Padel scoring explained, including golden point and star point

Padel uses tennis scoring: 15, 30, 40, game, six games for a set with a two-game lead, and a tie-break at 6-6. The only real twist is 40-40, where you play advantage, golden point or the newer star point. If you've played tennis, it'll feel familiar; if you haven't, it takes about five minutes to learn.

In short

Padel uses tennis scoring: 15, 30, 40, game. Six games wins a set (with a two-game lead), and a match is best of three sets.

At 40-40 there are three options: traditional advantage, golden point (one deciding point), or the new star point used in professional padel from 2026.

Agree which one you're playing before the match starts. It saves a lot of arguments later.

1. How does scoring work in padel?

Padel scoring follows tennis. In Britain the sport is run by LTA Padel, part of the Lawn Tennis Association, and played to the International Padel Federation (FIP) rules. Under those rules, points in a game go:

Points won	Called
0	Love (0)
1	15
2	30
3	40
4	Game

Win four points and you win the game, as long as you're at least two points clear. If both pairs reach 40, it's deuce, and the rules for what happens next depend on which format you're playing.

2. What happens at deuce in padel?

The FIP rules set out three options.

Option 1: Advantage

The traditional tennis way:

At 40-40 (deuce), the next point wins advantage.
If the pair with advantage wins the next point, they win the game.
If they lose it, it goes back to deuce.

This can go on for a long time.

Option 2: Star point

New for 2026. Advantage is played as normal at first. But under the FIP rules, if the game reaches deuce for the third time, a single deciding point called the star point is played. Whoever wins it wins the game.

Option 3: Golden point

No advantage at all. At the first deuce, one deciding point is played, and whoever wins it wins the game.

3. What is golden point in padel?

Golden point means the first time a game reaches 40-40, the very next point decides it. No advantage, no back-and-forth.

There's one extra rule: under the FIP rules, the receiving pair chooses whether to receive the serve on the right or left side of the court. That gives them a small say in who faces the serve.

Golden point keeps matches moving and adds pressure. Formats vary between clubs, leagues and friendly games, so always check before you start.

4. What is star point in padel?

Star point is a middle ground between advantage and golden point.

According to Padel Addict, the FIP approved it together with Premier Padel, and it applies in professional competitions from the 2026 season. It debuted at the Riyadh P1, the first tournament of 2026.

How it works under the FIP rules:

First deuce: play advantage as normal.
Second deuce: play advantage again.
Third deuce: play one deciding point, the star point. As with golden point, the receiving pair chooses which side to receive on.

So a game can have up to two chances at advantage before it goes to a single deciding point.

A star point game, step by step

Here's how one long game might go under star point:

Both pairs reach 40-40. First deuce.
Pair A wins the next point: advantage A. Pair B wins the next: back to deuce. Second deuce.
Pair B wins a point: advantage B. Pair A wins the next: back to deuce. Third deuce.
Now it's the star point. The receiving pair picks a side. Whoever wins this one point wins the game.

Under traditional advantage, that game could have carried on. Under golden point, it would have ended at step 1.

5. How many games are in a padel set?

The FIP rules say:

The first pair to win 6 games wins the set, as long as they're two games ahead.
At 5-5, play continues until one pair leads by two, which means 7-5.
At 6-6, a tie-break decides the set.

A match is the best of three sets. In practice, the first pair to win two sets wins the match, so the third set is only played if it's one set each.

6. How does a padel tie-break work?

A tie-break is played at 6-6. It's scored 1, 2, 3 and so on, not 15, 30, 40.

Under the FIP rules:

The first pair to 7 points wins, as long as they're two points clear. At 6-6 in the tie-break, play continues until one pair leads by two.
The player due to serve starts with one serve, from the right.
The opponents then serve the next two points.
After that, each side serves two points in a row, in order.
Players change ends every 6 points in a tie-break.

The winner of the tie-break wins the set 7-6.

7. When do you change ends in padel?

Under the FIP rules, players change ends after the 1st, 3rd and every following odd game of a set: after game 1, 3, 5, and so on.

In a tie-break, they change ends after every 6 points.

The FIP rules also set rest times: up to 90 seconds when changing ends (20 seconds in a tie-break), and up to 120 seconds at the end of each set.

8. How do you serve in padel?

The serve is underhand, and it's quite different from tennis. Under the FIP rules:

Bounce the ball on the ground before hitting it.
Hit it at or below waist height, with at least one foot on the ground.
Serve diagonally over the net into the opponent's service box.
Alternate sides, switching between the right and left service boxes.
You get two attempts. If the first serve isn't valid, you have a second.

A serve that lands on a line counts as in. If the receiver isn't ready, it's a let, and the serve is taken again.

9. How do the walls affect scoring?

The walls are part of the court, which is what makes padel different.

Under the FIP rules:

If your shot bounces in your opponents' court and then hits a wall or the fence, it's a good shot. They can play it off the wall.
If your shot hits your opponents' wall or fence before bouncing, you lose the point.

Glass and fence behave differently on the rebound, so it takes some practice to read. Beginners often find it easier to let the ball come off the back glass rather than rushing to hit it before it bounces.

Do I need an app for this?

The hard part of padel scoring isn't the rules. It's remembering the score after a long rally, especially in the second set when everyone's tired. Many courts have a scoreboard or a flip-score on the fence. A quick agreement to call the score before each serve helps too.

For other games, see snooker scoring explained and how to score darts 501.

How Reptyl helps

Reptyl Scoreboard keeps score with friends at 18 sports and games, padel included.

Each sport keeps its own rules. Padel is scored as padel, alongside tennis, squash, badminton and pickleball.
The rules, one tap away. Each sport has a short sheet on how its scoring works, which settles most arguments.
Doubles and teams. Padel is doubles, and each player keeps their own colour.
A table of who's winning. Wins, draws and losses for everyone you play. Share any result in a tap.
Share with friends nearby. Show a live score on a friend's phone over your local network. Nothing goes online.

It's a one-off purchase with no subscription, no account and no adverts, and your data stays on your phone. The Scoreboard page has the details.

Quick answers

Is padel scoring the same as tennis?

Very nearly. Points go 15, 30, 40, game, six games make a set, and tie-breaks are played at 6-6. The main differences are the golden point and star point options at deuce, and the underhand serve.

Who chooses the side on golden point?

The receiving pair. Under the FIP rules, they choose whether to receive the deciding point on the right or the left side.

Is golden point used in professional padel?

From 2026, professional padel uses the star point: advantage for the first two deuces, then a deciding point at the third. Golden point is still an official option under the FIP rules.

Want a padel scoreboard you can read from the baseline? See Reptyl Scoreboard