In standard darts scoring, a player begins with a total of 501 in a 501 leg.
The player subtracts the value of each dart from that starting score, usually throwing three darts per turn. The objective is to reduce the total to exactly zero, normally finishing on a double or the bullseye under common rules.
A treble multiplies a segment’s number by three, while a double multiplies it by two. The outer bull is worth 25 and the inner bull is worth 50, so the bullseye can also serve as a finishing target.
The 501 format is the standard competitive version associated with modern steel-tip darts. Some recreational games use 301 or other starting totals, but those are variants rather than the usual professional format. A failed finish is called a bust when the player scores too much, leaves one, or reaches zero without the required finishing shot.