Bowling is the common name for several sports that involve rolling a ball towards a target or to knock down pins.

For the use of this term in cricket, see Bowling (cricket).

The sports known as bowling may be divided into two distinct groups. The first group is played along an "alley", most commonly of synthetic material immitating a wood surface. Historically, bowling lanes were made of wood. Most centers around the United States have upgraded to the synthetic playing surface. Here the players attempt to score points by throwing a ball to knock down pins. Included in this group are

• Ten-pin bowling
• Five-pin bowling, played in Canada
• Nine-pin skittles
• Candlepin bowling, played in eastern Canada and New England, is a variation of ten-pin bowling, where the player gets to roll a small ball three times per frame instead of two, and fallen pins are not removed between throws.
• Duckpin bowling, commonly found in the Baltimore, Maryland area, in central Connecticut, and in eastern Canada, is another variation of ten-pin bowling, where the player rolls three times per frame toward small, squat pins.

The second group is played on a lawn, usually outdoors. Here the players throw a ball (which may be eccentrically weighted) in an attempt to put it closest to a designated point. This group includes

• Lawn bowls
• Bocce
• Pétanque

See also

• Skittles — the sport from which "alley" based Bowling originated
• Skee ball — a game that plays similar to bowling

External links

• Bowling tips