How to Play 501 Darts and Score It on Your Phone

Q: Can I play 301 or 1001 instead of 501?

Yes. Pick 301, 701 or 1001 under Game. The rules and the app's checks are the same; only the starting score changes.

Q: What if I throw only two darts and finish?

Tap Enter after the second dart. The app records a two-dart visit, and only those two darts count toward your average.

501 darts rules in one minute

Every player starts the leg on 501 and throws a visit of up to three darts in turn.
The total of the visit comes off your score. A treble counts three times the number, a double twice, the outer bull 25 and the bullseye 50.
You must reach exactly 0. With the usual double-out rule the last dart must be a double or the bullseye.
A visit that would take you below zero is a bust: none of its darts count and your score stays where it was. Under double-out, leaving exactly 1 is also a bust, because no double is worth 1.
The first player to check out wins the leg. Matches are played over legs and, for longer games, sets.

301, 701 and 1001 run on the exact same rules, just a different starting number. 301 is the quick one for when the pub's closing soon. 701 and 1001 show up more at pairs and team nights, where a single leg can drag.

How to score 501 in Dart Scoreboard

On the home screen, under Game, tap 501 (or 301, 701, 1001).
Leave Double Out on for standard rules, or turn it off to finish on any dart.
Under Players, type up to two names; Pro allows up to four.
Under Match Length, use the legs-to-win-a-set and sets-to-win-the-match steppers. Leaving both at 1 plays a single leg of 501.
Tap Start Match. The current player's card is highlighted.
For each dart choose Single, Double or Triple, then tap the number. With Single selected the bull key reads 25; with Double it reads Bull for the bullseye. Tap Miss for a dart that scores nothing.
After the third dart the visit is recorded and the turn passes. If you finished early with one or two darts, tap Enter.
If a score was entered wrongly, tap Undo Last Visit. You can undo several visits in a row.

Worked example: a full leg of 501 with a bust

One player's leg, double-out on, as the app records it
Score before	Darts	Visit total	Score after
501	T20, 20, 20	100	401
401	T20, T20, 20	140	261
261	T20, T15, 20	125	136
136	T20, 18, 18	96	40
40	20, 20, 5	45 (bust)	40
40	D20	40 (checkout)	0

On 40 the player threw 20, 20 and 5 — 45, which goes 5 below zero. The app marks BUST — score unchanged and the score stays on 40. Next visit one dart in double 20 ends it.

16 darts for the whole leg: five full visits plus the one finishing dart. The busted visit still counts its three darts even though it scored nothing, so the average for this leg is 501 ÷ 16 × 3. The app shows 93.9.

Legs, sets and who throws first

When a player checks out, they win the leg and everyone goes back to the starting score. Win enough legs and you take the set, and the leg count resets to 0 for everybody. Win enough sets and the match is over. The dots on each player card show legs won in the current set.

The player who throws first changes every leg, so nobody keeps the advantage of starting.

Common scoring mistakes the app catches

Counting a visit that overshoots. The app refuses it and keeps the old score.
Leaving 1 under double-out. Most beginners think they can still finish; the app marks it as a bust straight away.
Finishing on a single when double-out is on. Reaching 0 with a single 20 is a bust, not a win.
Subtracting wrongly under pressure. The big number on each card is always the correct remainder.

Do you need Pro to play 501?

No. 501, 301, 701 and 1001 for two players are free with no time limit — double-out, bust detection, checkout hints and undo, all included. Pro only matters once you want a third player, Cricket, or the extra themes. For straight two-player 501, most people can save their money.

Questions and answers

What does bust mean in darts?

A bust is a visit that takes you below zero or, under double-out, leaves exactly 1 or reaches zero without a double. The whole visit counts for nothing and your score goes back to what it was before it.

Can I play 301 or 1001 instead of 501?

Yes. Pick 301, 701 or 1001 under Game. The rules and the app's checks are the same; only the starting score changes.

What if I throw only two darts and finish?

Tap Enter after the second dart. The app records a two-dart visit, and only those two darts count toward your average.

Is there a free 501 darts scoring app with no time limit?

Dart Scoreboard's 501, 301, 701 and 1001 modes are free for two players with no time limit or match cap. The free version shows ads outside the match screen.

Double out in darts: what it means and how it is enforced · Dart Scoreboard
Darts checkout chart: every finish from 170, and when there is none · Dart Scoreboard
How to calculate your 3 dart average and checkout percentage · Dart Scoreboard

How to play 501 darts, and score it with an app