There are variations on a theme, but the most common format is an eight-person, three game singles bracket, which will be considered in this example.

The eight bowlers are randomly assigned to four single game matches. First ‘nominated’ game scores determine the match winners and those four bowlers advance. Their second ‘nominated’ game scores advance the two winners to the title match. The third ‘nominated’ game determines the bracket winner.

Prize money is returned to the bracket winner and the runner-up. Putting it another way, two wins are needed to cash. The prize money comes from the entry fee per bracket per bowler.

Let’s assume it costs $5 per bracket per bowler, and we have eight bowlers each going in one bracket. The total prize fund is $40, and this can be returned in a number of ways. Normally, 88% of the money is returned to the bowlers. In other words, out of the $40, $25 goes to first, $10 goes to second and $5 is taken in commission by the person(s) running the bracket.

This is the rule-of-thumb for a three game bracket. It gets interesting for everyone the more brackets you run at one time. Bowlers can only enter each bracket once, but they can enter as many brackets as they like and win as many as they enter. If you have sufficient entries you can run 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 at a time. If you run 50 $5 brackets, that’s $1,750 in prize money to be returned. If one bowler wins 40, he/she gets back $1,000 in that squad alone. The commission is then $250, and if you then think of multiple six game qualification blocks (with brackets in games 1,2,3 & 4,5,6) across multiple squads; both bowlers and you are going to benefit significantly.

Sometimes a percentage of the commission may have to be given up to the centre/tournament in the form of their commission for letting you stage the brackets. Alternatively, this may have to be given up in lieu of local taxes/surcharges.

Are They Legal?

A common mis-conception of brackets is that they are an illegal form of gambling. THEY ARE NOT. They are: “a randomly generated, single elimination tournament, run concurrently with league or tournament competition, using the league or tournament game scores to determine bracket winners”.

Think of it this way. When you enter a tournament, you are putting up the entry fee on the basis of your skill against the rest of the field. Brackets are no different; the bracket entry fee is paid by the bowler on the basis of his/her skill to beat a number of other competitors. No odds are given - no book is run. Money returned to the bowlers is money over and above the prize fund.

Where Can I Run Them?

Tournaments and league play are both suitable vehicles; in fact, three game leagues sit perfectly with three game eight-person brackets. Any type of league can be used, scratch or handicap, and remember, entry fees can be pitched at whatever the appropriate amount is. We guess a small handicap league will not want to play $10 brackets, but they may be interested in say, $2 or $5 brackets.

How Can They Help My League or Tournament?

They provide a way for them to cash large amounts of money, even if they don’t do too well in the tournament proper. Furthermore, they provide excitement and money in the early stages of qualification before tournament places/prizes are finalised. Or in a league environment, money can be won each week instead of waiting for a long schedule to complete.

You may need to 'sell' the concept to your bowlers. Remember, 88% of the entry fees go back to the bowlers, and you can win a bracket bowling 170, 170, 170 - it all depends on who you draw!! On the other hand, if you bowl 220, 220, 220 and enter 10, you will probably win 10. So it is good for clean sweeps and spreading money across lots of bowlers.

One benefit of playing brackets instead of self-organised pot games is that getting into 5 $5 brackets will normally result in playing different bowlers simultaneously, which will give bowlers a better chance of cashing as they will be playing more of the field. On the other hand, if 12 bowlers got in a pot and one bowler went 250, 250, 250, then all the 11 remaining would have little chance of any money. However, pots can be run successfully alongside brackets, providing yet another angle to cash. These are best described with an example. Take say, a six game qualification block and 12 bowlers interested in playing the pot games. We would charge say, $10 go in the [6] game pots, and $5 go in the 'set' pot. So the six game pots would be $1200/6 = $200 each game, to whoever shoots the highest game. The set pot would be worth $600 to whoever has the highest set. So you get six chances at the individual game pots, plus the set pot. There's nothing to stop one bowler winning more than one pot and it may turn out that a bowler that 'bombs' in the brackets still gets some money back via them.

We often get pleasantly surprised by bowlers in this country being delighted they have made the entry fee and petrol back - and that is from those that do not make the cut!! Turn it around and if you were not there and no brackets were being run they would not even have that opportunity...