William PietriSep 15, 2025
One of the fun/annoying things about starting a pinball museum is the number of historical rabbit holes that I get caught up in. Today it's how this 1936 pinball machine led me to what looks like an MLM scheme from the 1920s and 1930s. A scam that still works today! 🧵
Show threadWilliam PietriSep 15, 2025
Bally's Carom was part of the wave of pinball-ish machines that started in 1931, but they quickly veered into what at the time was legal ambiguity, but today is clearly seen as a gambling machine. Here's the Carom schematic, which makes clear that the operator can set the payout odds. Gambling! 100% gambling! 2/
Show threadvxoSep 15, 2025

@williampietri that score projection unit is adorable

also, the odds unit is an air dashpot relay?! freaking cool.

Show threadvxoSep 15, 2025
@williampietri how did the payout work, did it just kick out the coins lined up on this thing? https://www.ipdb.org/showpic.pl?id=458&picno=25688
Internet Pinball Machine Database: Bally 'Carom' Images

Pictures, documents, manufacturing data, ratings, comments, features, and history for Bally 'Carom' pinball machine.

Show threadWilliam PietriSep 15, 2025

@vxo That is an excellent question, but I don't know yet. That thing matches a hole in the top that lets you see the coins recently played. I suspect that was either about letting the operator validate that people weren't putting in slugs or letting the marks see that there was real money to be won.

The payout motor itself is lower down than that, but I haven't had a chance to look at it in detail.

Show threadWilliam Pietri
@vxo Also, next you're in Chicago please look us up! https://theflip.museum/
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Sep 15, 2025 at 1:35pmWeb