Six-Part PBA King of the Lanes Series Begins Tonight on FS1
Former PBA Player of the Year Wes Malott looks to defend his crown in special series airing July 20 – July 22
New York, NY – Professional bowling royalty will take to the lanes starting tonight at 8 PM ET for an action-packed six-episode PBA King of the Lanes series live from Bowlero Jupiter in prime time on FS1 with a new twist – sports betting.
Top players from the Go Bowling! PBA Tour, PBA50 Tour, and PWBA Tour will vie for the chance at capturing the crown as King of the Lanes, and hold on to it as long as they can.
While fans will not be in attendance, spectators will be able to participate in the action with online wagering through FOX Bet Sportsbook. During PBA King of the Lanes, the PBA and FOX Bet Sportsbook will present a market to wager on all six Contenders Matches and place their bets on who will go up against King. Odds are now live on FOX Bet Sportsbook and available in Colorado and Pennsylvania, and are presented for entertainment purposes in all other states.
10-time title winner Wes Malott, the undefeated King from the 2009 version of the series, returns as the first King and will face competition from the winner of the first contenders match between two of the all time greatest bowlers – 40-time title winner and PBA Hall of Famer Norm Duke and 47-time title winner, who holds the record for most PBA Tour titles, Walter Ray Williams Jr.
The winner of the first King Match between Malott and the Duke/Williams Contenders Match will return for the second show wearing the crown. The same competition format, of two contenders facing off in a traditional 10-frame bowling match for the right to face the reigning King, will continue throughout the series until the ultimate King is crowned.
PBA stars having earned a spot in the PBA Tour Finals as top PBA points earners over the past two seasons - Anthony Simonsen, EJ Tackett, Bill O'Neill, Sean Rash, Jakob Butturff, Kris Prather and Kyle Troup are slated to compete. Australia's Jason Belmonte, the top points earner, will not be able to attend due to travel restrictions.
Joining the Go Bowling! PBA Tour stars as contenders along with Duke and Williams Jr., are Hall of Famer Pete Weber and Top PWBA players Clara Guerrero and Gazmine Mason.
Viewers can live stream the King of the Lanes series on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. Select highlights will be available on @FOXSports social handles across Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. International fans can watch live on FloBowling.com.
FS1 will telecast the six-part series live in prime time.
Monday, July 20 – 8-9 PM ET
Contenders Match: Norm Duke vs. Walter Ray Williams
King Match 1: Wes Malott vs. Contenders Winner
Monday, July 20 – 9-10 PM ET
Contenders Match: Anthony Simonsen vs. EJ Tackett
King Match 2: Winner from King 1 vs. Contenders Winner
Tuesday, July 21 – 7-8 PM ET
Contenders Match: Bill O’Neill vs. Sean Rash
King Match 3: Winner from King 2 vs. Contenders Winner
Tuesday, July 21 – 8-9 PM ET
Contenders Match: Jakob Butturff vs. Clara Guerrero
King Match 4: Winner from King 3 vs. Contenders Winner
Wednesday, July 22 – 8-9 PM ET
Contenders Match: Kris Prather vs. Gazmine Mason
King Match 5: Winner from King 4 vs. Contenders Winner
Wednesday, July 22 – 9-10 PM ET
Contenders Match: Kyle Troup vs. Pete Weber
King Match 6: Winner from King 5 vs. Contenders Winner
With health and safety top of mind, the PBA is following local and federal guidelines on COVID-19. The PBA is significantly modifying event procedures as well as taking all necessary precautions to reduce health risks for players and staff during competition. For a complete list of standards, please visit pba.com.
About the PBA
The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) is the world’s preeminent organization dedicated to the sport of bowling and its professional competition, with thousands of members and millions of fans throughout the world. The PBA plays host to bowling’s biggest tournaments from the Go Bowling! PBA Tour, PBA Regional Tour, and PBA50 Tour. In 2019, the PBA was acquired by Bowlero Corporation, the world’s largest owner and operator of bowling entertainment centers with more than 300 locations throughout North America. For more information, please visit PBA.com.