Beat the claw machine, save your sanity.

Paul Michael — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 05:57:22 +0000

How many times have you passed one of these annoying things and thrown 50 cents away? I'm hugely guilty of it. I can't resist them. One time I got six out in a row, then I've gone years with no success. Is there a secret?

Well, it seems there is. And seeing as how I've spent some time warning you away from a lot of fairground cons recently, I thought I'd try and be positive about at least one of them.

I did a little research and found several places offering some basic advice. I'm not entirely sure how much of this is based on hardcore scientific proof, and how much is just observation, but I'm willing to learn anything I can to beat the crane game system.

So, first here's a little advice from all over the WWW:

Go for 3-pronged claws. They are supposedly a little kinder to you than 4-pronged claws.
Don't believe the hype about grease. The claws aren't coated in it, but they are very shiny and polished.
Look carefully at the selection. The machine stockers will try to tuck most toys tightly together.
Use a friend. There are two POVs, and lining up your claw perfectly is easier with a guide at your side.
Timing is everything. Spend most of your time controlling the claw, and the last few seconds to grab.
Most important. BAIL after a couple of bucks. Don't spend $15 on a $5 stuffed toy.

All that is all well and good, but I knew most of it from the experience I'd had over the years I spent in front of claw machines. So I searched deeper, and found a show on G4 called Brainiac had done the hard research for me. And the results? Well, check them out in this cool video below. Next time you pass a claw machine, you may be armed with enough knowledge to beat it. Good luck, claw hounds.

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This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: