Sports · 1

How many innings are played in a standard baseball game?

Answer

9

A standard Major League Baseball game consists of 9 innings, with each team alternating between batting (offense) and fielding (defense) in each inning. An inning is complete when both teams have had their turn at bat. Baseball evolved from the 19th-century game of rounders, and the 9-inning format became standardized in the early days of organized baseball. Each half-inning ends when the fielding team records three outs. If the home team is winning after the top of the 9th inning, they do not bat in the bottom half.

💡 Did you know?

If tied after 9 innings, extra innings are played until one team wins—some games have lasted over 18 innings.

Other options people guess

  • 7
  • 8
  • 10

Topics

  • baseball
  • rules
  • usa

Know your sports trivia?

Play a free Sports quiz and see how many you get right — no signup needed to start.

More Sports facts