Abstract: An automatic scoring apparatus for a dart game utilizing a plurality of light detecting elements situated on the periphery of a dart board. These light detecting elements are aligned to receive light emitted by a plurality of light sources so that a dart embedded in the dart board will block the path of light from the light sources to the light detecting elements. A microprocessor and associated electronic circuitry continually scan the light detecting elements to detect a decrease in the amount of light incident on any particular light detecting elements indicative of the presence of a dart in the dart board. The location of the dart is calculated mathematically from the shadow location information.