Around the Clock Darts Game | Rules & How to Play

Around the Clock darts is one of the simplest ways to bring structure to practice while still feeling like a proper game. You work your way through the board in order, which makes it ideal for building accuracy, rhythm and basic match discipline. On DartsStats.com we see it used everywhere: warm-ups before league nights, quick solo sessions at home, and even as a pressure drill for doubles or finishing. Below you?ll find clear rules, practical setup advice, variations for different standards, and how to use the format to sharpen the skills that matter in real matches.

What Is Around the Clock?

Around the Clock (sometimes called ?Round the Clock?) is a darts game where players aim at numbers in sequence?typically 1 through 20?before finishing on a chosen target (often the bull). Unlike 501, there?s no scoring race. The ?score? is effectively your progress: how quickly and cleanly you can move from one number to the next.

Because the targets are fixed and ordered, it?s a brilliant format for:

Developing board coverage (hitting every number under time/turn pressure).
Improving grouping and adjusting when you miss.
Building routines: aim point, release, follow-through, and reset.
Tracking improvement easily (turns taken, darts thrown, or first-hit percentage).

Objective of the Game

The objective is straightforward: be the first player to hit every required target in order. The standard targets are singles 1?20, then bull to finish. However, you can set the objective to suit your session?singles only for beginners, doubles-only for finishing practice, or a mix to mirror match demands.

Common win conditions

First to complete 1?20 (singles count).
First to complete 1?20 + bull (bull or double bull depending on your rule).
Lowest darts thrown to complete the sequence (great for solo benchmarking).
Best of X legs (turning practice into match-like sets).

Players and Setup

Around the Clock can be played solo or with any number of players. It works best with 1?4 players so turns stay quick and focus stays high.

What you need

A standard dartboard set to regulation height and throw line (oche).
Three darts per player.
A simple way to track progress: chalkboard, whiteboard, or a notes app.

How to set up the leg

Decide the target sequence (most commonly 1 to 20, then bull).
Decide what ?counts? (singles only, any segment, doubles-only, trebles-only, etc.).
Choose a starting player (throw for bull, nearest to bull starts, or rotate starts across legs).
Agree whether you can advance multiple numbers in one visit (standard is ?yes?).

How to Progress Through Numbers

Players take turns throwing three darts. You start on number 1. Once you hit the required target for your current number, you move on to the next number. You continue within the same turn until you miss or your three darts are used.

Standard rules (singles 1?20)

You must hit the current number as a single (the large single segment) for it to count.
After a successful hit, you move to the next number immediately.
If you hit the wrong number, it doesn?t count and you stay on the same target.
Only one hit is required per number (unless you set ?two hits? or ?three hits? as a harder rule).

Example turn

You?re on 7.
Dart 1: hits single 7 → you advance to 8.
Dart 2: hits single 8 → you advance to 9.
Dart 3: hits single 14 (wrong target) → you remain on 9 for next visit.

Allowing ?any segment? (beginner-friendly)

If you?re new, you can allow any segment of the number to count?single, double, or treble. This helps you learn the board without stalling for ages on one number. Just be clear upfront: if you?re allowing any segment, a treble 7 still counts as ?7?.

Finishing the Game

Most groups finish on the bull after hitting 20. The finishing rule you choose changes the pressure level significantly.

Popular finishing options

Finish on bull (25 or 50 count): any bull segment ends the game.
Finish on double bull only: the inner bull (50) is required.
Finish on D20: a straightforward doubles finish that mirrors match endings.
Finish on a called double: players call the double they?ll attempt before throwing.

What if two players ?finish? in the same round?

If you?re playing with multiple players and two could theoretically complete the sequence in the same round, standard practice is simple: turns decide it. If Player A finishes on their visit, the leg ends immediately. If you prefer fairness in league-style practice, you can allow the other player a ?reply visit? to equalise?just agree this before starting.

Common Variations

Around the Clock is flexible, which is why it stays popular. The key is to pick a variation that targets a specific skill, rather than changing rules randomly.

1) Doubles Around the Clock

Players must hit doubles 1?20 in order (D1, D2, D3… D20), usually finishing on bull. This is one of the best pressure builders for match play because doubles decide legs.

2) Trebles Around the Clock

Hit T1 to T20 in order. This is high difficulty and best used in short bursts. It encourages fine adjustments and disciplined grouping.

3) ?One Dart Only?

You get one dart per number. If you miss, you stay on that number until next turn. This is excellent for pre-shot routine practice and simulating a single high-pressure attempt.

4) ?Two Hits Per Number?

To advance, you must hit the current number twice (in any visits). Great for building repetition and reducing fluke progression.

5) Team Around the Clock

Play 2v2 with shared progress. Teammates alternate throws but work through one shared sequence. It keeps tempo high and adds accountability.

Beginner Tips

For beginners, the biggest mistake is trying to ?force? the perfect dart. Around the Clock rewards calm repetition more than power.

Start with ?any segment counts? for the first few sessions, then move to singles-only.
Aim big: use the centre of the single segment rather than chasing wires.
Use a consistent routine: step, set, aim, throw, reset?same every time.
Don?t rush after a hit: progressing quickly is good, but not at the cost of technique.
Track one metric per week (e.g., darts to complete 1?20). Too many stats can distract.
Keep sessions short: 10?20 minutes of focused Around the Clock beats 60 minutes of unfocused throwing.

Practice Benefits

Around the Clock looks simple, but it?s quietly one of the most complete foundation drills you can do.

Board familiarity and switching targets

In matches, you rarely throw at the same bed repeatedly without adjustment?especially in messy legs. Around the Clock forces you to move your eye line and aiming point every few darts, improving target switching.

Pressure management

When you?re stuck on a number (often 18, 19 or 20 for newer players), the format creates mild pressure: you know you ?should? hit it, and misses feel costly. Learning to throw the same calm dart regardless is a genuine match skill.

Measurable progress

You can benchmark improvement without complicated analysis. Useful measures include:

Darts thrown to complete the game.
Turns taken (visits) to complete the game.
First-dart hit rate per number (e.g., how often you hit your target with Dart 1).

Making the Game Harder

Once singles 1?20 becomes comfortable, you can scale difficulty in ways that directly translate to match performance.

Progression ideas (in sensible steps)

Singles-only, then ?called single?: call ?single 16? before you throw to avoid accidental doubles/trebles counting.
Doubles-only (D1?D20) to build checkout reliability.
Singles then doubles: hit single 1, then double 1, then move to 2 (longer but very complete).
Must finish on D20 rather than bull, to practise the most common finishing double.
Three darts maximum per number: if you don?t hit it in three darts, you lose a life (e.g., 3 lives total).
Penalty for missing: miss your number and you go back one (or back to the previous checkpoint such as 10).

Make it match-like with ?mini-pressure? rules

Last dart counts: you can only progress if you hit the target with Dart 3, simulating a deciding dart.
Checkout finish: after 20, you must finish bull in two darts or fewer (otherwise you stay on bull).

When to Use Around the Clock

This game fits neatly into different parts of a player?s week, depending on what you?re trying to improve.

Best times to use it

Warm-up before competitive play: one quick run through 1?20 (any segment) to loosen up and find your release.
Skill block practice: doubles Around the Clock for 15 minutes when finishing has been costing you legs.
Confidence rebuild: if your throw feels messy, go back to singles-only to re-centre mechanics.
Head-to-head training: race to 20 + bull, best of 5 legs, to simulate momentum swings.

How this links to darts betting (useful, not reckless)

Around the Clock is also a practical lens for analysing players? strengths: who is comfortable moving around the board, who is reliable on doubles, and who keeps composure when ?stuck?. If you?re assessing a match for betting purposes, you?re often translating practice fundamentals into likely match outcomes?without overreacting to one highlight finish.

Two concrete betting scenarios (educational examples)

Scenario 1: Backing a player in a ?most 180s? market vs. finishing reliability
Imagine a best-of-11 legs match. Player A is a heavy scorer but erratic on doubles; Player B is steadier and typically finishes cleaner. You might see a line like:

Most 180s: Player A 4/5, Player B 6/5 (example odds format).

If your notes (or observable match tendencies) suggest Player A creates many attempts (good for 180s) but doesn?t always close legs, Player A can still be a reasonable ?most 180s? candidate even if you?re not convinced they?ll win the match. Around the Clock-style thinking helps: strong trebles can be separated from strong finishing.

Scenario 2: Using doubles performance to interpret a handicap line
Suppose you?re looking at a leg handicap such as:

Leg handicap: Player B +1.5 legs at 10/11 (example).

In an 11-leg format, +1.5 means Player B can lose 6?5 and still ?cover?. If Player B?s profile is ?gets chances and takes them? (the doubles Around the Clock effect), they can stay competitive even when outscored slightly. Practically, you?d look for signs like fewer missed doubles per leg or calmer closing under pressure?rather than only average score.

FAQs

Do doubles and trebles count in Around the Clock?: Only if you set the rules that way. The standard version is singles-only (the large single segment). Many beginners allow any segment to count, while ?Doubles Around the Clock? specifically requires doubles.
Can you hit more than one number in a single turn?: Yes. In the standard rules, once you hit your current number you immediately move to the next number with your remaining darts in that visit.
How do you score Around the Clock?: You usually don?t score points. You track progress (which number you?re on) and/or measure performance by darts thrown, turns taken, or completion time.
What?s the best finishing rule: bull or D20?: Bull is traditional and tests precision. D20 is more directly relevant to match finishing because it?s a common double to win legs. Choose based on what you want to practise.
Is Around the Clock good for absolute beginners?: Yes?especially with ?any segment counts?. It teaches the board layout, builds confidence on awkward numbers, and gives a clear target each dart.
How long should a session take?: For focused practice, 10?20 minutes is plenty. If you?re playing a match-style format (best of 5 legs), allow 20?40 minutes depending on standard.
What?s a good benchmark for improvement?: Pick one measure and track it weekly. For example, if it took you 120 darts to complete 1?20 + bull this week, aim for 110?115 next month. Consistency matters more than one-off personal bests.

The Final Throw

Around the Clock is a deceptively powerful darts game: simple rules, clear targets, and easy progress tracking. Use it to build the basics?clean aiming, calm repetition, and the ability to switch targets without rushing. Once you?re comfortable, add purposeful difficulty (doubles-only, stricter finishes, or ?one dart only?) to mirror the pressure of real legs.

If you?re applying insights from practice to match analysis, keep it grounded: strong scoring and strong finishing are different skills, and Around the Clock variations help you separate them. When you watch or track players, look for repeatable traits?tidy doubles, composed recovery after misses, and the ability to hit the required bed on demand.

Betting should always be approached responsibly. Set limits, avoid chasing losses, and treat any wager as a small-stakes interest in the sport rather than a solution to financial pressure.

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