Free Online Badminton Scoreboard

Badminton uses rally scoring — a point is awarded on every rally regardless of who served. Games are played to 21 points. A player must win by 2 clear points. If the score reaches 20-20, play continues until one side leads by 2 or the score reaches 30-29, at which point the next point wins. A match is best of 3 games.

In doubles, the serving side keeps serving as long as they win rallies. When the serving side's score is even (0, 2, 4...), the server serves from the right court. When odd (1, 3, 5...), from the left court. When the receiving side wins a rally, they gain the serve. The player who did not serve last on that side becomes the new server. Partners do not swap courts — they only switch when their own side scores a point while serving.

When the score reaches 20-20, the game enters a deuce or 'setting' phase. Play continues and the side that first gains a 2-point lead wins the game. However, if the score reaches 29-29, the next point wins the game regardless — the maximum possible score is 30-29.

Players change ends after each game. In the third game (if needed), players change ends when the leading score reaches 11 points. This ensures fairness since court conditions like lighting, air currents, and drift can affect play.

A fault ends the rally and awards a point to the opponent. Common faults include: the shuttle landing outside the court lines, the shuttle passing through or under the net, a player touching the net with their body or racket, hitting the shuttle before it crosses the net, the shuttle hitting a player's body, and serving above the waist or with the racket head above the server's hand.

A badminton match is best of 3 games. The first player or pair to win 2 games wins the match. Each game is played to 21 points with the deuce rule applying at 20-20. Players get a 60-second interval at the midpoint (when one side reaches 11) and a 2-minute interval between games.

The maximum score in a single badminton game is 30-29. Under BWF rules, games are played to 21 points. At 20-20, play continues until a 2-point lead is achieved. But at 29-29, the next rally wins the game — making 30-29 the highest possible score in any game.