Boffins called in to study 'impossible-to-win' Blackpool hoopla game

London, May 26 (ANI): Forensic scientists were asked to investigate a hoopla game near a seaside - because no one seemed to win it - ever.

Calculations revealed that the traditional fairground game had been rigged so that it was nearly impossible for anyone to win.

JPs heard how one player, a doctor, lost 1,200 pounds in one session of ring-tossing on the resort's Golden Mile.

Dr David Lucy, who lectures in statistics at Lancaster University, set up the game in laboratory and found that the odds of winning the game were 2,622-to-one against.

Philip Williams, 53 and Darren Casey, 36, admitted to breaching gambling laws and will serve 14-week suspend jail term with 270 hours community service and 135 hours community service, respectively.

"We think this sort of behaviour tarnishes the reputation and actively discourages tourists coming to Blackpool," The Sun quoted Magistrate Julie Blackwell as saying.

The pair was accused of goading players into parting with more money without ever winning - they would angle the blocks away from the player, and the fact not all hoops fitted over all blocks made it impossible to win.

"We want to warn people against playing games of this kind.

"They might look like harmless fun, but this case proves that even a simple game of hoopla hides a background of criminality," said trading standards officer Shaun McKinney. (ANI)