the biggest difference is the ratio of oil accross the lane.  i think the volume of oil from the inner third of the lane to the outer thirds of the lane cannot exceed 2:1 (something like that).  basically, it involves less forgiveness when u miss. pushing the ball too far out will result in a washout at best, as the same shot on a house shot would probably recover enough to get to the pocket.  when u miss left on a sport shot, typically the result will be the ball driving through the nose.  on a house shot, the flood of oil that usually is laid out over the middle would usually hold the ball on track to the pocket.  although there are different types of sport shots (flat, reverse block, etc.), they all follow the same guidelines and all are much less forgiving.  also, the oil breakdown is much different on a sport shot.  on a flat shot, which is the same distance and volume of oil placed on every board, you basically have to be perfect to strike.  most players will play a straight up line when the lanes are fresh.  when that area of the lane starts to break down(typically the middle area of the lane), the flat shot starts to look more like a reverse block, where there is much more oil on the outer two thirds of the lane than there is on the inner third.  these are the only two sport shots that ive had experience on, and they are very difficult to deal with.  after going pretty direct up the 7 or 8 board on the flat shot, i started moving left little by little, before the ball would just not hold anymore.  the key is to make the proper ball change depending on the lane surface and reaction.  i switched to a more aggressive ball, moved to the left hand gutter, and lofted the ball through the oil on the left sife of the lane, accross the middle and let the ball snap back into the pocket.  it was very effective, but knowing that missing a few boards right would end up hitting the 6 pin was not to comforting.  a sport shot definitely separates bowlers according to their accuracy and consistency.
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Erik Olsen - e13ez85@hotmail.com

"A sport shot is defined as NO MORE than 2:1 oil ratio from middle to outside. As someone on this board pointed out to me a couple of months ago - a sport condition cannot be a reverse block, because it requires the 2:1 inside to outside ratio.

Sport bowling does NOT dictate volume of oil or length. Only ratio. So the variables are endless. There is no one thing that will work on all sport conditions. You can have 30 feet of oil, or 50 feet of oil. You can have 30 units, or 200 units. The shot can still be sport compliant."

The ratio is correct - there can be no MORE than 2 units of oil on the inner third of the lane for every single unit of oil on the outer two-thirds of the lane.  From this ratio, a reverse block is definitely a sport shot, as the ratio is much LESS than 2:1 from inside to outside...it is more like 1:2.  Usually, reverse blocks are the reult of a broken down flat shot, which is the toughest sport shot of them all.  Therefore, a reverse block is a sport shot.  And even if it wasn't considered one, i think anyone who has bowled on one will tell you that it's definitely not a house shot.  

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Erik Olsen - e13ez85@hotmail.com

In English...

House shot = throw the ball out and turn it... shoot 250

Sport shot = skill needed
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And Then...........

I left another 10 pin

Well, then, I'm going to restate what I said a few months ago (and was flamed for... ) I'm surprised I didn't pick up on the "less than 2" myself...

I made my first cut in a regional bowling on a sport compliant reverse block condition.

There. I've said it, and you guys are backing me up. THANKS!

i thank you for the actual rules, but i still say that my definition of a "Reverse block" will definitley fit under sport rules.  first of all, i have never heard of a tournament that put that shot down fresh at the start of a tournament.  i got to bowl on it after bowling on a flat shot for about 5 games, where the oil from the middle of the lane either pushed outside or disappeared.  and i would have a hard time believing that enough oil would have been lost from the middle during that time period to reach that 120% mark noted in the regulations.  personally, after bowling on the reverse block, i dont see how it couldnt be considered a sport shot, and im assuming that anyone else who has seen one would agree with me.  thanks again for the actual numbers.
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Erik Olsen - e13ez85@hotmail.com

i am a defender of the sport shot too...it helps bring out the best bowlers to the top, and i am all for that, even if there are going to be situations where i may not be one of the ones at the top.  u can make 15 bad shots on a hous shot and shoot 680...where it would probably be less than 550 on a sport condition.  if you want to get better, the sport conditions will do that...the house conditions only boost scores on less-accurate shot making.
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Erik Olsen - e13ez85@hotmail.com

the biggest difference is out of bounds.
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je