In a match of badminton, points are awarded when a player successfully lands the shuttlecock in the opponent's side of the court without them being able to return it. Points can also be scored if the opposing player commits a fault, such as hitting the shuttlecock out of bounds or into the net. Matches are typically played in a best-of-three format, where the first player or team to reach 21 points wins a game. Additionally, players must win by a margin of at least two points, fostering competitive play and strategy.