# Episode 95 - Gottlieb Watch My Line **Source:** For Amusement Only EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast **Type:** podcast_episode **Published:** 2015-06-14 **Duration:** 6m 35s **Beat:** Pinball **URL:** https://foramusementonly.libsyn.com/episode-95-gottlieb-watch-my-line --- ## Analysis Episode 95 of For Amusement Only explores Gottlieb's 1951 bingo-style game "Watch My Line," examining the tension between Alvin Gottlieb's public stance against gambling-oriented amusement devices and the company's production of a game with clear bingo mechanics. The episode analyzes the game's playfield design, bingo card structure, replay payouts, and a fascinating service bulletin documenting operators' modifications to make the game more liberal, revealing the gap between Gottlieb's stated values and market realities. ### Key Claims - [HIGH] Alvin Gottlieb was very vocal about amusement devices not being used for gambling purposes and promoted a healthy image of pinball. — _Nicholas (host), opening statement about Gottlieb's public positioning_ - [HIGH] Watch My Line was made in 1951 by the team of Harry Mabs with art by Roy Parker. — _Nicholas describing the game's creation and credits_ - [HIGH] The game featured a three-rows-by-five-digits bingo card (15 numbers total) with corresponding trap holes on the playfield. — _Nicholas detailing the bingo card structure_ - [HIGH] The game awarded only four replays for winning three in a row, representing poor risk-versus-reward for players. — _Nicholas analyzing the payout structure_ - [HIGH] Operators were drilling through the out ball catch plate to allow players to shoot balls back into play, similar to Bally Bingo or United Bingo. — _Service bulletin from Alvin G. and Company quoted by Nicholas_ - [HIGH] Gottlieb's service bulletin offered a modification to reduce payouts from four replays to three when operators opened the out hole. — _Direct quote from Alvin G. and Company service bulletin_ - [MEDIUM] The game's maximum potential for gambling was limited due to the low replay payouts. — _Nicholas's analysis concluding the low payout structure limited gambling potential_ ### Notable Quotes > "Alvin Gottlieb was very vocal about amusement devices not being used for gambling purposes. They did quite a bit to promote the healthy image of pinball and other amusement devices and tended to shy away from the games that could have a negative connotation attached." > — **Nicholas (host)**, opening > _Establishes the historical context and tension at the heart of the episode—Gottlieb's public anti-gambling stance._ > "It's a traditional figure eight style that was used in early games from the thirties. It's got a lot of posts that are placed in order to discourage the ball from going into certain holes." > — **Nicholas (host)**, mid-opening > _Describes the throwback playfield design philosophy used in Watch My Line._ > "The risk versus reward, it's quite a lot more risk than there is reward." > — **Nicholas (host)**, design analysis > _Critiques the game's payout structure as unfavorable to players._ > "We have not put out any sort of a conversion for the Watch My Line machine. However, it's come to our attention that many operators have drilled off the plate that catches the ball in the out, thus allowing the player to get back any ball that goes into out hole." > — **Alvin G. and Company (via service bulletin)**, service bulletin quote > _Reveals that operators were actively modifying the game in ways Gottlieb was aware of, suggesting the base game was too difficult or restrictive._ > "Of course, this makes the game more liberal and they cut down the winnings by opening the payoff switch on the motor. On the enclosed schematic circuit, I've indicated with a red arrow the switch that can be opened to cut the payoff from four free games to three free games." > — **Alvin G. and Company (via service bulletin)**, service bulletin quote > _Shows Gottlieb officially acknowledging the trade-off between ball save and payout reduction, indicating tacit acceptance of operator modifications._ > "So you put in five cents and you win fifteen. Big deal." > — **Nicholas (host)**, payout analysis > _Sarcastic comment on the low reward for winning, emphasizing the poor player value proposition._ > "This looks like one of those games that would be really neat to have in your collection because it's so anti-Gottlieb stance later on." > — **Nicholas (host)**, collecting perspective > _Highlights the collector appeal of the game as a historical curiosity that contradicts Gottlieb's later positioning._ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | Alvin Gottlieb | person | Founder/leader of Alvin G. and Company; historically vocal about amusement devices not being used for gambling; made Watch My Line in 1951 despite anti-gambling stance. | | Harry Mabs | person | Designer/team member credited with creating Watch My Line (1951). | | Roy Parker | person | Artist credited with artwork on Watch My Line (1951). | | Watch My Line | game | 1951 Gottlieb bingo-style pinball game featuring five balls, a 3x5 bingo card, trap holes, and figure-eight playfield design. Maximum payout: four replays for three in a row. | | Alvin G. and Company | company | Gottlieb's manufacturing company; issued service bulletin for Watch My Line regarding operator modifications. | | Bally Bingo | game | Competitive bingo pinball game referenced as similar in operation to modified Watch My Line. | | United Bingo | game | Competitive bingo pinball game referenced as similar in operation to modified Watch My Line. | | Nicholas | person | Host of For Amusement Only podcast; provides analysis and narration for Episode 95. | | John Popadiuk | person | Pinball industry figure; credited as producer/creator of For Amusement Only; appears in closing. | | For Amusement Only | organization | Podcast focused on EM and Bingo Pinball history; Episode 95 examines Gottlieb's Watch My Line. | | Internet Pinball Database | organization | Archive resource referenced as source for service bulletin documentation on Watch My Line. | ### Topics - **Primary:** Gottlieb's historical stance on gambling and amusement devices, Bingo-style pinball games and mechanics, Watch My Line playfield design and gameplay, Operator modifications and market realities vs. manufacturer intent - **Secondary:** EM pinball game design and rule structure, Historical pinball service bulletins and documentation, Collector appeal of historically contradictory games ### Sentiment **Neutral** (0.5) — The host presents factual, educational analysis of a historical game with mild critical observations about poor payout structure and ironic appreciation for the game as a collector's curiosity. No strong emotional tone; tone is informative and slightly wry. ### Signals - **[historical_signal]** Gottlieb's production of a bingo-gambling game (Watch My Line, 1951) directly contradicts the company's well-documented public stance against gambling-oriented amusement devices. (confidence: high) — Nicholas's opening statement contrasts Gottlieb's anti-gambling positioning with the existence of Watch My Line; service bulletin shows official awareness of operator modifications to increase liberal play. - **[operational_signal]** Operators systematically drilled through the out-ball catch plate on Watch My Line to allow players to continue play, circumventing the game's restrictive design. (confidence: high) — Service bulletin explicitly states: 'many operators have drilled off the plate that catches the ball in the out, thus allowing the player to get back any ball that goes into out hole.' - **[design_philosophy]** Watch My Line featured deliberately poor risk-versus-reward (only 4 replays for completing bingo), suggesting Gottlieb intentionally limited gambling potential despite using bingo mechanics. (confidence: high) — Nicholas's analysis: 'The risk versus reward, it's quite a lot more risk than there is reward' and 'there's not a huge potential for the player to actually gamble on this thing if you're only winning a max of four replays.' - **[collector_signal]** Watch My Line has collector appeal precisely because it represents a contradiction in Gottlieb's corporate values, making it an interesting historical artifact. (confidence: medium) — Nicholas: 'This looks like one of those games that would be really neat to have in your collection because it's so anti-Gottlieb stance later on.' - **[market_signal]** Gottlieb's service bulletin offered operators a choice: maintain original low payout (4 replays) with restrictive play, or reduce payout further (3 replays) if allowing more liberal ball save. (confidence: high) — Service bulletin specifies modification to 'cut the payoff from four free games to three free games' when opening the payoff switch to allow out-ball recovery. - **[design_innovation]** Watch My Line used a deliberate throwback to 1930s figure-eight playfield design with restrictive post placement, intended to increase difficulty and skill requirement. (confidence: high) — Nicholas: 'It's a traditional figure eight style that was used in early games from the thirties. It's got a lot of posts that are placed in order to discourage the ball from going into certain holes.' - **[regulatory_signal]** Gottlieb's documented anti-gambling public stance (promoting healthy image of amusement devices) was a strategic positioning against regulatory and social pressure regarding pinball gambling associations. (confidence: high) — Nicholas opening: 'Alvin Gottlieb was very vocal about amusement devices not being used for gambling purposes. They did quite a bit to promote the healthy image of pinball and other amusement devices and tended to shy away from the games that could have a negative connotation attached.' --- ## Transcript What's that sound? It's 4 Amusement Only, the EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast. Welcome back to 4 Amusement Only. This is Nicholas Baldridge. Gottlieb was very vocal about amusement devices not being used for gambling purposes. They did quite a bit in the industry I'm sorry to try to promote the healthy image of pinball and other amusement devices and tended to shy away from games that could have a negative connotation attached however in 1951 Godly made a bingo style game this is a game that had five balls A bingo card in the backbox and trap holes. This game is called Watch My Line and it was made by the team of Harry Mabs with art by Roy Parker. Now this game used a throwback style playfield. It's a traditional figure eight style that was used in early games from the thirties 3 cultivative in of posts that are placed in order to discourage the ball from going in certain holes uh it would require a very skilled player to nudge them into particular holes uh... and there are holes in the center of each of the eights which are fairly desirable positions the bingo card in this case is three rows of five digits so you have a total of fifteen numbers each one with a corresponding trap Hole on the playfield anyone light three consecutive numbers either vertically or horizontally in order to win interestingly enough this game only awarded four replays for the very difficult task of getting three in a row the risk versus reward it's it's quite a lot more risk than there is reward what's also fascinating is that there is a service bulletin which is scanned in ipdb for this game from godly That says, We have not put out any sort of a conversion for the Watch My Line machine. However, it's come to our attention that many operators have drilled off the plate that catches the ball in the out thus allowing the player to get back any ball that goes into out hole Of course this makes the game more liberal and they cut down the winnings by opening the payoff switch on the motor On the enclosed schematic circuit I've indicated with a red arrow the switch that can be opened to cut the payoff from four free games to three free games. Of course the scorecards would have to be changed accordingly. Sincerely yours, D. Gottlieb and Company. Now, a few things about this are really interesting. First of all, operators were drilling through the plate that caught out balls, you know, balls that didn't land in a particular trap hole. This made it operate very similarly to our friend the Bally bingo or the United bingo Because it would allow you to shoot that ball back into play. Now the other interesting thing about this is that when they open that payoff switch they reduce the winnings from four replays to three. You get the ability to get your ball back but you're only winning three replays for your coin. So you put in five cents and you win fifteen. Big freakin' deal. I find this really interesting. This looks like one of those games that would be really neat to have in your collection because it's so anti Gottlieb stance later on especially but they were so very vocal about these gambling machines It just interesting to see the ones that they made But I will say there not a huge potential for the player to actually gamble on this thing If you only winning a max of four replays Nori speakers argumentate, but Mission Translator, Kanti K themeshi computational, Nekokai, G labour Maint, and difnithely gimxirichtoryleg merok saf Inclusive Apple, speaking classical English, pronunciation from English, does not automatically form rivals cophththeyresdiper Facultyht Ozuccipal Șito Pre 좋아하 Meaning and Slickkin Pull chitحت I'm John Papadiuk, and I'll see you next week. _(Acquisition: groq_whisper, Enrichment: v3)_ --- *Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 4be6b678-b0ac-40fe-aa01-ba5604b13327*