triple will earn three-run. The one with the highest score at the 9th inning’s end wins the game.

In case of a tie, you can play extra innings until there is a winner. An excellent choice for beginners; even expert players can have fun playing Baseball.

9. Scram

Next, we have the Scram dart game. Two players or teams can play the game where one side will attempt to close numbers while the other scores.

In the game, there are two sides: one person plays the “stopper” role, and the other is the “scorer.” 1-20 numbers and bull are used with typical point counts in the game.

Similarly, there are two rounds in the scram, which allows the player a chance to play a role in turn. Players can determine the game order, and the one to go first becomes the stopper in round one.

Scram dart game
Scram dart game (Source: Gldproducts.com)

The stoppers will try to close all the numbers on the board so that the scorer cannot score. Likewise, the scorers will try to score as many points as possible on numbers that are still open.

The winner of the game is the player or team with the highest score. It is an ideal dart game if you only have two to four players.

8. Halve-it

Halve-it, also known as Half-it, is another popular dart board game you can play one-on-one or with any number of opponents. If you are looking for a challenging one, this game is among the most difficult among popular dart games.

The game gets its name from the point penalty players suffer each time they fail to hit the established target. Although a challenging match, beginners can learn many skills from playing the game.

At first, players must agree on the number of rounds to play and assign a target for each round. The numbers in play are different in each round.

Halve-it dart game
Halve-it dart game (Source: Gldproducts.com)

The game’s main objective is to hit the target number in each round without missing. The player with the highest score at the end of the final round is the winner.

You can try several variations once you master the basics of the game rules. Hence, there are plenty of ways to make the game more interesting. You need to be an accurate thrower to win the game.

7. Shanghai

Our seventh pick for the popular dart games is Shanghai. Easy to learn and play, Shanghai is a competitive dart game where everyone can have fun, and anyone can win the game.

The minimum number of players required for the game is two, and the maximum number of players you can play with is any number of teams. Similarly, the standard match uses segments 1 through 20 in order.

As per the round, the players will aim for that round’s number segment, and darts thrown in that round’s segment will count toward anyone’s score. Likewise, each segment counts for its standard amount of points.

Shanghai dart game
Shanghai dart game (Source: Gldproducts.com)

The game’s main objective is to earn the highest score or to “Shanghai,” the opponents. When the player scores on single, double, and triple of the same number in one round, it is a Shanghai.

Shanghai can have optional rules. If you are playing with a large number of players, then you can reduce the rounds in the game so it does not become lengthy. You can also introduce penalties in the game.

6. Nine Lives

Another popular dart game that you can try is the Nine Lives. The game is ideal for those looking to practice hitting every spot on the dartboard, plus it is a highly customizable dartboard game.

You can play Nine Lives with two or more players. Although the game’s name is Nine lives, the players only have three lives to play. This survival game has a straightforward rule for playing.

After the game starts, the players must hit every number on the dartboard in numerical order. Thus, the players will start from 1, up to 20, and finally target the bull.

Nine Lives dart game
Nine Lives dart game (Source: Pexels)

As each player has three lives, they get three darts per turn. Similarly, the players can hit multiple numbers in the same turn, but it needs to be shot in numerical order. If the player misses all three throws, they will lose their life.

If the player loses all three lives, they are out of the game. As we mentioned before, Nine Lives is a highly customizable game. Hence, optional rules can be used to make the games more exciting.

5. Knockout

Knockout is the most straightforward dart game that you can play. Despite being an easy game, it is also a fun and competitive match; hence, our fifth pick for the popular dart games goes to Knockout.

You can play the game with two or more players. However, if you have a large number of players, then Knockout is the most suitable. The more the number of players, the more competitive the game will turn.

The game starts with the first player throwing three darts and marking their score. The objective during the game is for the players to outscore their opponents before them.

Knockout dart game
Knockout dart game (Source: Wikimedia.org)

If the player cannot do so, they will receive a mark. If the player receives three marks, they get knocked out of the game. Likewise, no one receives a mark if two players get the same score.

In this way, the game continues until all but one player has been knocked out. The last player standing is the winner of the game. Knockout is ideal for playing with your friends with similar skills.

4. Killer

On number 4, we have Killer. The game is fun, has dynamic variations of darts compared to two or three-dart games, and is a competitive elimination game.

The Killer is a unique dart game that is ideal if you have odd numbers of players or a larger group. You will need three minimum number of players. The game progresses rather quickly, and various ways of playing the game.

The game’s main objective is to try and eliminate your opponents from play. The rules of the game are simple, but you will need a good amount of tactics and strategy during the game.

Killer dart game
Killer dart game (Source: Instagram)

Killer has three main phases. In the first phase, players must determine what “your number” will be. It is the target that others will have to hit to eliminate the player. The second phase is to become a killer.

Every player’s goal is to become a killer. Then in the third phase, the killing and elimination of the game begin. The last player standing will be the winner of the game.

3. Around the World

Around the World, the dart game is excellent for all, whether you are a beginner at darting or an expert player. It can be played solo or with any number of dart players.

The game is also known as Around the Clock or Round the Board. If you are a beginner looking to practice hitting every spot on the dartboard, we recommend you try this game.

The objective of the game is simple. The players must hit segments 1 through 20 in numerical order and then hit the bull. But each number has to be hit only once, and the players have three darts each turn.

Around the World dart games
Around the World dart games (Source: Gldproducts.com)

Doubles and trebles do not count as anything extra in the standard game, but you can introduce optional rules. There is no score, and the players simply need to keep track of their numbers.

The first player to go around the board and hit the bull is the winner of the game. Hence, it is one of the popular dart games you can easily play.

2. The 01 Games (301 and 501)

The 301 dart game is a variation of the famous 501 dart game. The 501 dart game is one of the most common games played worldwide and, thus, our second pick.

While learning darts, the 501 game is the most widely used dart game. The game is easy to learn and play one-on-one or with a team. 301 is comparatively much easier to understand and is the quicker version of 501.

The players will start with 301 or 501 points per game, aiming to reach zero. The bullseye will count as 50 points. If the players score more than the total to achieve zero, the player busts, and the score returns to the initial score.

The 01 dart games
The 01 dart games (Source: Psycatgames.com)

In either game, the players throw three darts. The scored amount is added up and written on the board. The first player to reach zero wins the game.

There are many variations of the games. Therefore, the game’s rules also slightly differ depending on your game. Double-in rule option is the most popular variation of the 01 games.

1. Cricket

The most popular dart board game is Cricket. The game is easy and essential for any dart player to learn. You can play the game solo or with any number of people.

Cricket can also be played in a team of two. In the standard game, the players will take turns throwing three darts at the dartboard to hit 15 through 20 targets and the bullseye.

The main objective is to have more points than the opponent once the targets have been closed out. You will need to set up a scoreboard with a chart divided into three sections for each team and one in the middle.

Cricket dart game
Cricket dart game (Source: Instagram)

In the game, the single counts as one mark, the double counts as two, and the triple counts as three. The outer ring of the bull counts as one, while the inner ring counts as two marks.

The player or team with all the closed-out numbers with the highest point wins the game. But if they close all their numbers but have fewer points, then they need to keep scoring until they have more scores or their opponent closes all target numbers.

Conclusion

So, which dart game are you going to try for your next game night? Leave a comment. 

Boby Rai
Boby Raihttps://playersbio.com/

Boby Rai

Boby Rai is a dedicated writer who specializes in capturing the essence of sporting excellence through his unique lens. As the creative mind behind numerous sports-centric projects, he brings a fresh perspective to the world of athletics, blending insightful commentary with captivating narratives.

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