How to Play Killer Darts: Rules Scoring, How to Win

At the pool hall, in your man cave, garage, or basement, or in the lounge of your college dorm; if playing the same two or three dart games has gotten mundane, you may be looking for a new variation to add to the mix and spice things up.

While there are literally dozens of different types of dart games, one of the most exciting is also the most overlooked: Killer darts.

Killer darts is one of the most unique versions of the game, as it can easily be played with an odd amount of players. It is ideal for larger groups of players, too, as it tends to go faster than many other versions.

Generally speaking, there are several ways that Killer can be played, as the rules of the game are similar to the rules of the basketball game of HORSE, making it a competitive game of elimination, as players attempt to knock out their opponents rather than attempting to beat them by achieving a certain score.

The rules of Killer darts are super easy; so easy, in fact, that you may think that the simplicity of the game is deceiving.

However, that said, the game does encourage players to apply different strategies and tactics as they play. Interested in adding Killer to your inventory of darts games?

If so, keep on reading to learn more about the objective of this game and how to play it.

What is Killer Darts?

Killer darts is a game that involves players competing against one another in an effort to knock one another out of the game until one player is left standing. As mentioned above, it can be equated to the darts version of the hoops game of HOSE. Also as mentioned, the game is ideal for large groups and odd numbers of players. While 3 to 20 or more people can play, for the best results, playing with 5 to 8 players is ideal. If you’re playing with a large group of people, separating the group into teams is recommended.

It’s super easy to play; in fact, so easy that people of all ages and ability levels can play Killer darts. As a matter of fact, playing with people of varying skill levels adds to the fun of the game.

Goal of Killer Darts

The main objective of the game of Killer is to eliminate all other players (or other teams, if you’re playing in groups). The last player (or team) standing is the KILLER (winner).

What You’ll Needed to Play Killer Darts

In order to play Killer, you’ll need the following basic supplies:

A standard sized dart board (18 inches in diameter) is ideal. Since the experience and skill level of players will likely vary, deviating from a standard sized dart board is not recommended, as doing so will either make the game more challenging or too easy.
A set of darts. In order to ensure that the competition is fair for all players, using a standard set of darts is recommended. The average weight for a standard set of darts is 23 grams, as pretty much all players of all skill and experience levels will be comfortable handling darts of this weight.
A way to keep score, such as a chalkboard or dry-erase board, or even a piece of paper, and something to write with. In Killer, keeping score is a must, and when so many people are playing, trying to keep tabs on each person’s score can get confusing. Keeping tabs on each player’s score by writing it down will help to avoid confusion.

Setting Up the Game of Killer Darts

Setting up the game of Killer is simple. Here are some tips for ideal positioning of the dart board and throwing line for this game.

Position of the dart board. The bullseye should be positioned 5 feet, 8 inches off of the floor.
Throwing distance. The standard throwing distance of 7 feet, 9 inches from the front of the dart board is ideal; however, if skill levels vary, players can move closer to or further away from the board as they see fit to ensure their comfort.
The oche. The oche, or the throwing line, should be marked at 7 feet, 9 inches from the dart board; however, as mentioned, players can adjust their distance as needed. Use a piece of tape, draw a line on the floor with a piece of chalk, or use anything else that would work as a throwing line.

How to Set Up Killer Darts

Select one person to keep score before starting the game. Doing so will ensure that the score – which is vital to keep – is being recorded throughout the game.

Getting started. Generally, the players who begin have a bit of an advantage; therefore, you should decide on a way to determine the order of players. An effective method would be having everyone take a turn throwing a dart at the bullseye. Whoever lands their dart closest to the bullseye starts first and whoever lands furthest away goes last. Alternatively, you could pick numbers out of a hat, do a coin toss, or draw straws.
Decide on a number. All players must choose a number to aim at. Before the game commences, make sure that each player has selected a different number.

Once the playing order has been decided and all participants have selected a number, you’re ready to start playing Killer.

Killer Darts Rules

Here are the rules for how to play killer darts:

Each player throws 3 darts per turn.
Players aim to hit the number they selected with each throw.
To record the score, a letter from the word KILLER is spelled out each time a player hits their designated number.
After attaining all six letters to spell out KILLER, participants can begin eliminating other players.
Aim for other players’ number using the same scoring method, but in reverse, which will remove letters from other players.
Once all letters have been eliminated from a player, he or she is out of the game.
The last player standing is the winner.