You came to the right place if you need help winning tickets on the Deal or No Deal arcade game. This case guessing arcade game, based on the gameshow, may seem like it is all luck whether you will win lots of tickets or not. As you will find out in this article, there are secrets and tips to help you beat it every time.
Cheat the System by Knowing the Case Swapping Pattern Trick
This is the most important tip in this strategy guide.
The cases with the ticket values will be shown at the beginning of the Deal or No Deal game. After it shows what is in each case, the cases will close and then will move and swap around really fast. Once it stops you will have to pick a numbered case.
The trick is if you can follow the highest ticket value case then you can pick it when they stop moving.
This is almost impossible to do without help but there are people who claim they can follow the pattern of the cases moving with just their eyes and pick the jackpot case pretty consistently. But for the average person this is nearly impossible.
To help follow the cases you need to use a phone that can capture in slow motion (most iPhones do now-a-days). Record the cases moving. View the slow motion video back on your phone to try and follow the highest ticket value case.
You only have 10 seconds to pick a case before it picks one for you. This is usually not enough time to watch the slow motion video back to determine the jackpot case. So just pick any random case.
Take your time picking cases on the first round until you have enough time to watch the slow motion video back.
This allows you to know what number case has the big ticket value. As you go through the Deal or No Deal rounds you will want to pick cases that aren’t this number to eliminate the small value cases.
Eventually you will get to the last round and there will only be two cases left. If you followed the case swapping pattern correctly then there should be the highest ticket case left and then another random case that you picked at the beginning.
Just accept the last ticket offer. This offer should be a lot of tickets because the high ticket case is still there.
You should get at least half of whatever the highest value case is if you do this slow motion case following trick. For example, if you picked the lowest value case, it should be that case and the 500 ticket case left at the end. The banker should offer you around 250 tickets in this example.
Remember that 250 tickets is the minimum amount you can win with this trick. If you are lucky you can win more tickets. If you go for the double deal you should win around 400 tickets each play on average.
Choose the Double Deal to Win the Most Tickets
Another simple tip for Deal or No Deal is to always spend more chips for the double deal.
The double deal allows you to spend twice as many chips to play with ticket values that are doubled.
Usually the highest ticket case is 250 tickets. But if you pick the double deal at the beginning of the game then the highest case would be 500 tickets.
This tip just saves time and effort for you.
It lets you win more per game played. Deal or No Deal takes a long time to play through the entire game compared to other arcade games.
Because you know the slow motion video trick you should get the higher end of ticket values. So you might as well spend more to win more.
Know the Difference Between the Mega Spin Deal or No Deal Game
There are two different versions of Deal or No Deal arcade machines. One has a Mega Spin wheel on the top of it. The other is the original one without this wheel.
Dave and Buster’s has the Deal or No Deal without the Mega Spin. It is more likely that you will find the Mega Spin version at another arcade location but they are quite less common than the original.
If you come across this version of the game then it is important to know the similarities and differences so you know the best ways to win tickets.
The Mega Spin case pattern does not overlap cases but is a lot harder to follow than the Deal or No Deal game without the Mega Spin. The Mega Spin cases move faster and switch directions quickly.
The Mega Spin case swapping also lasts a few seconds longer, making it take longer for you to watch the slow motion video back on your phone.
It is still possible to follow the largest jackpot amount in slow motion but it is just more difficult.
The highest case value when going for the double deal on the Mega Spin version is 400 tickets, compared to the 500 tickets from the original Deal or No Deal.
Though, if you picked the 400 ticket case at the end you will have the option to do the Mega Spin. This Mega Spin wheel has ticket values from 100 to 2000 tickets. It takes a lot of luck to win 2000 tickets as there are more lower value ticket amounts and only one 2000 ticket slot on the Mega Spin.
Of course with the slow motion case following trick it does not give you enough time to watch the video and pick your first case. So you most likely will not get the Mega Spin and will more often split the tickets with the last two cases left (like I mentioned before).
Watch this video from JJGeneral1 Arcade to visualize the differences in these two different Deal or No Deal arcade game versions.
Be Familiar with the Settings in the Deal or No Deal Manual
Arcades can change certain settings on arcade games. By looking at the manual you can see exactly what things can be changed so you can know if the Deal or No Deal machine you are playing is using default settings or something completely different.
Most of the time the games at Dave and Buster’s will be on default settings. But it can always be changed to make the game harder to beat or give out less tickets.
The Game Start Cost
At Dave and Buster’s it costs 7.7 chips for a normal game and 15.4 chips for a double deal game.
The Ticket Values
The default for the highest case for a double deal is 500 tickets. Depending on where you play, it can also be 800 or 1000 tickets.
The Case Shuffle Speed
This is really important for the slow motion cheat. They could make it really difficult to follow the jackpot case if they increased the speed by a lot. Most of the time it will be the default speed which is “100%”.
The Countdown Timer
This timer is “the amount of time that the user has to make an input before the game makes an auto-input”. The default time is 10 seconds. It can range from 3 – 20 seconds. This is also important to know when it comes to the phone trick because if it is only 3 seconds it can make it almost impossible to watch the slow motion video completely through before you get to the final round.
Summary
The winning trick: Record the case swapping in slow motion. Watch it back to know what case has the biggest ticket amount.
It is debatable as to how moral this tip is. Some might say this is a cheat or “hack”.
Either way you should be respectful at the arcade. If an arcade tech or manager catches you filming the case pattern in slow motion and asks you to stop then you should listen to them and stop.
Do not abuse this trick. Win only a few times. If you do this trick all day long then the arcade location will notice and either have to get rid of the Deal or No Deal game or nerf it.
Remember to play other games and have fun at the arcade!
Learn more about arcade etiquette…
Or how to save money playing arcade games at Dave and Buster’s