How to Win Any Arcade Claw Machine Game: A Beginner's Guide

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How to beat the claw machine & win awesome prizes

Co-authored by Raven Minyard, BA

Last Updated: November 20, 2024 Fact Checked

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Selecting a Machine

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Grabbing the Prize

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Avoiding Common Mistakes

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Are claw machines rigged?

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Video

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Q&A

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Tips

Claw machines can be a lot of fun to play and even more fun to win. However, if you’ve ever played a claw machine before, you know how hard actually winning a prize can be! Luckily, there are a few tricks to increase your chances of winning. In this article, we’ll teach you everything you need to know to win at a claw machine, including how to choose the best machine, grab your prize, and avoid common mistakes. Plus, find out the answer to something we've all wondered at one point: are claw machines rigged?

Tips to Win Any Claw Machine Game

Choose a machine that’s about half full so the prizes aren’t too tightly packed to grab.
Pick a prize before you put your money in so you don’t waste time deciding.
After lowering the claw, hit the button again to make it grasp the prize better.

Section 1 of 4:

Selecting a Good Machine

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1
Choose a claw machine that isn’t too empty or too tightly packed. Go for a claw machine that looks like it has been recently restocked but isn’t packed so tightly that the prizes will be hard to grab. Ideally, look for prize pits that are about halfway full. This is usually a good sign that the claws have a good grip and will successfully grab prizes.^{[1]
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- Be wary of prize pits where all the stuffed animal prizes are facing outward and look very tightly packed. The prizes in those machines will probably be very hard to pick up, as they’re likely intentionally placed to make them harder to grab than prizes that are lying in more natural positions.
- If you choose a machine that’s too empty, there may not be any good prizes to choose from!
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Use machines with 3-pronged claws for the best results. 3-pronged claws are generally easier to win with than 2-pronged and 4-pronged claws, as they typically grip the prizes better. 4-pronged claws are often good at picking up stuffed animals, though, so they’re a better option than 2-pronged but still not as good as 3-pronged.^{[2]
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- If you’re using a 4-pronged claw to try to grab a stuffed animal, try to maneuver the claw so that the prongs are positioned both above and below the arms, with the central part of the claw close to the neck or chest.
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Watch other players to study how the machine operates. Wait for someone else to play the machine you’re interested in and pay attention to how the machine operates and how difficult it is to pick up a prize.^{[3]
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Research source} Count how many seconds the machine gives the player after they put their money in, as well, and make note of whether the crane is jerky or smooth.
- When the player ahead of you tries to pick up a prize, look to see how loose the grip on the claw is. If it’s a very loose grip and doesn’t hold on to the prizes very well, it may be best to choose a different machine.
Tip: Some claws drift to the right or left when they move up and down. Pay attention to how the claw drifts when the player ahead of you drops it into the prize pit.

Section 2 of 4:

Grabbing the Prize

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1
Pick a prize before putting your money in. Many claw machines only give you so many seconds to pick up a prize, so it’s important to know what you’re going for beforehand. Look for any prizes that appear loose or wobbly, as these will likely be easier to grab. The best prizes are usually the ones near the top of the pile in the center of the prize pit, as they’re easy to grab. Prizes near the drop box are also good options, as the claw doesn’t have to travel as far.^{[4]
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- Note that rounder prizes, like baseballs and footballs, are usually more difficult to pick up than angular objects, like stuffed animals.
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Have a friend stand by the side of the machine to help you. Ask your friend to watch from the sides and help you determine when the claw is directly over the prize you’re going for. This will help you to move your claw into position as quickly as possible and save precious time.^{[5]
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- If you don't have anyone around to help, judge the claw's position by looking at the mirror inside the claw machine.
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Maneuver the claw over to the prize. Do this immediately after you put your money into the machine and try to position the claw over the prize as closely as possible. Pay attention to how much time you have left—spend the last 5 seconds of your time making tiny adjustments to get the claw in the perfect position. This is a great time to have your friend guide you from the side of the machine.^{[6]
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- If you have 15 seconds before the claw drops, spend the first 10 getting the claw into a general position and the last 5 positioning it more precisely. If you have 30 seconds, spend the first 20 seconds moving your claw into the general position.
- Be very careful making your adjustments in the last 5 seconds. Don’t move the claw so much that it’s completely out of position for picking up the prize.
- Don’t rush your moves. Have patience and take your time to get the claw in the right position.
Make sure to press the button that lowers the claw before your time runs out. Otherwise, the claw may automatically drop wherever it is or return to the starting position without dropping at all. Try to ensure the claw is in the best position possible to increase your chances of grabbing the prize.
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Try the double tap method. Some claw machines have a trick that players can use to increase their chances of winning. After hitting the button to drop the claw, quickly tap it again as soon as it’s in the correct position around the prize. This will cause the claw to tighten automatically and pick up the prize. Be careful not to overuse this technique, though, as it can cause the claw to lose its grip.^{[7]
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- Not all machines have this function, so it may require a bit of trial and error to see which ones it will work on.
- Even if the machine does have the double tap function, it doesn’t guarantee you’ll win the prize.
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Try again if you don’t win the first time. Odds are, you won’t get your prize the first time, but the claw may pick it up and move it to a new position that’s easier to grab. Keep trying to move the prizes in the pit around to put the prize you want in a better position.
- For example, if there’s another prize on top of the one you want, use the claw to bump the first prize out of the way so you can access the prize you want more easily.

Section 3 of 4:

Avoiding Common Mistakes

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1
Set a budget for how much money to spend on the machine. Since it will probably take you multiple tries to get the prize you want, it’s easy to end up spending a lot of money without realizing it. To avoid going overboard, aim to spend only a certain amount (per claw machine or in general) and quit trying once you’ve spent that amount.^{[8]
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- In general, your budget should not exceed the actual value of the prize. For example, if the prize you want costs $5, don’t spend more than $5 trying to win it.
Warning: Some claw machines have a variable setting so that the claw only grabs at full strength at certain intervals. It's usually 10 - meaning that every 10 tries the claw will be stronger than usual.
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Watch out for machines with prizes that are too good to be true. If the prizes in the pit look very expensive, that machine is more likely to be rigged. In those instances, trying to win is probably just a waste of money. Instead, look for machines with prizes that make sense, like relatively cheap plushies or plastic toys.^{[9]
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- For example, steer clear of prize pits that feature high-end technology, like smartphones, or prizes that have money wrapped around them.
While it may be tempting, prizes near the windows of the machine tend to be harder to grab with the claw because it will hit the flat surface. Prizes that are close to the floor of the machine (rather than being on top of a pile) are harder for the claw to reach and are more likely to be dropped. If possible, aim for items closer to the drop box to increase your chances of getting a prize, as the claw only has to travel a short distance.^{[10]
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Section 4 of 4:

Are claw machines rigged?

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Many claw machines are rigged to some degree. Think about it—if everyone always won a prize, the claw machines wouldn’t make any money. Many claw machines are programmed so that the claw only has a strong grip part of the time. The owner of the machine can also adjust a profit rate, which means the claw will only grasp prizes after the machine has earned a certain amount of money.^{[11]
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- There isn’t really a good way to know if a machine is rigged beforehand. However, watching someone else play can sometimes give you an idea of what to expect from the machine.

Community Q&A

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Question

Where's the best place to aim the claw when the prizes are tightly packed?

Community Answer

Try to aim towards the middle or, if it's bulky, aim towards the side that is pointing up.

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What do I do if it has two big prongs instead of three or four?

Community Answer

It is very difficult, so try to aim to grab the center of the object, depending on the claw size.

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Question

Do I need to press the drop button, or will it drop automatically?

Community Answer

Sometimes they drop automatically. Once you have the item you want, move the claw over to the dispense hole; it may even move on its own. If it doesn't drop the item, now would be a good time to test it out! Don't test it earlier, or the "game" will be over.

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Tips

Before going for your top prize, first try grabbing some less desirable ones. This helps you learn the machine's quirks.

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

If the claw drops your prize right at the chute, try again — the machine may occasionally grip stronger to finally let you capture it.
Study the claw's grip strength before playing. If it looks weak, aim for lighter prizes at the top that require less strength to lift.
Consider teaming up and taking turns with another player. A second perspective can help perfectly position the claw.
Check for a grip strength control feature. Adjust to use maximum strength for the best chance at capturing a prize.
Pay attention to uneven weight distribution in prizes, as top-heavy or bottom-heavy ones are easier to grab.

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