UK Pinball League FAQs

How do I join the league?

Contact your regional co-ordinator who will let you know the dates and locations of meets in your region and add you to the update email. You can also see these on the Schedules page.

Where are the meets held?

We have five active regions which form the UK Pinball League – South East, South West, Midlands, Northern, Scottish. Meets are held at league members’ houses.

How often are meets held?

We aim to hold six meets per region each season although this varies region to region depending on the availability of venues.

When are the meets held?

Please see the Schedules page. Meets tend to be on a Sunday starting around noon with a couple of hours to practice and socialize and the competition starting around 14:00, but this varies slightly by region.

When does the season run?

The season starts in October and continues until the following June

How much does it cost?

There’s a charge of £2.00 for each meet you attend which goes towards the cost of prizes and running the league. There's also a voluntary contribution of £1.00 per meet for the host which goes towards providing refreshments.

Are refreshments provided?

Yes, there are free snacks and drink provided by the host at each meet.

I’m worried I’m not very good.

Don’t worry! There’s a wide range of players and abilities in each region so you won’t feel as if you’re out of your league and everyone is very friendly. There’s also a chance to play a wide variety of machines in good condition and make new friends.

Which machines are played in the league?

The machines vary depending on who’s hosting the meet. They tend to mostly be the newer machines from the early 90s to present day but some meets include early and late 80s games and occasionally 60s and 70s games.

Is it only middle-aged blokes?

No, we welcome and encourage players of all ages. We usually have several children and women playing at each meet and there is a prize for the best in each category (see below).

How many people do there tend to be at each meet?

Again varies by meet and region but is anywhere between 10 and 25.

How long has the league been running?

The league was set up in 2006 and is now in its 5th season

Can I host a meet?

Yes, but possibly not until the next season depending on region. Please contact your regional co-ordinator to discuss further. You need a minimum of three machines to host a meet and ideally five or more.

Which region do I join?

That depends on where you live but it’s your choice. Contact your regional co-ordinator to find where the meets are usually held in that region.

Can I join more than one region?

No, you can only compete in one region. However, you are welcome to attend meets in other regions and compete for fun but your scores will not count towards the league.

Can I change the region I’m competing in?

Possibly. You’ll need to contact the overall co-ordinator who will discuss and determine whether this is possible. In general, you can change region at or before the start of the season but not mid season.

How does the competition work?

You play between three and eight machines depending on the venue. Your score is recorded and verified and then ranked against all other players with the top score getting the same number of points as the number of players and then each player one less point so that last gets one. Eg for 20 players, 1st gets 20 machine points, 2nd 19, 3rd 18 etc and 20th 1. The total number of machine points you got on all machines is then totaled and ranked against all other players. League points are then awarded to the top players as follows:

1st 15

2nd 14

3rd 13

4th 12

5th 11

6th 10

7th 9

8th 8

9th 7

10th 6

11th 5

12th 4

13th 3

14th 2

15th 1

16th & below 0

These league points from each of the (up to) six meets are added together to form the basis of the overall result for the region. However, only the best four results count towards the final total. For more details, please refer to the rules or contact your regional or the overall co-ordinator with any specific queries.

So what happens at the end of the season?

The top players from each region qualify for the national final. The will usually be the top three but varies based on the number of players in each region.

The final is held at a neutral venue often in conjunction with a national pinball event. The final is played on five machines in the same format and points scoring as for as a normal league meet with the winners determined by the most number of points.

Do I get a prize for doing well?

The top three players in each region and the national final all receive a glass trophy and a certificate. There are also prizes for the best female and young (under 17) players across all regions.

What are WPPR points?

As for other sports, there is an official ranking system for the best pinball players in the world based on performances at officially recognized competitions. This is the world pinball players rankings (WPPR). The league is an officially recognized competition as are several other competitions held in the UK. Anyone who competes in the league earns WPPR points and of course the better you do, the more points you earn.

Please click here for the official site where you can see the rankings for players in the UK as well as where they are ranked in the world. We have two players around the top 30 in the world and around ten in the top 200.

I’ve got other questions not covered above.

Please feel free to contact your regional co-ordinator or the overall co-ordinator.

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