Beer darts is a lawn game with a great payoff: you sit across from your opponent and throw darts at each other’s full beer cans. Puncture their can and they have to drink from the leak before it empties. You can rig up a DIY version with steel tip darts and a couple of chairs, but the game got a lot safer and a lot more fun once Beer Darts Co built an actual product around it: magnetic “Battle Station” can holders, backboards that catch stray throws, and blunt-nosed darts sized to puncture a can without turning into a lawn dart accident.
Beer darts at a glance
| What | Details |
|---|---|
| Players | 2 (or 2v2 with the Tournament Bundle) |
| You need | Beer Darts Battle Stations, darts, full cans |
| Distance | About 10 feet apart |
| You drink when | Your can gets punctured or dinged |
| Official gear | Beer Darts Co store |
What you need
- A Beer Darts set (two Battle Stations, backboards and darts included) or, for the DIY version, a set of steel tip darts and two chairs
- A full, sealed can of beer per player (the seltzer-compatible Battle Stations work with skinny cans too)
- About 10 feet of flat ground, indoors or out
- Optional: Battle Turf if you want a proper marked-out arena instead of open grass or pavement
Setup
- Set up two Battle Stations (or two chairs) about 10 feet apart, facing each other.
- Install a full can into each Battle Station, or place it on the ground in front of you for the DIY version.
- Clip a backboard into each station if you have one, to catch missed throws.
- Decide who throws first with a quick toss or coin flip.
The rules
- Take turns throwing one dart at the other player’s can.
- Dink: the dart bounces off the can without sticking. That is one drink or sip.
- Puncture: the dart sticks and punctures the can. Sip or chug until the leak stops.
- Bullseye: if the dart sticks in the drinking spout, the owner is eliminated and has to finish the can on the spot.
- Miss: a clean miss just passes the turn.
- Last can (and player) standing wins. Playing 2v2 with two sets works the same way, just alternate throwers.
House rules worth stealing
- Two hits, darts back: if both players on a team land a hit in the same round, that team throws again immediately.
- Redemption throw: once your can empties, you get one more throw. Land a bullseye and it is a grudge-match rematch.
- Backboard graffiti: sharpie your own trash talk onto the backboard before the game starts. Half the fun of the official set is that the backboards are built for exactly this.
Beer Darts Co keeps a longer house-rules list, including a LEGO-minifig variant, on its own Just the Tips page, and the more formal version on the USBDA rulebook. Want more ways to play? See our full beer dart variations guide.
Safety first
- These are real steel tip darts (unless you are using Pointless Darts, see below). Only throw at the can, never near a person.
- Keep everyone behind the throwing line, never beside or downrange of the cans.
- Play outdoors on grass or use Battle Turf indoors so stray darts do not damage floors.
- Do not play once anyone is too drunk to aim safely.
- Playing with kids or a nervous first-timer? Swap in Pointless Darts, a blunt-tip version built for the same game with none of the puncture risk.
Upgrade your game
Once you have the basics down, Beer Darts Co sells a handful of add-ons that solve the actual annoyances of playing the DIY way: darts that go missing in the grass, cans that tip over in wind, and nowhere good to set up indoors.
Battle Turf Arena
A 10ft x 2ft turf mat marked out like a football field, so you get a real playing surface on pavement, in a garage, or indoors. It also catches spilled beer and stray darts, which a bare lawn will not do.
4 Extra Darts
A four-pack of spares in mixed colors. Worth grabbing before your first big backyard tournament, since a lost or bent dart mid-game is the fastest way to end a round early.
Stake and Stow Kit
Two 6-inch stakes that anchor your Battle Stations into grass or loose soil, so a gust of wind or a curious dog does not send your beer flying mid-round. They stow inside the base with a velcro strap when you are done.
Tournament Bundle Value Pack
The bundle to get if more than two people are showing up. It packs two full Beer Darts sets (four darts total), a Battle Turf arena and the seltzer adapter for anyone skipping beer, so you can run real 2v2 doubles instead of waiting for a turn.
Pointless Darts (the safe version)
A blunt-tip dart set for the same game, no puncturing involved. Good for backyard games with kids around, a nervous first-timer, or anyone who would rather not explain a dart injury at the ER.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of darts do you use for beer darts?
Standard steel tip darts, like the ones included in the official Beer Darts sets. They have the weight and point to puncture an aluminium can, which soft tip darts will not do reliably. If you want a version with zero puncture risk, Pointless Darts swaps in a blunt tip.
How far apart do you sit?
Around 10 feet is the standard distance used by the official Beer Darts rules. Close enough to hit the can, far enough to be a challenge.
Do I need a special product to play, or can I DIY it?
You can play with steel tip darts and two chairs, which is how most people first learn the game. A Beer Darts set just fixes the two things that ruin a DIY game: cans that tip over and darts that end up lost in the grass.
Are there other ways to play?
Yes. See our full beer dart variations guide for 2v2 doubles, the LEGO minifig house rule, and the blunt-tip family version, or try lawn darts if you want a bigger-target, longer-range cousin of the game.
