League Rules
Averages
Bowlers have a working average, previous year average, and a current year average.
The previous year average is the last known season average (not blended) for a veteran bowler. This could be the previous year, however if the veteran last bowled in SBL/NBL 3 years ago -- previous year average would be the season average from 3 years ago.
The working average is the average used to calculate a bowler's handicap.
Depending on the situation, the working average will be = to the previous year average or the current year average.
For bowler's with a previous year average: the working average = previous year average until 3 games have been bowled in the current season. After the 3rd game, the working average = current year average for the reaminder of that season.
For bowler's without a previous year average(rookies): the working average = current year average for the duration of the season.
Averages each Week
A Bowler's current year average is recalculated entering each match-week. When the working average is using the current year average they both can change each week.
If a bowler is absent (and is not substituted) they are considered to be a blind bowler for that match.
A blind bowler's score for each game is 5 less than his working average. If a 2nd bowler on a team is absent (and not substituted), thier blind score has a -10 penalty. A -15 penalty for the 3rd unsubstituted bowler. An absent team does not recieve any blinds and forefits all 4 avaiable points for the match.
Handicaps are applied after a blind score, as if it were a normally bowled game.
If a blind rookie has never bowled in the league (week 1 - with no known averages) they are given a blind 150 entering the match week. That blind score will be changed retroactively to the following week's working average.
The blind 150 is only used to get an appoximation of 4 scores. While retroactively changing is unfortunate, this should only occur for blind rookies in the initial week.
Handicaps
Handicaps are calculated per bowler rather than by team.
The handicap formula is 90% of 200:
[Handicap] = (200 - [BowlersWorkingAverage]) * .9
Handicaps each Week
Entering a match-week, each bowler's handicap is set using the bowler's current working average.
The handicap entering a match-week is applied to that entire match and does not change retroactively, unless: the bowler has never bowled in the league and therefore has no working average.
If a bowler has never bowled their handicap entering the match-week will be zero. Once the match has concluded, the average from that night's bowling is used as the working average and the calculated handicap is retroactvely applied to the match.
Retroactive points are unfortunate: the above pattern will only occur if a bowler is completely unknown to the NBL.
Points
During the regular season points are awarded to teams each match-week. A team's point tally is used to seed that team going into the playoffs.
If teams are tied on points. The tie-break system is as follows:
- Point total in head to head matches
- Total handicap score
- Total games (not points) won
- Total scratch score
In a three game series, a point is awarded to the team with the higher handicap score for each of the three games. A fourth point is given to the team that has the hightest handicap series.
If there is tie handicap game (or series) the point is split and a half point is given to each team.
Substitutes
- If one of your teammates cannot make a match-week you can have a substitute(s) come bowl in their place.
- A team can use as many different substitutes as they want throughout the year.
- Substitutes cannot be used in the playoffs unless they have bowled 6 games in the regular season.
- Substitutes with a previous year average will take that as their working average for the match-week. If sub has bowled more than 3 games in the current season, their current year average is used.
- Substitutes without a previous year average use their current year average as their working average.
- Substitutes are team tied. Once a sub has bowled for a team, they are ineligible to sub for any other team during that same season (i.e. subs are considered part of, and are tied to, a specific team).
- You can announce/declare/produce a sub up until it's time to roll the first ball of the game.
- The league exchanges no money with substitutes. They do not pay any league dues and they are not eligible for any weekly payouts. If you have a substitute that significantly contributes to your team's season -- it's up to that team to internally work out any payment or collection schemes you want with the substitute(s).
- If no substitute is provided the normal -5, -10, -15 on each missing bowler's average is applied.
Playing Rules
Ball in the channel
Once a ball enters the channel it is dead, and cannot pop out an knock down pins. If there was dead wood, that is struck and hits pins, that also is not counted.
Pinset Errors
If the machine makes an error, the opposing team has the right to approved reject "a solution" from the team who was bowling during the error. Solutions could be letting it stand, putting it on the 2nd ball, rolling a pin that's not there and calling the miss, etc. If the opposing team rejects the solutions proposed by the infringed team, the pins sould be reset by DRB. If the pins cannot be reset, the entire frame is bowled again.
Playoffs
The series score is not in play during the playoffs. Each round is determined in a best-of-5 games format.
A bowler's handicap and working average will continue to change throughout the playoffs as it does in the regular season. In other words, your regular season handicap is not "locked" for the playoff run.
Core (paying) team members can bowl in the playoffs regardless of how many games they rolled during the regular season. However as previously stated, substitute bowlers must bowl a minimum of 6 games during the regular season in order to be eligible to sub during the playoffs.
In the unlikely event that after 5 games there has been an odd number of tied games and an equal amount of game wins, then the match is considered a "tie" during regular play and moves to a frame-to-frame roll-off. The roll-off is conducted as follows: each team will bowl a frame in the same order and lane-switching as if starting a 6th game. Whichever team has the highest (handicapped) score for the frame advances. If the frame is tied, the teams switch lanes and bowl another complete frame until a winner can be determined. Note: roll-off frames are not scored cumulatively like in a normal game. Each frame is independent of the previous, such that strikes and spares are always worth 10 points, regardless of what that bowler bowled in a previous roll-off frame.
Historical Notes
- Prior to 2024 Handicaps were calculated using 85% of the difference from 185.
- Prior to 2024 The first 3 games of a season used the previous year average.
- 2021-2020 Due to the COVID Pandemic, the 2020 season ended after week 8 and the 2021 season was never played.
- Prior to 2019 the league was known as the Serbian Bowling League (SBL). The league was renamed to the Nebulous Bowling League (NBL) in 2019.
- The SBL had different rules for week to week handicaps.The SBL also awarded weekly matchups by WIN/LOSS rather than by points. As a result, 3rd games were often "not rolled" if one team won the first 2 games. The NBL awards points for each game and the series, so all 3 games are always rolled.