Cash Grab

Overview:

Cash Grab, also recognized as Go Go Claw, resembles a traditional arcade claw machine but offers cash prizes instead. Contrary to its appearance, the result of a bet is pre-determined upon placing the bet, and the claw element is purely decorative. I encountered this game at the D casino in Las Vegas on July 11, 2021, situated on the second floor.

Rules:

• Bet amounts: $5, $10, $20, $50, or $100.
• Possible prizes vary based on bet amount.
• Each bet amount has its own jackpot with preset and maximum values.
• Jackpot increases by 40% of the bet amount every time the player wins, until reaching maximum.
• Wins are determined randomly by a computer; joystick and buttons are decorative.
• Claw grabs a ball; if player destined to lose, claw drops ball before chute; if destined to win, ball drops into chute, win revealed on screen.
• If claw accidentally releases ball before chute, game retries up to three times, with prize still displayed if unsuccessful.

Evaluation:

Regrettably, the game lacks any data to determine the odds, including win frequency or average win. In Nevada, new games are typically required to maintain a minimum average return of 75%. Given the game’s large size and slow rate of play, it likely operates close to this minimum threshold to optimize revenue per square foot of gaming space.

If you decide to engage with the game, I advise paying attention to the jackpot amounts. For reference, here were the jackpot values on July 11, 2011:

• $5 bet: $1,000
• $10 bet: $1,972
• $20 bet: $2,256
• $50 bet: $3,050
• $100 bet: $5,020

Notably, the jackpots for bets of $20 and above are close to their reset values, suggesting infrequent play at these higher amounts. Only the $5 bet had reached its maximum jackpot value. Thus, if compelled to play, it’s prudent to opt for $5 bets.