Sport score is a way of describing the result of a game or other competitive event. It is usually expressed in terms of points or runs gained by the competing sides, although a score can also refer to other things:

Most sports involve competitions between teams with fixed numbers of players and are scored based on reaching a target score within a limited time period: In most basket/net sports (soccer, ice hockey, basketball), victory requires putting a ball or puck into a goal.

In these sports, scoring is determined by a number of rules that govern the placement and timing of scoring events: For example, in soccer, a team is awarded a point whenever its player successfully puts the ball or puck into the opponent’s goal. The team with the highest total at the end of the match is declared the winner.

Other sports are scored on a length or distance basis, such as the disciplines in athletics that use a shot put, discus throw, hammer throw, javelin throw, or long jump. In these sports, victory is achieved by achieving the specified distance or length ahead of the competitor at the end of a competition, such as an event or race:

For some sports, the winning team cannot be determined until the competition is over: In boxing and mixed martial arts, for example, spectators and participants do not know the winner until the judges have finished reviewing the contestant’s submissions. The same is true for some other sports such as equestrian or gymnastics.