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"Rigged" games


SonofBaconator
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Of course they are.

Unless this is a myth, aren't the basketball hoops (not just at Kings Island, at all fairs, parks, etc.) almost oval shaped, so it's a lot harder to get the basketball in?

 

If that's true why is so many degenerates bouncing their balls around the park?

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A worker at the lazer maze said that all games at Kings Island are not rigged but are harder than they seem.Take bank a ball for example the angle of the board makes it extremely hard but not rigged.

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Balls at the basketball games (and shootout) are over-inflated and the rims are over-tightened.

Also to answer your question: Of course they are. The games are there to make the park money. If you were more likely to win the game, the park would not have them. (and when you do win, you usually win a prize worth less than the amount you paid to play the game)

It's just business...

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Pardon the double post, but does anyone know if "Gary Dowell Jr. from Cincinnati" actually exists? The Sprite 3-point shootout says he holds the record with 15 shots made. Do you think the park may have invented him with a really high score just to make winning the X-box (or whatever it is you win for beating the high-score) harder or unachievable? It seems like a dumb question to ask, but I've never seen the name or high score change in the 8 years the game has been there.

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Balls at the basketball games (and shootout) are over-inflated and the rims are over-tightened.

Also to answer your question: Of course they are. The games are there to make the park money. If you were more likely to win the game, the park would not have them. (and when you do win, you usually win a prize worth less than the amount you paid to play the game)

It's just business...

This does not mean that it is rigged it means it is harder than it seems rigged is like a claw machine that claw is loose and wont pic up any toys.

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Balls at the basketball games (and shootout) are over-inflated and the rims are over-tightened.

Also to answer your question: Of course they are. The games are there to make the park money. If you were more likely to win the game, the park would not have them. (and when you do win, you usually win a prize worth less than the amount you paid to play the game)

It's just business...

This does not mean that it is rigged it means it is harder than it seems rigged is like a claw machine that claw is loose and wont pic up any toys.
If the parks do things to prevent you from winning a prize, it's labeled "RIGGED" in my book.
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Pardon the double post, but does anyone know if "Gary Dowell Jr. from Cincinnati" actually exists? The Sprite 3-point shootout says he holds the record with 15 shots made. Do you think the park may have invented him with a really high score just to make winning the X-box (or whatever it is you win for beating the high-score) harder or unachievable? It seems like a dumb question to ask, but I've never seen the name or high score change in the 8 years the game has been there.

Might be made up, hard to say, ala Richard from Indian Hill or Nick from Loveland that calls into WLW.

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I know for a Fact that the 50 cent a Ball basketball is WAY smaller than a regulation size basketball hoop. but the other ones throughout the park SEEM to be legit. Yeah the balls are a little overinflated, but thats to be expected. as was said before, the Midway games are there to make money..

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If it is to be expected that the balls are over-inflated, should we also expect the cheapest possible ingredients at the food stands? Cheap imported junk in the shops? And why are amusement park (and carny) games not considered gambling? Why are old pinball games labeled "For Amusement Only"? Are you not betting the park you can do something when the park has huge control over your chances of success (except pure chance games like Guess Your Birth Month -- where the prizes are worth less than the cost to pay..er...play, if not worthless)?

Terp, who likes to ask questions.

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I've never tried playing any of the games that Kings Island has to offer.

Want to add this since it involves games of skill...I was at a Denny's down in Kissimmee, Florida about 10 years ago with my family. They had one of those claw games in the corner. My stepdad played a couple dollars worth and lost 3/4 of the time. We were approached by an older gentleman who gave us the valuable advice to shake the machine when the claw engages the prize. Watched him almost empty out that machine!

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A worker at the lazer maze said that all games at Kings Island are not rigged but are harder than they seem.Take bank a ball for example the angle of the board makes it extremely hard but not rigged.

Yeah, I watched a worker at the bank a ball game hit like 10 in a row. its all in the technique and practice.

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I mentioned this before in another topic but I'll reiterate here:

The park doesn't have any incentive to rig any (non-machine) game. The park knows within a reasonable degree of certainty how much each game is expected to take in profit long-term, and the park knows they're going to come out ahead at the end of each year. There's simply no way that the park would risk their license just to squeeze out a few more dollars when they know that they have the advantage. They don't rig the games because they don't have to.

I've played the 3 Point Challenge at nearly 25 different parks around the country and have yet to find one that was even close to being rigged. It's true that there are some places that make it really difficult (no grip on the balls, overinflated balls, double rims, having squirrels fired at you from rocket launchers, etc.), but the games are still beatable by the right people. I'm firmly of the belief that most everyone can get good at a game if they put in the time and understand the technique. Prize limits exist for a reason!

The machine games are a different story. The claw games, Stacker, etc. are generally set with some kind of win percentage. The larger the prize being offered the worse the win percentage is going to be all things being equal. At a $1 Stacker game with a $200 prize being offered (think iPod touch or Kindle Fire) the win percentage might be set anywhere from 1 win in 250 plays up to 1 win in 500 plays (or more, depending on the operator). There is some "skill" involved in the game - you still need to set the claw properly or hit the button on Stacker at the appropriate time - but whether you win or not is entirely dependent on if the machine has hit its targeted win percentage. I'm guessing that the mini iPad crane games in the Coney Mall arcades have a win percentage around 1 in 500.

Here are the games that I believe can be beaten at most amusement parks by those willing to learn the how-to and then practice:

  • Bowler Roller
  • Ring Toss
  • Bank-a-Ball (the video posted earlier in this thread is a nice insight on the how-to behind this game)
  • Milk Can
  • Any game involving a throwing a bean bag
  • Any basketball game (including 3 Point Challenge, free throws, and the short range)
  • Football Toss
  • Ladder Climb
  • Quarter Pitch (where you can still find them AND where they'll allow you to throw a super high shot)
  • Skeeball

I'd be apt to put an Interpreter-type disclaimer here, but suffice it to say that this post is for amusement purposes only. Have fun kids!

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hey guys! I was a games associate for a year and then this year I was a games supervisor. I resigned last week so now I can post on here! First of all no game at Kings Island is rigged! They all take a certain amount of skill and technique! I can win every single game in the park! I was the supervisor for Bank A Ball and it's really simple once you learn the right technique! Same with rope ladder! As for the basketball games they are all pretty easy to win. We dont try to overinflated the balls, we hardly ever inflate them unless they're really flat! As for the rims they are all double rims except for 3 point challenge. The easiest rim to win on at short range is the first one on the left. As for the question about Gary Dowdell, yes he is real! We have tons of regulars! Both Gary and his brother mike are great guys! Jim (mostly plays bowler roller and arcade games) is a great guy too! He sells all the prizes at traders world! There are also many more regulars! If you got any questions about the games feel free to ask!

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Pardon the double post, but does anyone know if "Gary Dowell Jr. from Cincinnati" actually exists? The Sprite 3-point shootout says he holds the record with 15 shots made. Do you think the park may have invented him with a really high score just to make winning the X-box (or whatever it is you win for beating the high-score) harder or unachievable? It seems like a dumb question to ask, but I've never seen the name or high score change in the 8 years the game has been there.

I sure hope he's real or I have had the best imaginary friend for the last 4 years. I've have traveled over ten thousand miles with him on several road trips, from Canada to Florida and from New Jersey to Kansas and all points in between. I have rode over 100 different coasters with him, heck, he helped me increase my count by 60+ coasters in both 2010 and 2011. If not for him I would be lucky to have a coaster count of 100, instead I'm well over 200. I've ate at countless BBQ spots across the country with him, Oklahoma Joe's in KC still can't be matched.

Maybe his name hasn't changed from the sign in 8 years because he has done it every year since it has been there. He did it on opening day at KI this year. I personally have seen him do it 10 different times at several different parks. Heck, I've seen him do it 3 times in 3 days once and 3 times in 2 days another time. If you need proof he exisit you can search my channel on YouTube. My user name is CincinnatiSniper or you can simply search "perfect 3 point challenge". I have videos of him doing it at Cedar Point, NBA City, Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Tampa, and Six Flags America. None of them are very recent, but I haven't had the desire to travel much in the last year and it's a real pain trying to secure a video camera in your shorts pocket when you're on a coaster.

If you need more proof that he actually exisit, he's a member of KIC. He only plays games one day a week a KI, because of prize limits. I would tell you the day and approximate time, but he doesn't care much for crowds watching him and he is very humble and modest guy. As incredible as he is at 3 point challenge and other games, it fails to compare with what a quality person he truly is.

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If it is to be expected that the balls are over-inflated, should we also expect the cheapest possible ingredients at the food stands? Cheap imported junk in the shops? And why are amusement park (and carny) games not considered gambling? Why are old pinball games labeled "For Amusement Only"? Are you not betting the park you can do something when the park has huge control over your chances of success (except pure chance games like Guess Your Birth Month -- where the prizes are worth less than the cost to pay..er...play, if not worthless)?

Terp, who likes to ask questions.

When my kids want to play games, I ask them, "If that prize was for sale in a shop for (the price of the game,) would you walk in and buy it?" They always decide not to play......

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A worker at the lazer maze said that all games at Kings Island are not rigged but are harder than they seem.Take bank a ball for example the angle of the board makes it extremely hard but not rigged.

Yeah, I watched a worker at the bank a ball game hit like 10 in a row. its all in the technique and practice.

I have beaten a majority of the games at the park at some point in time, and I can attest that it is definitely those 2 attributes that really win you the games. Its fun to test your skill on some, especially if its one you haven't played after a while.

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