Miss America Deluxe

The Miss America Deluxe pinball machine, designed by Don Hooker and released by Bally Manufacturing Corporation on July 19, 1978 (model 1159), is an electro-mechanical Bingo machine that continued Bally's long-running Bingo lineup even as solid-state electronics became increasingly common industry-wide.

One of the most notable features of Miss America Deluxe is its use of 25 trap holes across two cards, which challenge players to think strategically about shot placement. Its "Red-letter game" mechanic and the ability to press buttons to rearrange numbers on the backglass cards before shooting the 4th or 5th ball add a layer of complexity and unpredictability to gameplay.

IPDB's own research notes considerable historical confusion around this machine's production run and dating, with conflicting manual markings ('GAME 1151') and schematic numbers ('#1159') complicating the record. This uncertainty, combined with its detailed Bingo mechanics, makes Miss America Deluxe an interesting subject for continued research among Bally Bingo collectors and historians.