Fruit Machine Chat

Morning all,

I've found out recently that a few pubs around my way are doing one or more of the following, to try and 'put players off the scent':

- Filling machines with £40-£60 of coins, and keeping the note changer 'on', then if someone wins over that amount and causes an IOU, they're told in no uncertain terms to mount a two-wheeled perambulation device...

- Taking the bulbs out of all notechangers, even though they still 'work' and are full/near full. One particular pub that employs this wrinkle has three machines (all Reds - but before anyone wets their pants, one is SMTM and the other is SnL. The one I was on for, was Vortex!) and seeing that all changers were off, I thought I'd try one board on the V and leave. First board lit up like a red christmas tree, and within an additional £15 I had a £105 top. Moved off to play the quizzer and finish my pint, another guy comes in, goes straight on the V and puts 3 (!) £20s in via the notey?! Having spoke to a 'mate' that works there, he advised that the landlord thought that having the note changers appear to always be off would 'put off' the forcers...

- Leaving half drunk 'halves' of Coke strategically by machines, along with a smattering of 1p and 2p coins along the button strip of their machines. Had this confirmed by a few members of staff who I've befriended.

Has anyone else come across 'ridiculous' techniques to try and prevent someone making a decent profit?

That's ridiculous!

Have they completely forgotten that the whole reason these machines are sited is to make a profit?

Taking the bulb out of the notey really is pointless, you may aswell remove the entire machine if you wanna stop people from sticking money in it. After all, it's the players who turn up loaded with coins, not the mug punters.

I'd imagine the pub's suppliers and brewery wouldn't be too happy about these practices, just grass.

That mightn't be a bad idea. I do know that one 'pub couple' have laready been fired for machine jiggery-pokery...

I agree, it is ludicrous...

what makes it even worse as well is when the owners switch off the machine when its full and say its "broke" then wait till closing time to play it to win our money!! (owner at a pub i use does it regular !! so i normally wait till the next day and try a couple of ££s, his face is a picture if he hears a load come out if he aint won!!)

Nothing will ever beat the "Superglueing a coke glass onto the top of the machine" story from a few months ago.

thats true genius

I know of a mechanic that deliberately removes the 6%
bulb, cos he plays them himself, now thats sly!

in no way do i want to be blamed for what i'm about to type.

i used to be made to refloat machines after they had been run.
i was also told to dirty them up a bit,put a stool in front of them, a full ashtray on top,and flick ash all over the floor around the machine.
when i said it was out of order i was told to clean the loos when it wasnt my turn and given all the shitty jobs.

i have known other people who remove strategic bulbs as a matter of routine.

many other skanky tricks i have been shown over the years but these are on cranes and pushers so i wont bother posting about it.

I once done a monopoly in a arcade, the one with the reset top!
went back later. on reset top and full

This sort of stuff is why i always play stuff anyway most of the time. Better to find out for yourself i reckon, unless you are 100% sure of the reading.