American Mahjong Scoring: How Hands Are Paid

Last updated: October 2026

American Mahjong scoring is simpler than it looks. You never add up points tile by tile. Every hand on the card already has a value printed next to it, and when someone calls Mahjong, the table just settles up: who pays, and whether anything doubles. This guide covers the payment rules most groups follow, with a chart you can keep next to your rack.

Quick answer

The winner collects the value printed on the card for the hand. If the winning tile was a discard, the player who threw it pays double and the other two pay the single value. If the winner picked the tile from the wall (self-picked), all three players pay double. A hand made with no Jokers doubles everything again. If nobody wins before the wall runs out, nobody pays.

Where the points come from

Each hand on the National Mah Jongg League card ends with a number. That number is the hand's value. Most hands pay 25 to 50, and the harder ones, such as many concealed hands and the Singles and Pairs section, pay more. New to the card? Start with how to read a mahjong card.

This is the big difference from Chinese and Japanese mahjong, where players count points (fan, han or fu) from the tiles in the winning hand. In American Mahjong the card does that work for you, so there is nothing to count.

Who pays when you win on a discard

• The player who discarded the winning tile pays 2 × the hand value.

• The other two players each pay 1 × the hand value.

Example: you win a 25 hand on a discard. The discarder pays 50, the other two pay 25 each, and you collect 100.

Who pays when you self-pick

When you draw the winning tile from the wall yourself, there is no discarder to blame, so all three players pay 2 × the hand value. A 25 hand self-picked collects 50 from each player, 150 in total.

The jokerless double

Jokers make hands easier, so a hand made entirely of natural tiles is rewarded. If your winning hand contains no Jokers at all, every payment is doubled. The doubles stack: win a 25 hand on a discard with no Jokers and the discarder pays 100 while the other two pay 50 each.

The exception is the Singles and Pairs section. Jokers can never be used in singles or pairs, so these hands are always jokerless and do not get the bonus; their higher printed value already covers it. For the full Joker rules, see our guide to mahjong Jokers.

Payout chart

What each player pays the winner for a 25 hand and a 50 hand:

Special cases

• Wall game. If the last tile is drawn and discarded with no winner, the game is a wash. Nobody pays and the next game starts.

• Two players want the same discard for Mahjong. The player next in turn after the discarder gets it.

• Dead hand. A player whose hand is called dead (for example, for having the wrong number of tiles or exposing tiles that match no hand on the card) stops playing for that game, but still pays if someone else wins.

• Mahjong called by mistake. If a player declares Mahjong and the hand is wrong, the hand is usually ruled dead and the game goes on among the other players. Agree before you start how your table handles it.

Table rules to agree on first

Some payment rules are house rules rather than official League rules, so settle them before the first deal:

• "Pay for the table." Some groups make a player who discards the winning tile to a hand with three exposures pay for everyone. This comes from tournament play and is not an official rule.

• Stakes. Many groups play for small change and count points as cents, so a 25 hand is worth a quarter. Others play for points only and keep a running total.

• Keeping score. A simple score sheet works: one column per player, add what each winner collects and subtract what each player pays. At the end of the session, the totals should add up to zero.

Scoring tips for beginners

1. Watch your discards late in the game. Throwing the winning tile costs you double, so when another player has two or three exposures, check the card before you discard.

2. Do not chase jokerless hands by default. The double is nice, but a hand with Jokers that you actually finish pays more than a perfect hand you never complete.

3. Count the hand before you call. Every hand is exactly 14 tiles. Calling Mahjong in error can cost you the game.

Want the rules from the start? Read how to play American mahjong.

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FAQ

How do you score American mahjong?
The winner collects the value printed on the card for the winning hand. On a discard, the discarder pays double and the others pay single. On a self-pick, everyone pays double.

How many points is a mahjong hand worth?
Most hands on the card are worth 25 to 50. Harder hands, such as concealed hands and Singles and Pairs, are worth more.

Does a jokerless hand pay double?
Yes. A winning hand with no Jokers doubles every payment, except Singles and Pairs hands, which can never use Jokers.

What happens in a wall game?
Nobody wins and nobody pays.

Who pays if two players need the same discard?
The player next in turn after the discarder takes the tile and wins. The discarder pays double as usual.

Is American mahjong scored like Chinese or Japanese mahjong?
No. Chinese and Japanese mahjong count points from the tiles in the hand. American Mahjong uses the fixed value printed on the card.