3D Jackpot Formula for Mounted Shooting Events 

• 100 % Payback
• Stage 1 - 9 sec
• Stage 2 - 8 sec
• Stage 3 - 7 sec
• Stage 4 - 6 sec
• Stage 5 - 4 sec
• Stage 6 - 3 sec

3D. What is it?  Where did it begin?  Who invented the concept?  Who owns the idea?   

Nobody that I have ever asked these questions seems to know.  I have been running in speed events longer than I care to admit and 3D has always been there ' so who knows and who cares where it came from.  All I'm really sure of is that it works, it's fun, and it's a proven payback method that will spread the wealth among many skill levels.  Plus, it doesn't cost the club hosting the match one red cent to include it in the match (ok maybe 5 cents for pencils, paper and some volunteer to administer them). 

To put it real simple multiple speed division jackpots are as follows:  The fastest time of all who are entered in the jackpot (stage or match) becomes 1D (1^st Division).  You then add a predetermined number of seconds to the fastest time of those entered.  The sum of these two becomes the time for 2D (2^nd Division).  The process is repeated for 3D (3^rd Division) and could go beyond three.  Although among barrel racers 2, 3 & 4 are the most popular number of divisions.  

Once you've established your divisions you must know how to separate the times that will be VERY close.  Here's how it works ' if the top time is 10 seconds even and you are running a 5 second division split 2D would be 15 seconds, 3D 20 seconds.  If you have a 14.999 you are in the 1D, but a 15.001 puts you in the 2D.  It's that simple. 

Multiple speed division jackpots are figured in many ways.  I'm sure those of you with a similar background have seen this too ' so let me make it clear in the beginning that this is by no means the 'final word' on the administration of a 3D Jackpot.  This is just the way we do it here in Tennessee.  It's the formula used at the Eastern United States Championship (EUSC) in Tunica, Mississippi ' and I have to tell you we had a lot of shooters' really enjoyed it and came away wanting to know how it worked. 

 But before I explain the mathematics of how it's figured I want to explain what 3D or any other Multiple Speed Division Jackpot is designed to accomplish.  Equity ' Fairness ' Inclusion ' whatever you want to call it, the main point of a multiple speed division jackpot is so all skill and speed levels can participate in the optional jackpots without seeing all the money go to the 'top dogs' all the time.  At the EUSC we used time separations from 4 ' 14 seconds in an attempt to find the number of seconds to base the divisions upon that included riders from all levels & classes.  Knowing that enough would enter to give us more accurate data than your average WPQ.  The data collected from the jackpot entry forms has indicated that 4 and 6 is the number of seconds that should be used.  But ' remember one thing.  You can use many different totals, or you can use the same one over and over.  That is up to each club. 

Here's the math '

You must first figure the Total Payback - Then Division Paybacks - Then decide how many places per division are being paid back & figure them. 

3D Total Payback -

Entry Fee X Number of Entries X Percentage of Payback (in decimal form) = Total Payback.

 Division Payback '

There are 3 divisions (the exception to that will be explained after this) which payback in the following way. 

1D pays 50% (.50)

2D pays 30% (.30)

3D pays 20% (.20)

Here is the formula for the divisional breakdown '

.50 X Total Payback = 1D Payback

.30 X Total Payback = 2D Payback

.20 X Total Payback = 3D Payback

 Number of placed paid per division are as follows.  Since we nearly always us $10.00 as the entry fee for our stage jackpots the following formula works very well for spreading the payback while keeping the amount enough to be worth entering.

 1 ' 10 Entries pays 1 place (100%) per division.

11 ' 25 Entries pays 2 places (60/40%) per division.

26 ' 50 Entries pays 3 places (50/30/20%) per division.

51 + Entries pays 4 places (40/30/20/10%) per division. 

I don't recommend ever going beyond 4 places because too often you won't have enough in the division to pay 4 places let alone more than 4.

 Here's how it works '

 25 Entries X $10.00 Entry Fee = $250.00 Total Payback (using 100% payback)

 $250.00 total payback X .50 = $125.00 Division Payback

$250.00 total payback X .30 =   $75.00 Division Payback

$250.00 total payback X .20 =   $50.00 Division Payback

 1D pays 2 places (60/40%)

            1D 1^st = $125.00 X .6 = $75.00

            1D 2^nd = $125.00 X .4 = $50.00

2D pays 2 places (60/40%)

            2D 1^st = $75.00 X .6 = $45.00

            2D 2^nd = $75.00 X .4 = $30.00

3D pays 2 places (60/40%)

            3D 1^st = $50.00 X .6 = $30.00

            3D 2^nd = $50.00 X .4 = $20.00

 Easy Right?

 Here's where it gets a little sticky.  Many times when you run Multiple Speed Division Jackpots there may not be a time that fits a division at all or not enough who have entered to pay the number of places planned on.  Here's how you handle those situations.

If you have no entered time that fits one of your divisions you eliminate that division (2D or 3D) and payback two divisions instead of three.  Using the example above, if for example there was no time that fell in the 2^nd Division you simply refigure your Division Payback except you us a 60/40% split (instead of 50/30/20), because you no longer have three divisions.  Multiplying ALL of Total Payback by .60 and .40.

 Here's how it would look on paper '

Total Payback $250.00 X .60 = $150.00 this is now your 1D payback (split 60/40 paying 2 places per division- 1D 1^st = $90, 1D 2^nd = $60)

Total Payback $250.00 X .40 = $100.00 this is now your 3D payback (split 60/40 paying 2 places per division- 2D 1^st = $60, 2D 2^nd = $40)

When this situation happens ' I always explain it to the shooters at the awards ceremony.

 The other thing that can happen is when you are set, as we are with this example to payback more that one place per division, but only one of the entrant's times falls in that division.  Well it is that shooters lucky day!  They get ALL of that division's payback.

 Likewise, if you're paying back four places and only two fall into that division.  You simply refigure that division on a 60/40 split instead of the 40/30/20/10 split.

 See ' it really is simple to do these and your contestants really do enjoy them.  These types of jackpots do not add any additional cost to your event, because you're using times generated by the main match, for which you've already paid for the blanks and balloons!

So go put on a shoot and try some 3D Jackpots.  If you have any questions or didn't understand any of this, don't hesitate to pick up the phone and call me at 931-381-1903 (home) or 800-477-7606 (office).