One Better

One Better is a notable addition to any pinball collection, hailing from Rock-ola Manufacturing Corporation in 1936. As a payout (gambling) machine from the electro-mechanical era, it represents the period's attempts to create engaging gameplay paired with unpredictable odds.

One Better's gameplay is characterized by unique mechanics: a single- or dual-ball play (the operator specified which when ordering) begins with an instant random number from one to twenty flashed on a light-up panel. The ball then crosses a switch that determines the odds, also shown on the panel, before continuing to a further series of switches; if it lights a switch numbered one higher than the first one lit, the player wins with the already-determined odds, up to a top payout of $2.50.

The machine was equipped with a mechanism called the Rock-O-Pack (or Rock-O-Pak), though its exact function isn't documented in the available facts. Unfortunately, there is limited information available about One Better's design, art, or theme. It's worth noting that this machine's compact size, measuring roughly 50 inches long by 25 inches wide, would have suited smaller bars or game rooms of the time; it sold new for $137.50, with a ticket unit available for $10.00 extra.