Pinball Wizard: Montanan Headed to the National Championship

Montana will be well-represented at the National Pinball Championship.

Jerry Valentine, also known as JD, is a 27-year-old pinball enthusiast from Billings, Montana, who became a pinball professional about two years ago. He discovered the competitive pinball scene at a local bar and now participates in weekly tournaments, with his eyes on national and international competitions.

Jerry won the state championship in Missoula in January and is preparing for the national tournament in Rochester, New York, in March. Should he win, Valentine will secure a spot at the international competition in Austria later this year. We caught up with Valentine last week to learn more about his journey into professional pinball.

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Is pinball a game of skill or chance?

The modern pinball machine experienced rapid development in the 1930s, quickly becoming an affordable entertainment respite for Americans suffering through the Great Depression. For a few cents, players could escape the dreary economy. According to the History of Pinball, the game rose in popularity until manufacturing was temporarily paused during World War II as companies pivoted to supporting the war effort.

Many cities considered these early, electro-mechanical pinball machines gambling devices, with ties to organized crime. In New York, Chicago, LA, and other metropolitan areas, pinball machines were outlawed for decades. A California Supreme Court decision in 1974 helped relax the stigma of pinball and its ties to illegal gambling after the machines were clarified as games of skill, not chance.

Valentine is a newcomer to the sport of professional pinball.

Most people who are highly skilled at something have been practicing for years. Valentine seems to be an expectation of the rule; the 27-year-old bartender just started playing pinball around 18 months ago. He said he practiced before and after his shift at The Monte, a downtown Billings bar with a decent selection of pinball machines, quickly honing his skill.

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The Monte is a favorite for several dozen active pinball players in the area, who participate in local tournaments. Now that he's a pinball pro, Valentine said he continues to practice at least three days a week, for up to six hours a time. His favorite pinball machine is the Rush game (check out our photo gallery of the game at the bottom of this article).

Pinball is a fast-growing sport.

It seems that pinball is having a moment. The sports officiating body, the International Flipper Pinball Association (IFPA) notes there were 16,497 active tournament players in 2015. In 2024, that number has more than doubled to 38,914. Most hail from the United States, followed by Canada, Australia, Sweden, and Germany in the Top 5 most pinball-obsessed.

IFPA says "The North American Pinball Championship will feature nearly $55,000 in cash and prizes." Jerry has his eyes on the grand prize, a new pinball machine with an estimated value of approximately $10,000. Valentine is hoping to raise money to help cover some of his travel expenses to the championship.