@85vett - I’m not sure I follow you in regards to the pot splitting. The Calcutta prize fund is separate from the tournament prize fund. As for game fixing? Of course anything can happen, but I have never really witnessed in the pool tournament scene.
On a side note its interesting to see that people are split on this idea.
@bkerins - I have only been in the pinball scene for about 2 years and every event I go to I witness side bets, single games bets, etc. I would say gambling in Pinball is on par with pool and golf
@joe - to answer “How does it work for the long shots”, at every pool event there are people they don’t sell at the auction, they are then put in a pool of people called “the field”. So for example if 8 people don’t sell at auction all 8 go into one slot and then the entire field is auctioned off for one bet. If anyone in “the field” places you win, so its a bargain bet.
As for newer people being scared off or whatever, it really has no effect on them. They don’t have to participate in any fashion. Just come play pinball like they normally do. On the flip side, I go to pool events and see plenty of newer shooters playing that still buy themselves at the auction even though the odds of them placing are slim to none.