The Pilgrim's PBA Ohio Classic brought another week of high scores. In fact, history was made when Francois Lavoie set the six-game (1,691) PBA scoring record, and that wasn't enough to propel him to the top five. After 36 games on the Dragon oil pattern at Columbus Square Bowling Palace, 8,813 (244.8 average) was the cut to earn a spot in the stepladder finals.
EJ Tackett finished out qualifying with games of 289 and 280 to jump into the fifth and final spot on the championship show. It will be his fourth straight appearance in a stepladder final and fifth overall this season. He'll face Chris Via, who will be making his second TV show appearance of the year. The winner will move on to face rookie Spencer Robarge, who is also making his second appearance.
The winner of the second match will move on to face Packy Hanrahan, whose previous best finish this season was 13th place at the PBA Pete Weber Missouri Classic. The winner of that semifinal match will go head-to-head with Ryan Barnes, who averaged over 253 this week, for the title.
All season long, I analyze every win, spread, total and futures bet available on the BetRivers Sportsbook app and identify my favorite bets for the stepladder finals.
If you don't have access to BetRivers Sportsbook, keep an eye on PrizePicks, where bowling picks have been posted sporadically all season long and where new users who play $5 get $50 in lineups instantly.
2026 Pilgrim's PBA Ohio Classic Matchups
Chris Via (+130) over EJ Tackett
EJ Tackett is the back-to-back-to-back PBA Player of the Year who is perpetually the favorite to win any matchup. It wouldn't shock anyone if he runs the ladder and claims his first title of the season. However, the truth is that these one-game matches are a lot closer to a 50/50 outcome than the odds indicate, so you just have to take Via in this situation. In the long-term, these are winning bets. In fact, Tackett has a 3-4 record on TV this season, so if you had been betting against him every match, you'd have a nice profit right now, especially considering his opponents' odds are usually +120 or better.
Via edged out Tackett to earn the fourth seed over him, and he's certainly capable of sending him home with another lose on Sunday. If you want to increase your chances of winning (at the cost of a smaller payout), you can choose Via +9.5 (+105) or +19.5 (-129).
Chris Via vs. EJ Tackett under 475.5 total (-117)
Although the qualifying scores have been massive the past few weeks, the stepladder final scores have typically not lived up to those expectations this season. Last week, if you would have bet on the under in every match, you would have gone a perfect 4-0.
Even if the scores are trending to the over in this match, there's always a chance that the tenth frame doesn't matter, so the winner will often experiment with a ball change to prepare for the next game instead of focusing on getting the highest score possible. One fewer strike in the tenth could make the difference.
All odds via BetRivers Sportsbook as of April 5th 2:00 pm ET
2026 Pilgrim's PBA Ohio Classic Winner Best Bet
Chris Via (+1300)
Obviously, this bet could be dead within the first 15 minutes of the show, but if Via can get through Tackett and build some confidence, I like his chances as a longshot to make a deep run. Robarge and Barnes have struggled on TV in their young PBA careers, and Hanrahan hasn't won a title since 2023. Look out if Via beats Tackett and gets some momentum.
We've already seen two players climb the ladder to claim victory this season. I'll take a chance on Via becoming the third.
However, it is also worth noting that at +110, a bet on Barnes is a good value too. Any time you can get the top seed at plus odds, you have to consider it.
For more picks be sure to follow @RotowireBowling and @TheSpatula300 on X.
2026 Pilgrim's PBA Ohio Classic TV Schedule
All times listed are local (Eastern Time)
Sunday, April 5th
Pilgrim's PBA Ohio Classic Finals (LIVE) on The CW: 4:00 p.m.
