In darts, there is no single fixed number of legs; instead, the number of legs is agreed before the match and depends on the format and level of play. A leg is simply one complete game (for example, from 501 down to exactly 0), and matches are made up of multiple legs, sometimes grouped into sets.

What a leg means in darts

  • A leg is one full game where both players start from a set score, most commonly 501, and race to reach exactly 0 first.
  • The player who checks out (finishes on a double or bull, in standard rules) wins that leg.

Typical numbers of legs

  • Casual or local matches are often played as ā€œbest of 3 legsā€ or ā€œbest of 5 legsā€, meaning first to 2 or first to 3 legs wins the match.
  • Higher‑level play may use more legs, for example best of 7 or more, especially in league or tournament formats.

Legs and sets in big tournaments

  • Many professional events use sets , where each set is itself ā€œbest of 5 legsā€ (first to 3 legs) or sometimes ā€œbest of 3 legsā€.
  • The overall winner must win a set number of sets, so the total number of legs in the match can vary widely depending on how close the contest is.

So if you’re wondering ā€œhow many legs in darts?ā€, the practical answer is: it’s flexible and decided by the format—common choices are best of 3, 5, or 7 legs for a straight‑legs match.

TL;DR: There isn’t one fixed number of legs in darts; a leg is one game, and matches are usually set up as ā€œbest of X legsā€ (often 3, 5, or 7) or grouped into sets that are themselves made of several legs.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.