The latter was an instrumental version of "Keep the Ball Rollin'" by Al Hirt, a song originally done by Jay & the Techniques.
Then the audience camera would cue as the contestant pointed out whom he had brought along ("There's my wife Paula, there's my son Nick...").
The contestant was then instructed to pick a Pin Pal out of a container filled with postcards sent in by home viewers, then went off to the lanes where they would bowl at least two balls.
Finally, contestants breaking the jackpot got to bowl one more time, and if that was a strike (a "turkey") they would receive yet another prize, such as a recliner chair or bicycle.
The Los Angeles version awarded a portable television set for three consecutive strikes and a car for four.
Each contestant, just before approaching the bowling lane, was instructed to pick a postcard at random out of a large, horizontally mounted container.
Bowling for Dollars was broadcast from TV stations serving medium to large communities all across North America.
Both aired on WBAL-TV, and both sites were filmed in studio (with bowling being with a Brunswick set): Hosts: Bailey Goss, then Chuck Thompson This show only required contestants to make one strike for the jackpot — a significantly harder task in duckpin bowling than in standard tenpins.
Hosts: Tom Cole, then Ron Riley, then Royal Parker At one point, the show alternated between duckpin and tenpin bowlers.
A similar competing show, called Beat the Champ, aired on WBEN-TV during the original Channel 2 program run, hosted by Van Miller.
A revival of this show began in June 2013 on WADL, initially as a one-hour retrospective special, with a weekly half-hour series starting in September.
At the show's run, the 48-lane Madison Square Garden Bowling Center features red AMF Magic Triangles and 82-70 pinsetters, with Lanes 47 and 48 being directly used for the program.