How to Play Darts Cricket

By Jaques of London · Est. 1795 · Updated 2026-08-17

Darts Cricket is a tactical scoring game played on a standard dartboard, designed for two to four players or two teams. Rather than counting down from a fixed total, players compete to claim ownership of seven target segments: the numbers 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20, plus the bullseye. The blend of attack and defence makes every turn a genuine decision, not just a test of accuracy.

It is one of the most popular pub darts formats in both the United Kingdom and North America, well suited to mixed-ability groups because a sharp tactical mind can partially offset a shakier throwing arm. Games tend to be lively, quick to explain, and finish within half an hour.

A little history

The precise origins of Darts Cricket are unclear. Darts itself became a widespread British pub fixture in the early twentieth century, and regional scoring variants multiplied naturally in that environment. Cricket, as a named darts format, is particularly associated with North American play and is documented in American darts literature from at least the 1970s, though analogous 'closing' games existed in British pubs before that. The name almost certainly draws on the innings-and-scoring structure of the sport of cricket rather than any formal codification by a governing body.

Setting up

1. Hang the dartboard so the centre bull is exactly 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) from the floor.
2. Mark the throwing line (oche) on the floor 2.37 m (7 ft 9.25 in) from the face of the board, measured horizontally.
3. Draw a scoreboard with each player's name across the top and the numbers 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, and Bull listed in a column down the centre.
4. Decide the throwing order: each player throws one dart at the bull; closest to the bull throws first. In case of a tie, those players throw again.
5. No points are scored until a player's first turn is complete.

How to play

1. Players throw in order, with each player throwing three darts per turn.
2. The only scoring targets are 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, and the bullseye. Darts landing anywhere else count for nothing.
3. To 'open' a number, a player must register three marks on it. One mark equals a single hit of that segment, two marks equal a double (or two singles), and three marks equal a treble (or any combination totalling three hits).
4. Record marks on the scoreboard: a single slash (/) for the first hit, a cross (X) for the second, and a circle around the X for the third. Three marks means the number is open and owned by that player.
5. Once a player has three marks on a number it is open for them. Any further hits on that number score its face value in points (e.g. a treble 20 scores 60 points) until an opponent also reaches three marks on the same number.
6. When an opponent reaches three marks on an open number it is 'closed'. A closed number can score points for neither player and is taken out of play.
7. A number is considered closed globally once all players in the game have marked it three times.
8. The bullseye counts as 25 points for a single bull (outer ring) and 50 points for a double bull (inner bull). One outer and one inner bull counts as three marks total (25 + 50 = two hits, so you still need one more mark; treat each bull ring hit as one mark regardless of value for the purposes of opening).
9. A player may only score points on a number that is open for them but not yet closed by all opponents. If all opponents have already closed the number, no further points can be scored on it by anyone.
10. Play continues until all seven targets are closed by all players.

Winning and scoring

The winner is the player who has closed all seven numbers (20 down to 15 and Bull) AND holds the highest points total at that moment. Closing all numbers while trailing on points does not win the game: you must keep scoring until you lead or draw level, at which point you must close the final open number on your own turn. If a player closes their last number but is behind on points, play continues and that player may no longer score (all their numbers are closed), so the opponent with open numbers continues throwing until they either take the lead and close out, or until all numbers are globally closed, at which point the highest score wins.

The fine points

The most common dispute involves a player closing their last number while still behind on points. The standard ruling is that the game is not over: the trailing player has effectively ended their own scoring, so the opponent continues throwing on any mutually open numbers until they either outscore the leader or exhaust all targets. Whichever player leads when all numbers are globally closed wins. If scores are exactly equal when all numbers are closed, the match is a tie and is typically replayed.

A second frequent edge case concerns the bull. Most standard rules treat each throw at the bull as one mark regardless of whether it hits the inner or outer ring, but the inner bull (double bull, 50 pts) and outer bull (single bull, 25 pts) score their respective values once the bull is open. Some groups house-rule that the inner bull counts as two marks; this is a legitimate variation but should be agreed before play begins. In competitive or league play, use the one-mark-per-hit standard unless the organising body specifies otherwise.

How to win more often

• Open 20s first: the highest-value number rewards every extra hit most generously, and an early points lead forces opponents onto the defensive.
• Watch the scoreboard constantly. If you are well ahead on points, switch to closing opponents' open numbers rather than piling on more score; denying them scoring is often worth more than padding your own total.
• When an opponent has opened a number you have not yet marked, prioritise closing it immediately rather than continuing to open new numbers for yourself. One treble closes any number in a single dart.
• Do not neglect the bull. It is the hardest target on the board but 50 points per inner hit is the highest single-dart score available in Cricket, and it is frequently left uncontested by nervous players.
• In a three or four player game, consider a 'pile on' tactic: if one player is well behind, you may choose to score heavily on a number they have opened rather than close it, since closing it also ends their scoring opportunity and they are no threat. Let a weak player's open numbers be a free scoring lane while dealing with the real rival.

Variations

Cut-Throat Cricket

In Cut-Throat Cricket the scoring logic is inverted: points scored on an open number are added to opponents' totals rather than your own. The goal becomes finishing with the lowest score. This makes opening numbers a risk, since until you close a number yourself your opponents will try to pile marks onto it to inflate your total. It is particularly popular in groups of three where standard Cricket can feel unbalanced.

Wild Card Cricket

Each player, before the game begins, secretly nominates one additional number between 1 and 14 as their personal wild target. That number is only active for the player who chose it, meaning they can open and score on it while opponents cannot. The wild number is revealed publicly once the player throws at it. This variant adds a hidden information element and rewards players who spot a rival's secret early.

No-Score (Closers) Cricket

No points are tracked at all. The sole objective is to be the first player to close all seven numbers with three marks each. This strips the game back to a pure race of accuracy and is a good format for beginners learning the board or for quick warm-up games before a longer session.

Extended Cricket

The target list is expanded to include all numbers from 10 through 20 plus the bull, making eleven targets instead of seven. Each turn still uses three darts. Games run considerably longer (typically 40 to 60 minutes) and reward consistency across more of the board. This format is common in league play where a more substantial game is wanted without changing the fundamental rules.

Darts Cricket: frequently asked questions