Curling scoring, explained: A guide to understanding the rules, terms and Olympic points system originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Who gets the hammer could play a big impact for the end of the match.

While curling is considered to be a calm and respectful sport, it has been making headlines at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.

Scoring an End: Matches are split into rounds termed ends, usually eight or 10 per game. After all 16 stones (eight per side) have been delivered, the team whose stone sits nearest the button earns one point for each stone positioned closer to the centre than their rivals' closest stone.

Team USA women's curling is heading to the semifinals after defeating Switzerland in overtime in the last match of the round-robin stage.

The curling semifinal lineups in the Milan Cortina Olympics are beginning to take shape, with two teams qualifying apiece on the men's and women’s