Brackets
The idea of brackets is simple: each “bracket” includes eight randomly-selected bowlers on your squad during team, doubles and/or singles events. You need to bowl a higher game than the bowler you are paired against to advance out of each round. If you win all three matches, you win your bracket.

First prize in the $10 brackets is $50 and second place pays $20. In addition to regular brackets, there are special brackets for senior bowlers age 50 and older. A bowler may enter a maximum of 80 brackets.

During the team event only, $5 brackets also will be available. First prize will be $25 and second place pays $10. New for 2010, a bowler may enter a maximum of 40 $5 brackets.

Second Chance Brackets
For $10 during the team event only, the Second Chance Brackets are similar to regular brackets but four of the eight bowlers will have a chance to at least win back their entry fee. Bowlers may enter 40 Second Chance Brackets.

Bowlers who lose the first game will advance to a losers’ bracket. Bowlers who lose again will be eliminated. Bowlers whose first loss comes in the second game will advance to a second sub-bracket. The bowler who loses again will be eliminated.

The person who makes it through the initial bracket undefeated will win $30. Two wins and a loss in the final will earn the bowler $20. A win in the first game, followed by a loss in the second and a win in the third will earn the bowler $15. The winner of the initial losers’ bracket will earn $10.

Reverse Brackets
A new spin on an old favorite, Reverse Brackets work like traditional brackets but the only difference is that instead of using your scores in order (Game 1, Game 2 and Game 3), they are used in reverse order (Game 3, Game 2, Game 1).

The cost for Reverse Brackets has been reduced from $10 to $5. First place now will pay $25, while second place will pay $10. The maximum number of Reverse Brackets you may enter in each event is 40.

Super Brackets
USBC offers a “Super Bracket” program that allows bowlers to compete in side events which last more than just the traditional three games. Bowlers are randomly matched up the day after the USBC Open Championships concludes. Super Brackets are offered for individual bowlers only.

Entries into the individual Super Brackets will be $25 with a top prize of $5,000 in each. Bowlers may enter up to 20 individual Super Brackets. The individual Super Brackets include 512 bowlers, and include all nine games. Also, players 50 and older can enter individual 50+ Super Brackets for $10 each.

Captain-only Brackets
This year, we are proud to introduce a new bracket product designed specifically to reward our team captains for their hard work and dedication.

This product will be set up like a traditional eight-person bracket, but instead of using individual games, winners each round will be determined by their three-game series in team, doubles and singles. This new format makes things a little more exciting and gives you a chance to bounce back from a bad game.

Competitors will be divided into two divisions – Regular and Classified – so bowlers of similar skill levels will be bowling against each other. The cost will be $10 per bracket.

Another unique aspect of this product is that it will be yearlong. All bowlers will be randomly placed into the brackets at the conclusion of the 2010 USBC Open Championships, and winners will be determined.

As an added incentive to test your luck, all captains who bring teams and enter at least one of the captain-only brackets in 2010 AND 2011, will be eligible to win a portion of a $10,000 Super Jackpot. Stop by the brackets window on-site for more details.

Century Doubles
With an entry fee of just $10, Century Doubles pairs two bowlers who are a combined 100 years or older in the current calendar year. Bowlers may only enter with other competitors on their squad (up to five partners) in this tournament-long event.

For example, a bowler who is 35 years old must find a bowler on his/her squad who is 65 or older in order to enter his event and vice versa. Bowlers will use their combined doubles scores to determine the winner at the end of the tournament’s run in July.

Prize money goes to the bowler who signs the pair up, but the two bowlers can enter with each other and share the place in the standings. For example, Joe Bowler can sign up with Jim Bowler, and Jim Bowler can then pay his own $10 to sign up with Joe Bowler.

1-5-9 and 3-6-10 Strike Jackpots
Once again, the 1-5-9 and 3-6-10 Strike Jackpots will feature a $10 entry fee, which puts bowlers in the jackpot for all three events (team, doubles and singles).

Bowlers who record strikes in the first, fifth and ninth frames (or the third, sixth and first shot in the 10th frame for the 3-6-10 Jackpot) of all three games in an event will split the accumulated total at the end of the tournament. Last year in Las Vegas, 17 winners earned $3,459 for hitting the 1-5-9 Jackpot, and 25 winners took home $2,534 in the 3-6-10 Jackpot.

Additionally, bowlers who hit eight of nine strikes in will share 10 percent of the jackpots. So even if you miss in the first shot of the first game, you still have a chance to cash.

Super Side Pots
Revised in 2008, the Super Side Pots are a modern version of the traditional side pots that reward you for being the best on your squad. There’s also a built-in bonus feature that allows you to cash in for a share of the yearlong jackpot.

For a $25 entry fee for each event (team, doubles and singles), players are entered into traditional side pots during each squad ($18 from each entry), along with a yearlong high game jackpot ($4.50 from each entry).

Beat the bowlers on your squad and take home your prize money that day. Then see how your scores hold up in the yearlong jackpot. The yearlong jackpot will feature a prize fund-style payout, and the cash ratio will be 1:10. For example, the Super Side Pot entrant with the highest overall score (and all bowlers who match that score), will finish in first place and receive equal shares of the jackpot. If there are 1,000 people entered, the top 100 each will receive prize money.

If you enter the Super Side Pots, you have nine chances at the squad prizes and nine opportunities to earn a share of the yearlong jackpots. There will be a separate yearlong prize fund for each event.

30 Clean Jackpot
The 30 Clean Jackpot offers participants three chances to earn a share of a tournament-long jackpot for a $10 entry fee.

Each bowler will have three chances – team, double, singles -- to record 30 consecutive frames with a strike or spare. If a bowler is successful in any of the three -- or all three, for that matter -- he/she will share in the end-of-tournament payoff. Last year in Las Vegas, the 30 Clean Jackpot was hit 257 times for $232.

Each 30 Clean qualifier also will receive a special award to commemorate the achievement.

Out of each 30 Clean Jackpot entry fee, $1.50 will be donated to the Earl Anthony Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Clean Frame Super Pot
New this year, the Clean Frame Super Pot will give bowlers more incentive to make all of their spares. There is a $10 entry fee, paid prior to competing in team, and the concept is simple- have more clean frames than anyone else.

This yearlong jackpot will feature a prize fund-style payout, and the cash ratio will be 1:10. The Clean Frame Super Pot entrant with the most clean frames (and all bowlers who match that number), will finish in first place and receive equal shares of the jackpot. The next highest number will finish in second place and so on. If there are 1,000 people entered, the top 100 each will receive prize money.

Team USA Qualifying
Open Championships bowlers are encouraged to use their nine-game all-events totals as qualifying scores to earn paid entries into the USBC Team USA Trials, an event that gives bowlers a chance to be on Team USA.

For a $30 entry fee, one out of every 10 entrants earns a paid Team USA Trials entry.

In addition to a chance to represent the United States in international bowling competition through the optional qualifying program, USBC donates $1 from each all-events entry fee to support the Team USA program.

Bowlers interested in a chance to qualify for the Team USA Trials can register when they sign up for brackets before team event.

Classified Cash-O-Matic Bracket
The new Classified Cash-O-Matic Bracket gives Classified bowlers their own product with a same-day payout. Currently, it is available during team event only. Bowlers may enter a maximum of 40 at $10 each. All Cash-O-Matic entrants must be verified as Classified bowlers prior to the start of their team event.

The Cash-O-Matic Bracket plays out just like a traditional bracket, but in this case, every bowler cashes. The four bowlers who lose the first game each will receive $3. Those who win the first game but lose the second each will receive $8. The bowler who wins all three games will receive $24, while the person who wins two games and loses the final will take home $18.

Classified Tic-Tac-Toe will not be available in 2010.

Note: This year, all same-day payouts will be made at the Sands Regency Casino Hotel.

Also, in order to participate in any side event that requires scores from all nine games, specifically Super Brackets and Team USA qualifying, bowlers must bowl team event before doubles and singles and must sign up prior to throwing their first ball.