AUSTIN, Texas – Riding a six-game winning streak as they headed into their hometown for Gambler Days, the Austin Gamblers continued to look virtually unstoppable on Friday night at Moody Center in Austin, Texas, winning their seventh consecutive game in the PBR Team Series.  

Riding the momentum of leadoff rider Ezekiel Mitchell scoring on his fourth bull in the leadoff spot this season, the Gamblers dominated the Nashville Stampede (3-8), 260.75-87.25, in the final game of night 1 of the three-day event, the fifth of the new PBR Team Series season. The Gamblers are now 8-3 and remain in first place in the new league. 

Previously, in the opening five-on-five bull riding game in Austin, the Carolina Cowboys (6-5) defeated the Kansas City Outlaws (4-7), 173-84.75. 

In the second game of the night, the Oklahoma Freedom (4-7) put up three qualified rides and beat the Ariat Texas Rattlers (3-8) by one bull, 253-166.50. 

The third game of the night, a showdown between No. 2 Missouri Thunder (7-4) and No. 3 Arizona Ridge Riders (7-4), resulted in a shootout in which the Ridge Riders prevailed, 340.50-260.75. 

PBR Gambler Days continues Saturday, August 27 at 6:45 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com and PBR.com, at the Moody Center Box Office, or by calling PBR customer service at 1-800-732-1727. 

Before Saturday’s event, Gambler Days will host a free-to-attend fan fest at Stubbs Bar-B-Q starting at 11 a.m. CT. The musical performers include Calder Allen (11:10 a.m.), Kelley James (1 p.m.), Kyle Park (3 p.m.), and Push & Shove (4:30 p.m.). 

In addition to the fan fest, there will be an after party at Stubbs Bar-B-Q, with musical performer Jesse Dayton (9:15 p.m.) and The Band of Heathens (10:30 p.m.). 

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 September 1. Check https://pluto.tv/en/live-tv/pbr-ridepass for the latest programming schedule.

Austin Gamblers: 260.75
Nashville Stampede: 87.25

In front of an electric home crowd in the final game of Friday night’s PBR Team Series competition, the Austin Gamblers dominated the Nashville Stampede, 260.75-87.25, for their seventh win in a row. The Gamblers (8-3) remain the No. 1 team in the 2022 PBR Team Series standings.

The first matchup of the night for the Nashville Stampede was Ryan Dirteater (Hulbert, Oklahoma) and Best In Show (Glover Cattle/D&H Cattle Co.), who bucked off “The Cherokee Kid” in 3.2 seconds. Bringing in a 3-for-3 streak when leading off for the Gamblers, Texas native Ezekiel Mitchell (Rockdale, Texas) once again put his team on the scoreboard in the first frame by dominating Thor (M Rafter E Bucking Bulls) for 84.75 points.

In the top of the second, Thiago Salgado (Navirai, Brazil) broke the ice for the Stampede and gave them the lead with an 87.25-point ride on Dang, Dang (Braswell Buckers). With the energy high in Moody Center, the Austin Gamblers were looking for a comeback in the bottom of the second. Lucas Divino (Nova Crixas, Brazil) blasted from the chutes aboard Mike’s Motive (Blake Sharp/High Voltage Cattle/American Spirits/Koe Wetzel) and was scored 86.25 points to secure the lead for the Gamblers, 171-87.25.

Following two scoreless frames, the game’s outcome was in the hands of the top two overall picks in the PBR Team Series Draft, Kaique Pacheco (Itatiba, Brazil), the No. 2 overall pick and first for the Nashville Stampede, and the Gamblers’ No. 1 pick Jose Vitor Leme (Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil). Pacheco needed an 84-point ride for the Stampede to take the lead, but the 2018 World Champion was no match for the rank bull Air Shift (Blake Sharp/Henry Wilson), down in 2.21 seconds. Cementing the Gamblers’ win in front of their home crowd, Leme dominated John 14:6 (Braswell Buckers) for 89.75 points, the highest-scored ride of the night and Leme’s 11^th qualified ride on the season.

As PBR Gambler Days continues Saturday evening, the host Austin Gamblers (8-3) will look to continue their momentum when they play the Ariat Texas Rattlers (3-8), while the Nashville Stampede (3-8) will attempt to rebound against the Arizona Ridge Riders (7-4).