Pachinko – A Japanese Slot Machine

As many fans of games of chance know, casinos are prohibited in Japan. There you can play in totalizator, but it works exclusively in horse racing, as well as boat and bicycle racing. That is why in the country of the rising sun the slot machine Patinko is very popular. This machine is something like a vertical pinball, but has some similarities with the slot machine, designed for games for money. Statistics informs, that from year to year in the Patinko halls play not less than 15 million Japanese, who lose there to 300 billion dollars. All in all there are more than 16 000 halls in Japan, where you can play this game. The halls always look bright and attractive. There are professional players in the game of Pachinko, who sometimes claim that they can win up to $100 000. However, this is, most likely, not more than bragging. Much closer to the truth is the amount of 3 000 dollars, which is also quite good. The Japanese themselves tell a lot of stories about how inveterate players make the game of Pachinko in a real mania – they forget to wash, shave, sleep little, abandon children, do not feed them, etc.

Of course, this machine is called in Japanese, and the name is transferred in Latin letters it looks like Pachinko. Therefore it is sometimes called Pachinko, although among Russian players the name Patinko is also used. Regardless of how the name of this machine really sounds, the interest to it is great not only among the Japanese, but also among the guests of the country.

How does the slot machine Pachinko operate? The basic machine is a playing field on which in a random order the pins, valves, channels are placed. They represent a real maze. For the game of Pachinko you need to buy a certain number of tiny metal balls. Hundreds and even thousands of balls can be bought. Then the balls are put in the slot at the top, after which they can be run, by adjusting the speed of the movement of the balls with the help of a lever. Most of the balls either get stuck in a maze, or strew past the goal, but a lucky ball can fall in a special hole. Entering into this hole leads to the fact that the gambler can receive an additional portion of balls. It is also possible that the pattern will be reconstructed, thus increasing the probability of winning. There is another variant of development of events – in the center of the Pachinko is activated the mechanism, which launches an additional slot machine, winning in which also allows another portion of the balls for the game.

It is interesting that received as a result of winning balls can not only be used for the game. In the playing hall, where there are slots Pachinko, you can get a small prize – spirits, lighter, etc. But in fact it’s a little more complicated. Near many gambling halls there are special shops, where you can exchange the received prize for cash. They say that these shops are controlled by the yakuza, the legendary Japanese mafia. Thus, there is an opportunity to play in Pachinko for money, even though it happens indirectly. And the authorities of Japan can do nothing about it.