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Why can a bowling score depend on a roll that has not happened yet?

In standard tenpin bowling, a spare adds the next roll as a bonus, while a strike adds the next two. A frame can therefore be physically finished before its score is known. Consecutive strikes create linked scoring dependencies, and the final frame needs a way to supply its bonus rolls.

8–10 min

Questions you could explore

  • Why do two strikes in a row leave more than one score waiting?

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  • BOWL.comKeeping Score

    USBC’s scoring guide explains strikes, spares, and delayed bonuses through a worked game.

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