Bygone parallels with MB and other money making hacks

MuckleMaker

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Sorry if this is in the wrong place - happy for it to be moved.

Just thought I'd share this story as something reminded me of it and it has parallels with MB.

This happened when I was about 9 years old and I was on a touring caravan holiday with my parents and other family. One night we were in a workingmen's style club that had entertainment in a concert room and a large kids arcade in an adjoining room. Like most kids I'd be in the arcade room making friends etc... This particular night one of the kids asked me if I'd got any 2 pence pieces. I'd got either 3 or 4 and he gave me 10p for them. Surprised that he'd long changed me I followed him to the fruit machine he was going to play on. I remember telling him that he was putting 2p into a 10p slot and remember him telling me to shut up, before whispering "watch what I'm doing and keep this to yourself", and so I watched.

Instead of casually putting the 2p in the 10p slot he placed the top of the 2p at the top of the 10p slot and then spun the 2p as he pushed it in. It took a couple of attempts but it registered a 10p credit. He then played a 10p spin, more 2ps went in and more 10p spins were played and he won a few times. I remember asking my parents for money for the arcades, I know I'd had my money for the day but managed to get 2ps. I played and won too; if I knew then what RTP and variance was.

It only lasted for so long, a bit like a gubbing really. We had used all the 2ps my parents had and those on the nearby tables - instead of asking for more money I was asking to change it, a little like my new found friend had with me. We then made the mistake of turning to the bar for change - wasn't long before we'd used all their 2ps too. And that's when suspicion was raised and we were told the slot machines were for adults only (or something like that). I can't remember how much I'd made, can't have been more that a £2 or £3.

I never used that trick again but I'm sure my friend must have. If social media had been around then I guess I would have got him on Facebook or Twitter etc... but never saw him again, can't even remember where he was from. On occasion I've wondered what other tricks he had and whether, later on in life, he could control himself or get too greedy.

Would love to hear other stories like this if you have them.
 

Jon

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Magic City in Norwich

It was a run of the mill arcade in the mid-late 90s which also had a pool hall downstairs

This was when pool tables took 50p instead of £1 and if you wanted to play next you would put your 50p on the side of the table! (those were the rules)

anyway on ONE of the machines the coin system was a bit loose, and by loose I mean you could get it to come out so you could put your 50p in, it would trigger the balls being released and then you could literally put your hand in and remove your 50p again.. Rinse and repeat..

I have a real misspent youth in arcades lol
 

jkg-jkg

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I remember both those 'hacks' and variations of them.

Using euros instead of pounds in the early days

Using coins that were made slightly larger so they could be jammed in and used over and over again in the pool/snooker tables.
 

Sallers75

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I remember going on a school trip to France and using 10p coins as 5 franc coins ( 5 francs was about 50p)
 

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