How Padel Scoring Works: A Complete Beginner's Guide

Welcome to the exciting world of padel! If you’re new to this fast-growing racket sport, you might be wondering how on earth the scoring works. Don’t worry, you’re not alone. While padel shares many similarities with tennis, especially in its scoring system, it has its own unique flair and rules that make it distinct and incredibly fun.

This complete guide is designed for absolute beginners. We’ll break down the padel scoring system step-by-step, from the smallest unit (points) all the way up to winning a match. By the end, you’ll feel confident keeping score and fully understanding the flow of a padel game. Let’s get started!

The Basics: How Padel Scoring Is Structured

Padel scoring is divided into three main levels:

1. Points: These are the smallest units, won during a single rally.
2. Games: A collection of points, typically won by being the first to four points with a two-point lead.
3. Sets: A collection of games, usually won by being the first to six games with a two-game lead.
4. Match: The overall contest, won by being the first to win a predetermined number of sets (e.g., best of three).

Let’s dive into each level.

1. Winning a Point: The Foundation of Padel Scoring

Just like in tennis, padel uses a unique and somewhat quirky numbering system for points within a game. This is where many beginners get a little confused, but it’s straightforward once you get the hang of it.

Each rally results in one team winning a point. Here’s how the score progresses:

• 0 points (Love): This is where every game starts. “Love” comes from the French word “l’œuf,” meaning “the egg,” symbolizing a zero.
• 1st point (15): The first point won by a team.
• 2nd point (30): The second point won.
• 3rd point (40): The third point won.

So, if Team A wins the first point and Team B wins the second, the score would be 15-15. If Team A then wins the third point, it’s 30-15. If Team B wins the next, it’s 30-30.

Deuce and Advantage: The Tense Moments

Things get interesting when both teams reach three points each, meaning the score is 40-40. This situation is called “Deuce.”

• From Deuce, a team must win two consecutive points to win the game.
• If a team wins the next point after Deuce, they gain “Advantage” (sometimes called “Ad In” for the serving team or “Ad Out” for the receiving team).
• If the team with Advantage wins the next point, they win the game.
• If the team with Advantage loses the next point, the score reverts to Deuce, and they have to try again to win two consecutive points.

This back-and-forth at Deuce can make games incredibly long and exciting!

Example Scenario:

• Team A serves, wins point: 15-Love
• Team B wins point: 15-15
• Team A wins point: 30-15
• Team B wins point: 30-30
• Team A wins point: 40-30
• Team B wins point: 40-40 (Deuce!)
• Team A wins point: Advantage Team A
• Team A wins point: Team A wins the game!

2. Winning a Game: How to Rack Them Up

Once a team wins a game, the game score is updated. For example, if Team A just won their first game, the set score would be 1-0 in games. The serving then switches to the opposing team for the next game.

3. Winning a Set: The Road to Victory

To win a set, a team must:

• Win at least six games.
• Have a lead of at least two games over their opponents.

Common set scores include 6-3, 6-4, 7-5. If the score reaches 6-5, the leading team needs to win the next game to secure the set 7-5. If they lose, the score becomes 6-6, leading to a special tie-breaking game.

The Tie-Break: When a Set Is Too Close to Call

When a set reaches a score of 6-6 in games, a “tie-break” is played to determine the winner of that set. The scoring in a tie-break is different from regular games:

• Points are counted as 1, 2, 3, 4, and so on, instead of “love, 15, 30, 40.”
• The first team to reach 7 points wins the tie-break, but they must have a two-point lead.
• If the score reaches 6-6 in the tie-break, play continues until one team has a two-point advantage (e.g., 8-6, 9-7, etc.).
• The team that wins the tie-break wins the set by a score of 7-6.

Serving in a Tie-Break:

• The player whose turn it would normally be to serve for the next game starts the tie-break, serving for one point.
• After the first point, the serve alternates every two points between the teams until the tie-break is decided.

4. Winning a Match: The Ultimate Goal

A typical padel match is played as “best of three” sets. This means the first team to win two sets wins the entire match. For example, a match might end with scores like 6-3, 6-4 or 7-6, 3-6, 6-2.

In some professional tournaments, especially finals, matches might be played as “best of five” sets, requiring a team to win three sets to claim victory.

Padel Scoring Summary Table

To quickly recap, here’s a breakdown of the scoring:

Unit	How to Win	Special Rules
Point	Win a rally	Scores are “Love, 15, 30, 40.”
Game	Win 4 points and have a two-point lead (e.g., 40-15, 40-30).	If 40-40 (Deuce), must win two consecutive points (Advantage, then Game).
Set	Win 6 games and have a two-game lead (e.g., 6-4, 7-5).	If 6-6, a Tie-Break is played. The winner of the Tie-Break wins the set 7-6.
Match	Win the majority of sets (e.g., 2 out of 3, or 3 out of 5 in some finals).	Most commonly “best of three” sets.

Key Padel Rules That Influence Scoring (Briefly)

While this guide focuses on scoring, it’s worth briefly mentioning a few fundamental padel rules that differentiate it from tennis and directly impact how points are won or lost:

• Underhand Serve: Unlike tennis, serves in padel must be hit underhand, with the ball bouncing once behind the service line before contact, and must land in the opponent’s service box. The ball must not bounce higher than the waist when hit.
• Walls Are In Play: This is the biggest game-changer! After the ball bounces on the floor in your court, it can hit any wall (glass or mesh) and still be in play. You must hit the ball before it bounces a second time on your side of the court. However, the ball cannot hit the wall before it bounces on the floor on your opponent’s side during a serve or a regular shot.
• Double Bounce: If the ball bounces twice on your side of the court, you lose the point.
• Hitting Your Own Wall: If you hit the ball directly into your own wall before it passes over the net, you lose the point.
• Hitting the Net: If the ball hits the net and goes over, it’s usually in play. On a serve, if it hits the net and lands in the service box, it’s a “let” and the server gets to re-serve. If it hits the net and lands outside the service box, it’s a fault.

Understanding these rules, alongside the scoring, will give you a complete picture of how points are won and lost in padel.

Tips for Beginners: Keeping Track of the Score

It can feel like a lot to remember at first, but here are some tips to help you keep track and enjoy your game:

1. Always Call Out the Score: Before each serve, the serving team should clearly call out the current game score (e.g., “1 game to 0, 15-love”) so everyone is aware. This is crucial for avoiding disputes.
2. Focus on Your Opponent’s Score First: When calling out points, it’s common practice to state the serving team’s score first, then the receiving team’s score (e.g., “30-15”).
3. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask: If you’re unsure of the score, just politely ask your opponents or partner. Everyone was a beginner once!
4. Practice Makes Perfect: The more you play, the more natural the scoring system will become. You’ll soon be calling out “deuce” and “advantage” like a pro.

Conclusion

Padel scoring, while initially seeming a little complex with its “love, 15, 30, 40” system, is actually quite logical and consistent once you understand the progression from points to games, sets, and ultimately, the match. The thrill of a Deuce game or a tense tie-break is part of what makes padel so engaging.

Now that you’re equipped with a complete understanding of how padel scoring works, grab your racket, find a court, and get ready to enjoy this fantastic sport. Don’t let the numbers intimidate you – focus on having fun, and the scoring will become second nature in no time! See you on the court!

Related reading

• Basic Padel Rules: Your Complete Guide to Mastering the Game
• Mastering the Basic Padel Stance: Essential Positioning and Movement for Beginners
• Best Padel Rackets for Beginners 2026: How to Choose Your First Racket