Pickleball has a relatively simple scoring system: only the serving team can score, and each point that is won counts as one. If the receiving team wins a point, they win the right to serve. Each game is played to eleven, and the winner must win by two. Scoring is called out slightly differently for singles and doubles.
Pickleball Scoring Must Know Rules
The scoring system in pickleball is intrinsically linked to which team is serving, and where they are positioned on the court. Though this might sound complicated at first, it helps you to keep track of the pickleball scoring rules.
The following rules comply with the USA Pickleball (USAPA) scoring system and serving rules.
| Aspect | Rule Description |
|---|---|
| Point Scoring | Only the serving team can score points. If the receiving team wins the rally, they earn the serve but no points. |
| Serving Sequence | In doubles, serves alternate between partners on the serving team. Initially, one partner serves until a fault, then serving shifts to the opponents (side out). |
| Serving Side | Serve starts on the right-hand side (even side) of the court. Servers switch sides after each point scored, based on the server’s score being even or odd. |
| Game Length | Standard games are to 11 points, but must be won by at least a 2-point margin. Games can also be played to 15 or 21 points, with the same win margin. |
| Calling the Score | Score is called serving team’s score first, receiving team’s score second, and in doubles, the server number last. For example, “4-2-2”. |
| Faults | Faults include balls hit out of bounds, not clearing the net, improper serves, volleys from the non-volley zone, and double bounces. |
| Service Rules | Serve must be underhand, paddle below the waist, and the ball hit in the air without bouncing. Must land in the opposite diagonal service box. |
| Side Out | When the serving team commits a fault, the serve shifts to the opponents. |
| Winning the Game | The game is won by the first team to reach 11 (or 15/21) points with at least a 2-point lead. If a tie occurs near the game point, play continues until a 2-point lead is achieved. |
| Singles vs. Doubles | In singles, the serve and scoring rules are the same, but there is no second server. The server moves from right to left or vice versa based on their score. |
At the start of the game, both teams (or players in singles play) have zero points. Before you begin your game of pickleball, you must decide which team serves first.
1. Serving
The serving team always starts serving from the right side of the court (this is called the even side, because the serving team’s score will always be an even number when serving from this position). If you are playing doubles, you must decide which of you is the first server.
The serve must go diagonally into the receiving team’s right side of the court.
Moreover, it’s essential to understand that after the first point is scored or lost, the serving position alternates between team members in doubles, or between sides in singles, depending on the current score and the outcome of the previous point.
2. Winning points
A point is won when one side commits a fault. Usually, this happens by hitting the ball out of the pickleball court (outside of the sidelines and baseline) or into the net. A fault can also occur when a player makes an error like stepping into the non-volley zone illegally.
If the serving team/the person serving wins the point, they switch sides to the left side and serve from there (again, diagonally across the court). The left side of the court is known as the odd side, as the serving team’s score will always be odd if you are serving from there.
In doubles, the second server takes over, and the process repeats. If you are playing singles, the receiving side becomes the serving side and may now try and score points.
When the serve switches from one side to the other, this is known as a “side out.”
The first team or player to win eleven points wins the game, as long as they win by two points.
There is no “highest score” in pickleball. A game goes on for as long as it takes for one side to get two clear points ahead.
3. Calling the score while playing
Calling the score in pickleball changes depending on whether you play singles or doubles. In singles, it consists of two numbers. In doubles, it consists of three.
Singles scoring
When playing singles, calling the score takes the following format:
[SERVER’S SCORE – RECEIVER’S SCORE]
If the server had scored four points, while the current receiver had scored five, the score would be called as [FOUR – FIVE]
Doubles scoring
When calling the score in doubles, a third number is added to the call. This is the server number.
In doubles, the score calling system looks like this:
[SERVING TEAM’S SCORE – RECEIVING TEAM’S SCORE – SERVER NUMBER]
For example:
- The serving team has scored nine points
- The serving team is on their second server
- The receiving team has three points
In this case, the score would be called as:
[NINE – THREE – TWO]
4. Faults
Points are often decided by faults, including:
- The ball being hit out of bounds.
- The ball not clearing the net.
- A serve not landing in the appropriate diagonal service box.
- A volley shot taken from within the non-volley zone (kitchen) or stepping into the non-volley zone during the volley follow-through.
- Double bounces before a return.
5. Winning the Game
The first team to reach 11 points (or 15/21 in longer games) and lead by at least 2 points wins the match.
If teams are tied at 10 (or 14/20), play continues until one team achieves a 2-point lead.
Similarities to other sports
Pickleball is similar to most racquet sports in that it is scored in points. It follows the same numerical system as table tennis, badminton, and volleyball: each point is worth one point, and the first to a certain number wins.
In pickleball, only the serving team can win points. This is similar to racquetball and squash, among others, and is also a common alternative scoring method in badminton and ping pong.
Tennis is an outlier among racket sports. Its scoring system goes:
[LOVE – FIFTEEN – THIRTY – FORTY – GAME].
Each set is played as the first to six games, and a match is the best of three or five sets.
