Guides · Darts party games · 11 min read
Darts party games for groups of 4 to 20
The best darts party games keep everyone involved: Killer, Knockout and Last One Standing for up to about a dozen people, team Cricket for mixed levels, and a quick knockout tournament once you are more than ten. Keep each game to six throwers or play in teams, and nobody stands around for long.
In short
- 4 to 6 people: Killer, Shanghai or Follow the Leader, everyone for themselves.
- 7 to 12: games where players drop out, such as Knockout, or two to four teams.
- 13 to 20: a knockout tournament with single legs, ideally on two boards.
- Mixed levels: draw the teams so the best and the weakest player pair up.
- World Championship night: throw between the matches and play the tip game for honour, not money.
Group size finder
Which darts game suits how many people?
Count your guests first, because group size decides more than skill. Up to six people can play one game each for themselves. Beyond that you need teams, a game that knocks players out, or a bracket.
| People | Play this | How |
|---|---|---|
| 4 to 6 | Killer, Shanghai, Follow the Leader, Dart Bingo | Everyone for themselves |
| 7 to 10 | Killer, Knockout, 21 Blackjack | Players drop out, or two teams |
| 11 to 16 | Team Cricket or 501, Last One Standing | Three or four teams |
| 17 to 20+ | Knockout tournament, Nine-Dart Century | A bracket, two boards if you can |
In Sridu: one game shows up to six players on the scoreboard. Switch on Teams and up to 24 people play in up to four teams, each sharing one score. Tournaments take up to 64 players.
The games
What are the best darts games for a party?
Killer is the best darts party game for most groups, because everyone can attack everyone and the room cheers every hit. The other nine on this list each solve a different problem: big numbers, beginners, short breaks or long evenings.
- Killer4 to 10 people, 20 to 30 minutes. Everyone gets a number. Hit your own double to become a killer, then each hit on another player’s double takes one of their three lives.
- Knockout4 to 12 people, 20 to 30 minutes. Everyone throws one visit a round, and the lowest score loses a life. Three lives each, last one in wins.
- Last One Standing4 to 12 people, 15 to 25 minutes. One target a round for everybody. Miss it with all three darts and a life is gone.
- Follow the Leader3 to 8 people, 15 to 25 minutes. Hit the exact field the player before you set, then set a nasty one for the next.
- Shanghai2 to 8 people, about 25 minutes for 7 rounds with 7 players. Only the round’s number scores, and single, double and treble in one visit wins on the spot.
- 21 Blackjack3 to 10 people, 10 to 20 minutes. Add up your darts towards 21 and stand whenever you like. Go over and the round is lost.
- Nine-Dart CenturyAny number, about 90 seconds per person. Nine darts to get as close to 100 as you can without going over.
- Dart Bingo2 to 6 people, 10 to 20 minutes. Everyone gets a card of fields to cross off. The first full row wins, and beginners win it too.
- Elimination3 to 6 people, 20 to 40 minutes. Count down from 301, and land exactly on someone’s score to send them back to the start.
- Team Cricket4 to 16 people in two to four teams, 20 to 30 minutes. Partners share one score and take turns visit by visit.
Times are rough guides for casual players at about half a minute per visit, including pulling the darts.
Why Killer works so well
- Everyone is a target, so a weak player can still knock out the favourite.
- Short turns, because one visit is one shot at a double.
- Easy to scale with more or fewer lives, or with all fields counting for beginners.
For a twist, try Blind Killer with secret numbers, or Big Six, Follow the Leader starting on the single 6. Both open in Sridu with their rules already set.
Darts night ideas
How do you organise a darts night for a group?
Plan a short warm-up, one or two group games and a small tournament as the finale. That gives about three hours for ten people, and everybody throws from the first minute.
- 0:00Arrive and warm up with Nine-Dart Century. The scores give you a ranking for fair teams later.
- 0:20Killer, or Knockout for more than ten people. Everyone plays at once.
- 1:00Team Cricket with teams drawn from the warm-up ranking.
- 1:45The knockout tournament, single legs of 301 until the final.
- 2:45The final, best of three legs, with the whole room watching.
Before the first dart
- Board at the right height, a throw line 2.37 m away and a mat on the floor. The guide on how to hang a dartboard has the measurements.
- Nobody sits or walks between the line and the board.
- A set of darts for each player, or at least two sets to swap.
- One person or an app keeps score, so the thrower only has to throw.
- House rules agreed up front: bounce-outs, who throws first, how many lives.
Rotation
How do you stop people waiting too long for their turn?
Keep each game to about six throwers and put everyone else in teams. At half a minute per visit, the wait for your next turn grows with every extra player.
- Teams of two to fourTwelve people in four teams wait as long as four players. Team-mates take turns at the board.
- Games that knock outIn Killer and Knockout the field shrinks every few minutes, and whoever is out scores the next game.
- A second boardTwo games of six beat one game of twelve. The second board can also host the warm-up.
- Call the next playerSay who is up and who is next. Sridu’s darts caller does it for you: “Ben to throw”.
Mixed levels
How do you make teams fair between beginners and good players?
Rank everyone by a warm-up score and pick the teams in a snake: the first round of picks goes 1, 2, 3, 4, the second goes back 5, 6, 7, 8. The best player ends up next to the weakest, and every team has about the same strength.
More ways to level the field
- Extra livesIn Killer, beginners start with five lives and regulars with three.
- Any finishIn 301, let newcomers check out on any field while regulars need a double.
- Games with luckDart Bingo, 21 Blackjack and Shanghai level things out by themselves.
- Weaker handFor a laugh, the best player throws with the other hand for one round.
Sridu splits a player list into teams in order or by a random draw, and handicaps such as extra lives are set per player. The darts games guide lists handicaps for 501, Cricket, Golf and more.
Bracket
How do you run a quick darts tournament at a party?
Play a straight knockout with one leg of 301 per match, and seed it so the two strongest players can only meet in the final. If the field is not a power of two, the top seeds get byes into round two.
| Format | Matches with 8 players | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Knockout | 7 | A party, done in about 1½ hours on one board |
| Double knockout | 14 or 15 | Everyone gets a second chance |
| 2 groups + knockout | 15 | Everyone plays at least three matches |
| Round robin | 28 | A league over several evenings |
- Short legsOne leg of 301 takes casual players roughly 10 to 15 minutes. Keep best of three for the final.
- Losers mark the boardWhoever just lost keeps score for the next match, so nobody drifts off.
Printable bracket: the tournament bracket PDF has a seeded bracket for up to 16 players and a tip card for watching the World Championship, both on A4.
Or let the app run the draw
Tournaments in Sridu take up to 64 players, singles or doubles, as knockout, groups, round robin or double knockout. Seeding and byes are automatic, and every result goes straight into the bracket.
- Bots fill gaps if you want a full field without byes.
- Big screen puts the draw and the live matches on the TV.
- Two boards can play at once with online sign-up.
Watch party
How do you host a darts World Championship watch party?
Put the TV first and throw in the gaps: between matches, while the next players walk on, and before the evening session starts. Add a tip game played for honour, and the night has something going on even when your board is quiet.
- 11 Decfirst day, 2026
- 3 Janthe final, 2027
- 128players
- 4 daysChristmas break, 24 to 27 Dec
The 2026/27 PDC World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace, London. As of October 2026; check the PDC schedule for session times.
Games that fit a break
- One round of 21 BlackjackOne visit each, closest to 21 takes it. Done before the next walk-on ends.
- Nine-Dart CenturyNine darts each towards 100. With eight guests it fills a long gap.
- Sudden DeathOne visit each, the lowest score drops out. Repeat until one is left.
- Bull-off for the next pickClosest to the bull chooses the next game or the snacks.
The tip game, for honour only
| Tip per match | Points |
|---|---|
| The winner | 1 |
| The exact score in sets | +2 |
| Closest guess for the highest checkout | 1 |
| Your drawn player wins the match | 1 |
At the start, everyone draws one or two player names from a hat, like a sweepstake without stakes. The night’s winner gets the first throw in the next game or a paper crown, never money.
- Board away from the TVNobody watching should sit in the line of throw, and nobody throwing should have the screen behind the board. Where spectators stand is shown in the darts corner plan.
- Phone as second screenScan Sridu’s session code with a phone by the board. It shows your score there, and the TV stays on the World Championship.
- Caller at the right volumeTurn the app’s caller down while the TV commentary runs. Between matches, a “Game shot” call adds to the mood.
Darts and drinks: steel tips are sharp, and aim gets worse with every drink. Keep glasses off the oche, never make drinking a rule of the game, and let anyone who has had a few keep score instead.
Sources: Sky Sports (dates, Christmas break), PDC (field of 128).
FAQ
Questions about darts party games
What is the best darts game for a large group?
For up to about twelve people, Knockout, Last One Standing or Higher or Lower with one life, because the field shrinks as you play. For more than that, team Cricket with three or four teams, or a knockout tournament with single legs.
How many people can play darts at a party on one board?
Six is comfortable for one game, with a wait of about two and a half minutes between visits. With teams or a bracket, one board can keep 20 people busy for an evening, and a second board halves the waiting.
Which darts party game is best for beginners?
Dart Bingo, 21 Blackjack and Nine-Dart Century, because any hit can help and there is no double to finish. Killer works too if all fields count. The darts for beginners guide covers the first throws.
How do you play darts in teams with an odd number of people?
Let the smaller team throw just as often, so its players get an extra turn each, or give every player one turn a round and the bigger team more visits. In a knockout, the odd player gets a bye. Sridu offers both turn rules for uneven teams.
Is there a good darts drinking game?
We would leave drinking out of the rules. Steel darts and alcohol are a poor mix, and aim and judgement both suffer. Play for honour, the next pick or snacks instead.
When is the 2026/27 World Darts Championship?
From 11 December 2026 to the final on 3 January 2027 at Alexandra Palace in London, with a break from 24 to 27 December. That was the plan as of October 2026.
Do I need an app to run a darts tournament at home?
No. A printed bracket and a chalkboard work fine. An app saves the maths and the bookkeeping, and with Sridu the bracket fills itself in as matches end.
Guides
Related guides
Let the app keep score tonight
Open Sridu in the browser, add your guests and pick a party game, or draw a tournament. It counts by webcam or by tapping. No account, nothing to install.