Darts is a popular indoor game, often played in British pubs and working men’s clubs . Players throw small steel darts with feathers or plastic flights attached to one end at a round dartboard fixed to a wall. The dartboard is divided into 20 numbered areas, each of which has a particular score, and an outer, middle and inner ring. Double points are scored if a dart lands in the outer ring around the edge of the board and treble points if it lands in the inner ring. If a dart lands in the small centre circle, called the bullseye , 50 points are scored.
Two or four players play against each other. They take turns to throw three darts each at the board, standing behind a line on the floor called the oche (pronounced /'ɒki/). Each player starts with 301, or sometimes 501, and scores are deducted from this. The game is won when one of the players reduces their score to zero. The last throw must land in the outer ring or in the bull’s-eye.
The game is thought to have developed out of archery several hundred years ago and is said to have been played by the Pilgrim Fathers on the Mayflower . Today, pubs have teams that play in local darts leagues and a few players have been able to turn professional. Major darts matches are sometimes shown on television, including the Lakeside World Darts Championship which is held every year in Surrey.
In the US darts is a popular game in bars. The teams sometimes have humorous names, such as The Good, The Bad, The Ugly, and The Flying Syringes. US dart teams are organized into leagues that play for money. Competitions include the Bluebonnet Classic and the Treasure Island Open.