The 2026 ELVIS Invitational Tournament shall be held Friday September 4th – Sunday September 6th, 2026, at the Sam’s Town Bowling Center in Las Vegas, NV.
A. Sanctioning
· The 2026 ELVIS is a USBC certified tournament. Certification Number (xxxxx).
· ELVIS is a member of the International Gay Bowling Organization (IGBO).
· All participants must be members of USBC.
· All entrants must be an IGBO member for the 2025/2026 season, which includes anyone who has bowled in an IGBO-sanctioned league. Otherwise, bowlers must be a current IGBO Associate member or pay the IGBO Associate Membership Fee of $25 to join.
B. Event Participation
· ELVIS entrants are required to hold a current USBC membership card. Participants who are not current with USBC must purchase a card at the current rate. ELVIS entrants must be an IGBO member or bowl in a current IGBO sanctioned league. Non-IGBO members will be required to purchase an IGBO membership at the tournament or will be disqualified.
· ELVIS is a mixed handicap competition.
· The tournament is by invitation only and entries can be denied.
· The tournament shall consist of handicap events as follows except where noted:
o Doubles Saturday September 5 @ 10am
o Team Saturday September 5 @ 2pm
o Singles Sunday September 6 @ 10am
· Each participant shall bowl three (3) games per event and must enter all three (3) events (Team, Doubles, Singles.)
· Teams will consist of four members comprising any combination of men and women.
· All participants will compete on an equal basis without regard to gender identity.
· Doubles partners must come from the same team.
· Each participant may only bowl once in each event.
· Professional bowlers may bowl in ELVIS. However, only one (1) professional bowler per team will be allowed.
o A professional bowler is defined as any person who is or has been a member of the PBA/PWBA and won a professional title (national or regional) in the past 5 years.
o Professional bowlers must identify themselves as such at the time of check-in.
C. Awards and Prizes
· All cash awards shall be based on the total pins plus assigned handicap for each event except for optional events as defined below under Entry Fees.
· A tie in any position will result in the sum of the prizes being aggregated for the tied positions and divided equally by the number of ties for that placement.
· Prizes will be distributed via 1) Zelle 2) Check payable in US currency within thirty (30) days of the completion of the tournament, barring any protests.
D. Entering Averages
· Any bowler entering ELVIS must have an established ten‐pin average acceptable to USBC.
· The following rules shall be used to determine the entering average:
o The bowler’s 2025‐2026 composite single league average shall be used unless, the bowler’s IGBO TAD covering the period August 31, 2024, thru August 9, 2026, with a minimum of 18 games is one (1) or more pins higher than (a), in which case IGBO TAD shall be used.
o If none of the above is available, the bowler’s 2024‐2025 USBC composite average will be used.
o 2026 Summer league averages shall not be used unless none of the above are available. If none of the above are available, the highest August 21, average with a minimum of 21 games will be used.
o Averages resulting from sport bowling leagues will be accepted using the USBC sport bowling average conversion chart to determine entering average if none of the above averages are available.
o If none of the above averages are available, the entering average to be used will be 230.
o Tournament Director has the final decision on average to be used and reserves the right to rerate any bowler. If a bowler has been rerated in a previous tournament said bowler must disclose this to the tournament director. Failure to disclose rerate will result in disqualification and forfeiture of entry fees.
· The above averages must be verified with one of the following documents:
o Bowl.com average verification
o League Secretary.com
o League standing sheet provided by league secretary
o IGBO TAD
· The handicap for the tournament shall be based on 90% of the difference between the bowler’s entering average and a scratch score of 230. Negative handicap will not be used.
E. Attendance and Substitutes
· It is solely and entirely the bowler’s responsibility to be present at the assigned lanes at the time of bowling.
· Complete Doubles and Team entrants must be present for bowling each event. If a team member or doubles partner is not present, an authorized substitute may be used if competition in any event has not started. If no substitute is available, a zero score will be used.
· Late bowlers will begin bowling in the frame in which they are ready, with prior frames being scored as zero. No practice balls will be allowed for late bowlers.
· Substitutes may bowl at the discretion of the Tournament Director. Their entering average must comply with ELVIS rules.
F. Entry Requirements
· The entry fee shall be $125.00.
· Entry must be completed online. The entry fee may be paid online by PayPal.
· Registration will close at 11:59pm on August 21, 2026.
· Entries shall be limited to a maximum of 50 teams/200 bowlers. Once this maximum has been reached, no further entries shall be accepted.
· Entries are not considered accepted without all required information and payment in full for the tournament entry.
· Partial team entries will be accepted, and tournament management will make every effort to fill vacancies.
· Once an entry has been accepted, no refunds will be issued unless due to tournament being sold out.
· Bowlers who have “free entry” certificates must indicate such on their online entry and present said certificate prior to completing online payment.
o “Free entry” certificates must be redeemed by August 21, 2026. Failure to register and redeem the certificate by this date renders the certificate void.
o No refunds shall be issued for bowlers who have failed to present free entry
G. Entry Fees and Prize Distribution
· Lineage - $31.50 ($3.50/game)
· Expenses - $20.00 (IGBO fee, tournament supplies, pay pal fees)
· Prize Fund - $73.50 (breakdown below)
· Prize fund distribution (Payout ratio 1 in 5)
o Team ($24.50/bowler)
o Doubles ($24.50/bowler)
o Singles ($24.50/bowler)
· Optional Events and Cost listed below (Payout ratio of 1 in 8)
o Grand Mystery Doubles Handicap Series ($30) - $10 Team, $10 Doubles, $10 Singles
o Best 3 of 9 ($25)
o Open Handicap All Events ($25)
o Scratch All Events (within your division-averages below) ($25)
§ Division A – Averages 200 and up
§ Division B - Averages 185 – 199
§ Division C – Average 170 to 184
§ Division D – Average 155 to 169
§ Division E – Average 154 and below
o Optional Women Handicap All Events ($25)
o Optional Senior (50+ older) Handicap All Events ($25)
o Scratch Masters (Pays top 6 or fraction of if less than 6 entrants)
§ Division A – Averages 200 and up - $50
§ Division B - Averages 185 – 199 - $45
§ Division C – Average 170 to 184 - $40
§ Division D – Average 155 to 169 - $35
§ Division E – Average 154 and below - $30
H. Protests
· Any claims of errors or disputes must be submitted to tournament management in writing within seventy‐two (72) hours of the error/dispute. The protesting bowler(s) and the Tournament Director shall settle the dispute per ELVIS and USBC Tournament Rules. The decision of the tournament management will be final unless a written appeal is filed with USBC Headquarters within the time limits in USBC Rule 329.
I. General
· Any person attending ELVIS that requires special assistance must notify the Tournament Director in writing prior to the tournament weekend.
· Any person attending ELVIS gives consent to photos/videos posted on social media during the event.
· All bowlers should adhere to a one lane courtesy.
· Highest possible score with handicap shall be 300 per game and 900 for series.
J. Scratch Masters
· Top 6 scratch entrants after 9 games in each division bowl a single elimination shoot-out.
· The competition will consist of a shoot-out. All 6 bowlers will bowl 2 games on the same pair of lanes with the 4 highest 2-game scores advancing. After, round 1 the remaining 4 bowlers will bowl 1 game with the 2 highest scores advancing to the final round. The remaining 2 bowlers will bowl 1 game for the championship.
· If a tie exists for the 6th spot those bowlers will bowl 1 additional game with high score advancing.
· If a TIE exists during the roll-off of any matches the tie will be broken with a 1 ball roll-off with the higher pinfall being declared the winner. If after each roll-off a tie still exists, the bowlers will change lanes and have another 1 ball roll-off. Higher seed bowler has the option of who goes first and lane choice to start.
· All 6 bowlers will get 10 minutes of practice on their lanes. Rounds 2 and 3 will have no practice and go directly into their 1 game match.
K. Schedule of Events
· Friday September 4th/4:00pm – 8:00pm Registration
· Friday September 4th/7:00pm – 10:00pm No Tap 4 game Singles
· Saturday September 5th/ 8:00am – 9:00am Registration
· Saturday September 5th/10:00am – 1:00pm Doubles Event
· Saturday September 5th/2:00pm – 5:00pm Team Event
· Sunday September 6th/10:00am – 1:00pm Singles Event
· Sunday September 6th/2:00pm – 5:00pm Scratch Masters
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