Bowling Statistics
The use of statistics in bowling has increased rapidly over the last few years with
analytics, statistics, and math becoming the dominant force in the sports industry.
Some of these statistics are simple, while others are very complex with long
algorithms. We’ll start with the basic statistics and work our way up to the complex
ones.
Why are Bowling Statistics Important?
Bowling statistics are important because they help us to understand the sport and give
us an idea of who the best players are.
Sometimes simple statistics like average score and number of strikes do not give us an
accurate representation of who the most skilled players are. For example, a player
might have a high strike percentage, however, he is poor in split conversion
percentage. His average score might be high, however, he may not be maximizing
potential. His simpli ed bowling rating and average bowling rating would re ect that.
By working on split conversion percentage, this theoretical bowler could potentially
increase his score and become an even better player than before.
Statistics also help the fans understand the game on a deeper level, allowing them to
make better judgments on who the best players are. Teams and sponsorships use
these statistics to help gure out which players will bring them the most success. And
as bowling and statistics continue to grow, the future of this industry grows brighter.
Types of Bowling Statistics
Basic Bowling Statistics
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Spares: A spare is when you knock all the pins down in two shots. Their point
total is calculated by 10 plus the total of the next shot only.
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Split: A split is when the headpin gets knocked down and there is a space of at
least one pin between two of the pins in the back. No extra points are awarded
for a split.
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Strikes: A strike is when you knock all the pins down on the rst shot in a frame.
Their point total is calculated by 10 plus the total of the next two shots.
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Score: This is the most basic of bowling statistics. Your score determines
whether or not you win. The max score you can get is a 300.
Most bowlers report their average score. The best bowlers average scores well
into the 200 range, with many above 220.
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Average First Ball Pinfall: Looks at the average of pins knocked down in the rst
shot of the frame. The average many bowlers try to reach is about 9.2 pins.
Advanced Bowling Statistics
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Strike Percentage: This stat looks at how often a player has a strike. It can also
be used to look at which frame tends to have more strikes.
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Spare Percentage: This stat looks at how often a player has a spare. The
average spare percentage can di er depending on the type of shot, with splits
tending to have lower spare percentages.
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Split Conversion Percentage: Similar to the spare percentage, but speci cally for
splits. The 4-6-7-9-10 split, known as the “Greek Church” is converted to a
spare only .2% of the time.
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Carry Percentage: This is the percentage of pins that are carried by the ball.
Carrying is when a ball hits the pocket and in that shot manages to knock down
some of the pins on either side.
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Angle of Entry: This statistic measures the angle at which the bowling ball is
released. The success of the shot may be attributed to the angle of entry. The
optimal angle of entry for getting the bowling ball in the pocket is generally
around six degrees, though it, of course, varies depending on the type of shot
needed.
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Double Strike Percentage: This looks at a bowler’s ability to hit a strike the frame
after hitting a strike. Bowlers who excel in this statistic tend to be very powerful
and likely have a high carry percentage.
Expert Bowling Statistics
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Simpli ed Bowling Rating: Proposed by Joe Slowinski in 2003, this statistic was
designed to compare all bowlers on an even eld, similar to WAR
in baseball. The statistic combines three statistics, with the formula being:
SBR=strike% + spare% + split conversion.
Average Bowling Rating: The last statistic proposed by Slowinski, the ABR adds
up power rating, spare percentage, and split conversion percentage.
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Power Rating: Another statistic from Slowinski, this adds up strike percentage,
carry percentage, and double percentage.
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