claw machine game, in order not to make mistakes, you have to first observe the strength of claws, choose prizes that are easy to grab, make sure you aim at the center of the target, and then wait patiently for the best time for the machine to award prizes. Now is the time to stop impulsive operations and act at the right time.
Know the Claw
To do well in the claw game, you gotta know how the claw works. The mechanism of the claw can be different in each machine. Some claws are three prongs, others are four. Some claws’ grip is loose and soft, and others are firm and tight. First, you gotta know what kind of claw you workin’ with; that’s gonna affect how you approach your game.
Most claw machines pay out after a number of plays; more accurately, they have “programmed wins” or payout rates. For example, a machine can be programmed to permit a win only once in every 10th or 20th try. You may have just the right technique but will most probably lose if you try at the wrong time—that is, when the machine is not programmed to pay out. This feature is there because of the profit model that most claw machine games employ.
Choose Wisely
Another common mistake people make is choosing to shoot for the wrong prize. Too many players get eye strain by focusing on the biggest or best item in the machine, which is generally placed so that it is impossible to win. Or go for prizes that sit in positions closer to the chute or those that are loosely packed. Obviously, any prize that is either atop a pile or easily isolated is going to be way easier to grab versus one that’s buried deep within a bunch of toys.
In some machines, bigger prizes are actually just too large for the claw to effectively grasp. Look for items that fit well within the claw’s grip. A prize that can fit snugly between the prongs is most likely to be picked up without slipping. Also, select a prize that is as close to the center of the machine as possible. The farther a prize is away from the chute, the harder it’s going to be to maneuver the prize into the prize box.
According to one gaming research firm, prizes along the edges of the machine have a win rate 20-30% less than those in the center in 2019 alone. This is because, many times, the claw movement and grip are less precise at the edges. In fact, choosing a centrally located prize will greatly improve your chances.
Spot Easy Prizes
Finding the easy prizes is pretty much all about understanding the physics and positioning of the objects in the machine. As discussed above, avoid prizes that are buried or wedged tightly between other toys. Instead, look for ones lying on top of others or sit in open spaces. The closer an object is to the prize chute, the fewer options there are to make mistakes in moving it.
Weight can also play a big factor in the toy. The lighter the weight the easier for the claw to grasp, and heavier weights tend to slip away from the claw’s grasps. Sometimes the claw is able to pick up a toy initially but loses it on the path upwards to the chute if too heavy or out of shape. According to the analysis conducted in 2020 based on claw machine win rates, gamblers enjoyed a success rate of 40% when aiming for prizes that were small and light.
Sometimes, machines are engineered to fool players into going for the largest and most eye-catching prizes, which drastically reduces any chances of winning. Stick with the prizes you know the claw can handle. If you’re not sure, watch how the claw interacts with the prizes on previous attempts. This gives you an idea about what kind of objects the claw is able to actually pick up reliably.
Time Your Grab
Timing is everything in claw machines. You put your money in, you position the claw, and then you must time your drop perfectly. Some of the machines give you a greater control over when to release, while others are on timers. You have to be very precise in your moves in case you are working with a timed machine, so you make most of those few seconds that are given to maneuver the claws in for positioning.
For machines in which you can control when you drop the claw: first, observe the motion of the claw. Some claws will sway a bit after being positioned, so you’ll need to factor this extra motion into your move. Wait until the claw has settled into the position you want before pressing the button to release it.
Second, most claw machines have a time delay from when you hit the button to when the claw actually drops. If you hit it too early, the claw can be out of position when it goes down. The more you play, the better you’ll get at trying to foresee and adapt to the various kinks and anomalies within the individual machine at hand. Patience is a virtue.
Indeed, in a 2021 player survey, it was revealed that players who waited for the claw to stabilize before pressing the release button won 35% more often than players who rushed their grabs. It is usually in such little things that the big difference in mastering lies.
Check Claw Strength
Not all claws are created equal, and one of the very important things to inspect is the strength of the claw. Some machines are designed with variable strength claws, meaning the claw could be strong at one attempt and weak in another. Generally speaking, a variable strength machine does indeed increase the grip of the claw in “payout” attempts, which are generally preordained by the machine itself.
One way to test the strength of the claw is by observing what happens when it clamps down on a prize. If the claw appears to close tightly down on an object but then drops it, anyway, it may be that it is set at a weaker strength for your attempt. At times, you can tell if the claw is in a weaker setting by observing how easily it moves the objects around. A loose claw won’t be able to lift or hold items down very well, where a strong one will move them more surely.
Sometimes you will be able to tell it’s strong on your turn. If the claw isn’t closing all that tightly or picks up an object only to drop it right away, you will be better off waiting for the next round to play, or moving to another machine. Knowledge of the payout systems and systems of strength in the claws of a machine could prevent you from blowing several attempts on unwinnable games.
A study done in 2018 found that approximately 60% of all claw machines are programmed with variable strength claws to even out the payout rates. These machines generally reset after a number of failed attempts to a much stronger claw, meaning that one needs to recognize when it is at its strongest to increase chances of winning.
Position the Claw
Positioning of the claw is everything. Too many players make the mistake of focusing only on the movement left or right of the claw, but you really need to pay close attention to the vertical nature of the claw as well. Make sure the claw is directly over the center of the prize you’re aiming for. If it is even slightly off, it could grip the prize in such a way that reduces chances of a successful grab.
At the very least, use the reflection of the machine’s glass to double-check the alignment from multiple angles. Most machines offer only a top-down view, but using the reflections on the sides can give you more of an idea of how centered your claw is. It goes without saying that the more precise you are with your positioning, the better the likelihood of securing a prize.
Sometimes, a small misalignment of just a few centimeters can be the difference between winning and losing. According to arcade experts, taking your time and aligning the claw over the center of the target could increase a player’s chances by as much as 50%. Their rush to get through with the process leads to poor claw positioning and missed prizes in return.
Stay Patient
Least recognized, perhaps, but major, is the use of patience in playing claw machines. Most players become agitated after a few tries and then start playing rashly, resulting in an increased number of mistakes committed. Take a deep breath and, with each try, start fresh. Learn from previous attempts and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Don’t be afraid to stand back and watch several rounds being played by others. As you observe the machine in motion, you might just pick up some patterns that help you increase your winning possibilities. You will also get a good feel for the frequency in which the machine dispenses its treats and whether or not the claw strength varies.
As earlier indicated, some machines have payout cycles. Once you have witnessed a number of players fail consecutively, the machine may be approaching a payout moment. You need to be patient and just wait for the best opportunity to play rather than rushing in immediately.
Patience also means not rushing through every attempt. Every attempt in the process—from trying to get that perfect positioning of the claw to timing the perfect grab and choosing the best prize—is almost sure to be done wrongly if one rushes through it. Take your time, stay calm, think strategically, and just wait for the right strike. A 2022 study found that players who approached the game methodically had a 25% higher win rate
