The pitch is usually an indoor hall. At either end of the pitch, there is a bench, but can be a gym mat depending on available equipment, upon which the bucket holder stands. There should be a small 'no-entry' zone in front of the bench that no attacker nor defender may enter. This may be signified using another mat or features of the pitch, such as a marked 'D'.
A bucketball team may consist of any size, to be agreed upon before the match. All players, except the bucket holder, may move around the pitch freely when not holding the ball. Each team has a member standing on their oppositions bench, holding the bucket. This is demonstrated in the diagram below, where a member of team 'A' is standing on the bench in team 'B's half and vice versa.
+--------+--------+
| Team B | Team A |
A half O half B
| | |
+--------+--------+
At the start of a game, the referee will take the ball, gather a member of each team and throw the ball into the air. Once the ball is in the air, it is in play.
To score a bucket, a player must throw the ball into their team's bucket. The bucket holder may move on the bench and move the bucket to make it easier for their team member to score. The player must throw the ball, they may not place the ball into the bucket. The ball must not touch the deck between the player throwing the ball and the ball arriving in the bucket; it may come off another player however. The bucket holder must retain control of the bucket as and after the bucket is scored. The bucket holder must also remain on the bench for the bucket to be valid. If the bucket holder places their foot on the floor during the bucket scoring, the bucket isn't scored and possession is given to the other team.
Once a bucket has been scored, the bucket holder swaps with the player who just scored and possession of the ball is given to the nearest opposition member.
- Bucketball is a 'non-contact' sport. This is usually a grey area and is generally interpreted in that contact of the ball by opposition players is allowed, but contact of opposition players is discouraged. Light contact such as shoving, shirt- grabbing and jostling is generally allowed. Heavy, Rugby-esque contact is not allowed.
- A player may not move whilst holding the ball. Once a player gets a hold of the ball, they may not move until they throw it. The player may take a step as they steady themselves having caught the ball, but the distance is at the referee's disgression. If a player moves with the ball, possession is given to the other team.
- If the ball goes out of bounds, it is handed to the opposite team of whomever it came off. Similar to most ball games, if the ball goes out of play on the end line, it is taken from the side if it is not that player's half, otherwise it is taken from the base line by that time.
- The rules as described may be enforced as the referee sees fit. The referee's word is final.