Killer

Killer Darts Rules

Killer is the classic pub darts game for two or more players — no maths, no checkouts, just survival. Every player has a number, a handful of lives, and one goal: be the last one standing.

How to play Killer

1. Get your number. Each player throws one dart with their non-dominant hand — the number it lands in is theirs for the game. No two players can share a number (throw again if it's taken). In this scorer, tap each player's number badge to set it, or shuffle for random numbers.

2. Become a killer. On your turn you throw three darts. Before you can hurt anyone, you must hit the double of your own number. Do that and you're a killer — marked with the 💀.

3. Take lives. Once you're a killer, hitting the double of another player's number takes one of their lives. Everyone starts with three lives (or five, if you like a longer game). Lose all your lives and you're out.

4. Last one standing wins. Simple as that.

Common house rules

Playing with newer players? Switch the targets option above to singles — any hit in a player's number then counts for arming up and taking lives. The game flows much faster and nobody spends ten minutes stuck outside the doubles ring.

Some pubs play that a killer who hits their own double again loses a life — a tax on showing off. That's the "own-double penalty" toggle above. Others play single-to-in or award extra lives for treble hits; agree the rules before the first dart and you'll avoid the arguments after it.

Playing tactically matters: killers gang up on the biggest threat, and sitting quietly on your lives while the killers fight each other is a time-honoured route to the final two.