Darts

Darts is a target sport in which players throw small missiles, called darts, at a circular board. The standard board is divided into 20 numbered segments arranged around a circle; the two scoring rings—an inner bullseye worth 50 points, an outer bull worth 25—and two scoring rings in each segment: a treble ring that triples the segment value and a double ring on the outer edge that doubles it. The board is mounted so its center is at eye level; typical throwing distance, the oche, is 7 feet 9 1/4 inches from the board. Standard darts consist of a metal or plastic shaft and flight fitted to a barrel; steel-tip darts are used on bristle boards, while soft-tip darts are used on electronic boards.

Play commonly centers on reducing a fixed starting score, usually 501, by throwing three darts per visit and subtracting the hit values. The aim is to reach exactly zero; the final dart must land in a double segment (the outer ring of a number) to finish, though some variants allow finishing on the bull. Matches are built from legs and sets, with various formats and team or individual play, and tournaments often use best-of-legs or best-of-sets formats.

Darts originated in English pubs in the 19th century and grew into a professional sport with international circuits. Governance and major championships are led by organizations such as the World Darts Federation (WDF) and the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC); notable events include the PDC World Championship. The game is played worldwide with both steel-tip and soft-tip variants, and formats range from individual to doubles and team events. Common variants beyond 501 include 301, 701, and cricket.