We were discussing the midway games at Kings Island and it inspired me to look up stuff on old carnival games. One news report shows how carnies at traveling carnivals can win, but you can't. That's how they getcha.

Found this article online kinda interesting, although I don't believe Kings Island does any of these things. There is a person that commented on the bottom that say's he/she worked the games at "Paramount's Kings Island".

http://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/info-07-2012/rigged-carnival-games.html

Months ago 700WLW posted that video. I've never played the ring game but I debunked the other two in a post. The peach baskets game is easily won too yet they make it look impossible.

It's designed to look easy/be hard. I've won Peach Basket too. Inherently, you spend more than your prize is worth. That's the real trick.

If any park is going to make a game non-winnable (Im not saying any are or arent, but everyone knows my thoughts on money grabs, which is why you wont ever see me playing said games), PLEASE let it be any of the ones that give those infernal basketballs as prizes.

The games are setup to make you have to play them over and over again to get it just right to win, by the time you get it right you've already wasted too much money. Hence why I have never learned how to win any of the games. Although on slow days I can usually get a small prize from one of the water pistol games if I play against my daughter (of course I let her win lol), and the cost of the two games paid for usually is cheaper than buying the gift in the gift shop.

Even with winning on the first try, you have spent too much.

I've won every game except for the ring toss game at Kings Island. Most are easy. Games at large amusement parks I know are not allowed to have games that are not winnable and if they are they can have heafty fines. There was one game when I worked at Kings Island that was pretty close to not being winnable but from time to time someone won. They removed it before the end of the season because it was so difficult.

Games take skill.

Every game at Kings Island is winnable. They just take skill.

Few games at Kings Island are chance. Like Ring Toss and Goblet Toss. Most games (like Peach Basket and Bank-A-Ball) take skill.

It angers me to see videos like the one posted here because it basically says they're impossible when they're not.

^ Neither I (for posting it) nor the video is or was assuming that these games at amusement parks are rigged. He's talking about carnival stuff.

The biggest game at many parks is also winnable, sorta. Like most park games, the house always wins in the long run.

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, step right up and watch, say, Kings Island install a huge, brand new, spankin' coaster, a wonderful new really big shoe, plants and landscaping, pay its ride ops and games employees and pet tenders and managers and sich, pay taxes and utilities, pay dividends, pay interest and loan payments and take depreciation off the books and pay its executives multi-millions. And show EBITDA figures and profits to impress the street. And re-invest in the properties to repeat the cycle.

Now, you, as a customer, just try to pay the lowest admission price (be it at Kroger or on the web or at your company or church or club--or a one day, group or season admission--or regular, gold or platinum pass). Consider parking. Consider what and where to eat? In the parking lot? Outside the park? Before you go? Afterwards? How to pay? Season long? Drinks all day? Souvenir cup?

Stand in line? Fast Lane? Sunday?

Bring a friend? When?

Don't forget the midway games. You can win a prize. Maybe. Do you play? Is it worth the animal? For whom?

You can win. The experience IS worth paying for. But how much? When? How?

It's like buying an airline ticket. But worse.

It's heading to Disney proportions, about which whole books are written. And revised.

It's magic.

But for whom?