I won it once when my son was playing college ball. It was a home game, small school. I donated it all back. Wasn’t that much. Relative won at Cat game once. Like 12k. He kept it all!
I would probably season and sear them a bit prior to the smoke
I do pretty much the same. I like beef stock, ancho and guajllo and chipotle peppers, smashed garlic, onion and cilantro for braising.