Is a known issue, they fixed it with later models using finger guards. The metal between the targets makes it less likely that the ball gets stuck, this part is unobtainable, I hope that someone designs a 3D printed one.

We used to have this issue with ours but we fixed it somehow... can't remember.

stevevt do you remember?

I have an original 81 model and the ball has never once gotten stuck between the downed targets since I've owned it for 30+ years. And I don't see any finger guards on it. You say the targets look as if they are sitting too low. On mine the bottom shelf of the drop target unit is adjustable up and down via slots in the shelf where the four screws mount, so you can raise/lower the 'down' position of the targets, you might check that out on yours. If the targets are too low I can see where the ball could easily get stuck.

If your targets really are too low and that is causing your issue, you could just remove the shelf and add a long thin shim of whatever material (metal, layers of thick tape etc.) to raise the targets. Me? I'd just lengthen the shelf holes vertically a little with a dremel so it's like the adjustable version and I'm not messing with different thicknesses of shimming and then attaching it.

The 81 ones aren't adjustable. I used a piece of cardboard to shim mine up although they didn't need it, I just wanted to bring them up a tad.

If that's true then somebody must've installed a newer bank in mine, it has the slots. Or maybe the whole playfield was out of an LE that had socketed lamps, I dunno. I swapped in a new pf after I got it anyway.

it's definitely true that the original '81s weren't adjustable. I have a hardtop on my '81 EBD which causes a slow-moving ball on the right trajectory to occasionally get stuck.

I'll be undertaking the shim option to slightly raise the downed drop targets sometime this summer. Should I find a later version drop target bank for sale as parts, I'd definitely pick it up and swap into my game

Same issue:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/eight-ball-deluxe-owner-club-guests-welcome-as-well/page/32#post-4168545

And someone who made a solution:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/eight-ball-deluxe-owner-club-guests-welcome-as-well/page/32#post-4170753

Let me know if you find that part, I also need it.

Those fingers are nice but on mine just having the targets at the right level works for me, however one chooses to do it. Yes I can purposely place the ball between two downed targets and get it to stick there but I can't remember it ever happening during play, it's a very tiny and precarious perch. Versus say a ball getting hung at the top of a pop bumper ring and having to shake it loose, not so rare. I cannot get a ball to stick between a downed target and one that's up. The tops of the targets seem to have a slight downward slant to them too which helps.