Quoted from freakmech:
The idea of committing to a purchase before seeing or play a pinball is daunting to a newcomer and its a bummer that I might get to play a pinball I really want to purchase only to see that it was pre-sold.
I would strongly recommend trying to make the focus of your experience playing the games. And, if you find one you like, making an offer on it. I find that every year I go to York or Allentown to buy a game, my experience is dominated by anxiety over whether I’ll find that perfect game for me. And, like you said, whether it will be pre-sold, not for sale, or even sold before I can decide if I want to make an offer. Buying and selling requires a lot of time and attention, and can really pull you away from the core experience. With this being your first show, you might want to consider going in with the mindset that you’re there to play games and have fun and if the planets align and you land a deal on a game you like, even better!