Brackets in Handicap leagues

**ranger56** · September 7th, 2006

I am interested in finding out if anyone uses the "Brackets" option for a weekly handicap league. I am starting a 20 team mixed league tonight which has had "side pots" for several years. These side pots though have been scratch only in the past and I was looking for other options for our lower average bowlers. I know it would be possible for a handicap side pot to be run also, but was curious as to how well the brackets might work. If anyone has been in a league that had brackets for weekly input for a handicap league I would like to hear from you on how well it went, or how badly it went and any suggestions.

**Patrick Lajko** · September 7th, 2006

Handicap league: scratch side pots were only a few people - the same few high average bowlers each week. Not much fun for most people.
Once HANDICAP brackets were started, lots of people entered. Lots of people had fun. Because anyone has a chance of winning a bracket - more people started entering. Scratch brackets were tried along with the handicap brackets and failed. Scratch failed for the same reason as the scratch side pots: the high average bowlers were always the winners. With handicap brackets - even the lowest average bowler can win.

Payouts were 5x for first and 3x for 2nd place. (that is, 5x and 3x times the entry fee. No house profit). used to be $1 entry fee. Now it is $5 and people have no problem putting in $10 to $30.

Your high average bowlers might complain about handicap brackets. Ignore them. They just can't accept it when a lower average bowler has a chance to win. Brackets are all about fun - not making enough money to buy a boat.

**Frank Goebel** · September 7th, 2006

I'm in a large enough league that there are entrants in both scratch and handicap. 88 slots last year, and the median average was close to 200.

Brackets aren't done for the first three weeks as everyone's establishing average (and getting used to being back at bowling).

I've been in a league where handicap brackets were offered and were overlooked...a very high money league and while there is some handicap, it still functions as a semi-classic (four games) and has a ton of high-caliber bowlers. League median average is closer to 212. They do scratch only, and on games 2-4...giving the person doing the collection the duration of the first game to do all the collecting, etc. They know they could have overlapping brackets for games 1-3 and have opted not to do that.

Conversely, there are leagues where only handicap brackets would find any attraction. It does depend on the league.

**Keith Chambers** · September 8th, 2006

We run brackets in our 40 team handicap mixed league with several options for the bowlers - Open, Men's scratch, 189 and below, Men's handicap (capped at 210), and women 171 and above and 170 and below. Each season the interest seems to grow. We have decided on a limit of 8 brackets for any single bowler in each category. This has allowed more people to cash.
This league also runs several sidepot events as well as a mixed doubles event that generates about 200-250 entries each week. (Who said bowling was cheap?)

**ranger56** · September 9th, 2006

I bought the new BLS2007 Standard version. When I checked the Brackets out last night it seemed like it said it was a demo version only. Do you have to purchase the Pro version to have the brackets run. I could not find enough info in the program to even get the demo version to run.

**Derrick** · September 9th, 2006

Yes, you will need the Pro version to have the brackets full version.

**Brian Atherton** · September 13th, 2006

I have been running brackets in several leagues for the past 3 years. I have found that my latest format has the most interest.

I charge $5 per bracket, they can enter as many times as they want. There is no interest in scratch.

I pay out $25, $7, $3, $3....

Everyone who wins their first game, but looses the 2nd gets $3.00

I find that bowler's who used to get in only 1 bracket now get in 2, and others have entered more.

I enter every thing I run. I pay $3 to enter each bracket.

My eliminator bracket is very popular. You don't have to beat one guy, just half the field that is entered. I pay out a number places depending on how many people enter. I try to make it so that 1st gets $50, and then go down by $5, if there are only 10 in the pot it pays out 2 places $35 and $15. I usually get around 20 to 40 entered from an 80 person league. The cut is always rounded up, 29 entries 15 go through, then 8... Above 20 entries I start with $5, $10, $15, $20, $25, $50 and sometimes pay the lowest 1st game score $5, those bowlers love it.