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Bowling
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<p>Bowling is a <a href="/facts/Throwing_sports/vQQhya3v">target sport</a> and recreational activity in which a player rolls a <a href="/facts/Bowling_ball/3p9Db3c3">ball</a> toward <a href="/facts/Bowling_pin/GWJasqmf">pins</a> (in pin bowling) or another target (in target bowling). Most references to <i>bowling</i> are to pin bowling, specifically <a href="/facts/Tenpin_bowling/SNT4LUTv">tenpin bowling</a>, played in the <a href="/facts/United_Kingdom/kuPAILt2">United Kingdom</a> and <a href="/facts/Commonwealth_realm/JeuLfn9q">Commonwealth</a> countries. <i>Bowling</i> can also refer to target bowling, such as <a href="/facts/Lawn_bowls/6kKHLkBF">lawn bowls</a>. Bowling is played by 120 million people in more than 90 countries, including 70 million people in the <a href="/facts/United_States/P0sCdLe5">United States</a> alone. </p><p>In pin bowling, players knock over <a href="/facts/Bowling_pin/GWJasqmf">pins</a> on a long smooth surface called a <i><a href="/facts/Bowling_alley/FHwbxYmg">lane</a></i>. Lanes have a wood or synthetic surface with protective lubricating oil applied in different oil patterns that affect <a href="/facts/Bowling_ball/3p9Db3c3">ball motion</a>. A <a href="/facts/Strike_(bowling)/duAN02I2">strike</a> is achieved when all the pins are knocked down on the first roll, and a spare is achieved if all remaining pins are knocked over on a second roll. The most common variation of pin bowling is <a href="/facts/Tenpin_bowling/SNT4LUTv">tenpin</a>; other variations include <a href="/facts/Candlepin/EYIB5R3s">candlepin</a>, <a href="/facts/Duckpin_bowling/AowuVHDk">duckpin</a>, <a href="/facts/Nine-pin_bowling/VRehtlJ7">nine-pin (kegel)</a>, and <a href="/facts/Five-pin_bowling/M3hDXk49">five-pin</a>. The historical game <a href="/facts/Skittles_(sport)/3eqqLJb2">skittles</a> is the forerunner of modern pin bowling. </p><p>In target bowling, the aim is usually to get a ball as close to a <a href="/facts/Glossary_of_bowls_terms/z4bMUsnG">mark</a> as possible. The surface in target bowling may be grass, gravel, or synthetic. <a href="/facts/Lawn_bowls/6kKHLkBF">Lawn bowls</a>, <a href="/facts/Bocce/4AIKmTub">bocce</a>, <a href="/facts/Carpet_Bowls/hTcAhzJp">carpet bowls</a>, <a href="/facts/P%25C3%25A9tanque/4HNKAexw">pétanque</a>, and <a href="/facts/Boules/SKpYffeP">boules</a> may have both indoor and outdoor varieties. <a href="/facts/Curling/75RAnxKY">Curling</a> may be considered target bowling, but on ice. </p>