Dart Checkout Calculator

The Dart Checkout Calculator tells you the best way to finish a leg of 501 or 301 darts. Type your remaining score and it returns the recommended checkout combination — the exact darts to throw so your total lands on zero with the final dart in a double. It shows the route on an animated dartboard, lists alternative finishes, highlights the double you are left on, and flags the tricky "bogey" numbers that can't be closed out in three darts.

What is a Darts Checkout?

In the popular formats 501 and 301, both players start on the same score and take turns throwing three darts, subtracting what they hit. The first to reach exactly zero wins the leg — but there is a catch: the dart that takes you to zero must land in a double (the thin outer ring) or the bullseye, which counts as a double 25 worth 50 points. The combination of darts that gets you there is your checkout or finish.

The Highest Checkout: 170

The biggest score you can finish from in three darts is 170. There is only one way to do it:

Anything above 170 needs a "score-down" dart first because three darts simply cannot cover the gap and still finish on a double.

Common Darts Checkouts Chart

These are the standard finishes for popular scores. The calculator above works out the best route for any score from 2 to 170, but this quick chart covers the ones you meet most often.

Key: S = single, D = double, T = treble, Bull = bullseye (50). So "T20" means treble 20 and "D16" means double 16.

Bogey Numbers: Scores You Can't Finish

Seven scores below 170 cannot be checked out in three darts, no matter how you throw them. These are the bogey numbers:

If you leave yourself one of these, don't chase an impossible finish. Instead throw a set-up dart to leave a strong, checkable number. A great target is 152 (T20, T20, D16) or a two-dart number like 110 (T20, Bull). The calculator does this automatically when you enter a bogey number.

Why the Last Dart Must Be a Double

Finishing on a double is what makes the end of a leg the real test of nerve. The double rings are only a few millimetres wide, so closing out a game demands precision under pressure. It also explains a quirk: a score of 1 is impossible to finish, because the smallest double is Double 1, worth 2 points. Good players avoid ever leaving themselves on 1.

Best Doubles to Leave

Smart finishing is not just about the fewest darts — it is about which double you leave for your final throw. The most popular choices are:

How to Use This Calculator

1. Enter your remaining score: Type the points you have left, from 2 up to 170.
2. Click Find Checkout: The tool calculates the best combination that ends on a double.
3. Read the route: See the recommended darts, an animated dartboard showing where to aim each one, and alternative finishes.
4. Throw your darts: Aim each dart in order and land the final one in the highlighted double to win the leg.

Checkout Strategy Tips

• Always know your finish. The best players know their preferred route for every number under 170 by heart — this calculator is how you learn them.
• Set up your favourite double. Aim to leave an even number that lands you on D16 or D20, not an odd number that forces a single-then-double scramble.
• Avoid leaving odd numbers below 40 where possible, and never leave yourself on 1.
• On a bogey number, score down deliberately to a clean leave rather than gambling on an impossible three-dart out.
• Practise your doubles. Most legs are won or lost on the last dart, so doubles practice pays off more than raw scoring.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a checkout in darts?

A checkout is the combination of darts that reduces your remaining score to exactly zero to win a leg of 501 or 301. The final dart must land in a double or the bullseye (which counts as a double 25).

What is the highest checkout in darts?

The highest three-dart checkout is 170, thrown as Treble 20, Treble 20, and then the Bullseye (60 + 60 + 50). No score above 170 can be finished in three darts.

What are bogey numbers in darts?

Bogey numbers are the scores 169, 168, 166, 165, 163, 162 and 159, which cannot be finished in three darts even though they are under 170. On a bogey number you should throw a set-up dart to leave a checkable score such as 152 or 110.

Why must the last dart be a double?

The rules of 501 and 301 require you to finish on a double, which makes closing out a leg the hardest and most dramatic part of the game. A score of 1 cannot be finished at all, because the smallest double is 2.

What is the best double to leave in darts?

Double 16 and Double 20 are the most popular. Double 16 is favoured because it sits on the halving line — a miss into the single leaves Double 8, then Double 4, then Double 2, so you always stay on a workable finish.

How many darts does a checkout take?

It depends on the score. Even scores up to 40 and the bullseye (50) can be hit in one dart, many scores up to 110 take two darts, and the rest up to 170 need three. This calculator always shows the fewest darts possible.