Cricket Darts Rules: How to Play & Score Cricket Darts

What is Cricket darts?

Cricket darts is a competitive darts game that originated in North America, where it is the dominant game variant in bars, leagues and home matches. In the United Kingdom a similar game is known as 'Mickey Mouse', though the exact rules can differ slightly. Unlike 301 and 501 — where you count down from a starting score to zero — Cricket is not about arithmetic but about strategically claiming and defending numbers on the dartboard.

Cricket works well for two players but is also excellent with three or four players. With more players, Cut-Throat Cricket becomes more popular, though the standard variant is played in groups too. The game combines accuracy with tactical thinking: knowing when to score points and when to close the game is just as important as throwing skill. Cricket rewards strategic thinking as much as technical ability.

The seven targets

Cricket is played on exactly seven targets: the numbers 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 — the six highest numbers on the board — plus the bullseye. Why these numbers? They are the hardest segments to hit consistently and give the game its competitive character. The low numbers (1–14) are not used in Cricket.

The bullseye consists of two zones with different values in Cricket. The outer bull (the green ring) counts as one mark. The inner bull (the red centre, also called double bull or bullseye) counts as two marks. This makes the bullseye unique: with one dart in the inner bull you can close the target in just two turns instead of three.

• 20

  Most valuable scoring target — T20 = 60 points per hit
• 19

  Second most valuable — T19 = 57 points per hit
• 18

  T18 = 54 points per hit
• 17

  T17 = 51 points per hit
• 16

  T16 = 48 points per hit
• 15

  Lowest target — T15 = 45 points per hit
• Bull

  Outer bull = 1 mark (25 pt); inner bull = 2 marks (50 pt)

Marks and closing a number

A 'mark' is a hit on a target. To close a number you need three marks. How you collect those marks does not matter: a single counts as one mark, a double counts as two marks, and a triple counts as three marks — letting you close a number with a single dart. This makes triples especially powerful in Cricket.

Example of a turn: you throw at 20 and hit T20 (triple 20) — the number is immediately closed with three marks in one dart. In the same turn you then throw at 19 and hit D19 (double 19) — that is two marks on 19. With the third dart you hit single 19 — the third mark — and close 19 in the same turn as well. This way you can theoretically close two numbers in one turn.

On a Cricket scoreboard, marks are tracked with tally marks. One mark = a diagonal slash (|), two marks = a cross (X), three marks = a circled cross (⊗) or a circle indicating the number is closed. Once a number is closed, the player can score on it — until the opponent closes it too.

Scoring points

Once you close a number (reach three marks) but your opponent has not yet done so, scoring begins. Every additional hit on that closed number earns you the face value of the number as points. Hit 20 after you closed it and your opponent has not? You score 20 points. Hit it via a triple? You score 60 points with one dart.

Once the opponent also closes the number, scoring on it stops. No one can score on a number that both players have closed. Example: player A closes 19 and then throws two more triples on 19 — that is 57 + 57 = 114 extra points. Then player B also closes 19. Further hits on 19 earn no points for anyone.

This creates a classic strategic dilemma: do you keep scoring points on a number you have already closed, or do you focus on closing other numbers that the opponent might be using to rack up points? The best Cricket players constantly switch between both strategies based on the current game state.

Winning the game

You win a game of Cricket by being the first to close all seven targets and having equal or more points than all opponents at the moment you close the last number. Both conditions must be met simultaneously. It is not enough to close all numbers first if you are behind on points.

Situation 1: Player A closes all seven numbers and has 240 points. Player B has 200 points but still has two open numbers. Player A wins immediately. Situation 2: Player A closes all seven numbers but has 180 points. Player B has all numbers open but 220 points. Player A does NOT win — the game continues so player A can score extra points until they catch up with player B, or until player B also closes all numbers.

In case of equal points at the moment the last player closes their seventh number, the player who closed all numbers first is declared the winner. With three or more players you must have more points than all opponents — not just the lowest scorer. If multiple players close all numbers simultaneously, the point tally decides the winner.

Strategy tips for Cricket

Open the high numbers first. Start with 20 and 19 — the numbers with the highest face value. Once you close them you can score points on them while your opponent is still trying to close them. Every triple on 20 scores 60 points; every triple on 19 scores 57. A lead of 100–150 points early in the game gives you a lot of room later.

Close numbers that your opponent is scoring on. If your opponent has closed 18 and is scoring on it, closing 18 yourself becomes a priority. Every turn the opponent can use 18 costs you points you need to make up later. Remember that you do not have to score on every closed number — sometimes it is better to directly close the next number.

Bullseye control is crucial. The bullseye is the last number most players close. If you close the bullseye before your opponent while leading on points, you win immediately. Practice the bullseye separately: outer bull (25) and inner bull (50) are both essential for a strong Cricket strategy. A player who can consistently close the bull while leading on points is nearly unbeatable.

Cut-Throat Cricket variant

Cut-Throat Cricket is a popular variant where the scoring is completely reversed. In the standard version you want to score points for yourself. In Cut-Throat, points go to your opponents instead of yourself. When you close a number and your opponent has not yet, extra hits on that number are added to all opponents' scores.

The win conditions are also reversed: the player who first closes all seven numbers and has the lowest total score wins the game. The goal is therefore to have as few points as possible while still closing all targets. This makes Cut-Throat ideal for three or more players, because it prevents one player from dominating early.

The strategy in Cut-Throat differs fundamentally from standard Cricket. You want to close numbers to prevent opponents from scoring on them — but you also want to score on closed numbers to deposit points onto opponents before you close them yourself. The game rewards a mix of offensive play (depositing points onto opponents) and defensive play (closing numbers before opponents score too many on them).

Frequently asked questions