Unofficial Prizes & Awards

All teams pay a tournament base entry fee of $3,000. This is not optional. The tournament base entry fee prize money will be disbursed to the winners accordingly: 35 percent goes to the tournament; the remaining 65 percent goes to the top three team point leaders, most billfish release points and largest game fish. The scoring system includes 500 points for each blue marlin release, 1 point per pound for blue marlin over the 500-pound minimum weight, 200 points for each white marlin release, and 100 points for each sailfish and each spearfish release.

Team Division Awards -
Bermuda Department of Tourism First-Place Team - 30 percent
Miles Market Second-Place Team -15 percent
Alexseal Third-Place Team - 10 percent
Butterfield & Vallis Most Billfish Release Points - 5 percent
Fairmont Hamilton Princess Biggest Game Fish - 5 percent
Sevenstar Yacht Transport High-Point Angler - Trophy and Prize Package
Ocean Blue Graphics High-Point Lady Angler - Trophy and Prize Package
Steve Goione High-Point Junior Angler (age 17 and younger) - Trophy and Prize Package *

* In the event that one or more of these species that exceeds the minimum weight limits is not caught, then the prize monies roll over to the team divisions. For example, if no game fish exceeding the minimum weight are caught, the 5 percent in the game-fish pool will be split evenly among the first- through third-place teams.

OPTIONAL JACKPOTS

Oil Group of Companies Daily Billfish Release Jackpot - 99 percent payback.
The fee to get into the optional Daily Billfish Release Jackpot is $2,000. The Daily Billfish Release Jackpot covers all three days of fishing. For example, the Jackpot awards go to the team that scores the most billfish release points each day. The daily billfish release prize consists of one-third of the total jackpot money. If no billfish are released on an individual day, the jackpot rolls over to the next day. If on the final day of fishing no billfish are released, then the final-day jackpot money goes to the previous day's winner(s). Only teams entered in the Daily Billfish Release Jackpot will be eligible for these cash awards.

Release Marine Day 1 Billfish Release Jackpot - one-third of total pot
Island Construction Day 2 Billfish Release Jackpot - one-third of total pot
King Sailfish Day 3 Billfish Release Jackpot - one-third of total pot

Bacardi Daily Blue Marlin Jackpot - 99 percent payback.
The fee to get into the optional Daily Blue Marlin Jackpot is $2,000. The Daily Blue Marlin jackpot covers all three days of fishing. For example, the Jackpot awards go to the largest blue marlin (by weight) caught each day that exceeds the minimum weight requirement of 500 pounds. The daily jackpot prize will consist of one-third of the total jackpot money. If no fish that reach the minimum weight on an individual day are weighed, the jackpot rolls over to the next fishing day. If on the final day of fishing no fish that exceed the minimum weight limits are caught, then the final day's jackpot money goes to the previous day's winner(s).

If no qualifying fish are caught, the Daily Blue Marlin Jackpot will be awarded to the top billfish release team of each day of competition. If all teams entered in the Daily Blue Marlin Jackpot fail to earn billfish release points during any day of competition, the jackpot rolls over to the next day's or the previous day's winners. Only teams entered in the Daily Blue Marlin Jackpot will be eligible for these cash awards.

Old Harbor Outfitters Day 1 Marlin Jackpot - one-third of total pot
Vanmark Jewelry Day 2 Marlin Jackpot - one-third total pot
Island Glass Day 3 Marlin Jackpot - one-third total pot

Gregory Poole Marine Power, Pantropic Power, Ring Power, Ransome and Foley Power Systems Caterpillar Largest Blue Marlin Jackpot - 99 percent payback.
The fee for this category is $3,000 and is optional. The Largest Blue Marlin Jackpot will be awarded to the team catching the largest blue marlin of the tournament over the three days of fishing. If no teams registered in the Largest Blue Marlin Jackpot catch a qualifying marlin over the minimum weight, the prize money will go to the team that has the highest billfish release points over the three days of fishing. Only teams registered in the Largest Blue Marlin Jackpot will be eligible for this cash award.

ARGO Group Most Overall Billfish Releases - 99 percent payback.
The fee for this category is $3,000 and is optional. The Most Overall Billfish Releases Jackpot will be awarded to the team releasing the most billfish of the tournament over the three days of fishing. Only teams registered in the Most Overall Billfish Releases Jackpot will be eligible for this cash award.

Prize Disbursement
Any team receiving cash awards must fill out a prize disbursement form prior to receiving any funds or prizes. Each registered team representative is in control of any winnings and must sign this form. All winnings will be sent FedEx to the winners once all funds have cleared the bank.

All winners and all entrants of this tournament may be subject to a polygraph test at the tournament management's discretion. If a participant refuses to submit to a polygraph test for any reason, then any winnings that may be coming to that participant (or his or her team) will be automatically forfeited.

Marlin Magazine Manufacturers Cup
Marlin magazine recognizes the huge effort made by those crews steaming to Bermuda from the states and Caribbean to fish the Bermuda Big Game Classic—the longest sea crossing without any fueling station, watering hole or landmass along the way for any billfish tournament. To show our support to you, the competitor, we have come up with yet another way to showcase your talents—the Marlin Magazine Manufacturers Cup.

The banks off Bermuda possess the most consistent large-blue-marlin fishery in the world, once again testing the machines and crews of both visiting and Bermuda boats like no other tournament. The owners of the vessels already fishing the event represent the most competitive teams from the top boat manufacturers in the world. The lure of huge marlin, old world amenities and accommodating locals make Bermuda a jewel among the fishing destinations of the world. It's worth the long journey, and with this competitive category, the Bermuda Big Game Classic offers yet another chance to win.
Marlin Magazine and the leading manufacturers of sport-fishing yachts have put together this very unique division within the tournament. All teams fishing the tournament in boats produced by sponsoring manufacturers will be eligible to win the Marlin Magazine Manufacturers Cup. The winning team will be awarded cash and prizes and will also receive a special trophy, recognition in Marlin Magazine and a plaque on the perpetual Bermuda Big Game Classic trophy.

Here's how it works:
Each boat builder entered into the division will post a $2,000 entry fee into the division. If we have 10 manufacturers enter, the total purse would be $20,000. Any team fishing aboard a boat that is built by the sponsoring manufacturer will be competing for the total cash purse and the title on behalf of the sponsoring manufacturer.

The 2010 Marlin Magazine Manufacturer's Cup has three manufacturers competing:

American Custom Yachts, www.americancustomyachts.com
Jarrett Bay Boatworks, www.jarrettbay.com,
Merritt Boat Works, www.yachtworld.com/merritt

All are supporting their owners in this special division within the tournament. Merritt Boat & Engine Works won the 2009 award with team Bree's incredible performance. If you'll be fishing on board one of these makes, you will be automatically entered in the added competition for more cash, prizes and recognition.