If you’ve ever found yourself pouring coins into a claw machine at an arcade, desperately trying to win a cuddly toy, you’re not alone.
The enticing lights, vibrant colours and the promise of a cute plushie prize can keep people playing despite the slim odds of success. But what are the actual chances of winning?
Some suggest it’s a one in seven chance, while others argue it’s as low as one in 1,000 – it all depends on the specific machine. Content creator Umehara Keiji, known for his arcade adventures, previously told Vice he believes “claw machines are 100% rigged in the arcades”.
However, TikToker Arcade Matt claims he has a “hack” to beat them. In a recent video, Matt shared tips on what to look out for before taking on a claw machine.
One key factor is how full the machine is. “If it’s at or above the edge of the plexiglass where the prize box is, that’s a good sign,” he advised.
He also suggested targeting prizes near the chute to increase your chances of winning. Demonstrating his technique with a pink Care Bear near the edge of the prize box, he said: “We’re not necessarily trying to pick up the prize, we’re just trying to get the claw to pick it up enough to just flip it over the prize box.”
Successfully winning the Care Bear, he triumphantly declared: “That’s how we do it in one play.”
Likewise, TikToker @arcadefriends shared their tricks for winning at the claw machine, including a little-known button-tapping technique. They revealed: “Some people don’t know the secret about double tapping the claw machine.”
They then instructed viewers to observe their hands as they double-tapped the grab button.
The initial tap was to lower the claw onto the pink teddy bear beneath, and the second was to secure the claw around its head. “This gives the claw a strong grip and keeps it from rotating too far,” they explained.
