Session passes let you sell bowling experiences by time or by number of games, while ROLLER manages availability and capacity automatically.
This guide shows you how to create a game-based or time-based session pass and add ticket variations for your venue.
How session passes work
Bowling in ROLLER is sold using a session pass product. A session pass determines how long a lane is reserved when a booking is made. There are two session pass formats available:
- Time-based: where guests book a fixed duration.
- Game-based: where duration is calculated based on the number of games, and number of guests.
Choose your bowling session types
Before creating your product, decide whether you’re selling bowling by time or by games. You can also offer both as separate product options in your sales channels if you wish to use a combination.
Time-based sessions
Time-based sessions let guests book a lane for a fixed duration, such as 30, 60, or 90 minutes. The session length stays the same regardless of how many players are in the booking.
Example: A 60-minute session reserves the lane for 60 minutes whether there are 2 guests or 6 guests.
Select the headings below to learn more about time-based sessions.
- Predictable lane turnover: Fixed session lengths make it easier to plan capacity during peak times.
- Simple to understand: “Book 60 minutes” makes it easy for guests to plan their visit.
- Works well with per-lane pricing: If you want to charge a flat rate per lane (instead of per guest), time-based sessions pair naturally with lane-based pricing.
- Revenue may depend on good lane utilization: If you charge per lane and time, ensure clear guest limits per lane that prevent overcrowding or inefficient use to maximize revenue.
Time-based sessions are a good fit when you want predictable lane turnover, easy-to-understand timing for guests, and consistent session windows.
Game-based sessions
Game-based sessions let guests purchase a set number of games. The total lane time is calculated based on the number of games, the number of guests, and your estimated time per game.
Example: 2 games × 4 guests × 10 minutes per game = 80 minutes of lane time.
Select the headings below to learn more about game-based sessions.
- Scales with group size: Larger groups reserve more lane time, reducing the risk of underestimating session length.
- Familiar model for some venues: Ideal if your venue already sells bowling as “1 game” or “2 games” style products.
- Good for larger groups: Duration calculation reflects the time larger groups usually take.
- Requires a time-per-game estimate: If the estimate is too low or too high, it can impact capacity planning.
- Less predictable session end times: Booking timings may vary depending on group size and other factors.
Game-based sessions are a good fit when you charge per game and per guest and want session duration to scale automatically. They work well for venues where group size varies frequently and lane time needs to adjust accordingly.
Before you start
Before creating your bowling session pass, make sure you have already set up your lane resources.
Create bowling session pass products
Create a time-based bowling product
To sell bowling by duration (eg 60 minutes) create this as a session-pass product. Sessions run for a fixed amount of time regardless of how many games are completed. The set up of a bowling session pass is similar to general session pass types.
Below is an example of how to customise a session pass for a time-based bowling product:
- Go to Venue Manager, Products and Create product then Session pass.
- Add the basic details in the Content section. Name, description and image (eg 75 Minutes Bowling).
- In the tags field create or add the tag Bowling. This is optional but recommended for managing bowling products. Tags are particularly useful for HQ managed venues.
- In the Session pass details section, in the Resource field use the drop down to add the bowling lane group (or select individual lanes).
- In Session duration add the duration in minutes (eg 75).
- If you want to sell different variations of this product (eg Adults, Children) add these.
- Set your Sales availability. This is when you want to offer tickets for sale within your schedule (which you will set up next).
- Select any additional options.
- Select Save.
- Next, you're prompted to select or set up a Schedule. Set up the schedule based on when you want to offer your bowling sessions within your operating hours.
- Select Save.
Create a game-based bowling product
Use this format to sell bowling by number of games (eg 1 game, 2 games). ROLLER calculates the total lane time based on the number of guests and games selected at checkout.
- Go to Venue Manager, Products and Create product then Session pass.
- Add the basic details in the Content section. Name, description and image (eg 2 Games of bowling).
- In the tags field create or add the tag Bowling. This is optional but recommended for managing bowling products. Tags are particularly useful for HQ managed venues.
- In the Session pass details section, in the Resource field use the drop down to add the bowling lane group (or select individual lanes).
- In Session duration add the duration in minutes (eg 10) and use the drop down list to select Per guest.
- If you want to sell different variations of this product (eg Adults, Children) add these.
- Set your Sales availability. This is when you want to offer tickets for sale within your schedule (which you will set up next).
- Select any additional options.
- Select Save.
- Next, you're prompted to select or set up a Schedule. Set up the schedule based on when you want to offer your bowling sessions within your operating hours.
- Select Save.
What's next
Now that you've added your venue's session pass products, it's time to look at the next task of setting up bowling packages.