Bowling refers to a series of sports or leisure activities, in which players roll or throw bowling to the target. It is one of the main forms of throwing. When bowling, the goal is usually to knock down the bowling ball at the end of the lane. When all pins are knocked down on the first roll, it's a blow. In a goal change, the goal is usually to make the ball as close to the mark as possible. The pin form of a bowling ball is usually played on a flat wooden or other synthetic surface (which can be oiled in different ways using different techniques), while in the target bowling, the surface can be grass, gravel or synthetic. The most common types of pin bowling include ten pin, nine pin, candle shaped, duck shaped and five pin bowling, while in the target bowling, bowls, eating and drinking, kejil, groundbowls, carpet bowls, tanque and ball groups are all popular indoor and outdoor varieties. Today, bowling has been played by more than 100 million people in more than 90 countries (including 70 million in the United States), and continues to develop through entertainment media (such as video games on home game consoles and handheld devices).

In the United States and Canada, the term bowling most often refers to ten pin bowling. In Britain and other Commonwealth countries, it usually refers to lawn bowling.