Pickleball Scoreboard
Side-out scoring done properly: the board calls the score as three numbers, tracks server 1 and 2 and the side out, and shows it big enough to read from the court.
How to use
- Step 1Name the two teams. The game opens at 0-0-2, because the first service turn of a game has one server only — that is the rule, not a bug.
- Step 2Tap the side that won the rally. The serving team gets a point; the receiving team gets the second server, and then the side out. The big number in the middle is the score to call out: serving team, receiving team, server.
- Step 3Tap “Share live” to put the board on a phone by the net or a screen in the clubhouse. Games to 11 win by 2 by default; 15, 21 and rally scoring are in the settings.
Side-out scoring, step by step
In traditional pickleball scoring — still the official method in the USA Pickleball rulebook — only the serving team can score. Win a rally while serving and you get a point; win a rally while receiving and you get nothing but the chance to serve.
A doubles service turn has two servers. The first server serves until the team loses a rally, then the second server takes over from the same position. When the second server loses a rally it is a side out and the ball goes to the other team, whose first server starts their turn.
The one exception is the start of a game. The team that serves first gets only one server, so the game begins at 0-0-2: the server is already the “second” one, and the first fault is a side out. Without that rule the team that won the toss would get two servers before the other side had touched the ball.
- Serving team wins the rally → one point, the server switches courts with their partner and serves again.
- Receiving team wins the rally against server 1 → no point, server 2 of the same team takes over.
- Receiving team wins the rally against server 2 → no point, side out: the other team serves, starting with their server 1.
- The receiving team never swaps courts during a rally sequence. Only the serving side moves.
How to call the score
Doubles scores are called with three numbers before every serve: the serving team's score, the receiving team's score, then the server number. “4-2-2” means the serving team has 4, the receiving team 2, and the second server is about to serve. The numbers change as the serve changes, so the same rally can be 4-2-2 for one team and 2-4-1 for the other a moment later — the serving team's score always comes first.
The server number also tells you where to stand. The server serves from the right, even court when their team's score is even, and from the left, odd court when it is odd. That is why a team that has scored an odd number of points has its starting pair swapped.
Singles is simpler: there is no server number and the score is two numbers, the server's score first. The same even-odd rule places the server on the right court on an even score. Turn on “Singles” in the settings and the board drops the third number.
Formats, switching ends and timeouts
Recreational and most tournament games go to 11, win by two. Brackets often play one game to 15 for a medal match, and rally-scored formats go to 21. Teams change ends after every game; in a best-of-three to 11 they also change ends in the third game when the first team reaches 6 — the board shows a “change ends” reminder at that score.
| Format | Game to | Win by | Change ends in the deciding game | Timeouts per game |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best of 3 to 11 (standard) | 11 | 2 | at 6 | 2, one minute each |
| One game to 15 | 15 | 2 | at 8 | 2 |
| One game to 21 | 21 | 2 | at 11 | 3 |
| Rally scoring (provisional 2026) | 21 | 2 | at 11 | 3 |
Rally scoring, and what this board tracks
Rally scoring gives a point to whoever wins the rally, serving or not. The 2026 USA Pickleball rulebook carries it as a provisional format that tournament directors may choose — games to 21, win by two, with no special rule at game point. It is what many leagues use to keep matches inside a time slot, and it is a single switch in the settings here; the board then drops the server number and calls the score with two numbers.
- The three-number call in big digits, with the serving team named under it, so anyone at the net can read what to say.
- Server 1 and server 2, the side out, and buttons to set the server by hand when a call is corrected.
- Points, games won and the finished games as a line of results (11-7, 9-11).
- Timeouts per team per game, with a button to hand one back after a mis-tap, and undo for the last actions.
- Rule presets for a rec game to 11, a best-of-three bracket match, a single game to 15 and rally scoring to 21.
- Full-screen display mode for a tablet on the fence or a TV in the clubhouse, and a live view link for everyone else.
Questions and answers
Why does a pickleball game start at 0-0-2?
Because the first service turn of every game has only one server. The team that serves first would otherwise get two servers before the opponents had served at all, so the rulebook makes that first server the “second” one: 0-0-2, and the first fault is a side out.
What do the three numbers mean?
Serving team's score, receiving team's score, server number. 4-2-2 is called by the serving team when they have 4, the opponents have 2 and the second server is up. In singles there is no third number.
Can the receiving team score a point?
Not in traditional side-out scoring. Winning a rally as the receiving team wins the serve, not a point — first for the second server, then for the other team. Switch the board to rally scoring if your league gives a point on every rally.
When do we switch ends?
After every game. In a best-of-three match to 11 you also switch in the third game when the first team reaches 6 points (8 in a game to 15, 11 in a game to 21). The board shows the reminder and the swap button mirrors the whole score.
Does it work for singles?
Yes. Turn on “Singles” in the settings: the score becomes two numbers, there is no second server, and a lost rally hands the serve straight to the other player.