How padel scoring works: a beginner's guide

Padel borrows its scoring almost entirely from tennis, so if you've ever watched a tennis match, you're halfway there. And if you haven't, don't worry — it looks stranger than it is. Let me build it up from a single point.

Points: 15, 30, 40, game

Within each game, points are counted in an old-fashioned sequence rather than 1, 2, 3. Your first point takes you to 15, your second to 30, your third to 40, and your fourth point wins the game. Zero is called “love.”

So a game might run: you win a point (15–15), your opponents win one (15–15), you win two more (40–15), and one more point closes it out. The server's score is always said first.

There's only one wrinkle, and it appears when both teams reach 40.

Deuce and advantage

When the score is 40–40, that's called deuce. From here, a single point isn't enough to win — you need to win two points in a row.

Win the first point from deuce and you have the advantage. Win the next point too, and the game is yours. But if your opponents win the point at your advantage, the score slides back to deuce, and the tug-of-war begins again. Games can swing back and forth like this for a while, which makes deuce one of the most exciting moments in padel.

The golden point (punto de oro)

Many clubs and most professional tours use a faster method to settle deuce called the golden point, or punto de oro in Spanish.

Under the golden point, there's no advantage phase. When the game reaches 40–40, the very next point decides the whole game — sudden death. One rally, winner takes the game.

The golden point keeps games moving and adds a jolt of pressure, which is why it's so common in casual and league play. Before you start, it's worth asking your group whether you're playing golden point or traditional advantage, so everyone agrees.

The Star Point

The Star Point is an alternative way to settle a game that reaches deuce. It's activated at the first deuce and runs through three stages — it gives you two chances at an advantage before a single decisive point ends it.

1. First advantage

   If the team with the advantage wins the point, they win the game. If they lose, the score returns to 40–40.

2. Second advantage

   If the team with the advantage wins the point, the game is won. If they lose, play moves to the Star Point.

3. Star Point

   A single decisive point: the winner of this point takes the game.

Games, sets and tie-breaks

Win enough games and you win a set. You need six games to take a set, and you must lead by at least two (so 6–4 wins it, but 6–5 does not — you'd play on to 7–5).

If the set reaches 6–6, you play a tie-break. Here the scoring switches to simple numbers: 1, 2, 3, and so on. The first team to 7 points, leading by two, wins the tie-break and the set.

A match is usually best of three sets — the first team to win two sets wins the match. That's the standard format you'll see at clubs and in most competitions.

A worked example

Let's play an imaginary game together so it all clicks. You're serving. Use the buttons to step through it point by point — and switch between traditional and golden-point scoring to see how the same deuce ends two different ways.

Ready to keep score for real?

Scoring makes sense the moment you're the one calling “40–30.” Book a court, invite three friends, and play a full set — you'll have it memorised by the end.