Hello friends!
The last few summers, we've had a "new kind" of criminal phenomenon in Stockholm. I guess this tricks is among the oldest in the book, but as a organized crime method, I think it's a relatively new problem. Last summer these scoundrels was on everybodys mouth - EVERYBODY except the tourists (that are their primal vicitims) knows what they are up to - even the police, but no one deals with the problem! I don't get it? Insane! How can this be? Confusing!
This is how they do it!

Mostly, they work in groups of five persons. One guy are the "artist" (dunno what to call them or the game), usually two gambles and two are just amazed specators, loudly goin' "OH, he WON AGAIN!" all the time. And they are only betting big bucks all the time, usually 500 kr bills. (at the actuall current about 70,71 USD)

They didn't feel all that comfortable with me documenting their business:







The "artist" deliberately do his trick so that everybody sees under wich box the ball is. When they spot someone that seem just a little extra curios and naive enough, the two "spectators" surrounds this person goin "Oh, look, they win all the time! It's so easy. Just look! See!




Everybody knows where the ball is. You saw it too, didn't you? I don't have any money, but if I did I wouldn't hesitate... bla bla bla.." Then this poor person, convinced of winning big bucks puts his bet - and as I wrote - allways big bucks.
"See! You KNOW where it is! you can't lose! C'mon, make a bet!!!"




When the victim is convinced and opens his wallet, the team gathers around him, cheering and applauding - and everybody except this poor naive German tourist knows what is going on - that when he pick the box where he know the ball is under, it's just not there! MAGIC! Most people doesn't dare to say anything - because it could make ya end up dismembered in a bag in a container. If someone raise their voice to warn, then suddenly everybody wins til this person is gone.
It's quite easy to tell who are in the team huh? It's so obvious, so incredible insolent and so frustrating!





Stay tuned and hold on to your money! If you come to Sweden, take a stroll to Västerlånggatan in Gamla Stan (The old town) and make a bet - or NOT!

I really like your treatment in this series - film noir!

I think I'll keep my money extra tight in this neighborhood.

...about 20 years ago.. Now *everybody* knows thay are just con artists and *nobody* falls for this trick, so they changed the game to the usual - "real" rollexes, very real prostitution, etc.

Great pics, though, Matty!

Love the treatment. I wonder that you are still in one piece if they don't like the publicity - though glad that you are else we would not have seen these great pictures.

RE: the German tourist. As the saying goes, there's one born every minute. Another saying - If it's too good to be true, it probably isn't.

Love it! Really nice job capturing the bilking of a tourist, who should know better.

Love it, great shots from my hometown...very inspiring..

Great series! Fun to look at.

When i hung out in Amsterdam a lot (10 - 15 years ago), i saw this a lot there as well. We call it 'balletje-balletje'. The main reason that - at some point - the police were very strict against this game is that it increased crime a lot. Not only unsuspecting tourists were scammed out of their money, but it was a magnet for petty-thieves and drug-dealers as well. This was because the 'balletje-balletje' group always had an accomplice on the look-out for police. This means: If there is a 'balletje-balletje' game going on, there is no police in the neighborhood....

But it was still fun to watch (just be extra careful about your wallet)

it's called The Shell Game, and is ages old. It's even been used in movies, musicals and TV shows - wherever street hustlers are needed

I watched this 'game' from my hotel window's balcony for about an hour one day last summer in Barcelona. It's very entertaining to watch the whole scene, but then I am not frustrated by the activity and am certainly not sympathetic toward the tourists. That the game is rigged is obvious to all but children and the greedy. (I assume no children are playing and losing? I would take issue with that, maybe.)

This is an excellent post, and you really did not need to write anything-the pictures themselves tell the tale. Thank you, I enjoyed this very much.

-LeDude