May 21, 2026 Nolan Hughes

The PBA World Series of Bowling has crowned 16 major champions. Next month, a 17th will be crowned in the AMF PBA World Championship finals. 

Jason Belmonte headlines the fifth through ninth seeds competing in the play-in stepladder on June 13 at 11 a.m. ET on CBS Sports Network.

The winner will continue on to the championship round, airing at 1 p.m. ET on CBS and Paramount+.

EJ Tackett, the three-time reigning PBA World Champion, awaits at the top of the stepladder.

Tackett looks to become the first player to win a PBA Tour event in four consecutive years, which would all-but secure a record-setting fourth straight PBA Player of the Year award. 

There is only one venue equipped to host such a monumental moment in PBA history: Strobl Arena inside Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park, Mich.

The late Tom Strobl was instrumental in bringing the inaugural WSOB to life in 2009. The WSOB returned to Thunderbowl in 2019 for WSOB X and in 2024, one year after his passing, for WSOB XV.

Qualifying and the animal pattern championships were held in Minneapolis.

Four champions were crowned and two of them — Darren Tang and Zach Wilkins — will head to Thunderbowl in pursuit of another title.

 

So, yeah, about those rankings.

These rankings are based on historical ramifications, the intensity of dramatic and emotional moments, and the crowd’s reaction during each PBA World Championship.

These are intended to celebrate some of the greatest victories and most intense matches in the history of the sport.

Keep in mind rankings are subjective. You are free to disagree with which wins were selected and the order in which they were selected.

Fair warning: You’re going to see the names Belmonte and Tackett quite a few more times.

If that’s going to be a problem for you, here’s a match between Earl Anthony and Mark Roth to watch instead.
 

 
No. 10 — 2022 — Prather Prevails in Roll-Off

Heading into his final two frames of the 2022 World Championship, Kris Prather held a nine-pin advantage over Jason Sterner. He could strike out for 268 and shut out Sterner.

After Prather left a pair of back-breaking 10-pins, he slumped into his seat, set his glasses on the table, and buried his face within his hands.

Prather, who had led two major championships in a row, was about to lose his second straight major championship title match.

Dom Barrett beat him in the Tournament of Champions a few weeks prior, and now Jason Sterner stood on the precipice of beating him in the World Championship.

Sterner, the No. 4 seed, had defeated Jakob Butturff, Jason Belmonte, and Tommy Jones to reach the title match.

The three-time PBA Tour champion placed himself one frame away from his first major title and a career-redefining victory.

But the Rochester transplant apparently watched too much footage of Scott Norwood, missing wide right on his first shot in the 10th frame.

The 1-2-8 stood before the world’s unsexy-yet-critical messenger took out the 8-pin to keep his title hopes alive. Sterner converted the spare, then struck on his fill shot to force a roll-off.

Like Clark Kent in a phone booth, Prather rose out of his seat with newfound energy.

Prather elected to start the roll-off. His picture-perfect swing delivered the ball through his target, then into the pocket. The head-pin bounced off the wall, redirecting the timbering 4-pin directly into the standing 10-pin.

Prather forced Sterner into another strike-or-lose scenario. Sterner missed left in his rebuttal, leaving the 3-6-9-10, and Prather emerged with his second career major title.

A player, who for years struggled to consistently make cuts on the PBA Tour, suddenly had justifiable aspirations of making the Hall of Fame. 

The back-and-forth intensity of this match, combined with Sterner’s heroic climb of a stepladder littered with future Hall of Famers, made for an unforgettable afternoon in Milwaukee.

Should Prather go on to win the U.S. Open and complete the Triple Crown, this moment will only rise in its legendary status.

This story will be updated.