AUSTIN, Texas – The Austin Gamblers started off the inaugural PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series Gambler Days with a bang – winning on Friday and Saturday – but on Sunday afternoon, their eight-game winning streak was brought to an end by the Carolina Cowboys in a tense game that went down to the final out. Recording a 2-1 record at their inaugural homestand, the Gamblers finished third in the event and remain in the No. 1 spot of the 2022 season standings. 

Ready to impress the vociferous hometown crowd, the Austin Gamblers were the stars of the show Friday night, winning their seventh consecutive game by defeating the Nashville Stampede, 260.75-87.25. 

On Saturday, the Gamblers again looked virtually unstoppable in putting up three qualified rides to outlast the No. 7 Ariat Texas Rattlers, 252.75-168.5. 

Sunday’s final game for the Gamblers came down to the world’s top two bull riders, and the Carolina Cowboys prevailed, beating the Gamblers by one bull, 174-84.25. 

In the bonus round, the Carolina Cowboys’ Daylon Swearingen (Piffard, New York), who earlier had knocked down a crucial fifth-frame ride to cement Sunday’s win over the Gamblers, was the sole rider to receive a score. He rode JAG Metals Grand Theft (D&H Cattle Co./Philip Elkins) for 89.25 points, taking first place in the bonus round. The Austin Gamblers’ Head Coach Michael Gaffney selected Lucas Divino (Nova Crixas, Brazil) to take on Mike’s Magic (Five Star Ranch/BS Cattle), bucked off at 6.87 seconds. The Austin Gamblers finished second in the bonus round, earning 7 bonus points.  

The PBR Team Series will next travel to the LJVM Coliseum in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for the fourth team-hosted homestand as the Carolina Cowboys welcome the league for PBR Cowboy Days. The event will be on Friday, Sept. 9 at 7:45 p.m. ET, Saturday, Sept. 10 at 6:45 p.m. ET and Sunday, Sept. 11 at 1:45 p.m. ET. 

The game matchups for the opening night of competition in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on Sept. 9 are: 

• Kansas City Outlaws @ Austin Gamblers 
• Nashville Stampede @ Oklahoma Freedom 
• Arizona Ridge Riders @ Ariat Texas Rattlers 
• Missouri Thunder @ Carolina Cowboys 

PBR RidePass on Pluto TV will offer replays of all the PBR Team Series action from Austin. For a behind-the-scenes look at the creation and launch of the new league, tune in to PBR Team Series: Getting the Job Done, presented by ZipRecruiter, Thursdays on PBR RidePass on Pluto TV at 8:30 p.m. ET, starting Sept. 1. Check https://pluto.tv/en/live-tv/pbr-ridepass for the latest programming schedule.

Oklahoma Freedom: 255.75 
Missouri Thunder: 174.5 

The Oklahoma Freedom roared out of the gate with qualified rides in the first three frames to upset the Missouri Thunder on the final day of the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series Gambler Days in Austin, Texas.

Changing up the team’s recent lineup order, the Thunder’s closer Colten Fritzlan (Rifle, Colorado) opened the game. He was matched with Dark Hunt (Martinez Bucking Bulls) but was bucked off shortly after leaving the chute at 3.15 seconds. The Freedom were the first on the scoreboard as Eli Vastbinder (Statesville, North Carolina) confidently rode Mike’s Motive (Blake Sharp/High Voltage Cattle/American Spirits/Koe Wetzel) for 85.5 points in the bottom of the first.

Texas Native Andrew Alvidrez (Seminole, Texas) quickly answered with an 88.5-point ride atop Sammy (Dorman/Weaver/Hilton Bull Co), putting the Thunder in the lead. With the intensity rising, the Freedom’s Briggs Madsen (Tremonton, Utah) took matters into his own hands and dominated Newsom (BS Cattle Co/TM Cattle/Twisted Horns) for 85.5 points, giving Oklahoma a 171- 88.5 lead.

Entering the third frame, the Thunder looked to Clayton Sellars (Fruitland Park, Florida) to continue their momentum, but Ninja Cowboy (Universal Pro Rodeo) jerked him to the side and threw him down hard on his right arm at 4.42 seconds. Determined to put his team up two bulls in the bottom of the third, Derek Kolbaba (Walla Walla, Washington) rode Tiger (Blake Sharp/Henry Wilson) for 84.75 points for a 255.75 – 88.5 lead for the Freedom.

With Oklahoma now 3-for-3 in the game, the Thunder were backed into a must-ride situation. Cody Teel (College Station, Texas) attempted to match Bronco’s Pistol Pete (Bronco’s Bucking Bulls) but was five seconds short of providing the ride necessary to keep the Thunder in the game. After the Freedom’s Casey Roberts (Munford, Alabama) was bucked off Siroucho (Dozier Cattle Co/Martinez Bucking Bulls) at 5.21 seconds, the Thunder’s Adriano Salgado (Batatais, Brazil) made the final score closer by riding Dang, Dang (Braswell Buckers) for a solid 86 points.

As the last out for the Freedom, Chase Outlaw (Hamburg, Arkansas) was bucked off Apple Butter (JR Phillips) at 2.02 seconds. But the Oklahoma Freedom had already stolen the show in Game 3, defeating the Missouri Thunder 255.75-174.5.

With this win, the Oklahoma Freedom (5-8) improved to 2-1 at PBR Gambler Days, while the Missouri Thunder (7-6) slipped to 0-3 on the weekend.