Wizard Jackpot

The Wizard Jackpot, manufactured by Bridget Manufacturing Company of Pharr, Texas in 1932, is an early example of a pure mechanical (PM) payout pinball machine. Little is documented about the company beyond this game, but its existence shows that pinball manufacturing in 1932 was not confined to the larger, better-known makers of the era.

Gameplay on the Wizard Jackpot is entirely mechanical, with no flippers (which would not be invented until the late 1940s). Players insert nickels and can wager between one and seven nickels per game, adding a layer of risk-and-reward strategy uncommon for the time. A June 1932 advertisement noted that the game's "objectionable slot machine appearance" had been "entirely eliminated," suggesting an earlier cabinet design had drawn comparisons to gambling devices — likely tied to its non-electrical payout mechanism.

Little else is known about the Wizard Jackpot's original theme, artwork, or designer. Even so, it remains a notable example of the small regional manufacturers experimenting with payout mechanics in pinball's earliest years.