Understanding Jackpots: Where the Money Averages Out

There’s a popular type of competition in the rodeo world known as the jackpot. Jackpots are particularly common formats for barrel racing and roping and are one-off events where big money draws competitors to show off their skills. The format can vary with divisional payouts or the opportunity to make multiple runs over the course of the day. Entry fees are combined with any added money and then a percentage of the combined amount is offered as a payout, split among the top few times in a basic format. While the money is greater, so too is the competition, with far more entries than a single rodeo could hold. This increased competition is often paired with strong, fresh cattle in the roping jackpots and exceedingly fast times in the barrel racing jackpots. It takes mental focus, planned strategy, and ongoing discipline to approach a jackpot competition.

  In addition to being a great competitive opportunity, jackpots offer fellowship over the shared passion of a single event. Everyone attending is there to do the same thing.

 The downside of jackpots is that they are standalone events and don’t count as qualifiers for year end rodeo organization finals or as part of a rodeo sanctioning organization’s displayed earnings per individual. That’s not to say that professional rodeo competitors don’t attend them though. Quite the opposite, as jackpots are great arenas for keeping skills sharp and boosting the bank account and because of this draw big names. Many competitors will season young horses at jackpots, introducing them to the crowd, pressure, and long days. Some competitors even have a separate horse devoted exclusively to jackpots based on their special skill set and abilities. 

 Another benefit of jackpots comes in terms of geographic options. When there is a limited amount of rodeos within a reasonable driving distance, there may be several jackpots within the area, and the potential payout is better at the jackpots than any smaller local rodeos anyways. Rodeo payouts are smaller in the sense the money is split between multiple events, whereas at the jackpot the money is all focused on one event and every competitor gets their shot at it in the same arena.

  Jackpots are often held in memory of members of the rodeo community and can be fundraisers as well. They’ve also been hosted by celebrities. For years, country music legend George Strait hosted a team roping jackpot in San Antonio, Texas, where the large payout and quality format drew large numbers of top competitors. 

  Today, country star Cody Johnson hosts a championship team roping event of his own. Both men are ropers as well as singers and work to bolster the industry through these big money events.

 Breakaway roping, tie-down calf roping, and barrel racing jackpots are also incredibly popular and exist on a local and large scale. Barrel racing jackpots are split into divisions based on the capability of horse and rider and prize money is offered accordingly.

  As jackpots have continued to grow in popularity, other similar events have popped up that aren’t true jackpots and aren’t true rodeos but are a blend of the two. These include unique formats like the Kimes Million Dollar Breakaway Roping event and the rope horse futurities. However, with the rope horse futurities, sanctioning organizations are involved whereas jackpots tend to be independently governed and operated.

   If you’ve got a young horse or want to make lots of runs and earn some cash on your current horse, consider trying out a jackpot near you.