Claw games are rigged: ABC NEWS

[Bixbyte]

If you've always been the unlucky person who walked away from the arcade empty-handed, take comfort.

The claw game, the popular arcade staple that sucks up your quarters as you attempt to maneuver the hanging claw to grab a stuffed animal or toy, has nothing to do with skill but is all about luck and who's operating it, arcade operators say.

As it turns out, the operators of the machines determine how much they should pay out.

In a conversation on Reddit, a user identifying himself as an arcade owner in central California laid it all out after being asked point-blank whether the machines were rigged.

Under California state regulations, the claw must be strong enough to pick up a prize one in 12 times.
In Nevada it's only required to let the user win one in 15 times.

[Giavella Water]

Shocking...not.

[NJbound]

everyone knows this.. duh

[Polar Cub]

Really !??????
And such great prizes to be had too. I am devastated.

[Rotaryknight]

not so surprising.

Most of the claw games uses air pressure to keep tension on the claw when it picks something up. The operator can lessen the air pressure to the point where the claw wont even hold tension to pick up a piece of paper.