30 Must-Know Darts Terms, Phrases and Slang

Aim sharp, rookie darters!

Step up to the oche and get ready to sling some serious slang.

Whether you’re hitting bullseyes or chucking bounce-outs, mastering these 30 dart terms will skyrocket your game from amateur hour to the big leagues.

So grab your arrows, steady your aim, and let’s score a perfect game.

Ready, aim, slang!

Must-Know Darts Terms, Phrases and Slang:

1. Bullseye
2. Double
3. Triple
4. Bed
5. Checkout
6. Dartitis
7. Flight
8. Leg
9. Marker dart
10. Oche
11. Outshot
12. Scorer
13. Shanghai
14. Tungsten
15. Wire
16. Bounce out
17. Double in
18. Double out
19. Finish
20. Game shot
21. Nine-darter
22. Perfect leg
23. Re-throw
24. Robin Hood
25. Single
26. Spider
27. Treble
28. 180
29. Alley
30. Barrel

#1 Bullseye

The center of the dartboard marked by a small red or green dot, usually worth 50 points. It’s a coveted target in darts, often required to complete certain finishes in a game.

#2 Double

A narrow scoring band found on the outer edge of the dartboard. Each double scores twice the number of points of the corresponding segment, and it’s crucial for finishing most games, including the popular ‘501’.

#3 Triple (Treble)

The thin scoring band situated between the single and double rings. Hitting a triple means scoring three times the segment’s value, a feat that enhances scoring efficiency and is essential during high-stakes matches.

#4 Bed

Refers to any of the segmented areas on the dartboard corresponding to a number. Players refer to “hitting the same bed” when they throw darts into the same numbered segment, like the “triple 20 bed.”

#5 Checkout

The score needed to finish a game of darts, with the requirement that the final dart lands in a double or the bullseye. Checkouts are strategic calculations made by players to end a game efficiently.

#6 Dartitis

A psychological condition affecting darters’ ability to release the dart, similar to “the yips” in other sports. It can be a frustrating issue, leading to a decline in performance and competitiveness.

#7 Flight

In darts, the flight is the fin-shaped part at the end of the dart that stabilizes the dart in flight after it’s thrown. Flights come in various shapes and sizes, each affecting the dart’s stability and aerodynamics differently. The right type of flight can help players tailor their darts to their specific throwing style and preferences.

#8 Leg

A leg is a single game within a set in a darts match. Winning a leg requires the player to reduce their score from a specified number (commonly 501 or 301) to exactly zero, ending with a double or the bullseye. Matches are often divided into multiple legs, and the first player to win a predetermined number of legs wins the set or match.

#9 Marker Dart

A thrown dart that lands in proximity to the intended target but does not score, essentially guiding subsequent throws. It’s strategic use aids players in finding the right aim and rhythm for scoring.

#10 Oche

The line behind which players must stand when throwing their darts, typically 7 feet 9.25 inches from the dartboard. It’s an essential boundary that ensures a standardized throwing distance in the game of darts.

#11 Outshot

A combination of throws that leads to finishing the game by reducing the score to exactly zero, with the last dart landing in a double. Players calculate the best outshot to efficiently close out the leg or match.

#12 Scorer

The person responsible for tracking and announcing the points during a game of darts. Their accuracy and alertness are vital for maintaining the pace and integrity of the score during play.

#13 Shanghai

A term referring to hitting a single, double, and triple of the same number in a single turn. Achieving a Shanghai is often a game-winning shot in certain variants of darts, and it showcases a high level of skill.

#14 Tungsten

A metal used for making higher quality darts, due to its density which allows for thinner and heavier darts. Tungsten darts provide a competitive edge through better control and less crowding on the board.

#15 Wire

The wire refers to the thin metal dividers that segment the scoring areas on a dartboard. Accurate throws are crucial, as hitting the wire can deflect a dart into a lower scoring section or even cause it to bounce out, affecting the player’s score.

#16 Bounce out

A bounce out occurs when a dart hits the dartboard but then falls to the ground instead of sticking to the board. This can happen due to a dart striking a wire, the board being too hard, or the dart being thrown with insufficient force. Bounce outs are frustrating as they score no points and can disrupt a player’s scoring strategy.

#17 Double In

A rule in certain darts games where players must start their scoring with a double. Hitting a double allows scores to count, and until then, a player cannot reduce their starting total.

#18 Double Out

A common darts game requirement where players must finish by hitting a double. The precise double to aim for depends on the remaining score a player has in a leg or set.

#19 Finish

The action of reducing the score to zero in a game of darts, typically through a combination of strategic scoring that often culminates in hitting a double out.

#20 Game Shot

Called when a player successfully hits the required score to win the leg or set. It indicates the end of that particular stage of the match.

#21 Nine-darter

The fewest possible darts needed to checkout from 501 in a game of darts, an impressive feat akin to a perfect game in bowling or a hole-in-one in golf.

#22 Perfect Leg

Another term for a nine-darter, which is completing a leg of 501 with the minimum of nine darts. It is a perfect display of precision and skill in darts.

#23 Re-throw

An occurrence where a dart does not stay in the board and falls out or is not thrown in a valid manner. The thrown dart may need to be repeated as per official rules.

#24 Robin Hood

Occurs when a dart gets stuck in the back end or flight of another dart already on the board, resembling the fabled archer’s splitting of an arrow. This rare event often provokes amusement but scores nothing.

#25 Single

The sections of the dartboard that encircle the bullseye, with values from 1 to 20. Hitting a single means that the player scores the face value of that particular segment.

#26 Spider

The metal wire framework that divides a dartboard into its scoring segments, ensuring that each dart thrown can be accurately scored depending on where it lands on the board.

#27 Treble

Generally synonymous with ‘triple’, it refers to the narrow ring on the dartboard that triples the point value of the corresponding sector when hit, a crucial element for strategic scoring.

#28 180

The highest score possible with three darts, achieved by landing all three in the treble 20 section. It’s a hallmark accomplishment in the game and is often met with cheers of “One hundred and eighty!”

#29 Alley

The term “alley” isn’t traditionally used in the standard terminology of darts. It’s possible there might be confusion with terms from other sports or games. In darts, the playing area and approach to the dartboard are commonly referred to as the “oche” or “throw line,” which is the line players stand behind to throw their darts.

#30 Barrel

The part of the dart that players grip; it affects the dart’s weight and balance. Barrels come in various shapes, sizes, and materials, with tungsten being a popular choice due to its density.

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