11 rigged carnival games you can’t win (and you might win)

The real “game” of the carnival is where the owner tries to separate Mark from his money and the game operator plays it every day of the day, so I give Pitchman / Barker a top priority.

Most carnival and amusement park game operators are boring teens who don’t really care what you’re doing, but occasionally modest Conman is working on these games. If the game operator starts offering a special deal if you play another game, change the price, or talk to him in some other way, walk in the opposite direction. Some of these people are skilled manipulators who can separate people from money without them knowing it. for example, This British guy who lost his savings in a carnival game. (But he won a huge stuffed banana with dreadlocks.)

If you feel fooled by the carnival game operator, you don’t have to accept the defeat. If you’re in an amusement park, track the park’s office and tell them what happened. If it’s on the promenade, there’s no doubt that the government agency keeps the vendor honest. If it happens at a nocturnal carnival, you may be out of luck, but you can also complain to the carnival owner or the local police. The “authority” will probably be on your side over Kearney.