You added Wisconsin and left off Minnesota? I think you need to try again for a "More Improved" poll. Third times a charm?

!!!!facepalm.jpg

Where's Hawaii?

C'mon, no Ohio? Can't take this seriously at all.. hell, we even have more active leagues than michigan right now. Second the facepalm...

We also have Choggard!

Like a map divided into color coded sections. States could then be grouped together.

Mar24-s.png

Well, I know who voted for Texas...not like he's biased or anything..

All I know is if Texas was the best state for pinball, there wouldn't be any bloody excuse for there only being three people other than my wife and I that show up for league nights here in Dallas. JUST SAYING!

Voted for Illinois here. PA and MI are great pinball states as well, but all the major manufacturers and parts makers were and for the most part still are in Chicago. Plus the Chi-town Expo sounds like an awesome event. Heck, even Robin's going.

Good point, Pinfidel...almost makes me sorry I voted for PA. But it's got Allentown, York, and of course, PAPA. That's 2 and 1/2 major events in one state. And it's close to JJP!

Sorry, OP. Michigan isn't going to win this one. But chin up...it's still better than Jersey. Our state is known for drunken hoes.

So we just vote for where we live, right?

-mof

The attendance of one league in DFW is not really indicative of the entire state of Texas, IMHO.

Pinball perks of Texas include:

Incredible DFW collections that are routinely made available via pinball parties
Outstanding Pinball Tech Gurus such as Evan Smith, Erron Porter & Chris Munson.
Outstanding EM & Classic restoration artists like Bill Morrison, Keith Holbrook and Ken Head.
The Texas Pinball Festival
Cinemark 17 Arcade in Dallas, TX
Nickelrama Arcade in Garland, TX
Incredible Houston collections that are routinely shared between pinball friends
The Game Preserve in Houston, TX
Lone Star Pinball Museum in Hockley, TX
Houston Arcade & Pinball Expo
Incredible Austin collections that are routinely shared.
Pinballz in Austin, TX
Pinballz Kingdom in Buda, TX
Buffalo Billiards in Austin, TX
Bat City Pinball Players who are actively traveling the world in search of pinball tournaments.

These are just a few of the perks available to Texas Players.

Marcus

Well, after I rallied the troops to vote on the other poll, this one comes up.

Can I vote for Colorado and Wisconsin? I'm kind of torn

Looks like this is just a glorified "where do you live?" poll. Homers everywhere.

I voted Michigan.

The New England area has lots of great pinball places.

Hey! Not me. I live in Louisiana. No LA vote by me. I voted for Texas.

Hey you guys in west LA seem a little better off than us at least. I don't know anyone around me into pins.

We all know I'm a tourney guy, so a lot of this is a moot point. I just don't care all that much about locations for the sake of locations. I want to play against other people, not fly solo all the time. I'm never going to take a trip to Austin JUST to go to Pinballz to play some games. We're up against a wall in Dallas. Even when people organize tournaments, it's like there's always some dumb crap that happens. Fire alarms get pulled three times at Cinemark, we get socked with a huge ice storm and nobody wanted to drive in it, EVERYONE signs up for league night and NOBODY shows up month...after month......after MONTH. Even still, I get my opinion, you get yours, and I voted accordingly. Market here sucks too unless you've got an inside angle, but I'm too young to know old ops, too poor to buy retail. Just my take.

Once I get to the Lone Star Pinball Museum and HAAG, I'm pretty much over this state, really.

We're pretty much over your state, too.

...except when the Dallas Cowboys start a new season. Prediction: Last game of the season. Win and they're in. Lose and they'll go home.

They'll lose. (I've been a fan since the mid 70s).

Wait Texas is a state? I thought we were a country?

Ken
Www.pinballrebel.com

WA absolutely needs to be on this list. Numerous awesome fan/collector/player-run locations (Full Tilt Ice Cream with 3 locations, Add-a-Ball, John John's Gameroom, Dorky's, Seattle Pinball Museum, Flip Flip Ding Ding, Another Castle, Shorty's, Vidiot, etc), at least 4 weekly tournaments, a thriving monthly league, nearly constant full-point WPPR tournaments on weekends, tons of collectors/pinball parties and gatherings, the huge NW Pinball and Arcade show, the annual NW Pinball Championships, and so much more. There is something going on somewhere in the pinball scene practically every day/night here.

I was born here. Was a fan during the good years in the 90's, and lost all interest when Carolina came into play. I could care less about the Cowboys lol.. the Rangers on the other hand...now they are currently providing some prime entertainment LOL.

Pyramid Scheme is really what got me into pinball as an adult. The machines are such high quality games, so well maintained and $0.50 a play. I am going to try to get up to The Arcade in Brighton soon, as well as Marvin Marvelous Mechanical Museum.

God bless Texas!

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You missed NJ...we have the Silverball Museum, Jersey Jack Pinball, Yestercades, etc. If you listen to Coast to Coast Pinball, you will hear Nate talk about his trips to many of those places!

Illinois is the home of pinball. Every pinball machine worth owning was made in Chicago. Add to that the awesome arcades and bars that still feature pinball, the International Pinball Expo, and the level of enthusiasm throughout the state.

No other state is even in the same league.

BAO!?

I can't disagree with most of that, but I voted for Oregon, specifically because of the crazy saturation of location machines in Portland, and their leagues. Portland is tiny compared to Chicago, yet it has many more places to play pinball. According to Pinball Map, the Portland area has 251 locations and 578 machines. Chicagoland has 183 locations and 401 machines.

In downstate Illinois, it's hard to find pinball, and with legalized gambling machines, it's even harder these days. I operate a small route here in town just to satisfy demand and support the local league. I also administer the Champaign region of Pinball Map, which is actually the lower 3/4 of Illinois (south of Interstate 80) and some surrounding areas that don't have a regional map to support them.

Illinois, despite its horribly screwed up government and crooked politicians, is still great because of the people. And there are a lot of pinball people in this state. Emporium just opened up a second location in Chicago with different concept than a plain barcade, but it still features pinball:
http://www.chicagomag.com/dining-drinking/July-2014/SOTS-Emporium-Logan-Square/

Here is a list of current and future barcades:
http://articles.redeyechicago.com/2014-04-14/news/49133231_1_emporium-arcade-bar-barcade-danny-marks/2

And some random pinball place in Joliet that just opened:
http://www.jolietpinball.com/

-Mark

You forgot Joystix in Houston (http://www.joystixamusements.com/).

You'd like Joystix. They have $15 all you can play (everything on free play) twice a month. Oh, there's an attached bar, and they encourage you to drink and play. FUN!

And while I'd love to play in your leagues, the 4+ hour drive to Dallas kinda kills that for me.

I am sure there are parts of Oregon outside of Portland where you can't even find a pinball machine, much less supporting a league. Objectively, it is difficult to argue a case against Illinois being the "All-time Greatest State for Pinball." If not for Illinois, I am fairly certain that Pinside would not exist. If not for Illinois, I am pretty sure the hobby would not exist.

If the title of the thread was "Best state to play on location, or Best state for tournaments" there are 2 or 3 other cities I would vote for.

Yes, I am from Illinois and I am biased.

I voted PA mainly just because of PAPA and the HUGE attendance of the Pittsburgh Pinball League. Just so you guys know, in Alabama pinball is doing well. We have a thriving league in the MCPL, plus we have one great location called BumperNets. Around 30 pins and at least that many video games, plus pool, ping-pong and air-hockey. Lots of local collections of 5-20 pins. Plus we have the Atlanta guys right next door and they are always hosting some type of competition.

In California's defense, it has PAGG, CAX, and a few nice year round pinball options. Plus, I've been to RVDV's home, and his collection alone deserves a vote. Jim Belsito and Keith Elwin and Andre Massenkoff live here, among other badasses. Finally, we get Vegas and the PHOF by rule of proximity. California uber alles!

If not California, then Illinois for obvious reasons, with Pennsylvania coming in as the third option.

Which states have Ohio pinball fans been voting for? Or are many of you abstaining from voting in protest?

In the middle of the Pacific Ocean???

Florida has a lot going on.
glwts

Huh? I live in Roxana, IL less than a mile away from CP Pinball in South Roxana. One of the largest pinball arcades in the country.

Why stop at the state level? We should go best city.

I vote Union City.

Almost as many pinball machines as people.

I started my decent into Pinball collecting after my divorce about 3 years ago. Of all the pinball machines to begin with, I started with a Spectra IV. As I worked on the machine I learned about the mistakes that everyone makes starting out (Just cause you can turn the head lights on doesn't mean that POS Dodge will run!) and along the way I found a fantastic group of people here in my home state of TEXAS. I'm sure there are great pinball people in every state but the guys and gals here gave me to confidence to initiate a business where we could share of love of the machines.

In January of 2012 we opened The Game Preserve since that time I have met so many awesome people. It is these great people that gave us (the owners) the confidence to increase our personal risk and move to a new location and more than quadruple our space and expenses. As our success continues, we see our names pop up on BBS threads, Facebook post and hear it mentioned in passing at the various Expos, Festivals and Palloozas.

It is because of these great people more than the availability of games that make Texas the very best in Pinball. To all my fellow Texas Pinball fanatics, groupies and friends I extend my honest heartfelt thanks.

Rusty

+1 for UC!

I voted Illinois.....

I prefer private collections so it is a toss up between you and one other midwesterner. Do you have a Goin Nuts?

Hands down...I say the Midwest is the best.

Between Michigan, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Ohio and Indiana...there's a lot of awesome collectors, shows, and people with nothing better to do than mess with pins.

(Is Minnesota in the Midwest, too? If so...that's another point for us. I can never remember if Minnesota is considered to be in the Midwest, the North, or Canada).

Pete

I voted PA. I mean PAPA, Cointaker, the Heatherly's, and Derek(musketD) how can you go wrong?? Although in reality the best US state for pinball is Illinois but I am biased.

Really strange to see Washington left of the list. Oh well, Oregon loves when they get to win at anything.

The Carolinas seem to have their share of pinball enthusiasts embracing the hobby as well.

I used to live in PA and know what you are talking about.

Michigan. Clearly Michigan.

So, a guy named T Montana starts this thread and doesn't put "Montana" in his poll?

Madness.