Every game of bowling is made up of 10 frames. In each frame, you get two chances to roll the ball and knock down as many pins as possible.
Basic scoring
You earn 1 point for every pin you knock down. Simple enough—but scoring gets more exciting with strikes and spares.
Strike
Knock down all 10 pins on your first roll of a frame, and that’s a strike.
You score 10 points plus a bonus equal to the total pins knocked down in your next two rolls.
Spare
Knock down all 10 pins across both rolls in a frame, and that’s a spare.
You score 10 points plus a bonus equal to the pins knocked down on your next roll.
The 10th frame bonus
The final frame comes with a twist:
- Roll a strike, and you get two extra rolls
- Roll a spare, and you get one extra roll
This means you can throw up to three balls in the 10th frame—and if you roll strikes every time, you can achieve a perfect game of 300.
Whether you’re chasing your first spare or your next strike streak, every roll counts.