Editing Nine-dart finish (section)

==Methods of achievement==
{{See also|Darts#Scoring|Darts#Games}}

[[File:Nine-Dart Paths.svg|thumb|A table depicting all paths to a nine-dart finish.]]
[[File:Nine-Dart Paths DIDO.svg|thumb|A table depicting all paths to a double-in double-out nine-dart finish.]]
A single game of darts (known as a leg) requires a player to score exactly 501 points, ending with either the [[bullseye (target)|bullseye]] or a double. Each shot consists of exactly three darts, and 60 is the maximum that can be scored with any one dart. Thus 180 is the maximum score from a shot, and nine throws are the minimum necessary to win.

Although many other combinations are possible, the traditional nine-dart finish requires a score of 60 (treble 20) with each of the first six throws: that is, with the first two shots of three.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pdc.tv/news/2018/03/15/stats-analysis-holy-grail-or-big-fish|title=Stats Analysis: Holy Grail Or Big Fish?|website=PDC|date=15 March 2018 |access-date=29 December 2019}}</ref> That leaves 141 to score on the final shot (of three darts), known as the outshot.

This outshot of 141 is traditionally performed in one of four ways:

* '''treble 20 (60), treble 19 (57) and double 12 (24)'''
* '''treble 20 (60), treble 15 (45) and double 18 (36)'''
* '''treble 19 (57), treble 16 (48) and double 18 (36)'''
* '''treble 17 (51), treble 18 (54) and double 18 (36)'''

Another way is to score 167 with each set of three darts, scoring 501 in total, in the following way:

* '''treble 20 (60), treble 19 (57) and bullseye (50)'''
[[Luke Littler]] hit '''triple 20 (60), triple 17 (51) and double 15 (30)''' in his [[2025 Premier League Darts|2025 Premier League]] nightly win in Cardiff.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Luke Littler nine-darter: World champion throws perfect leg on way to Premier League nightly win vs Michael van Gerwen |url=https://www.skysports.com/darts/news/12288/13332653/luke-littler-nine-darter-world-champion-throws-perfect-leg-on-way-to-premier-league-nightly-win-vs-michael-van-gerwen |access-date=2025-03-21 |website=Sky Sports |language=en}}</ref>

By throwing each dart of a shot to a different place on the board, this eliminates the chance of any dart being deflected by an already thrown dart into the wrong scoring area but it is usually seen only in [[exhibition game|exhibition]] matches, as in [[tournament]]s, players are inclined to aim for the treble 20, only switching to the treble 19 for a cover shot.

Arguably the most difficult nine-dart finish would be 180 (3×T20), 171 (3×T19), and 150 (3×bullseye) – owing to the difficulty of getting all three darts in the bullseye: it is the smallest double on the board.

A nine-dart finish is also attainable in games which require a double to start scoring (a ''double-in''; such games are thus termed ''double-in double-out'' with the existing double-out requirement). In such games, throwing for double 20 first can lead to a maximum score of 160 with the first shot, leaving the thrower commonly requiring 180 then 161 (T20, T17, bullseye) with their remaining six darts, though other outshots are possible. It is worth noting that in these games, only throwing for double 20, double 17, or bullseye to start the leg can result in a nine-dart finish, and if the bullseye is not the ''double-in'', it must be the ''double-out'' (it can be both, although this would require a highly unorthodox finish using two bullseyes, such as T17-Bull-Bull for a 151).

The total number of different ways of achieving 501 with nine darts is 3,944,<ref>{{cite web |title=Darts Trivia FAQ |url=http://www.reddragondarts.com/pages/3784/Darts-Trivia-FAQ/ |publisher=Red Dragon Darts |access-date=15 December 2013}}</ref> of which 2,296 finish with the bullseye, 672 end on D20, 792 on D18, 56 end on D17, 120 end on D15, and 8 end on D12. 574 of the possible ways can be used in a ''double-in double-out'' game.