BBQ Jackpot is a KCBS-sanctioned BBQ contest held in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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 Brought It Back!
Fast forward to 2024, and we found a new location to host a KCBS BBQ competition in Las Vegas.
Thanks to Bass Pro Shops and Silverton Casino, we were able to bring on even more teams. And the location was awesome!
The event was 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.
The inaugural event was organized by champion pitmaster Christie Vanover of Girls Can Grill and Jim Palmer, the lead event organizer for the California BBQ Association.
The 2024 event was dedicated to the Master Series BBQ Competition. There were 74 teams from 14 states and around 120 judges from 25 states, Canada and Switzerland.
Some of the circuit’s top BBQ teams were present. Many are world champions who have appeared on The Food Network, The Cooking Channel and Bama-Q TV.
These pitmasters competed in chicken, ribs, pork and brisket categories.
The grand champion took home a hefty prize purse, plus an invitation to the 2025 American Royal World Series of BBQ, Memphis in May and a chance to compete at the 2025 Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue.
What to Expect for 2025
We are planning the 2nd annual BBQ Jackpot for 2025.
The public will be invited to walk around and meet the teams and watch as they smoke up their best BBQ entries for the judges. We’re also working to coordinate more BBQ demos and activities.
Stay tuned and plan to come on out to the BBQ Jackpot – The Biggest BBQ Bash in Sin City!
