Quick answer: A dart scores the number of its wedge, doubled in the outer narrow ring or tripled in the inner narrow ring. The outer bull scores 25 and the inner bull 50.
Singles, doubles and triples
The number ring identifies twenty wedge values arranged around the board. A dart in either broad bed scores that number: for example, a dart in the large 20 bed is 20. The outer narrow band is double 20, worth 40, while the inner narrow band is triple 20, worth 60.
Apply the multiplier to each dart before adding the turn. Triple 18 plus double 16 plus single 5 is 54 + 32 + 5, or 91. A dart does not multiply the combined turn total.
Bullseyes, misses and bounce-outs
The green outer bull is normally 25 and the red inner bull 50 on a standard board. The inner bull may count as a double for finishing under common X01 rules. A point outside the outer doubles ring scores zero even if it remains stuck in the non-scoring border.
A dart that bounces or falls out before it can be verified normally scores nothing and is not thrown again. The point’s entry location determines value; the barrel or flight can lean across another segment without changing the score.
Subtracting in 301 and 501
X01 games begin at a fixed total and subtract each turn. From 501, a 100-point turn leaves 401. Standard double-out play requires the winning dart to reduce the score to exactly zero while landing in a double, including the inner bull.
A turn busts when the player goes below zero, leaves one, or reaches zero without the required double. The entire turn is cancelled and the score returns to what it was before the first dart of that visit.
Marks and points in Cricket
Cricket uses 20 through 15 and bull. A single records one mark, a double two and a triple three; three marks close that target. The outer bull generally supplies one mark and the inner bull two.
Once a player has closed a number, additional marks score its point value only while an opponent still has it open. When every player closes that target, further hits produce no points. The usual winner closes all targets and is not behind in score.
Work through three complete examples
Example one: triple 20, single 20 and double 10 score 60 + 20 + 20 = 100. Example two: outer bull, triple 18 and a miss total 25 + 54 + 0 = 79. Example three begins a double-out turn on 40: single 20 leaves 20, then double 10 finishes legally; the unused third dart is not thrown.
Now contrast a bust. Starting on 32, a player hits double 8 to leave 16, then single 16 reaches zero without a double. The whole visit is cancelled and the score returns to 32. These cases show why the physical total and the game result must be recorded separately: a dart can have an obvious segment value while its visit contributes nothing.
For beginners, a printed diagram beside the scoreboard can settle ring questions without approaching the target during another player’s turn. Keep the throwing order visible as well. Accurate scoring includes knowing whose visit is active and preserving the safe rhythm between throw, verification and retrieval.
Turn the answer into a better game
Use the relevant tool or playing guide next instead of leaving the answer on the screen. You can play the Road to the Crown darts game, measure a lane with the setup calculator, or return to our dart boards homepage to compare board types and plan a complete setup.
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest score with one dart?
Triple 20 scores 60, the highest value from a single dart on a standard board.
Does the inner bull count as a double?
In standard double-out X01 play, the 50-point inner bull can serve as double 25. House or electronic game settings can vary.
What happens when a dart lands on a wire?
Score the segment where the point enters and remains. If it rebounds and does not stay in the board, it normally scores zero.
The Throw Lab verdict
Read the wedge, apply its ring multiplier, and then total the three darts. Singles use face value, doubles multiply by two, triples by three, and the bulls score 25 and 50. From there, the game rules determine what the numbers mean: X01 subtracts toward a legal double finish, while Cricket converts hits into marks and conditional points. Learning the physical zones first makes every later ruleset far easier to follow and score accurately. Work through sample turns until recognizing both segment value and game consequence becomes automatic.