Polk County man wins $15K in pinball competition
Dalton Ely won $15K in the pinball High Stakes Championship on Jan. 7
By Amanda Rose
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ATLANTA, Georgia (WANF) — Dalton Ely’s highest score playing pinball is 240 billion points.
Ely’s passion for the game began when he was just 5 years old, playing at arcades with his dad. The 23-year-old from Rockmart says he’s been hooked ever since.
“When I was about 10, 12 years old, we would just go to the theater and just get some popcorn and drinks and not even see a movie, just to play the pinball machine,” said Ely.
By 2018, Ely was pretty good at his favorite hobby and passion. So good, he decided to put his skills to the test in a pinball competition.
Today, Ely has several trophies showing off his exceptional talent.
“I am currently ranked 17th in the world rankings. And I’ve been the highest-ranked Georgia player ever since 2019,” he said.
Ely’s biggest achievement so far, he says, was winning first place in the High Stakes Championship on Jan. 7, 2024, at the INDISC Tournament Series in Riverside, California.
Ely took home a $15,000 prize after competing against pinball champions from around the world.
“It feels amazing,” Ely said. “This is definitely my biggest win of my pinball career so far.”
Bryan Broyles has watched Ely develop his pinball expertise for the last five years at Portal Pinball Arcade in Acworth. He’s proud of everything Ely has accomplished, but says the young player’s winning streak is far from over.
“I see him winning the world soon, easily,” said Broyles, owner of Portal Pinball Arcade.
And this pinball wizard is confident he’ll reach that milestone.
“If I keep my mind right and keep my skills in shape, keep my wits keen, I believe I’ll win a world championship very soon,” said Ely.
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