Electronic darts operator 501 Fun is celebrating a major milestone, with 501 million darts having been thrown across its international installations since the company was founded as a small leisure technology start-up seven years ago.

Now a “global leader in tech-driven, inclusive social entertainment,” 501 Fun has revisited the roots of its success, with CEO Jonny Powell recalling the scoring systems, AR innovation and partnerships that paved the way for growth.

“Back in 2018, we spotted a shift in how people were choosing to spend their time and money,” said Powell. “The competitive socialising movement was gaining serious momentum, and we recognised an opportunity to reinvent a classic game for this new era of experience-led leisure.”

“From that single idea, we’ve grown into a global entertainment brand.”

Having delivered “the most accurate auto-scoring system ever made” through an early partnership with Unicorn, 501 Fun then went on to create the first AR darts system, which attracted major partners in the form of Mitchells and Butlers, Topgolf and Funlab.

Now, the company is launching a new Interactive Mini Golf product, played on a single green with LED targets, game graphics, and multiple scoring holes, which combines “intuitive gameplay, bold visuals, and seamless integration.”

“While we’ve come a long way, we’re only just getting started,” said Powell.