Tweet
Henry Gribbohm says he attended a Manchester carnival run by New Hampshire-based Fiesta Shows, and wanted to win an Xbox Kinect at a game called Tubs of Fun where contestants toss balls into a tub.
Henry Gribbohm says he lost his life savings on a carnival game and all he got was this stuffed banana. (CBS)
When he practiced he says it was easy, but something changed when he started playing for the prize and the balls kept popping out.
By Lee Howard
There exist two classifications of fraudulent games common to some carnival midways. The first are known as “Flat Stores,” in which the game agents – their preferred titles – totally control the outcome of the player’s game, winner or loser. These are the elite, grand-daddy’s of the business, and named Flat Stores, in that the agent uses them to Flat Out Rob the players. On these the agent must cheat for the player to keep them in the game, since the winning combination or total numbers needed to win do not exist, or have odds so astronomically high, at $1 per play, per the FBI lab, the probable cost of winning is 1- Septillion Dollars. With Flat Stores there is some gambling involved, so to speak, with a promise the payer can get all their money back, plus bonus cash and choice of any major prize displayed in the game joint. Although they are becoming less common due to educated cops and media attention over the years, there are still some professional agents willing to bring them out and take a shot.
Secondly, the most common of crooked midway games are classification as “Alibi” games. Basically, any seemly legit game can be operated honestly, or with some typical carny ingenuity, become an Alibi joint by the addition of made-up rules, which may or may not be posted.
In the earlier post by Scott, he mentioned winning on a Peach Basket game. In the carny world, they are called Bushel Basket joints. Due to the media attention given this game on the 20/20 pieces mentioned in my earlier post, the game agents are now using plastic tubs, calling them “Tubs of Fun.” The scam is the same on either, with the object being to toss two balls into the tubs or bushel baskets, with both balls staying in to win.
The first thing is drawing in players by displaying large plush toys or other eye catching prizes. The next lure is the free play. By leaving one or more balls in the basket during demonstration or free play, the player’s free ball will always stay in the basket and not bounce out. This makes winning appear so easy. But when the player’s money comes out, the fun starts, at least for the Alibi Agents.
The agent now removes those helpful balls left in during free play, and the player’s first ball bounces out, coming back at the player like a shot. The player’s second ball will do the same, so the only winner will be the carny. A good agent can work a player over and over, ball in, ball out, and players stand no chance of winning. Some agents will let a player win after a good amount of money, say $50-60 bucks, but rarely the big prizes. It’s called “throwing stock to a mark.”
Additionally, Scott mentioned his ball “just grazing the top of the basket.” Alibi agents always have a ready answer, the Alibi, as a way to cheat the player of a win. Pointing to the posted rules, or just vocalized, the agent, says’ “sorry dude, or Mark, rim shots don’t count. Agents call basically as many rules as they please, it their game, such as “No Leaning.” Sorry, you crossed the Foul Line leaning, or the rule “Only One Ball in the Basket at a time. Simply put, these will be all the “rules,” posted or not, that the agent allowed the players to ignore and violate during demonstration and free play. I’ve arrested many fraud game agents since the 1980’s and one in particular on “bushels” in McAlester, Oklahoma during the pre-20/20 investigation.
Keep in mind here, not all carnivals are crooked or allow fraud games on their midways, but on those which do, the owners and agents make lots of money. A good day for a seasoned Alibi agent is $1,200-1,500.
Most folks have no idea the amounts of money, cash money, large carnivals take in. Let’s do some math. Using Tulsa as an example, which Murphy plays for the 11-day run, over a million people will normally attend. Let’s say of that number only 300,000 visits the midway and spend a conservative amount of $5 playing games; 300,000 x 5 = $1.5 million cash. This represent just games, so add to this ride and food revenue, and we’re talking some serious cash money.
I always enjoy seeing the looks on the faces of the cops I’ve provided training, especially those who have themselves been victims of fraud games as kids, or those who once considered carnivals as nickel and dime businesses. Not hardly!
For those interested, I will try to post the You Tube links for the two-part ABC 20/20 program. If it doesn’t post, search You Tube for ABC News 20-20 carnival games.
Part 1
Part 2
Should you have any additional questions regarding other games, clicking on Lee Howard links to me.
If you would like to read Oklahoma’s Laws regarding Carnival Games:
http://www.oscn.net/applications/osc...p?CiteID=73294
You can also Google Oklahoma Amusement and Carnival Games Act
Needless to say, I never get free fair tickets, but y’all have fun, and be careful out there!
Lee Howard
Henry Gribbohm says he lost his life savings on a carnival game and all he got was this stuffed banana. (CBS)
When he practiced he says it was easy, but something changed when he started playing for the prize and the balls kept popping out.
By Lee Howard
There exist two classifications of fraudulent games common to some carnival midways. The first are known as “Flat Stores,” in which the game agents – their preferred titles – totally control the outcome of the player’s game, winner or loser. These are the elite, grand-daddy’s of the business, and named Flat Stores, in that the agent uses them to Flat Out Rob the players. On these the agent must cheat for the player to keep them in the game, since the winning combination or total numbers needed to win do not exist, or have odds so astronomically high, at $1 per play, per the FBI lab, the probable cost of winning is 1- Septillion Dollars. With Flat Stores there is some gambling involved, so to speak, with a promise the payer can get all their money back, plus bonus cash and choice of any major prize displayed in the game joint. Although they are becoming less common due to educated cops and media attention over the years, there are still some professional agents willing to bring them out and take a shot.
Secondly, the most common of crooked midway games are classification as “Alibi” games. Basically, any seemly legit game can be operated honestly, or with some typical carny ingenuity, become an Alibi joint by the addition of made-up rules, which may or may not be posted.
In the earlier post by Scott, he mentioned winning on a Peach Basket game. In the carny world, they are called Bushel Basket joints. Due to the media attention given this game on the 20/20 pieces mentioned in my earlier post, the game agents are now using plastic tubs, calling them “Tubs of Fun.” The scam is the same on either, with the object being to toss two balls into the tubs or bushel baskets, with both balls staying in to win.
The first thing is drawing in players by displaying large plush toys or other eye catching prizes. The next lure is the free play. By leaving one or more balls in the basket during demonstration or free play, the player’s free ball will always stay in the basket and not bounce out. This makes winning appear so easy. But when the player’s money comes out, the fun starts, at least for the Alibi Agents.
The agent now removes those helpful balls left in during free play, and the player’s first ball bounces out, coming back at the player like a shot. The player’s second ball will do the same, so the only winner will be the carny. A good agent can work a player over and over, ball in, ball out, and players stand no chance of winning. Some agents will let a player win after a good amount of money, say $50-60 bucks, but rarely the big prizes. It’s called “throwing stock to a mark.”
Additionally, Scott mentioned his ball “just grazing the top of the basket.” Alibi agents always have a ready answer, the Alibi, as a way to cheat the player of a win. Pointing to the posted rules, or just vocalized, the agent, says’ “sorry dude, or Mark, rim shots don’t count. Agents call basically as many rules as they please, it their game, such as “No Leaning.” Sorry, you crossed the Foul Line leaning, or the rule “Only One Ball in the Basket at a time. Simply put, these will be all the “rules,” posted or not, that the agent allowed the players to ignore and violate during demonstration and free play. I’ve arrested many fraud game agents since the 1980’s and one in particular on “bushels” in McAlester, Oklahoma during the pre-20/20 investigation.
Keep in mind here, not all carnivals are crooked or allow fraud games on their midways, but on those which do, the owners and agents make lots of money. A good day for a seasoned Alibi agent is $1,200-1,500.
Most folks have no idea the amounts of money, cash money, large carnivals take in. Let’s do some math. Using Tulsa as an example, which Murphy plays for the 11-day run, over a million people will normally attend. Let’s say of that number only 300,000 visits the midway and spend a conservative amount of $5 playing games; 300,000 x 5 = $1.5 million cash. This represent just games, so add to this ride and food revenue, and we’re talking some serious cash money.
I always enjoy seeing the looks on the faces of the cops I’ve provided training, especially those who have themselves been victims of fraud games as kids, or those who once considered carnivals as nickel and dime businesses. Not hardly!
For those interested, I will try to post the You Tube links for the two-part ABC 20/20 program. If it doesn’t post, search You Tube for ABC News 20-20 carnival games.
Should you have any additional questions regarding other games, clicking on Lee Howard links to me.
If you would like to read Oklahoma’s Laws regarding Carnival Games:
http://www.oscn.net/applications/osc...p?CiteID=73294
You can also Google Oklahoma Amusement and Carnival Games Act
Needless to say, I never get free fair tickets, but y’all have fun, and be careful out there!
Lee Howard
Comment