Pachinko balls,how much are they worth in the casino?

[the-pachinko-master!]

It might be a dumb question,but how much are the balls worth in the casino? How many balls will a US dollar buy? When in the Casino,can you walk to a machine with 5000 balls or do they give you credit? I will be going to Japan early next year just to check out these halls and these things would be good to know.

[rupan777]

When buying balls, most parlors have one of two systems: pre-paid cards or depositing cash into the machine, both using 1000 yen (approx USD$10) increments. There are also machines you can use coins (500 and 100 yen coins) but you have to remember these machines have lower specs and different rules than their bigger brothers.

One ball comes down to costing roughly .09 -.10, payout exchanges range from .03 - .04 per ball. You can not go into the parlor with your own balls.

[RKnarr01]

Rupan,

How would they stop someone from playing with their own balls?

[Tulsa]

You can not go into the parlor with your own balls.

No, first you must be neutered. Then you can go and play pachinko in the parlors.

[rupan777]

No, first you must be neutered. Then you can go and play pachinko in the parlors.

Well, I was going to say "play with your own balls"

whiiiich brings us to the next question:

Rupan,

How would they stop someone from playing with their own balls?

Well, for one thing, nobody's going to be lugging around thousands of pachinko balls, they're heavier than hell. I have seen some old ladies lug around fifty or so balls in their bags and use them but that's tolerated. I would not recommend doing that though because they do reserve the right to kick you out.

One thing that some parlors let you do though is move to a different machine with balls that you've won from another machine. In this situation though, you are not allowed to play or occupy more than one machine at a time.

[RKnarr01]

so its preferred that you dont even use balls from one machine in another machine?

[rupan777]

Well, excepting the parlors that I mentioned in my last post, you are allowed to move a small amount of balls from one machine to another but not, say, more than a handful.

[compirate]

My ball loan unit that takes 100 and 500yen coins is set for 27, I assume per 100yen.
The CR unit that takes 1,000yen notes is set for 532 so thats 3.7yen per for the first, 1.88yen for the second.

[the-pachinko-master!]

Rupan,
So when you win,it all goes onto a card then or does it pay out in balls? Does each parlor have its own graving on its balls or are they all the same? Another question. If you win big,do they take taxes out like big payouts here in the states?

[rupan777]

Rupan,
So when you win,it all goes onto a card then or does it pay out in balls? Does each parlor have its own graving on its balls or are they all the same? Another question. If you win big,do they take taxes out like big payouts here in the states?

It pays out in balls and you may have a mountain of boxes full of them behind your seat if you have a big enough win, like this:

18[1].jpg

(incidentally, I've had as much as 32 behind me-talk about fire hazard ). All wins are tax-free.

Some parlors have engraved and/or customized balls, some have the generic ball bearing type. I know of a couple of parlors in Tokyo that use gold-colored ones too.

[the-pachinko-master!]

Rupan,
What is the most you have won? In dollars? Tax free?! Japan is always ahead of us!

[compirate]

All wins are tax-free.

I thought you only won 'prizes'? (wink, wink!!!)

When you win a box of balls you don't handle then anymore right?

Also, is it true that any balls that fall to the floor are 'out of play' ?

How about a writeup on parlor play - I walk into a parlor, what do I do, begining to hopefully good end?

[slotter]

So, what if the old ladies lose the 50 balls or whatever? It will cost them appx. .03 USD to replace them anyhow. Not a winning situation for the old ladies, imo.

[rupan777]

I thought you only won 'prizes'? (wink, wink!!!)

When you win a box of balls you don't handle then anymore right?

Also, is it true that any balls that fall to the floor are 'out of play' ?

How about a writeup on parlor play - I walk into a parlor, what do I do, begining to hopefully good end?

Riiiiiiight, the 'prizes' are tax-free.

Balls that fall on the floor are usually picked up by the staff but anyone can pick them up and use them if they want. Japanese people usually won't do that (or may just do it once or twice not scavenge around the parlor) because it's sort of embarassing, I suppose.

Yes, a parlor topic is on my long list of future threads...

So, what if the old ladies lose the 50 balls or whatever? It will cost them appx. .03 USD to replace them anyhow. Not a winning situation for the old ladies, imo.

But, what if you win? I've won on the first spin on a machine about a dozen times.

[the-pachinko-master!]

What do you mean,prize's only?

[compirate]

Gambling is illegal in Japan so you win 'prizes'. You can take special 'prizes' to somewhere else where they will buy them. A work aound the law.

[RKnarr01]

Yes a how to/intro to parlor play will be great, i await it.

[rupan777]

What do you mean,prize's only?

The "prizes" we are euphemistically referring to are something like poker chips which are traded in for cash. Check out the video (hopefully, it's still available) that azlew posted in this thread, post #7, it explains the fairly well system and shows the "chips":

http://www.pachitalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4622

It's a big file so you might want to download and save it on your computer.

FTR, you can also opt for regular prizes if you want too. These prizes range from electronics, appliances, videogames, jewelry, food, etc.

[the-pachinko-master!]

So,if gambling is illlegal in Japan then what do they think they are doing in these parlors? Even for prize's its gambling. And there is no tax on any of it? The goverment doesn't get anything out of it? For such a huge industry I would think they would want to tap into it. The video is not there. I guess I really should look more into this. I'm not going to get busted for playing there am I? I know I sound dumb,but its Illegal but there are huge parlors everywhere.
Has anyone seen the pachinko machines in Vegas? I heard some are showing up there now.

[rupan777]

Because, since payoffs are handled outside of the premises of the hall, they can argue that it's not gambling but actually "selling". Everyone knows exactly what it is but nobody will ever do anything about it because:

1) pachinko brings in trillions of yen every year
2) hall owners are always extremely careful about paying taxes (very important) and following the law to the letter
3) the pachinko manufacturers have very deep pockets (especially Sankyo, Sanyo, and Sammy) and political clout
4) pachinko has had connections with organized crime and other less than wholesome activities, all of which also wield political power.

Yes, all winnings are tax-free but, you have to remember rule one of gambling in this situation: the House always wins.

Of course, I retired from the game way ahead of the house.