From “Jaws” and “Dr. No” to “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Stranger Things,” Jackpot Pinball has every pinball machine imaginable, as well as weekly events, pinball leagues, and tournaments. This new addition to Purcellville offers a wide variety of activities and vintage vibe for visitors of the arcade.
Starting in the 1930s, pinball took off with the electro-mechanical update of adding flippers and bumpers. Often themed after popular trends, movies or events, pinball appeared in billiard rooms and arcades everywhere. Pinball arcades were soon replaced with video arcade games, but the fan base remained steady. Jackpot Pinball takes advantage of the strong fanbase still thriving around this game to generate business and bring joy to the people of Purcellville.
Jackpot was opened in February 2024 by brothers Eric and David Basile. With no initial plans to start a business, David Basile started a pinball machine collection and eventually had 13 machines when the ideas started to form. The brothers also own Hit N Run Sports Cards, a place right down the street for collectors to buy and sell sports trading cards. After upping their collection to a total of 50 pinball machines, Jackpot Pinball Arcade was born. Jackpot offers a diverse range of games from the obvious, pinball, their bread and butter, to some tabletop games, game consoles and others. They also have a deal with the nearby Purcellville Eats Restaurant, also locally owned, to supply food and drink to customers of the arcade. Multiple people have raved about high quality wings and good adult beverages.
After assuming full control of the business when his brother stepped away, Eric Basile laid down roots in Purcellville with three kids in Loudoun County Public Schools. Taking inspiration from Spinners Pinball Arcade in Frederick, Maryland, Eric has shaped Jackpot and is planning on adding even more machines from his personal collection. “We have a distributor for all the new releases,” Eric Basile informed. “I have a lot of people who reach out to us to purchase older machines. It’s cool to hear the story behind some of them.” Jackpot recently celebrated their one year anniversary on February 16, 2025. After all this time, the arcade looks as though it is here to stay and is already part of Purcellville’s vibrant culture. “I first played in the 1980s and loved it,” Eric Basile said. “I love the feedback we get with how much people love our collection. We get people who drive quite a distance to play these machines.”
Sophomore Liam Mathews spoke on his experience at Jackpot, saying, “They have a really in-depth collection and a lot of games to offer. I personally enjoyed the Star Wars machine and that I could eat a lot of food while having fun and spending time with my family.” Mathews has gone to Jackpot multiple times and was very pleased with his time spent pinballing. He commented, “It’s in a nice piece of town, and I was able to walk around after,” a testament to the line of small businesses that make up Purcellville’s well-kept Main Street.
Aside from the more casual players, there are many who are much more competitive. Nearly every Friday and Sunday, Jackpot hosts tournaments for players of all skill levels. Tournaments are played on all fifty of the machines to offer a unique experience each time. The arcade is also home to a pinball league which consists of weekly competitions to improve your score. “It’s a really high honor whenever you break a record, especially somewhere so populated where so many people are playing the games, and it gives you a big rush,” stated employee and senior Rory Fricano, who has been working at the shop since late December. “My best memory would probably be on one of my very first days, when I got a new high score on my favorite game, the World Cup. It’s super fun, an old classic game, and I got over 300 million on it, and that was amazing.”
When he was looking for a new hobby, sophomore Will McDonald stumbled across the arcade, explaining, “I really enjoyed Jackpot. I thought it was an interesting experience and I would definitely go again. I look forward to playing more often and I’m excited to see how they develop in the future.” Whether you are wanting to pursue a new hobby or beat Fricano’s high score on the World Cup, Jackpot Pinball Arcade is the place to go if you want to pinball out.