A darts scoreboard is whatever shows both players' scores and what each still needs: a chalkboard, a dry-erase board, an electronic display or a phone app. All four can keep a score, though the sources here cover only chalk and dry erase in detail. Below is what the rules ask of any scoreboard, how each type compares, how to lay out a board for 501 and Cricket, and a quick way to choose.
What the rules say about the scoreboard
Rule books say little about the board's material, but they say a few useful things about what it must show and who handles it.
The WDF playing rules (a mirror of the text) define three match roles:
- Marker: the person appointed to mark the scores made and the scores remaining on the scoreboard.
- Caller: the person appointed to announce the scores as they are made during matchplay.
- Scorer: the person appointed to "record the scores, the results, and other relevant matchplay details."
Two more WDF points matter for any scoreboard:
- The actual score a player needs must be shown on the scoreboard, clearly visible, at eye level.
- Darts are retrieved from the board by the thrower, but only after the caller has announced the score.
Those are rules for official matchplay. For your own games, we suggest taking the same idea home: show the remaining score, not only the points scored, and wait until the score is called before anyone pulls darts.
For how the marker actually writes and subtracts, see how to keep score in darts. This guide is about choosing and setting up the board itself.
The four types side by side
This table only lists what follows from the sources or from how each type is used. For electronic boards, the sources here say nothing, so those cells point you to your manual.
| Chalkboard | Dry-erase board | Built-in electronic scoring | Phone app | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who does the math | The marker | The marker | See your manual | The app |
| What you need | Chalk and an eraser | Markers and a cloth | See your manual | A phone |
| Legibility | Depends on handwriting | Depends on handwriting | See your manual | Printed digits on screen |
| Known drawback in the sources | Chalk dust | Handwriting | Not covered | Not covered |
Because details differ by model and the sources do not cover them, read your electronic board's manual rather than assume how it scores.
Chalkboard
A Google patent for a dart score board notes that, historically, dart game scores have been kept by recording them on a chalkboard.
The same patent names two weak points. The legibility of the scores depends directly on the scorekeeper's handwriting, and chalk dust tends to collect on the floor and nearby furniture.
Our own tips if you use chalk:
- Rule the board into columns before the game. Two players need two columns, each with a running remaining score.
- Write the remaining score in large digits and the visit total small. The remaining score is what the thrower needs to see.
- Keep an eraser and a cloth hanging next to it.
- If messy handwriting has caused arguments before, give the chalk to the player with the neatest digits.
Dry-erase board
The patent also says dry-erase ink boards are sometimes used as scoreboards. Handwriting still decides how readable the numbers are.
A few general tips from us, not from the sources:
- Keep a spare marker next to the board, since a marker that runs out mid-leg stops the game.
- Draw the layout lines once with a permanent marker or tape, then write only the numbers with the dry-erase marker. Wiping the numbers then leaves the grid in place.
- If you play both 501 and Cricket often, consider two boards, one per layout, and swap them when the game changes.
Built-in electronic scoring
Some electronic dartboards track the score themselves. The sources here do not cover how they work, so these are only questions to ask before relying on one:
- Does the display show the remaining score for every player? That is what the WDF rule asks of the scoreboard in matches.
- How do you correct a mistake, such as a dart that fell out? Look in the manual, because behavior differs by model.
- Which games does the board support? If it lacks the game your league plays, you will need a second method anyway.
For more on boards themselves, see dartboard types.
Phone app
An app takes over the marker's math. Darts Counter: Scoreboard is an Android app (there is no iPhone version). You enter each dart and it keeps the remaining score. It covers these things:
- X01 with start scores of 301, 401, 501, 601, 701, 801 and 901. Those are the only start scores on offer.
- Cricket with automatic scoring.
- Multiplayer with any number of players, an undo function to correct recent entries, and checkout suggestions.
- An optional tablet layout for larger screens.
- An overview of your last three throws. It does not have a "last 6 scores" view.
The app contains ads. Whether any app is accepted in a league match depends on that league, so ask before you use one.
For what to compare when choosing between apps, see what to look for in a darts scoring app. If you would rather stay on paper, the printable darts score sheet works as a pocket scoreboard.
Setting up a board for 501 or Cricket
The method of marking each game is covered in how to keep score in darts. Here is only how to set up the physical board so the marking is easy. These are layout suggestions from us.
| Game | What to draw once | What to write during play | Where to put the big digits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 501 or 301 | One column per player, name at the top | The start score, then each new remaining score below it | The remaining score |
| Cricket | The numbers 15 to 20 down the middle, one side per player, a points column on each outer edge | Marks next to the numbers, points in the outer column | The points total |
A few notes on each:
- 501 and 301: leave a narrow strip beside each column for the visit total. If a sum looks wrong at the end of a leg, you can add the visit totals back up to the start score and find the bad line. Finishing and bust rules are in the 501 darts rules, and the checkout chart lists finishes you can aim for.
- Cricket: Wikipedia confirms the game uses the numbers 15 to 20 and gives the marking system: a slash beside the number for the first hit, turned into an X for the second, and a circle around the X for the third. Because all three marks build on one another, give each number enough room for one symbol per player. The full rules are in Cricket darts rules.
On a dry-erase board, drawing these grids permanently is where the format pays off. On a chalkboard you will redraw them, so keep the lines simple.
Which one should you choose?
These decision rules are our suggestions, based on how each type is set up:
- One fixed board in a garage or club and several players: a chalkboard or dry-erase board, so everyone can read one shared score.
- Leagues or matches with an official marker: ask the league what it allows. The marker role and the eye-level rule from the WDF text describe how the scoreboard is handled in matchplay.
- Solo practice: a phone app, because there is no marker and nobody to write for you.
- Lots of different games: a dry-erase board with a permanent grid, plus an app for games you cannot fit on it.
- No wall space: an app or the printable score sheet.
Tip
You can combine them. A board on the wall shows the shared score to everyone, and an app on a phone keeps the math and the history.
Practical tips and common slips
The first point follows the WDF rule. The rest are practical tips from us, not from the sources.
- Writing only the points scored. In matches, the WDF rule requires the score a player still needs to be shown. It helps in casual games too.
- Hanging the board where the thrower cannot see it. The WDF eye-level rule is for matches, but beside the dartboard at roughly eye height is a sensible spot at home.
- Wiping the board mid-leg. If you are unsure whether a leg is over, take a photo first.
- Skipping the check. At the end of a 501 leg, add up all visits against the start score.
Sources
All pages accessed on October 21, 2026.
- World Darts Federation (via the cyberdarts.com mirror), WDF playing rules: the definitions of marker, caller and scorer, the eye-level rule for the remaining score, and darts being retrieved only after the score is announced.
- Wikipedia, Cricket (darts): the numbers 15 to 20 and the slash, X and circle marking.
- Google Patents, US7006076B2, Dart game score board: the history of chalkboard scoring, the use of dry-erase boards, handwriting legibility and chalk dust.
