Reason Why Darts Matches Start At 501 Instead Of 500 Makes Total Sense

Requiring to score 501 in a leg of darts may sound like a random number, but the reasoning behind it makes perfect sense and results in better, more entertaining matches on the big stage.

In darts, players typically start with a score of 501 and look to reach zero as quickly as possible.

That will be the goal for both Luke Littler and Gian van Veen as over they play out the 2026 PDC World Darts Championship final at Alexandra Palace on Saturday night.

Reigning champion and world number one Littler is the strong favourite and hopes to replicate the achievement from Phil Taylor and Gary Anderson in retaining but Van Veen, the world youth champion, has been in fine form and now occupies the number three spot in the rankings.

The match will be the seventh overall meeting between the pair, though the stakes will be raised considerably as it will be a best of 13 sets and there is the small matter of a £1 million prize along with the Sid Waddell Trophy.

The runner up will still be in the money, taking home a cool £400,000.

Although it is widely accepted that 501 is the standard starting score, it may seem slightly odd not to simply start at 500.

However, as one fan pointed out on Quora, it actually makes darts more interesting by adding variation to the shots players must make.

Luke Littler is hoping to defend his world title as Phil Taylor and Gary Anderson. Image: Getty

They wrote: "If you started on an even number, then all you need to do would be to hit 20s (double, treble or single) until you reached zero.

"Starting with an odd number and finishing with a double means you have to get to an even number – so you have to hit an odd number before your last dart.

"It makes things more difficult."

Starting with an odd number encourages players to move around the board rather than simply targeting the 20 with every throw.

Arguably the toughest achievement in darts is hitting a nine-darter, or a perfect leg.

At last year's World Championship, Christian Kist and Damon Heta were the only players to hit nine-dart finishes, with both earning £60,000 each through Paddy Power's campaign for Prostate Cancer UK.

Nobody has managed to hit a nine-darter in the 2026 showpiece, with Gary Anderson doing some in practice.

Damon Heta hit a nine-darter at the Ally Pally last year (Image: Getty)

Before Heta hit the nine-darter to splash out on a Rolex with his winnings, the last man to achieve the feat in the tournament was Michael Smith in the 2023 final.

Littler is the best in the game but he has only hit seven perfect legs in his professional career - with four captured on television.

With an even starting number, darts stars would effectively be able to land a nine-darter without ever moving away the 20 section.

Van Veen won the right to throw first in the final after throwing closest to the bull backstage and will hope to capitalise by winning the first set.

The 23-year-old could become the first player to hold the youth and world titles simultaneously.