At this point in life if you don’t know that carnival games are stacked against the players then you’re living a life of bliss where such games are winnable but are just that difficult. And if you believe that then I’ve got a spare rollercoaster to sell you. The idea that carnival games are tipped in the favor of the carnival is nothing new. It’s been this way for so long that people have likely opted to forget about it and just play for the fun of it. And that’s perfectly okay, it’s one of the things that you go to a carnival for, but it’s important to know just what you’re getting into so that you don’t go wasting your life savings just to get your child or sweetheart a toy that will be forgotten in the next few days and could have been just as easily purchased on Amazon for much less.
There are basically three types of games at a carnival, the random chance games, the skill-based games, and the impossible games.
The random chance games are those that offer a certain percentage of success so long as you play the odds. The tossing the ball in the cup games are set up to be as random as it gets as you lob your ball towards the rows upon rows of cups and hope that a lucky bounce will afford you a much better prize. Plinko is another game that offers a random chance to win thanks to the manner in which it’s set up. If you want to play a game that takes minimal skill and is just fun simply because there’s a chance to win then these are the games for you. But keep in mind that the prize you’re going after costs a fraction of the money you’re putting into each turn. What might cost you a dollar or more is costing the carnival less than fifty cents.
Skill-based games are a little harder and in some cases a little more fun since they give people a chance to show off and display the kind of skills they actually have, or think they have. The basketball shot is fairly simple and should be easily accomplished by most athletes that have a wicked jump shot. But the trick here is that not only are the hoops up about a foot from regulation, the distance from the hoop is greater as well. Unless you’re that confident in your shot to be able to tell the difference this is a no-win scenario.
A good example of the impossible games is the rope ladder climb. Think about how a ladder functions. A regular ladder will normally have two points of contact on each end to afford a greater measure of stability. The typical rope ladder climb in a carnival will offer only one point of contact on each end. People tend to forget that when walking across a rope bridge, which is essentially what this is, the more stable it is the better since your center of mass won’t have to shift as much to stay in line. Trying to do this with only one point of contact on either end is like trying to walk a tight rope, but the difference here is that the tight rope is elevated and designed to move if you shift even less than an inch to either side.
Don’t let this discourage you from going to a carnival, after all they’re designed to entertain and be a lot of fun for everyone. But if you’re going to play the games just know that the game has been rigged well ahead of time and your chances of winning are a lot better if you know how the game works.
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