WBT Tournaments
The entry fee for a WBT tournament is $5,000 USD. Winners of World Bowling Tour events also qualify for the PBA Tournament of Champions.[3]
2019 Schedule
Tournaments listed in bold are considered majors by the World Bowling Tour.
| Date | Event | Location | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2–8, 2019 | H.H. Emir Cup |  Doha, Qatar |
Tier 2 |
| March 11–21, 2019 | PBA World Series of Bowling |  Detroit, MI |
Tier 1 |
| March 26 - April 4, 2019 | USBC Masters | Las Vegas, NV |
Tier 1 |
| May 15–21, 2019 | USBC Queens | Wichita, KS |
Tier 1 - Women Only |
| June 16–23, 2019 | US Women's Open | Las Vegas, NV |
Tier 1 - Women Only |
| July 25–28, 2019 | Storm PBA/PWBA Striking Against Breast Cancer | Houston, TX |
Tier 2 |
| August 16–18, 2019 | New Mexico Open | Rio Rancho, NM |
Tier 3 |
| August 22–30, 2019 | World Women's Championships | Las Vegas, NV |
Tier 2 - Women Only |
| August 24–31, 2019 | FloBowling PBA Summer Swing | Aurora, IL |
Tier 2 |
| August 24 - September 8, 2019 | Lucky Larsen Masters |  Helsingborg, Sweden |
Tier 2 |
| September (TBD), 2019 | Thailand Open |  Bangkok, Thailand |
Tier 2 |
| October 23–30, 2019 | U.S Open | Mooresville, NC |
Tier 1 |
| October 31 - November 6, 2019 | Kuwait Open |  Kuwait City, Kuwait |
Tier 2 |
Major tournaments
In order for a tournament to qualify as a major, it must offer a minimum prize fund of $200,000 USD.[2] The tournaments that are recognized as majors by the World Bowling Tour include:
- International Bowling Championship supported by DHC (JBC)
- USBC Masters (USBC)
- United States Open (USBC)
- PBA World Championship (PBA Tour)
- PBA Tournament of Champions (PBA Tour)
- United States Women's Open (USBC)
- WTBA World Championships (WTBA)
World Bowling scoring
The World Bowling scoring system, described as "current frame scoring,"[6] is used during the stepladder finals of the World Bowling Tour Finals. Current frame scoring counts 30 pins for each strike (regardless of previous shot), 10 pins for each spare (bonus pins that are added match the first roll of the next frame), and basic pin count for open frames. The tenth frame follows the same format as the first nine frames. That means no bonus, or fill shots, are given. The maximum score is still 300, achieved with ten rather than twelve, consecutive strikes.[7][8] World Bowling scoring is intended to be easier to understand than traditional scoring for fans or bowlers that are new to the sport.[7] The television networks also advertised current frame scoring to increase struggling television ratings.[6][8]
Match play scoring
Match play scoring is a 12-frame system that made its first national appearance in bowling at the 2014 World Bowling Tour finals. This system scores by counting frames won rather than counting total pinfall.[9] It resembles match play scoring in golf where players go even, plus one, or minus one as the match progresses. A frame is won if a bowler has a higher pinfall on the first roll of the frame than their opponent. The bowler that wins the most frames will win the match.[9]
