How to Play Electronic Darts

An example of an electronic dart board.

Dart boards have been a staple of most Rec rooms, pool halls and bars for decades. It’s arguably second only to pool in games of skill you can play with your friends to unwind and have a good time. Recent years have seen the arrival of electronic dart boards, big machines that keep scores for a variety of different types of games so that you don’t have to. While they can certainly seem more overwhelming than a standard dart board, in reality they really aren’t. By following a few simple steps you can feel just as comfortable playing darts on a big electronic unit as you do on your old wooden board.

Instructions

1. Turn on the machine. If you are in a bar or someplace similar this requires you to put quarters in the unit to get it to work. If you’re at home, you get off cheap. Just plug it in.

2. Read the instructions for the machine (printed on the unit itself if you’re in a public place or in your instruction manual if you’re at home) to find out which games are available for play. Access the menu (different units have different menus, though all work on the same principles) and choose the one that interests you. Teams may also be chosen at this time, if that is required.

3. Familiarize yourself with the rules of the game you are playing. Certain games require you to get only a certain number of points, while basic Cricket requires you to get three of each number starting with 15 and going higher (this includes the bulls eye).

4. Start your game and enjoy yourself. Keep in mind that scoring is automatic, so once you’ve selected which game you’ll be playing all you have to do is aim and throw. Pay attentions to lights that will indicate which individual or team currently has their turn, and also to the score indicator. The games will be played the exact same way they would be on a regular dart board, with the only exception being that instead of the steel-tipped darts of a wooden board you’ll be playing with plastic tips.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep in mind that while darts should be readily available to you if playing in your home, you may have to go searching for them in a public place. If they aren’t in a cup near the machine itself, try asking for them at the bar or main counter. You may have to leave your ID with them so they know you’ll come back.