Q: How does the entry fee work again?

A: For the $40 'basic entry' in a standard format event, a bowler is playing for:

               - the plaques that go to the top 5 finishers.

            - scholarships to the top 1:6 finishers, with $200, $100, $50, $30, $20 minimum to the top 5

            - the points that connect each of our events.  Points are important because the top point scorers at the end of the season get to bowl in our year end Invitationals and Touring Players' Championship, which have enormous prize funds and help determine our year-end awards.  More on points below. 

        There are also  optional brackets available.  Brackets work just like brackets in adult  bowling.   8 person brackets run games 2-4 in the qualifying round, with each bracket winner receiving a $15 scholarship.

So, your entry fee can be anywhere from $40 on up, depending on what you want to enter.   Each optional is separated into scratch and handicap divisions just like the tournament, and all awards fees are returned 100%- often a lot more than 100%, thanks to our sponsors.  

1) To bowl a JBT event, you must have a collared shirt or bowling related t-shirt (like a league t-shirt, USBC youth shirt, etc).  You can wear shorts or long pants, but if you wear shorts, they can't be denim or basketball-type shorts.  No hats or tank tops either.  If you're not sure, don't wear it.  If you're not in dress code, you can't bowl the semifinal round.

2) If you're in PBA-compliant dress, meaning a collared (or mock turtleneck or 'dye sub'-style) shirt with your name on it, and long slacks (or 'nice' skirts, shorts, capris, whatever for the girls), you get an extra 10 points on your season point total.  This can add up if you bowl with us a lot, so it pays to look your best!

Each of our five conferences maintains its own point list, which you can check on the "Statistics" section of this website. The top point scorers at the end of the season qualify for each Conference's Invitational tournament.  Plus, the top 5 point scorers in each division receive a bye into the finals of the Invitationals, which is a huge bonus and a guaranteed scholarship.   The Invitationals have a big prize fund, so they're not to be missed.  

We also keep a combined All-Conference point list for bowlers that travel to bowl JBT events the most often. The top 60 bowlers in combined all-conference points, plus anyone finishing in the top 20 in a division's final point list, qualify for the season-ending Touring Players' Championship, our most prestigious and elite event. 

Also, the points lists are major factors in determining our year-end awards such as Bowler of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and All-Star team. 

Thus, every point is valuable- get every pin you can! 

Q: Am I good enough for the JBT?

A: YES!!!! Any age and any average can and does do well in the JBT- that's what the handicap division is for.  Bowlers with averages under 100 regularly enter and succeed in our events.  Any age bowler 21 & under may compete- we have 8 year olds, for example, that love playing against the big boys and girls.  Don't miss out on the JBT because of a misconception that you're not good enough- YOU ARE!!!

Q: Explain the formats again?

A: Our regular season tournaments run under many different formats to keep things fresh for our regulars.  They use the 'classic format' unless otherwise noted.  Here's a breakdown of our formats:

Classic Format: There are 2 divisions, scratch and handicap.  Bowlers choose to enter one or the other.  In each division, bowlers roll 5 games across ten lanes.  The top 50% of each division advance to the semifinals.  The semis consist of three additional games, with the scratch bowlers doing match play.  After the 8th game, the top 5 bowlers in each division advance to a stepladder finals.  If there are 50 or more entries in a division, the top 8 bowlers will advance to the stepladder finals.

'PBA' Format: In this format, you bowl the same 5 game qualifying round, then cut to the top 16 bowlers regardless of entries (50% if total entries are 28 or less).  Then, bowlers compete in best 2-of-3 head-to head matchplay, with the #1 seed playing the #16 seed, #2 playing #15, etc.  The winners play in another best 2-of-3 round.  The winners then play a one game match, and those 2 winners play a one game title match.  This can be used in scratch only, handicap only, or both.  In 'pba+', the top four seeds receive one-round byes so they can't be eliminated in round one.  In 'pba with re-seed', the matches are reset after each round with the highest surviving bowler playing the lowest.

Survivor Format: In this format, 'you don't have to be the best, you just have to not be the worst'.  Both divisions bowl the 5 game qualifier, and the cut is to the top 50%.  The top qualifier(s) receive byes through early Survivor round(s), so you can't be eliminated right away.   In the survivor rounds, an equal number of bowlers are put on each pair.  You then bowl one game.  The LOWEST score on each pair is eliminated.  Surviving bowlers are then reshuffled, and another game is bowled, again with the LOWEST score on the pair eliminated.  Play continues until there is only one survivor- the champion!

Mega-matchplay Format: The handicap division format is unchanged from the classic format.  In scratch, you still bowl the 5 game qualifier and cut to the top 50%.  However, in your 3-game semifinals, you bowl EVERY other semifinalist in a match EVERY game.  So, if 20 people make the cut, you bowl all 19 of them every game.  Thus, if you have the high game in the semifinals, you'd go 19-0 in your matches that game and receive 19x10 bonus pins.  This is a super-exciting take on our normal match play!

O.A.D.O.T.A.T: This stands for "one and done, or two and through".  This is the same top-16 matchplay format, except if you're the higher seed in any match, you only need one win to win your match.  If you're the lower seed, you have to win two games to win your match.  Thus, your 5-game qualifying score is extremely important to get the highest seed possible.  Can be used with scratch and/or handicap.

Pick Yer Poison: This is also a top-16 matchplay format, but in this format, the #1 seed in each round has their choice of who to play.  Then #2 has their choice, etc.  Choose wisely!  Another variation is 'pick everyone's poison', where the highest remaining seed draws up that entire round's matches!

Mulligan Format: The format is the same as Standard Format, except that in the scratch division, every bowler gets 2 or 3 (varies by time requirements) 'Mulligans', literally a do-over.  Make the cut and get an extra one, and making the finals gives you one more.  As bowlers, we always say 'man, I wish I had that shot over'-- now you do!

Nerve-wracker format: This format is just like the PBA format, except in the matchplay portion, if the match is tied 1-1 after two games, you go immediately to a one-shot rolloff-- thus the wracked nerves!!  In "nervewracker+', the top seeds receive byes, so they can't be eliminated early.

Scratchplay format: We use this format where possible at scratch-only events.  The format is just like PBA format, except each game in the qualifying round is also a head-to-head match with 30 bonus pins for a win.  Exciting!  

Jackpot shots: this is the classic format, with random bowlers earning a chance at bonus prizes if they strike or perform trick shots!

Endless 10th: this is the classic format, but in the scratch stepladder, we use the 'endless 10th' frame you may have seen on TV.  If a bowler finishes with a strike on his final ball, he may continue to throw additional fill balls as long as he keeps striking (10 pins per strike)!

Mystery scores: this is the classic format, but if you bowl a certain score, you receive bonus prizes!  

March Madness: patterned after the NCAA basketball tournament, after the cut to the top 16, bowlers will be placed in 'regions' with the #1 seed playing the #4 seed in each region's 'sweet 16', and so on.

We're always keeping things lively with new formats, so be ready!

We also have a few events each year with still more different  formats, such as our Doubles Classic, Pro-Ams, our Invitationals, the TPC, and more.  These formats are always explained on separate entry blanks.

Each event also offers our included and optional scholarship programs.

Q: What average is good enough for the scratch division?

A: We suggest that 180 is the borderline number to start thinking about entering the scratch division, but there is no required number.  Any bowler can compete in whichever division they choose.  For example, we have 190+ bowlers competing in the handicap division, and a few 175 and lower averages in the scratch division.  There are pros and cons either way.  The choice of division is the bowlers'.

Q: Do I have to bowl all the tournaments?

A: NO!  You can bowl wherever and whenever you choose.  We have bowlers that just bowl one or two stops a year, and some who bowl every stop.  The advantages to bowling more include more chances at scholarships, more experience on varying conditions, and more chances to earn points to qualify for or improve your standings in our Invitationals and TPC.  Plus it's just good fun to bowl, dangit!!!

Q: How do I know what place I'm in?

A: We keep track of the standings after every game- you'll quickly see that we're very into our stats!  Scoreboards are usually located near the tournament desk, as well as bracket standings, high game standings, and all sorts of other information.  A tournament official will be happy to help you read the scoreboard, or fill out your scorecard.  

  Also, elsewhere on this website are all our season and career statistical categories, all time records, and more.  We love our stats!