Program

Program, manufactured by Western Equipment & Supply Company of Chicago, Illinois in September 1937, was an electro-mechanical (EM) payout machine - a coin-operated device that paid out winnings directly, rather than a game played purely for score. It reflects the significant overlap between early pinball technology and payout/gambling equipment during the 1930s, before such devices came under heavier legal restriction in many jurisdictions.

As an EM machine, Program used electrical components for scoring and payout mechanisms, but like all pinball games of its time it predates the flipper, which was not introduced until 1947; ball control instead came from the plunger and tilt of the cabinet.

While Program does not have a clear theme or artwork on record, its historical significance as a payout-style EM machine makes it an intriguing piece for those studying the early intersection of pinball and coin-operated gambling devices. The scarcity of information surrounding this machine only adds to its mystique.