Player Ratings: The 1999 Bowers Ratings will be used for this tournament. If you do not have a rating and would like to play in the Tournament, please contact us as soon as possible, and no later than August 1. Please note that it is very possible that some events will be full by that date, so it is in your best interest to contact us as soon as possible so that we can establish a rating for you. For a copy of the ratings, go to our home page and click the Shuffle Links icon. On the Shuffle Links page, click the Bowers Shuffleboard Corner link.



Singles Eligibility: Players rated between -.01 to -1.50 must play in the Pro Division; players rated between 0.00 and 1.49 may play in Division I or higher; players rated between 1.50 and 2.49 may play in the Division II or higher; Players rated between 2.50 and 5.00 may play in Division III or higher.



Doubles Eligibility: Pro Division: players with a decimal rating between -.51 and -1.50 may not play together; Division I: Players with a decimal rating between 0.00 through 0.49 may not play together.



Pro/Am Draft Team Event: For this example we will assume there are 144 players, which equals 24 six-person teams. The best twenty four players would act as team captains and select their fellow team members through a five round draft. The draft order for the first round shall be determined by blind draw. After that the picking order flip flops each round. In other words, the captain that has the first pick in the first round gets the last pick in the second round. By the same token, the captain that picks last in the first round will pick first in the second round and so on.

This event gives amateur players a chance to play for two days with some of the top players in the world, with a format that gives every team a chance to win. Our very popular nine games on three boards format will also give everyone a substantial amount of practice prior to the start of the other events. Twelve point games will be used in this event. The Draft is at 12:00 noon on Sunday, October 17; followed by the auction, at 2:00 p.m., play begins immediately after the auction.



Bring your own Six Person Amateur Team Event: Each team must have at least two ladies, but not more than four. Players rated -.01 through -1.50 are not eligible. The 1999 Bowers Ratings will be used , with the exception that anyone who is rated a five must play as a four. When the ratings of the individual players on the team are added, the decimal total must be at least 9.5 and the rounded total must be at least 10. Money will be added to this event as follows: less than 24 teams - none; 24 to 27 teams $3,000; 28 to 32 teams $5,000. Fifteen point games will be used for this event.



Legends Draw Partners: You must be at least fifty years of age. There is a possible conflict with the amateur team event (players who are on a team that is among the final six or eight teams in the amateur team event may not be eligible). The full entry fee will be refunded if that happens.



Weights: Players may use their own weights, which must have red & blue caps. They may be any brand, so long as the plating is intact and in good condition. The total weight is must be not less than 320 grams, nor more than 340 grams. All weights are subject to inspection by the Tournament Director who may, at his discretion, disallow any weights he deems unacceptable. Weights that are excessively scratched or have or plating that is worn through are examples of unacceptable equipment.



Scheduling/Auction times: The auction time for the Pro/Am Draft is at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 17, with play beginning after the auction. All doubles auctions are scheduled for 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 19, with play beginning after the auction. All amateur singles auctions are scheduled for 9:00 am Wednesday, October 20, with play beginning after the auction. The auctions for the Amateur Team Event and Pro Singles are scheduled for 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 21, with play for both of these events beginning at 8:00 a.m. on Friday morning. Each event will be played all the way through. Exact times for the individual events will be determined based on the number of players in each event. All players must be present for the auctions for the events they are playing in, failure to do so will result in a $20.00 fine per infraction.



Added money breakdown: The Sands Regency is adding up to $12,500 to the prize money for the North American Championships. Of that, $6,000 is guaranteed, and will be allocated as follows: pro singles: $4,000 added (the top five finisher rated 0.00 through -.50 and the top five finishers rated -.51 through -1.50 will receive $400 each. However, in order to be eligible for the added money in the pro singles, you must participate in the Pro/Am Draft Team Event. There will be $2,400 in the North American Champion contest ($600 of which will be added by The Shuffleboard Federation for Division III). There will also be a $200 prize for the Amateur Team which wins the contest for the team with the best name.

Additional added money is based on the number of teams in the Amateur Team Event. If there are 24-27 teams, there will be $4,000 of additional added money ($10,000 total), with $3,000 of it going to the Amateur Team Event and $1,000 going to DeucesWild®. If there are 28 Amateur Teams, there will be $6,500 of additional added money ($12,500 total), with $5,000 going to the Amateur Team Event and $1,500 going to DeucesWild®.



North American Champion Contest: Points are awarded as follows to the top 25% of the field in each of the qualifying events. For example, with sixteen players/teams, the top four finishers would receive bonus points., with sixty-four players/teams, it would be to top sixteen who would receive bonus points. Each player receives two points for each qualifying event they enter. Bonus points are awarded as follows: 1st: 10 points, 2nd: 9 points, 3rd: 8 points, 4th: 7 points, 5th & 6th: 6 points, 7th & 8th: 5 points, 9th - 12th: 4 points, 13th - 16th: 3 points. One bonus point is given to singles players in the lower end of the ratings for their division (Pros: rating of -.01 to -.50, Division I: rating of 1.00 to 1.49, Division III: rating of 4.00 to 5.00, Ladies Singles: rating of 2.50 to 5.00).



Cancellation & Refund Policy: The Registration Fee is non-refundable. If you drop out of an event twenty-four hours or more prior to the event, there will be a cancellation fee of $25. If you drop out of an event less than twenty-four hours prior to the start of that event, you lose your entire entry fee. Refunds will be issued by check and mailed within thirty days after the conclusion of the tournament.



Sands Regency Hotel Casino: At the North American Championships, everybody gets a room in one of the Sands Regency Hotel Casino's three towers. The tournament area has a bar and cocktail waitresses, a players only playing area and reserved seating for players. Located within fifty feet of the tournament area are: rest rooms, cocktail lounge, 24 hour coffee shop, slot machines, keno counter, and elevators that go to our reserved rooms in the tower. The Hotel also has live entertainment, a health club on the 17th floor, that includes a large Jacuzzi with a view of the mountains, a sauna and a massage therapist. To make room reservations, call the Sands Regency at 800-648-3553, and tell them you are with group number SHU1015.