Frequently Asked Questions

United States Bowling Congress Rules (link)

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: Is my Classic Division average my "true" EBT average?
A: Not likely. The software that the EBT uses does not allow for handicap manipulation without adjusting the average. Therefore, it is imperative that bowlers not focus on the average, but rather the handicap pins. As explained below in the section covering bowling averages, once your average is converted to a sport average, the EBT then changes your average up and down depending on the money won or not won irrespective of your actual bowling performance after each event. Thus your average is not a literal reflection of your games. This is EXTREMELY important when reporting tournament winnings in certain certified events such as the USBC Open Championships. DO NOT report your reflected EBT average without first contacting the EBT to get your "true" average.

Q: I have bowled with the Elite Bowlers Tour before, but I do not have an EBT average. Why?
A: To establish an EBT average, you must have bowled 21 games in our season which runs [generally] from October 1 - August 30. If you do not achieve 21 games in that time frame, you must come in with your adjusted yearbook average.

Q: I have been bowling below my average, yet my rerate does not reflect my performance. Why?
A: The EBT uses what is known as a 10 pin drop rule. For example, if you come in with a 200 average, no matter how poorly you bowl, your average for the season will not drop below 190. This means that a person averaging 200 would take them 4 years to get to 160 if they maintain 21 games per season and bowled poorly the entire time.

Q: I won some money in a recent EBT tournament only bowling my average, yet my EBT average went up. Why?
A: The EBT does not only alter handicaps or give bonus pins with respect to a bowler's average, but we must maintain fairness with regards to winning. To try and prevent the same people from winning every time, when you win money, your average will increase in order to affect your handicap. That means even if you only bowl your average or even bowl below your average, when you earn money, your average will go up in accordance to the amount of money won. In some other tournaments, they may just change only the handicap without changing the average. What happens is you end up having a bowler who averages 170, but only gets 30 pins a game (based on 80% of 230) when they should be getting 48 pins. Or the opposite with bonus pins when the same 170 average bowler now gets 61 pins per game. Either way, this is confusing and misleading. Our rulebook explains our process in complete detail. However, for the purpose of reporting tournament averages for events such as the USBC Open Championships, please request your actual average from the EBT tournament director.

Q: I bowled an award score on an EBT pattern, but I was not given the USBC sport award. Why?
A: The EBT oil patterns prior to the 2016 season were not sport certified oil conditions despite popular opinion. Thus, they were only eligible for standard USBC awards. In 2016, most of the EBT patterns were adjusted to their original intent making some of the patterns (i.e. Gold Digger) a true sport pattern. However, as of the 2015-2016 season, the USBC has done away with sport awards, sport memberships, and running of tapes for sport compliance making this issue a moot point.

Q: Why are EBT Board Members permitted to bowl in their own tournament?
A: The Elite Bowlers Tour was started by the staff members for the staff members. There was never any intent or plan to create a bowling tournament. However, as the tournaments started catching popularity, other bowlers requested to bowl with the staff members, thus creating the Elite Bowlers Tour. Since the EBT staff members are not paid or compensated for running the tournaments, it has been deemed only reasonable that they be allowed to compete in the very tournament they started for themselves.

Q: I don't have a yearbook average, can I still bowl the EBT?
A: Yes you can, but you should keep in mind a few things. First, it is highly recommended that you have at least 21 games in a current USBC sanctioned league or you will have to enter the EBT with a 230 scratch average. Secondly, you are required to be sanctioned to bowl with us, so if you choose to bowl, but do not have your current card, we will require that you purchase one from us. First time bowlers will have their yearbook average adjusted upward or downward to compensate for the oil patterns we use which ARE NOT TYPICAL HOUSE SHOTS!!!!!!

Q: How does the EBT figure out the EBT bowler's average and Professional bowler's average for the different oil patterns appearing on the "Oil Patterns" tab?
A: EBT bowler's averages are calculated using the top 20% of the field or the cashers in a tournament, which ever is lower, to calculate the bowler's average. For example, if the EBT puts out the FreeLoader pattern and we have 40 entries in the handicap division and 40 entries in the scratch division, we will use the top 8 bowlers in each division (total of 16) to calculate the average. This is done because the top 20% of the field will generally have something at stake. To avoid calculating in intentionally low scores where people have "given up" or "stop trying," it is estimated that the top 20% are the truest scores. To calculate the Professional bowler's average, whenever a PBA member bowls in the EBT, we simply calculate all of their averages no matter where in the field they finish or how many we have. So if we have 40 entries in the scratch division, and we happen to get 3 PBA members, all 3 PBA member averages are calculated whether they cash or not even if they all finish in the bottom percentage of the field.

Q: Why does the EBT not use the USBC sport adjustment scale for determining incoming averages?
A: Since the EBT oil patterns conform to the USBC 4:1 ratio scale for sport averages with the exception of EBT Mercury 37', Venus 39', and Milky Way 40', as of the 2018-19 season, all incoming bowlers will be adjusted using the USBC sport average conversion. Current EBT members were adjusted in a similar fashion to account for the conversion change. Please remember however, after an EBT member establishes an EBT average in accordance to our rules, we no longer use the USBC sport adjustment scale. Refer to the EBT rulebook for more information.

Q: Are youth bowlers permitted to bowl?
A: It depends! If the Elite Bowlers Tour runs a youth tournament, it will generally apply to youth bowlers with any restrictions placed on the flyer in the rules section. However, regular EBT qualifying events, that are not specified for youth, have certain restrictions. Yes, a youth bowler who is 16 years of age or older can bowl in EBT qualifying events with the understanding that their earnings must go to their SMART account if they are still bowling as a youth bowler. Youth bowlers who are 15 and younger are not permitted bowl in EBT qualifying events. The reason for this is a matter of semantics. EBT flyers state that the events are open to all members of the USBC age 16 or older, or it may be worded that it is comprised of two adult divisions. The flyers do not indicate that bowlers must hold an Adult Membership of the USBC. This is not an accident. The Elite Bowlers Tour welcomes youth membership bowlers who are 16 or older to bowl with us. Our bowlers have decided, for the betterment of the organization, to exclude young children from bowling in what is supposed to be an adult event. So for that reason, the age of the bowler is all that matters, not the type of membership they hold.