Whiz Ball Jack Pot

The Whiz Ball Jack Pot, manufactured by the Whiz Ball Manufacturing Company of Kansas City, Missouri in April 1932, is an early payout pinball machine from the formative years of the game. This Pure Mechanical (PM) machine predates electromechanical pinball entirely, reflecting the simplicity of the era's design.

Its standout feature is the jackpot mechanic: every fifth coin played adds to a jackpot, and a player who shoots the ball into the Jack Pot Hole wins the accumulated pot. This particular example is a Square Machine — the company also produced the same game in a standard rectangular cabinet.

Little is known about the machine's designer, but its distinctive square shape sets it apart from other pinball machines of the era. As an early example of a payout pinball machine, it offers a glimpse into the game's roots as a gambling device before the addition of flippers and skill-based play.