BBQ Jackpot will be a KCBS-sanctioned BBQ contest held at Bass Pro Shops in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Dec. 7, 2024.

KCBS History in Vegas

Back in 2013, there were several KCBS BBQ competitions held in Las Vegas – the World Food Championships, the Sam’s Club National BBQ Tour and the Downtown Throw Down.

The WFC lasted two years before the competition moved East. The Sam’s Club series ended in 2017, and Downtown Throw Down ended in 2018.

The Downtown Throw Down was held under the neon lights on Fremont Street. Thanks to Steve Overlay, the Nevada BBQ Association and many others, it was one of the most popular BBQ competitions on the West Coast.

The event was always held in early December to coincide with the National Finals Rodeo, which is held in Las Vegas every year.

When registration opened for the 2018 Downtown Throw Down, it sold out in a matter of minutes. That’s how popular it was.

Over the years, finding an organizer and location has been challenging, especially since Fremont Street underwent several renovations and changes.

We’re Bringing It Back!

Fast forward to 2024, and we have found a new location to host a KCBS BBQ competition in Las Vegas.

Thanks to Bass Pro Shops and Silverton Casino, we’re able to bring on even more teams. And the location is awesome!

The event will be located in the Bass Pro Shops parking lot. It’s just off the I-15, is near multiple hotels and is just minutes from the Las Vegas Airport and Las Vegas Strip.

This year’s event is being organized by champion pitmaster Christie Vanover of Girls Can Grill and Jim Palmer, the lead event organizer for the California BBQ Association. The Nevada BBQ Association will also continue to play a major role.

What to Expect

This year’s event is primarily dedicated to the Master Series BBQ Competition.

We anticipate some of the circuit’s top BBQ teams will be present. Many are world champions who have appeared on The Food Network, The Cooking Channel and Bama-Q TV.

These pitmasters will compete in chicken, ribs, pork and brisket categories.

The grand champion will take home a hefty prize purse, plus an invitation to the 2025 American Royal World Series of BBQ and a chance to compete at the 2025 Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue.

The public is invited to walk around and meet the teams and watch as they smoke up their best BBQ entries for the judges.

Throughout the day on Saturday, there will be BBQ demos from celebrity pitmasters and Bass Pro Shops will be providing BBQ samples.

So come on out to the BBQ Jackpot – The Biggest BBQ Bash in Sin City!