Padel counts points exactly as tennis does — 15, 30, 40, game — and then differs in one place: at 40–40 most padel plays a single deciding rally rather than advantage. This page covers the whole system, with a worked game, the serving order and how to call the score when there is no umpire.
The short version. Four points win a game, two clear. Six games win a set, two clear. Best of three sets wins the match. At 40–40 you either play advantage or a golden point — agree which before you start. At 6–6 you play a seven-point tie-break.
Points
| Points won | Called |
|---|---|
| 0 | Love |
| 1 | 15 |
| 2 | 30 |
| 3 | 40 |
| 4 | Game, if two clear |
Either pair can win a point, whether they served or not. That is worth stating because it is the main difference from pickleball and badminton, where only the serving side scores. What actually ends a rally — faults, the wall rules, the double hit — is a separate matter, set out in padel rules.
Deuce, advantage and the golden point
At 40–40 the score is deuce. From there, two systems exist and both are legal:
Advantage scoring
The pair that wins the next point has advantage. Win the following point too and they take the game; lose it and the score returns to deuce. A game can go on indefinitely.
The golden point
At 40–40, one rally decides the game. There is no advantage. The receiving pair chooses which side receives the serve — the only moment in padel where the receivers pick, and a real tactical decision: you put the ball on your stronger returner, or on the weaker server’s weaker diagonal.
The golden point is used on the professional tour and in most British club leagues, because it caps how long a match can run and makes court bookings predictable. Assume golden point unless someone says otherwise, and confirm it before the first serve. It is the most common cause of a mid-match argument between pairs who have not played each other.
Games and sets
Six games with a two-game margin takes a set: 6–0 through 6–4 all win. At 5–5, play continues to 7–5. At 6–6, a tie-break.
A match is the best of three sets. Ends are changed after every odd-numbered game — the first, third, fifth and so on — and after each set.
The tie-break
Seven points, win by two. Points are counted plainly: 1, 2, 3, not 15, 30, 40.
- The player whose turn it is to serve serves one point, from the right.
- Serve then passes to the opposing pair, who serve two points — first from the left, then from the right.
- Serve keeps alternating every two points from there.
- Ends change every six points.
- At 6–6 the tie-break continues until one pair leads by two: 8–6, 9–7 and so on.
Whoever received first in the tie-break serves first in the next set.
Who serves when
Serving order is fixed at the start of the match and does not change within a set.
- Each pair decides who serves first. Say Pair A is Ana and Ben, Pair B is Carla and Dan.
- Game 1: Ana serves. Game 2: Carla. Game 3: Ben. Game 4: Dan. Then back to Ana.
- Within a game, the same player serves every point, alternating boxes: first point from the right, second from the left, and so on.
- Pairs may change the order at the start of a new set, but not mid-set.
Receiving order is fixed the same way: whoever receives in the right-hand box receives every right-hand point for that set. What makes a serve legal in the first place — the bounce, the waist-height contact, the mesh — is covered in padel serve rules.
A worked game
Ana serves. The score is always called from the serving pair’s point of view.
| Rally | Won by | Called as |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ana and Ben | 15–love |
| 2 | Carla and Dan | 15–15 |
| 3 | Carla and Dan | 15–30 |
| 4 | Ana and Ben | 30–30 |
| 5 | Ana and Ben | 40–30 |
| 6 | Carla and Dan | 40–40 — deuce |
| 7 | Ana and Ben | Golden point won — game to Ana and Ben |
Under advantage scoring, rally 7 would have been called “advantage Ana and Ben” and an eighth rally would have been needed. Under the golden point it ends there — and before rally 7, Carla and Dan chose which of them received.
Calling the score without an umpire
Club padel has no officials, so four people have to stay in agreement. Three conventions do the work:
- The server calls the score aloud before every point, own score first. Not formality — it is the checkpoint that stops disputes.
- Calls on your own side of the net are yours. If your pair cannot agree whether a ball was in, it was in.
- If the score is disputed, replay from the last score both pairs accept. Not from your version of it.
Short formats you will meet
| Format | How it works | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Championship tie-break | A 10-point tie-break replaces a full third set | Club leagues, one-day tournaments |
| Timed play | Most games won when the clock stops | Social sessions, “open matches” |
| Short sets | First to four games, tie-break at 3–3 | Round-robin box leagues |
Box leagues and open matches are organised by playing level rather than by score, and the level system is a separate thing entirely — it is explained in padel levels explained. If you have not played yet, how to play padel covers what happens in a first session, scoring included.
Frequently asked questions
Is padel scoring the same as tennis?
The point values are identical — 15, 30, 40, game, six games to a set. The usual difference is deuce: most padel plays a golden point, a single deciding rally at 40–40, where tennis plays advantage. The rest of what separates the two sports is in padel vs tennis.
What is the golden point in padel?
A single rally that decides the game at 40–40, with no advantage. The receiving pair chooses which side receives the serve. It is standard on the professional tour and in most club leagues.
Who chooses the side on a golden point?
The receiving pair. It is the only moment in padel where the receivers make that choice, and it is a genuine tactical decision.
How does a padel tie-break work?
Seven points, win by two, counted 1, 2, 3. The first server serves one point, then serve alternates every two points. Ends change every six points.
Can both teams score points in padel?
Yes. Unlike pickleball or badminton, either pair wins the point regardless of who served.
How long is a padel match?
Best of three sets with the golden point runs about 60 to 90 minutes, which is why British clubs book courts in 90-minute slots.
Sources. Rules of Padel, International Padel Federation (FIP), scoring and tie-break articles, consulted 30/08/2026 · LTA Padel, competition regulations and league formats, consulted 30/08/2026.