The rules of the game are very simple: Players are split into two teams, and several, very bouncy balls are placed in the court, usually in the middle of gym. When the game starts, players grab a ball and try to hit the opponent players below the waist. If the player is hit, he/she either exits the game or goes into a designated "jail cell" zone, depending on the rules. A team wins when all of its opponents are in the jail or exited from the game.
Several variations of Dodgeball include Dr. Dodgeball and King's Court.
Dr. Dodgeball involves a leader in each team who tries to avoid getting hit. When players are hit, they fall on the ground and waits for "Dr. Dodgeball" to come and save them. When Dr. Dodgeball saves the fallen players, they can get up and play again. The games ends when Dr. Dodgeball is hit.
King's Court also involves a leader. If the leader is hit, the game is over. Besides that, the rules are the same as regular dodgeball.