Fair questions, advice, past experience, good or bad

[quester]

Hello all

There a state fair coming in 5 months, and I was thinking of displaying my machine for others to play, has anyone tried this? any advise? All my machines have wood feet, and stand on a work bench, I have cardboard piping for losing balls to land in 1 bucket, lots of containers ready to fill top, so I have a plan on keeping machines going.

It would cost $1250 to reserve spot, so thinking a fair price to play would be 250 balls for $5, 1000 for $15, 2000 for $25, its a 4 day event, that is open for 42 total hours.

I would have to invest in more trays, and other items like a cart to move balls from back of machine to selling table, I have over 18,000 balls, and would think about 6000 more would be enough

Has anyone tried this before or seen it anywhere? any advise would be awesome, good or bad, or even a opinion good or bad

Also, is it safe to have machine on for 12 hours straight?

Right now I have 10 machines, most likely I would invest in a couple more, so say 12 total, how many people would you think is needed to be able to explain how to play, sell balls to people, keep machines filled, ect. I know it will be hard work, but if I have a perfect amount of helpers, it could be fun also

And the last question, if you saw pachinko machines at a fair or event, would you pay to play them, there wouldn't be any prizes, it would mainly be just for fun, If I saw some, I would play each one, but that's me

Thanks for any advise or experiences, I will update everyone in 10 days or so, when I make my final decision

[lotsoballs]

I think your going to need some prizes or trinkets to exchange for balls to entice kids to play; lots of kids at a state fair, and they will be curious about the machines themselves, but if anything like my 7 year old will want to WIN toys/prizes (even if practically worthless....lol). That's really half the fun of playing in a parlor like atmosphere; the gambling aspects! Besides, if somebody actually gets on a roll and gets several fevers in a row they may not want to or have time to sit around and pump 4000-10,000+ balls back into the machine over the next hour or so.

Prices seem reasonably inline with what Pachinko world charges (only US pachinko parlor, located in Wilmington NC ), it was $20 for 1000 balls, or 1200 for $20 if you have a membership! They do have good prizes to exchange for your winnings however!

As for leaving machines on for hours....pretty sure they are on most all day and most of the night in the parlors in Japan with no issues. I've never had an issue leaving them on.

[Moparformances]

be prepaired to loose some pachinko balls

[Peteybob]

Sounds like an exciting adventure and team event at the same time. I imagine that you would have lulls and get swamped at times. I agree with the others as you will loose balls to every kid that takes some as souvenirs. Cheap colorful prizes are good to keep the kids playing too! (Think Chucky Cheese) I think I would at least try it out for the minimum price if I knew nothing of it but at a dollar per minute it may run high to others without a possible trinket to take home.

A few other thoughts: I would anchor the machines if possible even with the feet. Someone may be a bit unsteady and knock a machine over or a youngster could get too excited and pull at it. Would these be outside or partially exposed to your weather? Have a plan “B” for that if needed. Lastly is there anything to be said from your state or local gaming authority? Has anyone done this before at the fair? Are permits and age minimums required in order to play?

Just my devil’s advocate side showing But I would hang out and play them all

[quester]

Thanks, Peteybob, lots of good advice, makes me do some extra research, in would be inside for sure, the age and permits is a very good question to find out

[mandoman]

These folks are always at the conventions I attend. $1 for 20 balls or $5 for 250. Instead of playing out a fever they give you a little prize.



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[doa12]

While those look portable that way, I'd be too afraid of people bumping them off somehow. Could you add some plexi and ball routing with programming on the dongle to make the machines cyclic and use the cards as 'credit' for the machines? Just thinking of methods to have them where the users wouldn't touch a ball at all. Then they could turn the card in for prizes.

[Yob]

Sounds like a fun event. I would definitely play them if they were at our fair just for fun but I would think kids would like to win a prize. To get the prize, they would need to return the balls to you and depending on the weight of the balls that they return, they'll get a prize. Without doing so, why would they ever return any balls left? So ... time to get some worthless prizes

[quester]

That's not my picture, I've never tried this, its just a idea, I would put up 12 machines, shaped in a U form, on 3 foot tall work benches (I already own them), standing play only, wouldn't have chairs, I will try to get a booster step, for kids. In back, I already have a system to return all losing balls to one location, in this U shape set up, I would have 2 buckets for ball to return, I have many plastic trays filled with 400-600 balls, to fill top hoppers as games are played. I don't have any special dongles, just the ones that came on machines, also I have 10 machines, 5 of them are 1/99 (light) versions, which fevers are 4 to 6 rounds, 5% of time 15, four of the machines are 15 rounds every time, one is a hanemono that goes up to 15 rounds.

Thanks for advise so far from everyone