Free Scoreboard — Admin Guide
Step-by-step setup for every sport, from board to final score
The JudgeMate Free Scoreboard lets you run a game from your phone — no account needed. Pick from 22 sports (football, basketball, volleyball, and more), tap "Create", set up team names, and you're live. Spectators follow via a QR code or link in real-time. This guide walks through every button and situation in the admin panel.
Step 1 — Create a Scoreboard
- Go to the Free Scoreboard page on JudgeMate.
- Choose from 22 available sports (as of 2026) — including Football, Basketball, Volleyball, Table Tennis, and more.
- Tap "Create Scoreboard".
The system instantly generates:
- An admin link (with a secret token) — this is YOUR control panel.
- A spectator link (no token), this is what fans see.
Important: Bookmark or save your admin link. If you lose it, you cannot regain control of the board.
Step 2 — Game Setup
Before the game starts, you'll see the Setup Screen:
- Team names — type up to 20 characters per team (default: HOME / GUEST).
- Team colors, pick from 12 presets (red, orange, amber, lime, green, teal, cyan, blue, purple, pink, gray, white).
- Tap "Start Game" when ready.
While you're in setup, spectators see a waiting screen: "Game Starting Soon — Waiting for the host to start..."
Once you tap Start, the board goes LIVE and spectators see the score in real-time.
Step 3 — Score Controls (All Sports)
The score area is split into two tap zones:
- Left half → Home team
- Right half → Guest team
Each side has:
- A large "+" button to add points.
- A smaller "−" button to undo (score never drops below 0).
Basketball is special: you get +1, +2, +3 buttons per team instead of a single +1.
Every tap updates the spectator screen instantly.
Step 4 — Clock Controls (Football, Basketball, Ice Hockey)
Three sports have a game clock. Volleyball does not — skip this section for volleyball.
Basic controls:
- START (blue) — starts the clock.
- PAUSE (yellow), pauses the clock.
Adjusting the clock: Tap "Adjust clock" under the clock. A sheet opens with six steps: −1:00, −0:10, −0:01, +0:01, +0:10, +1:00. The steps add up, and a preview shows the corrected time before you apply it.
Clock direction:
- Football — counts UP (0:00 → 45:00 → 90:00...).
- Basketball, counts DOWN (10:00 → 0:00).
- Ice Hockey, counts DOWN (20:00 → 0:00).
Football — Complete Guide
Periods
Football has up to 5 phases:
| Phase | Period | Clock range |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Half | 1 | 0:00 → 45:00 |
| 2nd Half | 2 | 45:00 → 90:00 |
| Extra Time 1st Half | 3 | 90:00 → 105:00 |
| Extra Time 2nd Half | 4 | 105:00 → 120:00 |
| Shootout (SO) | 5 | No clock |
The clock is cumulative — it never resets to 0:00. After the 1st half, the 2nd half starts from 45:00.
Tap "End period", then tap again to confirm, to advance to the next period: Half 1 → Half 2 → Overtime 1 → Overtime 2 → Shootout.
Stoppage Time
When the clock passes the period end (e.g., 45:00), it switches to stoppage time format: 45+1:23.
Set stoppage time with quick buttons: +1, +3, +5, +7, +10 minutes, or type a custom value (0–30 min). Tapping the same value again clears it.
When stoppage time is set, a yellow indicator shows how much was added. If the clock exceeds the stoppage time, the display turns red with a pulse animation.
Cards (Yellow & Red)
For each team:
- Tap Yellow or Red card button.
- Optionally enter a player number or name in the pop-up.
- Confirm — the card is recorded with the current game time.
Auto-conversion: If the same player receives 2 yellow cards, the system automatically converts them to 1 red card. This only works when you enter the player name/number.
Undo: The "Undo last card" button removes the most recent card for that team.
Shootout
When you advance past Extra Time, the scoreboard enters Shootout mode:
- The clock disappears, and the period label reads "Shootout".
- START/PAUSE and clock adjustment buttons are hidden.
- Use the +/− score buttons to track penalty kicks.
Basketball — Complete Guide
Quarters & Overtime
Basketball has 4 quarters of 10 minutes each (FIBA rules), plus unlimited overtime periods of 5 minutes.
| Phase | Clock |
|---|---|
| Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4 | 10:00 → 0:00 |
| OT1, OT2, ... | 5:00 → 0:00 |
Tap "End period", then tap again to confirm: Quarter 1 → 2 → 3 → 4 → Overtime 1 → Overtime 2...
To correct the time, tap "Adjust clock" (steps of ±1:00, ±0:10 and ±0:01).
Scoring: +1, +2, +3
Unlike other sports, basketball has three score buttons per team:
- +1 — free throw
- +2, field goal
- +3, three-pointer
Shot Clock
Two reset buttons:
- 24s — standard reset (new possession).
- 14s, offensive rebound or certain violations.
The shot clock runs independently from the game clock.
Fouls & Bonus
Track fouls per team with +/− buttons. When a team reaches 5 fouls, the bonus indicator lights up in red.
Foul reset rules (FIBA):
- Team fouls count per quarter, so they reset at the start of every quarter (Q1 → Q2, Q2 → Q3, Q3 → Q4).
- Fouls in overtime count as 4th-quarter fouls, so they do NOT reset when overtime starts.
- After 4 team fouls in a quarter a team is in the penalty situation: from the 5th foul on, the opponent shoots 2 free throws.
Timeouts
Tap the "Timeout" button to increment the count for each team. FIBA gives each team 2 timeouts in the first half, 3 in the second half (no more than 2 of them once the clock shows 2:00 or less in Q4) and 1 per overtime. Unused timeouts do not carry over.
Ice Hockey — Complete Guide
Periods, Overtime & Shootout
Ice hockey has 3 regular periods of 20 minutes, plus overtime and shootout.
| Phase | Clock |
|---|---|
| 1st, 2nd, 3rd Period | 20:00 → 0:00 |
| Overtime (OT) | 5:00 → 0:00 |
| Shootout (SO) | No clock |
Tap "End period", then tap again to confirm: Period 1 → 2 → 3 → Overtime 1 → Shootout.
To correct the time, tap "Adjust clock" (steps of ±1:00, ±0:10 and ±0:01).
During Shootout: the clock disappears, clock controls are hidden. Only score buttons remain.
Penalty System (Time-Based)
Ice hockey penalties are tracked with countdown timers, not just counts.
To add a penalty:
- Select the team (Home or Guest).
- Optionally type a player number or name.
- Tap the penalty: Minor penalty (2 min), Double minor (2+2) (4 min), Major penalty (5 min) or Misconduct (10 min, personal, so the team is not short-handed).
The penalty timer starts immediately and syncs with the game clock (runs when the game clock runs, pauses when it pauses).
Active Penalties
All active penalties are listed with:
- Team color indicator.
- Player name (or team name if not specified).
- Duration.
- × button to cancel a penalty entered by mistake.
A power-play goal ends a minor on its own (with several minors running, the one with the least time left) and ends the running part of a double minor. A major and a misconduct keep running.
Volleyball — Complete Guide
No Clock
Volleyball has no game clock. The clock controls section is hidden.
Sets & Scoring
Volleyball uses a best-of-5 sets format:
- Sets 1–4: first to 25 points, win by at least 2.
- Set 5 (Tiebreak): first to 15 points, win by at least 2.
The display shows:
- Current set number (e.g., "Set 3") with a "Tiebreak" label for set 5.
- Target score: "Playing to 25 (win by 2)" or "Playing to 15 (win by 2)".
- Sets won by each team.
Ending a Set
When a team reaches the target score with the required 2-point advantage, the set closes automatically.
The board then:
- Records the set score in the history (e.g., 25-23).
- Resets both scores to 0-0.
- Advances to the next set.
- The team that did not serve first in the previous set automatically gets the first serve.
Set History
Completed set scores are displayed as a running log:
- Set 1: 25-23
- Set 2: 24-26
- Set 3: 25-20
- ...
Serving Indicator
A yellow dot shows which team is currently serving. Tap it to switch the server manually. After each set ends, the first serve automatically goes to the team that did not serve first in the previous set (FIVB rule). Before a deciding 5th set a new toss decides who serves, so tap the dot if needed.
Match End
When a team wins its 3rd set (best of 5), the panel stops taking points and shows a "Match ended" card with an "End match" button. Tap it and tap again within 4 seconds to confirm. Only then does the board switch to ENDED and the score freeze for all spectators.
Sharing & Font Size Control
Sharing with Spectators
Tap the "Share" button in the top bar to open the share modal:
- QR Code — spectators scan it with their phone camera.
- Link, copy and send via any messenger.
- Native share, use your phone's share sheet (if supported).
The spectator link looks like: judgemate.com/{language}/scoreboard/live/{sport}/{boardId}
No login or app download is required. Works on any phone, tablet, laptop, or Smart TV.
Font Size Remote Control
As admin, you control the text size on spectator screens:
- A− / A+ buttons or a slider.
- Range: 50% to 300% of default size.
- Perfect for adjusting readability on big screens or projectors.
Spectators can also tap their own screen to reveal a local font slider (range: 70%–160%), but the admin's setting takes priority.
Ending the Game & Post-Game
Ending the Game
How a match ends depends on the sport:
- Clock sports (football, basketball, ice hockey): the board never ends the match by itself. Tap "End match" at the bottom of the panel, then tap again within 4 seconds to confirm.
- Volleyball: sets close automatically. Once a team has won 3 sets, the panel stops taking points and shows a "Match ended" card with an "End match" button. Tap it and confirm with a second tap.
The board switches to ENDED only after that second tap. You can also end any match early with "End match" at the bottom of the panel.
Once ended:
- The score is frozen for spectators, and no more points can be added.
- Spectators see the final score under a "Final Score" label.
- The clock (if any) stops.
After the Match
The panel shows a "Match ended" card with the final score, the shootout score if there was one, and the winner. Further down, "Match summary" lists every event of the match in order.
- "Share" sends the final score to fans.
- "Save to my matches" keeps the match in your account. If you are not logged in, you see "Log in to keep this match" and "Not now" instead.
- When you are logged in, "My matches", "My leagues" and "Add to a league" appear as well.
There is no rematch button and no per-sport stats table. For the next match, create a new board.
How Long Does the Board Last?
Completed scoreboards you have not saved remain accessible for up to one week. After that, the board expires and spectators see a "Session Expired" message.
Features
Free, No Registration
Create a live scoreboard with one tap. No account, no email, no app download — just pick a sport and go.
Real-Time Score Updates
Every point, card, and period change appears on spectator screens instantly via a shareable link or QR code.
22 Match Sports
Football, Basketball, Ice Hockey, Volleyball, Table Tennis, Badminton, Handball, Floorball, Water Polo, Lacrosse, and 8 more — each with sport-specific rules and controls.
Remote Font Sizing
Control the text size on the spectator screen directly from your phone. Scale from 50% to 300% — ideal for big venue displays.
Keep Finished Matches
After the final whistle, log in to save the match to My matches or add it to a league. Boards you do not save stay available for up to a week.
Works on Any Big Screen
Open the spectator link on a Smart TV, projector, or jumbotron. No app needed — just a web browser.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Solutions
Try JudgeMate at Your Next Competition
Create a free account and set up your first event in 15 minutes. The wizard walks you through every step — from event details to scoring criteria.