Neil,
I'll take it you were seriously asking the question because you really want to know, or your trying to bust chops ...
The way Bama laid it out is pretty much the way it is and as in any sport there are those that are considered to be "Sand bagging", but they are found out and sorted out really fast being as the running averages change every week ... The side pots can and usually include high individual game(s) and or high series or both ... It can also be for "Team, Singles, Doubles, and Over all, Handicap or Scratch" event's at some tournaments also so you can get in any or all of them ... The USBC says it takes 21 games to establish a "book" average which might or might be your starting point the following year depending on the rules of the Individual Leagues, which all have separate ByLaws that they play by as guidelines ... If anything should not be addressed by the Leagues BY Laws or Rule variations that are voted on, the USBC rules prevail and are final ... The Team Captains in each League are the Board of Directors for that League and anything that comes up gets settled right then and there by the League Officers calling a meeting on the spot ... The Handicap Leagues are good practice for the better bowlers because if you or one of your team mates don't make your average, you probably lose points ... There is also the possibilty of the team with the Higher Handicap bowling over their averages and then you don't stand much of a chance ... The bowler who is in the middle (185-200) is usually the bowler who can hurt you the most because most low average bowlers are just that and bowl lower scores, high average bowlers can't make any mistakes because their average is high enough to hurt them if they make any mistakes and the bowlers in the middle can bowl over average a lot of times ... There are also Leagues that established Bowlers choose not bowl in because its full of new or novice bowlers (but they could) and there just isn't much sense of accomplishment in beating them ... They also have Novice Leagues which is self explainitory ... They can run all of the same options if they choose to do so and usually do which gives them a lift when they win ...
I also bowl on the Amateur Bowling Tour (ABT) and they have classifications based on averages and each one bowls for their own money, and the guys with PBA cards bowl in their own division, as well as Seniors ... There is another independant tour called the "Strike Force Tour" that separate the Pros (PBA card carriers), from the high average bowlers, and then the lower, and still lower yet average bowlers ...
Last year over 70,000,000 people went bowling ... It don't take all day to get your games in unless its a really big tournament with a lot of qualifying games, you are notified if you make the finals and have to come back tomorrow to bowl or as an alternate ... The rain don't matter, its climate controlled, and those that choose to can have a beer if its to their liking, though most don't when bowling in Tournaments until its all over ... Most tournaments have a dress code, and swearing is not allowed though it does happen, and is accepted as long as the spectators don't hear it and if anyone asks for your autograph you give it to them and address them as "Sir and Ma'am"... When the pins get replaced we take the old ones out and shoot at them with shotguns, pistols, rifles, and anything else you can imagine ... WPT ... (YAC) ...
P.S.
I bowl on Mon.night, Tues.night, Weds.night, Thurs.night, Fri.night and Sunday night ... Sometimes I practice on Saturday or bowl "NO TAP" on Saturday evening with my wife just for fun ...