122 replies to this topic

[nails]

well, the holiest of holies has happened.. ive been asked if i would like to become a partner, in opening an arcade. It hasn`t been easy, infact some 8 years worth of waiting, but, finally, we are now location hunting and have found what we percieve to be a good location, within a prime site. The existing partner has previously owned something like the large fun park in Blackpool pleasure beach, and has been in the game for some 20 year. the money however now seems to be found within in-land arcades.

The question to put forward to you all, is to do with the machines that wiill be placed in the new site. i would like it to be as different as possible to the existing arcade(s) he owns.

So whay would you put in there? to be honest, i would have as least high-tec machines as possible. its now been proven that lo-techs on high pay back percentages, take just as much money as a lo-tech on the lowest pay possible. though i would love to pack the plae out with s16, i read somewhere the amount will be limited (5??) also the red hot fever £675 must be downed to £500 max jackpot.
i think a mix of lo-techs s16 and the `odd` high-tech, as well as mulit player machines. if room permits, some vat free £5 jp.

[reedy0666]

were abouts is it going to be

[barxfan]

Holy crap, you lucky blighter


If you had (say) forty machines, I would have the breakdown something like :

4 x Section 16 (due to the likelihood of being limited to no more than 4 in the near future) 1 Slotto, 1 Cashino, 1 Elvis, 1 Haunted House

4 x Bar-X TENs

4 x Bar-X FIVEs

2 x Bar-X Sevens

2 x Magic Tens

1 x Oxo Revolution as a centrepiece (4 machines)

1 x Monopoly or Golden Game Plasma screen (3 machines)

1 x Party Time Deluxe (4 machines)

1 x Bullion Bars stand-up (3 machines)

3 x Hi-techs (maybe 2 Crests and a Bellfruit)

7 x 10p £5 Jackpot lo-techs to entice the less well-off customers.

....and a decent change machine !


Apart from that you will need unobtrusive, honest staff who will remain out of the customers' way except when they need something. Machines need to be spotless, in excellent working order and with no blown bulbs.

Most players don't give a crap about promotions, they would rather get a decent game. Putting the machines on high percentages will pay off and gain your arcade an excellent reputation for fairness, in an industry riddled with rip-off percentages. Dead arcades aren't enticing for customers, they feel too conspicuous if they are the only ones playing. Plus, as you said, you will make the same amount of money as the money played through the machines will be much greater, and you will retain your customer base over the long term.

Perhaps set them as high as they will go (96%) for 8 weeks and then drop them to 94%, which will still give you an excellent return and keep your arcade busy. The lo-techs can be set a little lower at 90% and still perform, the 10ps also can go on 90%.

Don't fall into Shipleys trap of putting your low-techs on as low as 84%, some of their arcades are really suffering now as a result of this policy.

Anyway that's what I'd do.

[khards]

Project
Jokers wild £25,
crazy cash £25

Barcrest
nudge nudge wink wink
Lineup £25

Electrocoin
Bar-x 20p £10/£5

THE NEW JPM LOW tec's are very good.

Barcrest Jolly roger / Goldrush stampeed are nice cernerpeices, but may be to pricey for a startup.

Why not have somthing different and try a Cromptons 50p £25 pusher ?

This would make your arcade different from the usual

4 x Bar-X TENs
4 x Bar-X FIVEs
2 x Bar-X Sevens
2 x Magic Tens
1 x Oxo Revolution as a centrepiece (4 machines)
1 x Monopoly or Golden Game Plasma screen (3 machines)
1 x Party Time Deluxe (4 machines)
1 x Bullion Bars stand-up (3 machines)
3 x Hi-techs (maybe 2 Crests and a Bellfruit)

Which I could walk into ANY arcade in the country and play.

[matrix2021]

I know this is going slightly off topic, but its about the costs and other issues relating to opening/running an arcade. I have to come up with an original business venture for a module at uni, and was thinking of using an arcade of an example due to the increasing amount people spend on gambling.. Anyway, I was just wondering what would be the initial costs, of say licenses needed, staff wages, engineers, design and more importantly spend on machines and the returns generated (depending on percentage).. If anyone can give me a starting point, or direct me to somewhere that outlines the licensing costs etc then I's appreciate it

Cheers in advance

[dave1de]

awesome, nice one nails, your a right lucky bugger

[romx]

them £5 jackpot machines are ok but if you look at places like blackpool its ruined now due to the mass of them there now in my opinion

some good multiplayer games like bullion bars would be excellent
barx always nice to see in amusements
if this is inland one why not add some arcade games dont often see them in inland. would be a refreshing change to see one

[Jamesbond_007838]

Why not have somthing different and try a Cromptons 50p £25 pusher ?

:laugh: Nice sales technique there.

From a players point of view, I'd prefer to walk into an arcade and it have more hi tech machines than lo tecs, mainly because I prefer playing them, although as has already been said lo tecs are better for cashbox return.

[GaryMPU34]

You need to have a good variety of 10p £5 lo techs. It does not matter if people play them all day and the machine only takes 40 quid in a day. As long as the player feels he has value for money he will come back. If his arm is ripped off and he feels cheated then they will not return. 10p £5 are good social machines and can give the impression of a busy and well used arcade which will draw more customers on

[romx]

You need to have a good variety of 10p £5 lo techs. It does not matter if people play them all day and the machine only takes 40 quid in a day. As long as the player feels he has value for money he will come back. If his arm is ripped off and he feels cheated then they will not return. 10p £5 are good social machines and can give the impression of a busy and well used arcade which will draw more customers on

i agree with this just dont overfill the place with them a good selection near the front would be good as the ones there for a long time due to low pay per play would be seen by passers by and entice them in

[barxfan]

This would make your arcade different from the usual

4 x Bar-X TENs
4 x Bar-X FIVEs
2 x Bar-X Sevens
2 x Magic Tens
1 x Oxo Revolution as a centrepiece (4 machines)
1 x Monopoly or Golden Game Plasma screen (3 machines)
1 x Party Time Deluxe (4 machines)
1 x Bullion Bars stand-up (3 machines)
3 x Hi-techs (maybe 2 Crests and a Bellfruit)

Which I could walk into ANY arcade in the country and play.

Exactly. Because they are fun to play and take good money for the owners.

[spa]

If someone has been in the business for 20 years, made a fortune no doubt, why would they want a partner?

If you are looking for an inland arcade a good selection of Barcerst hi techs along with a handful of section 16 machines. You'll attract 'players' but they'll be competing and the section 16s should then take the edge Plenty of Electrocoin lo techs as they are so popular and there's so many to choose from. Party Time arena more so to Bullion Bars.

Seaside i'd say have a few older machines, 2p play £2-£3 jackpots. People these days love value for money, they won't make much but they'll get people in.

[mangolio]

To add to the quote someone said earlier. How much do you think you would need to open your arcade? I was in a Warwicks in Blackpool the other day and it had a certificate saying it had paid about £24,000 to have the machines it had.

[Jamesbond_007838]

If you are looking for an inland arcade a good selection of Barcerst hi techs
*snip*

Spot on mate, good selection of Barcrest hi techs because people like to play them and the reliability of them as far as working order goes is second to none.

[Bencrest]

Hmmm...


You have to have some S16s in, thats pretty much a no brainer at the minute. Same for Electrocoin and Astra stuff. Some of the lower JP Astras seem to do ok, things like Double Jackpot, Double Cash, on 10p/£5, or 20p/£10. Also, Electrocoin 'Super Big Reels', which I'm guessing is basically the same as the 'Revolution' thing mentioned above, basically a 4 player OXO machine.

As for Hi-Techs... they don't even need to be massively new. I mean stuff like Vamp it Up, which you can get from a reasonable supplier in Coinslot for about £295, is totally adequate. Don't forget, things like Vamp it Up, which players think they are experts on, will do very well IMHO.

Since kids will be allowed into £5 JP areas in inland arcades, don't neglect that market... I mean it may be morally wrong, and I disagree with it, but why note get the kids into your arcade, even if you only take £10 a night on the £5s, thats £3650 per year, and license free on those bandits.

[nails]

the arcade would be located `mid sussex` and to answer the question from spa, the existing owner wants to expant, yet this time round want to take a silent partner approach. i would therefore take a wage from the business for myself, where as the profits would be split after that.

i aggreed with alot of the feedback, thank you all.

what i dont want is groups of scammers coming in with their new tricks and emptiers, therefore i`ll treat brand new barcrests with a long barge pole. though, if i needed say 30 machines for example, i would have 2x multiplayer ie. 1x monopoly and 1 party time. 5 hi-techs, the max amount of s16 machines allowed. lo techs such as magic 7`s, bar x etc. 2x admiral machines and, if space permitted, a hand full of £5 machines.

i was really dissapointed with the show this year, and the pacman machine ive been waiting for is more like a party SLUTTO with its maximum £25 win from the feature. The s16 machines have taken the market by storm, and a lot of arcade owners, warey of their 72% payout arcade having a 94% payout machine, have been pleasently surprised with the returns, though the customer who has a chance to win the £500 is also happy.

The arcade would be for over 18`s, period. Dispite what people may think, its very valuable for customers to win money. if they dont, they wont come back. i should know.. £600 in a cashino, if i had lost, i probably would have kicked myself, followed by refusing to play one ever again. luckly i had a £245 roll in, followed by a £180 followed by the £500 from the reel. a whopping £950 IN THE BANK!!! (before you do the math, im talking overall in the bank, excluding all other small wins achieved)

and what did i do next.. £300 + £300 in red hot roll. (did i post this somewhere else?)

my point is, not only for me, but the punters watching, i had won the most ever from an arcade, and proved to myself it can be done, and others now think it can be done also. it transpires that the money, after payout from the cashino, equalled within £20, the money in the magic 7 next to it. both on 94% (the money you find in the bottom of a bar-x is real profit, whereas the money in the bottom/note acceptor of a cashino is `borrowed`)

finally, i really cannot understand arcades that wont cash up coins. do they really want to piss people off? do they really want to goto the bank to `buy` change?? change up yes, free drinks yes, free draws yes, groups of snotty kids no.

[Toddyuk]

the arcade would be located `mid sussex` and to answer the question from spa, the existing owner wants to expant, yet this time round want to take a silent partner approach. i would therefore take a wage from the business for myself, where as the profits would be split after that.

i aggreed with alot of the feedback, thank you all.

what i dont want is groups of scammers coming in with their new tricks and emptiers, therefore i`ll treat brand new barcrests with a long barge pole. though, if i needed say 30 machines for example, i would have 2x multiplayer ie. 1x monopoly and 1 party time. 5 hi-techs, the max amount of s16 machines allowed. lo techs such as magic 7`s, bar x etc. 2x admiral machines and, if space permitted, a hand full of £5 machines.

i was really dissapointed with the show this year, and the pacman machine ive been waiting for is more like a party SLUTTO with its maximum £25 win from the feature. The s16 machines have taken the market by storm, and a lot of arcade owners, warey of their 72% payout arcade having a 94% payout machine, have been pleasently surprised with the returns, though the customer who has a chance to win the £500 is also happy.

The arcade would be for over 18`s, period. Dispite what people may think, its very valuable for customers to win money. if they dont, they wont come back. i should know.. £600 in a cashino, if i had lost, i probably would have kicked myself, followed by refusing to play one ever again. luckly i had a £245 roll in, followed by a £180 followed by the £500 from the reel. a whopping £950 IN THE BANK!!! (before you do the math, im talking overall in the bank, excluding all other small wins achieved)

and what did i do next.. £300 + £300 in red hot roll. (did i post this somewhere else?)

my point is, not only for me, but the punters watching, i had won the most ever from an arcade, and proved to myself it can be done, and others now think it can be done also. it transpires that the money, after payout from the cashino, equalled within £20, the money in the magic 7 next to it. both on 94% (the money you find in the bottom of a bar-x is real profit, whereas the money in the bottom/note acceptor of a cashino is `borrowed`)

finally, i really cannot understand arcades that wont cash up coins. do they really want to piss people off? do they really want to goto the bank to `buy` change?? change up yes, free drinks yes, free draws yes, groups of snotty kids no.

Does these high wins machines pay out in pound coins? £950 .. For give me iam old school dont really play the new machines ..
If so how much do they hold in the machines and whats it like having a machine pay out these high banks , Jesus call the attendant m8 i want him to watch this one ..

[barxfan]

They hold around £650 and are always IOU'ing as people tend to play them with notes.

[nails]

why the fecking hell did you quote the whole bloody text?

[nails]

spot on barxfan, the cashino in question only had £400 in it, amazingly the red hot fever £675 only has a £300 hopper.

the red hot fever i played went wrong! i achieved 2x3x3 of the 7`s and it only payed £300 instead of £450. upon closer inspection, it had actually paid £325 and was now downed to £2 per play and not £2.70

since i know the bloke well, i wasnt going to rant and rave about it, but it definatly paid me £125 short. i exclaimed that i doubt if he would believe me, as i certainly wouldnt. but has anybody else had short payments from this machine??

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