How Scoring Works

Every sport has its own way of keeping score. Some sports use points. Others use goals, runs, or sets. Knowing how scoring works helps you understand and enjoy the game.

Different Ways to Score

In soccer, teams score goals. Each goal is worth one point. In basketball, a regular basket is worth two points, and a long shot is worth three. A free throw is worth one point.

In baseball, teams score runs by running around all the bases. In tennis, the scoring goes 15, 30, 40, and then game point. Every sport has its own special way of counting scores.

Scoreboards and Keeping Track

Scoreboards help fans and players know who is winning. Some are giant screens at stadiums. Others are simple boards with numbers. Someone called a scorekeeper writes down every point that is scored.

In some sports, the score can change very fast. A basketball game might end 98 to 95. In soccer, a game might end 1 to 0. No matter what the numbers are, the team with the higher score at the end wins.

Fun Facts

• In cricket, a team can score over 500 runs in a single game.
• The highest-scoring NBA game ever ended 186 to 184.
• In tennis, a score of zero is called "love."

Did You Know?

The word "goal" comes from an old English word that meant "boundary" or "limit," because players had to get the ball past a boundary line!