Expert: Rodger Knutson - 7/23/2008

Question
Hi Roger,
I am trying to find more info on a slot machine I own. It's a Ballys 742A series with a "Money Mouse" theme (looks similar to Mickey Mouse). I think it's an electro-magnetic slot machine. The stamped plate reads: Bally (and Lion) mfg; 742A-307A. I'd send a pix but I'm not that computer-literate yet (I'm sure my kids know how to). Any info would be appreciated as I know very little about it other than how to turn it on and play it! Thanks in advance. Dave

Answer
Hi Dave,

Interesting machine I would love to see a photo of it. Bally came out with the model 742A in 1964, in this model they placed different games and configurations, the model 742A was the machine, so your model 742A-307A was a Bally model 742A and the game that was installed was a 307A. I never heard of this game, it could even be a foreign game, as this model ended up everywhere. It does sound like a really cool game and I would love to see a photo of it, if possible. If you can send a photo sometime, send it to jackpot7@ix.netcom.com The 742A was a milestone for Bally, it was the first model with a hopper which allowed for large payouts. Also this was a Electro/Mechanical game meaning no P.C. boards but still needed power to operate. Games before this model used coin tubes for payouts and could only hold so many coins, and coin slides. The hopper allowed the machine a way to slice coins out of a bucket which could hold hundreds of coins. The Famous Money Honey is a game that was placed in the model 742A, and was one of the hottest models in this model.
Thank You
Rodger

New after seeing photo's:

Hi Dave

I see that you rated me good but were less then thrilled at the knowledge I shared with you. This is hard when you don't send photo's, as your photo's told me everything. Your game kit was not made by bally, it was made to the home market, the Plack or marque on front even tells you this this game is for home use only, and you never told me that. Someone, I haven't a clue who that someone would be, had this kit made. Maybe SUN graphics in Reno as they make tons of custom kits, who knows but it might say on the edge of the glass somewhere. They also made the award card, reel strips, and all the glass. If you look at it you can even tell this is not the kind of game they made just shy of 30 years ago. It's looks new and exciting, because it is new. If you find the kit maker on the glass somewhere I would enjoy knowing who made the kit. Maybe where you bought it they could tell you, but this is not a bally game kit, you have a Bally model 742-A with an after market game kit installed on it.
Thanks for the photo's, without photo's it makes my job very hard, and I get rated to doing the impossible sometimes.
Rodger