MAIN EVENT THINGS TO KNOW (FAQ)

Here's some details about the Main Event that may answer some of your questions about how it all works, as well as some helpful travel information.  If you can think of anything else that might be helpful to be on this page, let us know and we'll add it on!

        I'm 21 and no longer USBC Youth Eligible.  Can I still bowl?

YES!   Anyone age 21 or under as of 8/23/14, regardless of 'adult' or 'youth' status, may bowl the Main Event.   Past or present PBA members, though, are excluded.   

 

         I'm 11 years old, got some bad advice, and 'went adult'.  Can I still bowl?

YES!   Anyone age 21 or under as of 8/24/13, regardless of 'adult' or 'youth' status, may bowl the Main Event.   Past or present PBA members, though, are excluded.   

 

Why'd ya move the dates?

Two reasons: 1) Though it used to be a 'thing', more bowlers couldn't or didn't want to bowl or travel on Christmas Eve or Day.  (We know this a tradition for some of you, so come on down early if you like!).  Main Event entries are good but not great, and we think dates of Dec 27-30 will fit into more travel plans.     2) Team USA Trials, which attracts many under-22 bowlers, is Jan 2-5.  We hope many bowlers bowling Trials will start at Main Event, bowl our Dec. 31 extra event, and stay over for Trials.  The terrific hotel rate of $85 (that's up to 4 people, with NO extra person charge) makes it possible to affordably enjoy a Vegas New Year's, whether or not you're bowling Trials!

 

 I'm 24 years old, and my friend's dad is 87.  Got anything for us to bowl in?

YES!   If you ever bowled any portion of Main Event as a junior, you can bowl in our Alumni division.  Qualifying squads are the same as the Main Event Singles squads, no cut or semis. 

Also, the Team event 12/29 can have two adult bowlers per team (but doesn't have to). 

        What lane conditions will be used?

As in previous years, we will not pre-announce the exact lane conditions for the event.  Graphs of the patterns will be available on-site.  We will tell you, however, that the goal is to have a very challenging and fair, but not impossible, lane condition for all events..  Some of the side events have different conditions as well.  We were pleased with the 2013 scoring pace, and found that crankers, straighter players, lefties and righties all had a good chance, so expect something similar in 2013.  Singles will of course have fresh oil at the start of every squad.  The bottom line is that lane conditions are an inexact science, as most of you know, and we’ll strive for a fair, fun, and challenging condition for all—so bowl on what’s out there, and make great shots!

Do I have to bowl ALL this stuff?

            No!  You can do as much or as little as you want.  You could show up as late as 2 PM on the 29th and still do the Main Event singles and team events.  You could (not that we suggest it) skip the Main Event totally and just do a side event or two.  You could go nuts and bowl everything, including multiple doubles squads.  It's totally up to you.  We want to be the most flexible and bowler-friendly event you've ever participated in.

Can I bowl the Dec. 31 singles event if I didn't bowl any part of Main Event?

            Absolutely!  It's part of our regular season JBT year-round Tour as well, so a top-5 finish there gets you into two of our summer Invitational tournaments, where you can win thousands more!  Check the website out for details.

What hotel rates are available?

   Texas Station is offering great lodging rates, but it's only a 200-room hotel, so we encourage you to book these rooms as soon as possible.   Call Texas Station at 1-800-654-8888 to book these rooms by Dec. 10 at the latest.  They’re under the group name “Junior Bowlers Main Event 2014".   The $85 quad-occupancy room rate for 12/31 will be hard to beat anywhere in Vegas, and rates are as low as $35 midweek for us!  Last year these rooms sold out very far in advance, so if you want to stay at Texas Station, book early!  If you don't get in there or don't want to stay there, Fiesta Rancho, in walking distance on the same side of the street, usually has affordable rooms.  These are both perfectly nice but by no means 'fancy' places (Texas has just finished remodeling all guest rooms and hallways, and looks much nicer).  Strip casinos and their bigger amenities are 10 (north end)-20 (south end) minutes away, depending on your spot and traffic (which can be rough).   If you wanna go on a room hunt,  try websites like hotels.com, kayak.com, or expedia.com.

Do I have to prepay to guarantee my spot?

YES.  This is for necessary logistic reasons that we hope you understand.  When you send in the form and payment for any event, you'll appear on the 'confirmed entries' chart for that event.  You can always enter the Main Event now and some side events later, or vice versa.  You can always re-enter or add events on-site as well, as space permits.  In previous years, many squads did sell out, so we do suggest sending in your entries as soon as possible.

I can't afford to prepay, or I just found out I can bowl.  Can I just 'walk in'?

YES.  As long as space is still available, you can just show up and we'll get you on a squad, at no extra charge.  We're flexible!

How do I know the 'cut' scores for the Main Event Singles?

 After the 2 PM singles squad on the 29^th, we’ll do a lot of math and double-checking and determine our complete singles semifinalist field.  It will take us a while to crunch the numbers, however.  The 2 PM squad should finish around 6 PM, which will give us final cut numbers around 9 PM.  You'll also be able to call the bowling center to get the "cut scores", and we will post these scores on the front page of the website as well as our facebook page.   Of course, instead of sitting around and getting nervous, get a team together and enter the 8 PM 5-person Team event!

Is the Prize Fund good?

    We sure think so.  The Open Scratch Singles division first place scholarship is guaranteed at a minimum $3,000!  Not bad, huh?  $1,500 is on top for Handicap singles, and $1,500 for Girls Scratch.  Over $100,000 was awarded the last four seasons alone at the Main Event.  We believe that our entry fee to prize fund ratio is one of the very best in youth bowling.  Be sure to check through previous years to see what our winners have earned!

Are there other tournaments besides yours during the week?

    Yes.  There are other tournaments going on at Sam’s Town and The Orleans.  Between our Singles, Doubles, Team, and their events, there should be plenty of time to do everything, but it does take some coordinating.    Please allow 2 1/2 hours to bowl your Doubles event, and 4 1/2 hours for your Singles event.  Some squads will be quicker, and we hope none will be much longer than that.  The Orleans is about 10-15 minutes from Texas Station in good traffic, and Sam's Town is 15-25 minutes away, again in good traffic.  Stoplights can be infuriating in Vegas, so please allow enough travel time- we cannot delay squad times or entry deadlines, unfortunately. 

    Wipeout Info: Once info is released, contact Bobbi Hoven or Bobby McVey at 702-365-7400. 

    No-Tap Info: No info has been released for this event yet.

   And of course, Team USA Trials are January 2-5, which is one of the reasons we moved Main Event dates.  The $85 12/31 room deal at Texas will be very hard to beat in Vegas, so take advantage of that!

Whew!  As you can see, we’re working our butts off to make the 2014 Main Event as good as it can be and then some!  As always, please feel free to contact me any time for questions, answers, or just to shoot the bowling breeze- we want to be the most interactive tournament out there.  Most of the format comes directly from bowlers’ input, so your voice is being heard, even if we don’t make every change that every individual mentions.

DO NOT USE THE AOL EMAIL BELOW!  (We can't figure out how to get rid of it).  Use director@bowljbt.com.