What Incentives/Prizes do your centers have?

[fordman1]

Once a season every team gets a free Drink
Well over a thousand bowlers in leagues

If everyone on a team 4-5 bowlers all strike in the 7th frame of the 1st game the team wins a hand made pizza.

Throw a 300 or 800 get a Jacket.

Every league gets a fresh oiling and back end strip before starting.

Between leagues the tables are cleaned and floor is if needed. And you don't have to ask!

Every league member gets a 6 game free pass for summer bowling.

Every league member gets a post card notification for when their league meeting is and when the league starts.

They keep the place clean and have lighted parking with cameras.

[Tony]

We have the various scratch and handicap pots, and strike jackpot. One of the things that's slightly annoying is with the strike jackpot that's currently at 500 plus to the winner usually has been getting shot at by one of 5 to 10 guts. Lots of guys buy tickets and if they win they offer a fee or split to one of the guys with a high average / strike percentage to take the shot.

Last week we were sitting at the table next to the guy when his ticket was drawn but when the announced it, the guy who holds high average was taking the shot, as karma would have it he threw a gutter ball, and that was in the 3rd frame of the 3rd game, the second game he shot a 300.

[JaxBowlingGuy]

If the bowler was participating in a USBC sanctioned event, this kind of incentive/prize could be in violation of USBC Rule 15.

Rule 15 – Gambling
A member of USBC, while bowling in USBC competition, shall not participate or be involved in the
operation of any gambling scheme which is in violation of any applicable law, where all or part of a
score bowled in USBC play determines the winner.
Contests or schemes which threaten the integrity of the game and/or entice a player to bowl beneath
his/her ability are strictly prohibited.

Wouldn't USBC be violating their own rules in their "flagship" tournament (The USBC Open) for running brackets and side action ? Since the score bowled determines the winner

[bowl1820]

Wouldn't USBC be violating their own rules in their "flagship" tournament (The USBC Open) for running brackets and side action ? Since the score bowled determines the winner

Here's the whole text of Rule 15 which address's brackets and side action.


Rule 15 – Gambling
A member of USBC, while bowling in USBC competition, shall not participate or be involved in the
operation of any gambling scheme which is in violation of any applicable law, where all or part of a
score bowled in USBC play determines the winner.
Contests or schemes which threaten the integrity of the game and/or entice a player to bowl beneath
his/her ability are strictly prohibited.

Penalty: Membership may be suspended or denied to anyone who is a participant or involved in the
violation of this rule.

NOTE: Side competitions/brackets in leagues/tournaments where the participating bowlers pay a fee,
optional or otherwise, and receive prizes for high game and/or series, with or without
handicap, do not violate the rule because these involve merit pinfall based solely on the skill of
the participant.

[JaxBowlingGuy]

Here's the whole text of Rule 15 which address's brackets and side action.


Rule 15 – Gambling
A member of USBC, while bowling in USBC competition, shall not participate or be involved in the
operation of any gambling scheme which is in violation of any applicable law, where all or part of a
score bowled in USBC play determines the winner.
Contests or schemes which threaten the integrity of the game and/or entice a player to bowl beneath
his/her ability are strictly prohibited.

Penalty: Membership may be suspended or denied to anyone who is a participant or involved in the
violation of this rule.

NOTE: Side competitions/brackets in leagues/tournaments where the participating bowlers pay a fee,
optional or otherwise, and receive prizes for high game and/or series, with or without
handicap, do not violate the rule because these involve merit pinfall based solely on the skill of
the participant.

Makes sense then. I couldn't imagine there being a rule like that without some kind of expection given how many large tournaments run brackets and side pots

[Mike White]

Wouldn't USBC be violating their own rules in their "flagship" tournament (The USBC Open) for running brackets and side action ? Since the score bowled determines the winner

Is there anywhere in those tournaments where bowling a lower score gives you a better chance of winning something, compared to you bowling a higher score?

[JaxBowlingGuy]

Is there anywhere in those tournaments where bowling a lower score gives you a better chance of winning something, compared to you bowling a higher score?

When you didn't post the full rule the part below would be directly related to my comment on brackets and side pots since the score determines the winner. Now that the whole rule has been posted, they make an exception to brackets and side pots.

"A member of USBC, while bowling in USBC competition, shall not participate or be involved in the
operation of any gambling scheme which is in violation of any applicable law, where all or part of a
score bowled in USBC play determines the winner."

[Mike White]

When you didn't post the full rule the part below would be directly related to my comment on brackets and side pots since the score determines the winner. Now that the whole rule has been posted, they make an exception to brackets and side pots.

"A member of USBC, while bowling in USBC competition, shall not participate or be involved in the
operation of any gambling scheme which is in violation of any applicable law, where all or part of a
score bowled in USBC play determines the winner."

I posted the whole rule, what I left off was the penalty, and an explanation of how it effects side pots, and brackets.

The Note isn't part of the rule.

Side pots and brackets are covered by what you quoted.. "in violation of any applicable law"

Since side pots and brackets aren't against the law, they aren't against USBC rules.

Also they don't provide incentive to bowl less than one's ability during that activity.

The 111 in the 7th drink award could in some situations provide that incentive.

Handicap tournaments for money provides incentive to bowl worse one's ability.

Not by bowling worse in the tournament, but in establishing an average to ultimately be used in the tournament.

Even the USBC main tournaments gives incentive by the grouping of bowlers into average categories.

[1VegasBowler]

I posted the whole rule, what I left off was the penalty, and an explanation of how it effects side pots, and brackets.

The Note isn't part of the rule.

Side pots and brackets are covered by what you quoted.. "in violation of any applicable law"

Since side pots and brackets aren't against the law, they aren't against USBC rules.

Also they don't provide incentive to bowl less than one's ability during that activity.

The 111 in the 7th drink award could in some situations provide that incentive.

Handicap tournaments for money provides incentive to bowl worse one's ability.

Not by bowling worse in the tournament, but in establishing an average to ultimately be used in the tournament.

Even the USBC main tournaments gives incentive by the grouping of bowlers into average categories.

I don't know what tournament(s) you're participating in, but every tournament that I have been in doesn't allow you to establish an average during the tournament.

You either have to use your book average from the previous season, current season that consists of a certain number of weeks bowled until a certain date (if the current season is 10 pins more), or you have to use scratch average that is part of the rules, and that's usually 220 or 225.

[fordman1]

Are we talking about what the center give bowlers or who runs the pots? Are you saying the center is running pots? Better be carful or they could lose their liquor license.