What are They?

A sweeper simply is a two game scratch tournament, maybe 3 re-entry squads, paying out in a ratio of 1:5 or 1:6 of number of entries. They are very successful in the 'Mega bucks' tournaments in the U.S. You can also run brackets and pots across the sweeper games. We ran one quite successfully in Gothenberg last year before the big Frolunda tournament, and we paid out around US$7,500 in total prize monies.

Are They Legal?

They're just another tournament, no different from the main one you're promoting.

Where Can I Run Them?

Preferably before the tournament starts. Normally one sweeper per day with an appropriate number of squads.

How Can They Help My Tournament?

Perhaps the most important thing is if you lay the tournament condition out in the sweepers, and let that be known, then bowlers can use it as a sort of practice for the main tournament - giving them a chance to use different equipment, releases and watch ball reactions. This is especially important if the tournament proper is only single entry.

The important thing with a sweeper is to get a date and time agreed early, and publicise it, so bowlers travelling from afar can make the appropriate arrangements.