Quoted from examiner:

Re-think your technique.

If the ball is teetering on the right outlane, give the machine a whack (OK, gentle nudge) on the left side of the machine.

Seems counter-intuitive I know, but think of it this way - when you nudge, you aren't really changing the trajectory of the ball. You are briefly (during the actual moment of the nudge) changing the angle/orientation of the playfield.

So if the ball is hanging on a right outlane - and you nudge from the right side - you are moving the playfield to the left - which will cause your ball to seem to be moving more to the right - which will cause a drain down the outlane. Make sense?

Quoted from NimblePin:

No Simon... Think physics.
Think of it like pulling the rug from under someone's feet...
If you pull from the right side of the rug, they fall left.
Left- they fall right.
You are just adding/taking away the playfield underneath the balls path, which usually is about a split second when it is rolling! As it stalls on the out-lane post you usually have a full second. (Unless the ball has some extreme spin on it...)
It usually has to be a smooth swift/short motion so that you don't start moving the TILT weight needlessly. Shaking is a no-no...
Bang Backs are also a BIG NO-NO! Especially at my house... If you drained or out-laned even with the nudge, it was just meant to be...
Just let it go- become a "Pinball Psychic" at the preventative "nudging" measures first.
You will amaze friends! Make new ones and stay classy ALL at the same tim

Quoted from bbozzy:

I am very polite on other people's games. However, on my games at home the first thing I do is take off the plumb bob. If it's bouncing around the outlane, I'll Nudge it proper to get the ball going where I want it to go

Quoted from BLACK_ROSE:

I Don't Nudge or Move the Pin @ All... I've seen Player's Shake and Hump a Pin while Play-n , the ball is gonna go where it's gonna go.. Humping a Pin,, Check out Billy bob,, excuse the munchkin's language ...