How Padel Scoring Works: Complete Guide to Points, Sets & Match

If you have ever watched a padel match and wondered what the numbers mean, you are not alone. Padel uses a scoring system borrowed from tennis, which can feel confusing the first time you encounter it. This guide explains exactly how padel scoring works — from individual points all the way to winning a match — so you can follow along or keep score yourself.

How Points Work in Padel

Each game in padel is made up of points. Instead of counting 1, 2, 3, padel uses a traditional sequence that dates back centuries:

• 0 points = "Love"
• 1 point = 15
• 2 points = 30
• 3 points = 40
• 4 points = Game (if you are ahead)

The server's score is always called first. So if the serving team has won two points and the returning team has won one, the score is "30-15."

Deuce and Advantage

When both teams reach 40-40, it is called deuce. At deuce, a team cannot simply win the next point to take the game. Instead, they must win two consecutive points:

1. The first point after deuce gives that team "advantage" (sometimes shortened to "ad").
2. If the team with advantage wins the next point, they win the game.
3. If the team without advantage wins the next point, the score returns to deuce.

This back-and-forth can continue indefinitely, which sometimes produces long, dramatic games.

Golden Point (No-Ad Scoring)

In many professional tournaments, including World Padel Tour and Premier Padel events, golden point is used instead of traditional advantage scoring. When the score reaches 40-40, the next point decides the game — no advantage needed.

There is a twist: the returning team chooses which side receives the serve on the golden point. This gives the receivers a small tactical edge, since they can pick the side where they feel more comfortable.

How Games Make Up a Set

A set is won by the first team to reach 6 games, with one important condition: they must lead by at least 2 games. So a set can end 6-0, 6-1, 6-2, 6-3, or 6-4 without issue.

If the set reaches 5-5, the team that wins the next game goes up 6-5. The trailing team then has one game to level it at 6-6. If they fail, the set ends 7-5.

Tiebreak at 6-6

When a set reaches 6-6, a tiebreak is played to decide the set. Tiebreak scoring is different from regular games:

• Points are counted numerically: 1, 2, 3, 4, and so on.
• The first team to reach 7 points wins the tiebreak, provided they lead by at least 2 points.
• If the tiebreak reaches 6-6, play continues until one team has a 2-point lead (for example, 8-6 or 9-7).

The tiebreak uses a special serving rotation: the player who would have served next serves the first point, then each team serves two points in alternation.

How to Win a Match

A padel match is a best of 3 sets. The first team to win 2 sets wins the match. Possible outcomes include winning in straight sets (2-0) or coming back to win in three sets (2-1).

In some recreational or league formats, a super tiebreak (first to 10 points, win by 2) replaces the full third set to keep match times shorter. Check with your club or league to see which format they use.

Who Serves When?

Serving rotates between the four players in a fixed order that is established at the start of each set. Here is how it works:

1. At the start of the set, one team decides which of their two players serves first.
2. After that game, the opposing team serves, choosing which of their players goes first.
3. For the rest of the set, the serve rotates through all four players in that order: Player A, Player C, Player B, Player D, then back to Player A.

Within each game, the server alternates serving from the right side (deuce side) and the left side (advantage side), starting from the right on the first point.

When Do You Switch Sides?

Teams switch ends of the court after every odd-numbered game in each set — so after games 1, 3, 5, 7, and so on. This ensures that neither team has a lasting advantage from sun, wind, or any differences between the two ends.

During a tiebreak, teams switch ends after every 6 points (at 6, 12, 18, etc.). Since tiebreaks can be long, this keeps conditions fair throughout.

Scoring Scenarios That Confuse Beginners

What does "love" mean?

Love simply means zero. A score of "30-love" means the serving team has 30 and the receiving team has 0. The term likely comes from the French word "l'oeuf" (the egg), referring to the shape of a zero.

Why does scoring jump from 30 to 40 instead of 45?

Historically, scoring went 15-30-45. Over time, 45 was shortened to 40 for convenience. There is no strategic reason — it is purely a tradition that stuck.

What happens if the ball hits the net on a serve?

If the serve clips the net and still lands in the correct service box, it is a let — the serve is replayed with no penalty. If it clips the net and lands outside the box, it counts as a fault.

Can a set end 7-5?

Yes. If the set is at 6-5, the leading team has already reached 6 games with a lead of just 1. The trailing team needs to win the next game to force a tiebreak at 6-6. If the leading team wins instead, the set ends 7-5.

A good way to remember the padel scoring system: it is identical to tennis scoring. If you know how tennis works, you already know how padel scoring works. The only common difference is the golden point rule, which many padel tournaments adopt to keep matches moving.

Putting It All Together

Here is the complete hierarchy of padel scoring at a glance:

1. Points build up within a game: love, 15, 30, 40, game (with deuce or golden point at 40-40).
2. Games build up within a set: first to 6 games with a 2-game lead, or a tiebreak at 6-6.
3. Sets build up within a match: best of 3 sets wins the match.

Once you play a few games, the scoring becomes second nature. The rhythm of calling out "15-love," "30-15," "40-30" is part of what makes padel feel like a proper sport from your very first time on court.