Five Carnival Games That Are Usually Fixed

We're well into carnival and fair season here in the QCA and for some the call of the games is almost irresistible. Don't let the carnies fool you into leaving all your money on the midway, these games are commonly fixed against you.

1. Knock Over the Milk Bottles. This is a straightforward game, just throw a softball and knock down three milk bottles in a pyramid. The bottles on the bottom are usually filled with lead and can weigh ten pounds. The softball you're using might be filled with cork too, that makes them lighter.
2. Balloon Dart Throw. The darts that are used to pop the balloons are dulled and often lighter than store-bought ones. The balloons themselves are under-inflated making them tough to pop. The different colors help distract the player.
3. Free Throw. What's easier than shooting some hoops? Most anything is with the hoops that carnies use. The rims are smaller than regulation ones and are bent into oblong shapes, that makes them look larger in the front. Combining the hoops with over-inflated balls means that there is only a half-inch margin of error.
4. Ring Toss. The rings that players are allowed to use are just barely wide enough to go on the bottlenecks. They're also made of hard plastic making them likely to bounce.
5. Ball Bounce. Bouncing a ball off a vertical board into a basket is made difficult thanks to a hidden spring that bounces the balls out.

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