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We have all been tempted by the claw machines found in malls, arcades and even on the streets, despite knowing they are always more difficult than they seem. “It's rigged” seems like our favourite phrase to throw at these seemingly ordinary machines wherever we lose, but have you ever wondered specifically how they managed to rig these machines?
How do Rigged Claw Machines Work?
We are all familiar with how the game goes: insert a handful of coins, move the joystick, hit the button, then pray. So where in this process does the rigging occur?
Step 1: Inserting the Coins
Claw machines have built in counters that allow them to keep track of the amount of pay it is receiving. Some claw machines are rigged to not allow a payout for its players until it has received a certain amount of money in order to ensure profit. For these machines, the counter is especially important and the claw is programmed to have lower grip strength until the amount of money has reached a certain threshold.
Step 2: Moving the Joystick
The joystick allows the claw to move along an x and y axis. This part of the game is rarely rigged, however it is possible to place some prizes strategically beyond the scope of the claw to prevent players from reaching certain prizes.
Step 3: Lowering the Claw
The claw is typically lowered by the push of a button. This part of the game is also rarely rigged, however it is possible to lower the claw either too much or too little, displacing the claw from the aligned position, failing to pick up the prize as planned.
Step 4: Returning to the Chute
This is the part where it all goes wrong. Most claw machines are rigged through programming the grip strength to be weaker until the machine has received enough money to ensure a profit. Therefore, the prize gets dropped along the way back to the prize chute. This also creates the idea of a “near win” that causes players to want to try again, believing that they would be able to win the next time.
Can a Rigged Machine be Beaten?
We have always heard tips like shaking the claw or double tapping on the button, but do these tricks really work against rigged machines? Most of the time they don’t. These tricks do not alter the programming in any way; however, some occurrences allow players to win prizes even with a weak grip. The best strategy to optimize wins is to observe machines that seem to have a higher frequency of stronger grips. Claw machines are not so much a game of skill as they are a game of luck.
Works Cited
Edwards, P. (2015). Claw machines are rigged — here’s why it’s so hard to grab that stuffed animal. [online] Vox. Available at: https://www.vox.com/2015/4/3/8339999/claw-machines-rigged [Accessed 2 Jan. 2025].
Jeevita, J. (2023). QuickCheck: Are claw machines rigged? [online] The Star. Available at: https://www.thestar.com.my/news/true-or-not/2023/06/13/quickcheck-are-claw-machines-rigged [Accessed 2 Jan. 2025].
Koh Ewe (2021). Arcade Experts Tell Us Why We Never Win Toys in Claw Machines. [online] VICE. Available at: https://www.vice.com/en/article/arcade-experts-explain-how-claw-machine-works/ [Accessed 2 Jan. 2025].
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