How much is a pachinko ball worth in Japan?

[nickbuol]

Maybe this has been answered elsewhere, but I didn't find it in my searching.

I know how much I paid to have pachinko balls for my home machine here in the US, but what do they "cost" in Japan.

I mean, lets say someone went into an average pachinko parlour and had 550 yen (about $5 USD), how many pachinko balls would they be able to get to play in the machines?

[luckydog]

they don't sell the balls they loan them to you.

I think you would get around 100 balls for $5.00

I'm sure another member will post the exact amount.

the buy back is lower.

[hanabi]

There has been a few threads about this very subject,

I'll have to search and see what I can find for you...


Well here's one for starters...

http://www.pachitalk.com/forums/show...ighlight=worth

[daverob]

The card reader credit display on pachinko machines is marked as 100 yen per count, and you get 25 balls per credit, so that would make it 4 yen per ball (just under 4 US cents). However when you buy the prepaid card, you can sometimes pay a little less than the face value (especially for the larger value cards).

So, if you had 550 yen then you'd get to play 125 balls, and walk out with 50 yen (as you can only play in 100 yen increments!).

[nickbuol]

Thanks. That link you supplied hanabi is some good reading. I think that I tried searching for "pachinko ball value" and I should have searched for "pachinko ball worth" or something.

Thanks again. Interesting that it costs around 9-10 cents per ball, but your return ("payout exchange value") is only 3-4 cents per ball. So you need to leave with about 3 times as many balls as you start with in order to break even. Wow. At least at regular casinos, a $1 token is worth $1, and a $10 chip is worth $10. Those funny Japanese...

[arbycoffee]

But . . . . .One big But . . . . . when you cash them in you only get 2 or 2.5 Yen per sphere.

[compirate]

Thanks. That link you supplied hanabi is some good reading. I think that I tried searching for "pachinko ball value" and I should have searched for "pachinko ball worth" or something.

Thanks again. Interesting that it costs around 9-10 cents per ball, but your return ("payout exchange value") is only 3-4 cents per ball. So you need to leave with about 3 times as many balls as you start with in order to break even. Wow. At least at regular casinos, a $1 token is worth $1, and a $10 chip is worth $10. Those funny Japanese...

Pachinko ball 'rental' is 4Y (0.036 cents), everywhere. Rental value is set by law. Redemption varies from parlor to parlor, but averages about 2.5Y (0.022 cents), that way, no matter what, the parlor wins something.

Tokens are 20Y (0.18) rental, 12.5Y (0.11) redemption.

The token/ball counters have 3 sets of numbers, purple, green and yellow. The first is the number of increments, the second is the total number of balls/tokens and the third is the remainder.

Let's say the increment on the counter is set for 40 (2.5x40=100). You have 3,462 balls. The counter will say - 86 - 3462 - 22. There are two buttons on the counter (all this is done by attendants). Pressing the green button prints a receipt for the increment and the total number of balls. Pressing the yellow button prints a receipt for the increment and the total minus the remainder, and returns the remainder to you. These can be played or used in parlor vending machines - yes they do take balls/tokens. These include cigarettes and drinks.

Then you take the receipt to the redemption counter and get your prizes, or 'premiums'. The 'special premiums' are calculated with the increment number, you get 8 - 1,000 'yen' premiums and 6 - 100 'yen' premiums. Can be anything, special tokens, lighter flints, pencils, whatever that parlor uses. They now have holograms and internal chips to prevent fraud. These you take to a special window outside the parlor where they are 'purchased' by someone else. They are, in turn, 'sold' back to the parlor.

Class dismissed! Now go out and play in the snow!


All calculations done with 112Y to $1 exchange rate (varies)

[arbycoffee]

Santa sent you your box compriate

[compirate]

Santa sent you your box compriate

I got the email. I hope it's some coal so we can stay warm over here. Finally got our snow!