Above almost every machine sits a small screen full of numbers and bar charts: the data counter (データカウンター), also called a data lamp (データランプ). Regulars glance at it before sitting down, and first-timers wonder what it all means. This guide decodes every common field. It also explains, as plainly as we can, what the counter can’t tell you.
Pachinko counter: the common fields
Labels differ a little between counter makers, but P-Summa lists the usual set (P-Summa):
| Label | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| スタート | sutāto | Spins since the last jackpot |
| 総スタート | sō-sutāto | Total spins today |
| 大当 / 大当り | ōatari | Jackpots today |
| 確変 | kakuhen | How many of today’s jackpots were kakuhen jackpots (kakuhen explained) |
| 前日 / 前々日 | zenjitsu / zenzenjitsu | Jackpot counts yesterday / the day before |
| Bar graph (棒グラフ) | Jackpot history. Usually the leftmost bar is the most recent, and a taller stack means more spins before that hit | |
| 継続 | keizoku | How many jackpots chained in a row during a bonus mode |
| Slump graph (スランプグラフ) | Line chart of net balls. Above zero means players on that machine are up overall today, below means down |
Some counters also show 初当り確率 (first-hit rate, today’s jackpots compared with spins). Our arithmetic, as an example: 900 total spins and 3 first hits works out to “1/300”. That’s just today’s result. The machine’s design odds stay the same, for example about 1/319 on a middle machine (SANKYO).
Pachislot counter: the common fields
| Label | Meaning |
|---|---|
| BB / BIG | BIG bonuses today |
| RB / REG | Regular bonuses today |
| ART / AT | AT or ART starts today (types explained) |
| ゲーム数 / スタート | Games since the last bonus or AT |
| 総ゲーム数 | Total games today |
| 合成 | Combined bonus rate (BIG + REG) |
| 差枚 graph | Net medals over the day |
For A-type machines like Juggler, the counter shows BIG and REG separately. Kitadenshi’s official table gives separate BIG and REG probabilities for each setting (Kitadenshi). Japanese Slot Guide’s English counter guide covers the same terminology (JSG).
Why we stop there: many sites go on to “estimate the setting” from BIG/REG counts. A few hundred or even a few thousand games is far too small a sample to judge a setting reliably, and trying encourages chasing. See settings explained.
The buttons on the counter
Many counters have buttons too. Typical ones (check the labels on your unit):
- 呼出 (yobidashi), call staff. Press it if you need help, the machine has an error, or you want to stop and get your balls counted. It’s the simplest way to ask for help without speaking Japanese (first visit, step by step).
- History / page buttons (履歴, ▲▼). Scroll through past jackpots or previous days.
- Machine info. Some counters show the spec, such as odds and rounds (machine types).
A Japanese hall group’s blog describes data lamps as both an information display and a service tool (Yuraku Group, Japanese). TODO: confirm which specific button functions it documents before quoting more detail.
Reading it for fun: a worked example
You walk past a 1-yen Sea Story machine. The counter shows スタート 245 / 総スタート 1,820 / 大当 6 / 確変 4:
- The machine has spun 245 times since its last jackpot.
- It has spun 1,820 times today, with 6 jackpots, 4 of them kakuhen.
- None of this changes the odds on your first spin if you sit down.
That’s all the counter tells you: a story about today, not a prediction.
Related guides
- Ceilings and yu-time: why the “since last hit” number gets so much attention
- Pachinko Japanese: screen words
- Glossary
Quick answers
What is the screen above a pachinko machine?
It's the data counter (データカウンター, also called a data lamp). It shows the machine's play history for today and recent days: spins since the last jackpot, total spins, jackpot counts and graphs. On many units it also has a call button for staff.
What does スタート mean on the data counter?
On pachinko counters, スタート (start) usually means the number of spins since the last jackpot. 総スタート is today's total spins. Labels vary slightly between counter makers.
Can the data counter tell me which machine will hit?
No. Pachinko jackpot odds are fixed for each machine, so a long dry spell doesn't make a hit more likely, and a busy day doesn't make a machine 'hot'. Use the counter to understand what's going on, not to pick a winner.
What do BB and RB mean on a slot data counter?
BB is BIG bonus and RB (or REG) is regular bonus: the two kinds of real bonus on A-type machines such as Juggler. The counter shows how many of each have happened today.
Sources
- P-Summa – how to read pachinko data (labels; odds are fixed; Japanese)
- Japanese Slot Guide – reading a pachislot data counter (English, for terminology)
- Kitadenshi – My Juggler V BIG/REG probabilities
- SANKYO official Q&A – middle spec (about 1/319)
- Yuraku Group blog – data lamps (Japanese)
Facts on this page were last checked against these sources on 4 October 2026. Rules, prices and venues change, so always follow the signs and staff at the venue.
