The Vegas Shoot at 60: Where Everyday Archers Get Their Shot

In 2026, The Vegas Shoot will celebrate 60 years of the largest and most iconic indoor archery tournament in the world.

Over six decades, The Vegas Shoot has crowned champions, produced legendary perfect scores, and welcomed generations of archers from around the globe. But while the headlines often focus on elite performances and flawless rounds, the true heart of the event beats strongest in one place:

The Flight Divisions.

Rather than separating archers immediately by age, gender, or experience, the event first brings competitors together by equipment category, creating a shared experience that is both inclusive and electric.

The Vegas Shoot offers five Flight Divisions across the major bow styles:

• Compound

• Bowhunter

• Recurve

• Barebow Recurve

• Barebow Compound

  
  

Within each of these divisions, archers of all demographics shoot together during the opening portion of the event sharing the same line, the same targets, and the same opportunity before flighting begins.

Flights: Introduced in 1970

Flight Divisions were first introduced at The Vegas Shoot in 1970, and they have been part of the event’s identity ever since. While flighting existed in other sports long before that, Vegas embraced the concept in a way that felt uniquely appropriate for its setting.

Instead of reserving prize money for only the top scorers, tournament organizers designed a system that allowed everyone to compete for cash, not just the elite. Early accounts from the 1970 Las Vegas Open explain that it was often easier to win money if you were not a top-flight shooter, because competitors were grouped with others shooting similar scores, creating incredibly tight and exciting competition.

Excerpt from "1970 U.S. OPEN INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS LAS VEGAS, NEVADA" By Tom Jennings

What can you say? Fantastic... Out of sight! Even a coined word such as “fantabulous” cannot do justice to the Las Vegas Open. Even if I had the word command of a poet laureate, there is no way I can verbally describe this archery tournament. It had everything... fantastic shooting, tension, grandeur, sportsmanship and good fellowship.

Before I get on to telling about the shoot and you stop reading this article in boredom, I would like to bring up a very important message to all the archers who did not attend the 1970 Las Vegas Open. This shoot was sponsored by the PAA, James D. Easton Aluminum Arrow Company, Shakespeare Company and the International Hotel of Las Vegas.

Many people said they did not go to the Las Vegas Open because they didn’t shoot good enough. THIS WAS A MISTAKE. Besides paying off twenty-seven places on top, ranging from $2,000 down to $20.00, there were 53 cash prizes given away on the flight system. These cash prizes ranged from $300.00 for first place in Flight One down to $40.00 for third place in Flight Ten. As a matter of fact, it was easier to win a cash money prize if you were NOT a top flight shooter.

Let me give you a simple example. On Friday, the first day of the tournament, my wife (who only picks up the bow to go to good shoots like the Las Vegas Shoot) shot a 233 PAA round. While this is a few points under her average she shot quite well considering the pressure of a big tournament. Now, anybody who has shot a PAA round knows that 233 is not exactly a spectacular score. However, this qualified Sunnie to shoot in the Tenth Flight. The next day the flight scores were posted and it appeared that the top shooter in Flight Ten had posted a 239 score. This put Sunnie six points off the top. The payoff in the Tenth Flight was a real cool $100 for first, $60.00 for second and $40.00 for third. Sensing a little extra gambling money, she proceeded to shoot a quite respectable 250. This put her into third place by one point. Thus she won $40.00. Say you are a 265-270 PAA round shooter. A man named Onderdonk shot a 265 on Friday and came back with a 273 on Saturday to win $155.00. This was in Flight Seven. A real tight flight system like this places the individual archer in a category with people shooting within two or three points of him. An example is in Flight Three—there were thirty-four competitors whose scores on Friday ranged from 280 to 282.

You can see this makes for some very tight competition on the shootoff. So the next time they have a Las Vegas Money Shoot don’t stay home because you can only shoot a 240 or 250 PAA. Come on out and join the fun and win the money.

That philosophy still defines The Vegas Shoot today.

How Flight Divisions Work at The Vegas Shoot

After archers have completed their scoring rounds, each of the five Flight Divisions is split into a series of smaller competitive groups known as “flights.”

A flight is a group of archers who:

• Compete only against one another, rather than the entire division

• Are grouped by similar performance levels, based on scores from the first day(s) of the event

Key details about flighting:

• Tournament management determines when and how flights are created

• Scores used to form flights may be any combination of days or specific ends

• Flights most commonly contain 25–35 archers, depending on participation and ties

• Once flights are set, archers cannot move up or down flights

• Final standings with the flights are determined after the final day of competition

• Cash prizes are awarded to places 1–8 in every flight (unless participation numbers are low)

  
  

The scoring flexibility is intentional. By varying how flights are created, archers are not able to “fix” scores to land in a particular flight in an effort to keep competition honest and unpredictable.

A True Vegas Gamble

The Flight Divisions are the largest portion of The Vegas Shoot, and they are where the majority of archers compete (and win!).

• Nearly $150,000 in cash prizes are awarded in the Flight Divisions

• About one in four archers takes home a check

• A single standout round can turn an average tournament into a Vegas payday

That’s why Flight Divisions are often described as a “crap shoot.” Not because they are random, but because in the flights, anything can happen!

It’s risk. It’s reward. And it fits Las Vegas perfectly.

Why Flights Work: In Archery and Beyond

Flighting is not unique to archery. It is used across many sports to maintain fairness, excitement, and participation in large competitive fields.

Examples include:

• Golf, where flights based on handicap allow players of all skill levels to compete meaningfully

• Bowling, which uses average-based divisions in large tournaments

• Disc golf, where rating-based divisions mirror traditional flight systems

• Amateur tennis, which relies on levels or flights to create competitive balance

  
  

The reasoning is simple: Flighting keeps competition meaningful for everyone.

It rewards improvement, encourages participation, and gives every archer a chance to compete.

The Real Draw of The Vegas Shoot

Yes, The Vegas Shoot is famous for perfect 300s, professional champions, and record-setting performances. Those moments are unforgettable.

But the true draw of Vegas has always been the amateurs.

The parents shooting next to their kids.

The weekend archers chasing one great round.

The competitors who may never stand atop the podium.

Flight Divisions ensure that everyone has a reason to stay focused until the final arrow.

Sixty Years of Magic and Counting

As The Vegas Shoot celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2026, the Flight Divisions stand as one of its most enduring innovations. Introduced in 1970 and refined over decades, they reflect everything the event represents: opportunity, excitement, and just the right amount of luck!