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Dart Games for Large Groups

7 Best Dart Games for Large Groups (2, 3 & 4 Players or More)

Darts in general is a quick game to play. Even as a beginner, there are some easy dart games that mean you don’t need to spend a lifetime just trying to finish one game. This, however, is only true when playing with a few players – usually you and a friend. 

Once you start to play with 3, 4, or even more players, a simple game could take forever to finish depending on the rules and playing ability of all players. Therefore, it’s useful to have some games that are well suited to more players. 

These need to be relatively easy to play, have a simple ruleset/scoring system, and not take a long time to finish. Therefore, in this article, we’ll cover the best dart games for large groups showing you some of the best games to play when you have a lot of players. 

The 7 best dart games for large groups are:

  1. Killer Darts
  2. High Score Darts
  3. Knockout Darts
  4. 9 Lives Darts
  5. All Five Darts
  6. Count Up Darts
  7. Prisoner Darts

Best Dart Games for Large Groups

Below, you’ll find a list of dart games ideally suited for large groups. For each game, we’ll tell you how many players each game is suitable for so that you can narrow your choices down and then give a brief overview of how to play each game. 

1. Killer Darts

Number of Players

2 or more (max 20)

How to Play Killer Darts

The game starts with each player throwing a dart with their least favored hand at the board, the number they land on is their number in the game. 

Each player must have a different number for the game to commence.

Each player starts with 3 lives and the idea is to relieve them of their lives using their dart skills. To do this a player must throw a double of his designated number, for example, player A is number 7 and so must throw a double 7 to be able to be a ‘killer’ and to eliminate his opponents.

Once they are able to do this, the player throws at the doubles of their opponent’s numbers and if successful they then lose lives. The last person not to lose all their lives is the winner. 

The game has different variations which you can find here and shows how to handicap players of different skill levels in the game.

2. High Score Darts

Number of Players

2 or more

How to Play High Score Darts

This is a very simple game that is easy for a beginner and helps to raise their skill levels with no overly complicated rules.

To play, all that’s needed is a predetermined number to aim for. 1000 is a target most commonly used but depending on the skill level can be lower or higher.

After determining who throws first by throwing nearest the bull, each player throws 3 darts and their accumulative score goes towards the target. So, if the target is 1000 and player A scores 70 with his 3 darts they then require 970 to reach the target.

There are no complicated rules or tactics but throwing doubles and trebles help reach their target quicker. 

The first person to reach the target is the winner, it’s that simple! 

there’s no need to get the exact number to win, so if you surpass it then it still counts. The game is a good way to practice darts skills by grouping darts on high numbers to maximize scores and being consistent with your scoring.

3. Knockout Darts

Number of Players

2 or more

How to Play Knockout Darts

This game requires the player throwing darts to beat the score of the previous thrower to avoid losing a life, and then each following player must do so likewise.

Each player will have 3 lives and takes it in turns to throw 3 darts, aiming to throw as high a score as possible. 

So, player A throws a single 20, a single 5, and a double 18 to score 61. Player B must now beat that total otherwise he loses a life, often denoted by putting an X next to his name on the scoresheet. If player B scores higher than player A, for example, by scoring 95 then the next player must go higher with their throw or they will lose a life, so if Player C only scores 55 he then has lost a life, and it’s up to Player A to see if he can score more than the score of 55. 

The winner is decided when only one player is left with lives. 

4. Nine Lives Darts

Number of Players

2 or more

How to Play Nine Lives Darts

This game is a relatively easy game to play, rather like around the clock darts

Players attempt to get numerically from 1-20 by hitting the numbers in turn. To do this, they must land a dart in the number they are aiming for.

If they fail to do so with any of the three darts, they will lose a life. For example, if Player A hits 1 with their first dart, but then misses the number 2 with their remaining two darts, then they don’t lose a life.

Player 2 then hits 1, 2, and 3 in the right order, so they are good to progress, but Player C misses 1 with all three darts and so loses a life.

This goes on until a player reaches 20 without losing all of their 3 lives and finishes with a bullseye.

Advanced players can just use doubles or trebles of the board to make it more difficult. The game can be stretched out by giving players 5 lives instead of 3, but that usually depends on the skill levels of the players.

5. All Five Darts

Number of Players

2 or more

How to Play All Five Darts

Players decide who will throw first by throwing closest to the bull. Once decided, add all player’s names to a scoreboard to keep a tally of your scores. 

This game requires basic use of counting and math as scoring is done by adding up the score of your darts that hit the board and then dividing by 5, hence the name of the game! 

If the number you score is not divisible by 5 then you score 0, however, if your score is 45 you score 9 (45 divided by 5).

The aim is to score 51 points exactly by adding your fives totals on each round, so if you are on 48 points, you will need 3 exactly to win and so must score 15 with all three darts as 15 divided by 3 gives you the exact number. Just remember all 3 darts must score in the last throw or your score will not count.

If you aim for numbers on the board divisible by 5, such as 20, 15, 10, 5 then you perhaps might play safe on the counting front, but it limits you to a few numbers, so make mental notes of different scores that can be divided by 5 including doubles, trebles bull, and the outer bull to give you more options.

It may also help if you put a scoring grid in place to keep a record of the player’s scores.

6. Count Up Darts

Number of Players

1-8 players

How to Play Count Up Darts

This game can be played by either having rounds or a points target.

The objective is to score as high as possible with your 3 darts in each round, a game usually has 8 rounds, so 24 possible scoring darts per player.

The player with the highest score at the end of the allotted rounds is the winner or if playing to a target, the first player to reach the target wins – regardless of how many rounds it takes.

Though the concept is quite simple, it’s important to strategize your skills by aiming to consistently hit high numbers, either by the use of doubles and trebles, the bullseye or grouped around higher numbers next to each other on the dartboard. 

A steady average score is better than the odd high score mixed with poor low scores.

The overall aim of the game is to improve scoring and increase chances of winning in the future and is easy to follow because it doesn’t have complicated rules or requires mathematical thinking.

7. Prisoner Darts

Number of Players

2 or more

How to Play Prisoner Darts.

Prisoner darts are effectively around the board but clockwise rather than numerically.

You follow the sequence of numbers clockwise from 1 through to 20, it’s probably wise when playing with a large number of players to keep a record of where each player is up to during the game. Now if this sounds simple enough, then think again!

Should you at any time be wayward with your darts, then opponents will seize the opportunity to pounce.

The segment of the board from the double to the treble of each number is what you are aiming for because if you stray into the segment from treble to the bull of the number you are aiming for then your dart remains in the board and it becomes a prisoner.

This dart or ’prisoner’ can only be retrieved by a player hitting the playable area of the same number and in the case of a prisoner in the bullseye. The dart is then captured for good by the player who throws a bullseye and remains with them for the rest of the game…sounds confusing but like most games easier to play than explain.

Play continues until a player reaches 20 and can sometimes end up with some players having 5 or 6 darts that they have captured and some players only having 1.

What Next

If you’re looking for more dart games, you might also want to check out our roundup on easy dart games for beginners – These give more options for groups of players and also for teams.