The biggest tournament in bowling? What does that even mean? It probably means something different to a lot of people. The biggest bowling tournament could be the amount of entries, the prize money or possibly the most tv coverage. Today, we'll look at a couple different tournaments that are "big" in their own right. The Petersen Classic is a tournament over 100 years old and at one point was getting over 36,000 bowlers traveling to Chicago to attempt their fate in this tournament known for low scores and a tough environment to bowl in. Which also ended up with one of the highest payouts too, at $55,000 to a single bowler. Currently, this tournament is being held at the Bowlero location in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. View the tournament on our website here: Petersen Classic 2022 The Bowlero Elite Series tournament has had a payout of $270,000 to a single person! WOW! That is awesome for something that an amateur can be a part of. This tournament just started in 2019 and was launched on NBC Sports! I can't write something about the biggest bowling tournament and not include the U.S. Open. There is only 108 spots available for the open but there are qualifiers all over the United States that bowlers are competing in for one of those 108 spots. This is primarily filled through invitations though. Just like in Golf, there is a coveted green jacket! But, you'll have to go through a 56 game marathon to wear that jacket! Lets move this discussion to the global stage. The World Bowling Tour puts on a tournament that brings bowlers from over 50 countries to compete! They are called the WTBA World Championships. This one is meant for more of the professional bowlers out there. To be able to even participate in the World Bowling Tour, you must be part of a federation in the World Tenpin Bowling Association. This includes the PBA, PWBA, PBA50 and other international professional bowling associations. The WTBA World Championships has a staggering entry fee of $5,000 USD. Hopefully, everyone is sponsored, ouch! If you are in the Midwest of the United States, check out this post about scratch tournaments.