A raid of a local bar during Super Bowl Sunday netted four illegal slot machines and betting pools for several thousand dollars on the big game.

Investigators with the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control seized the slot machines and betting pools at Sportsman's Bar, located on Temescal Canyon Road in the unincorporated area of Riverside County south of Corona.

According to state law, the use, display and sale of the machines -- except on Indian reservations -- is illegal. Having gambling machines at a bar also is a violation of the terms of a liquor license.

Three men were arrested in connection with the incident. The owner of the bar, John Martin, 58, was cited on suspicion of possession of a slot machine and permitting its use inside the bar. He was released at the scene.

Martin was not available for comment Monday.

Investigators arrested Harold Noell, 64, and his son Tim, 37, for allegedly attempting to sell a slot machine to ABC investigators. A fifth slot machine was confiscated after a search of their home nearby.

Investigators believe the four slot machines confiscated from the bar were connected with the Noells' alleged sale of the fifth, according to David Gill, district administrator for the ABC Riverside District. They are continuing to investigate where each of the machines originally came from.

The pair were charged with conspiracy and two counts of possession of a slot machine. Harold Noell was later released, while his son remains at the Robert Presley Detention Center on $25,000 bond due to probation violations.

Contacted at his home Monday, Harold Noell said he was unable to comment on the incident because of the pending case.

Gill said that each of the machines had several hundred dollars in it when the machines were seized but it was unclear what amount had been gambled over the past few months.

"Each of these has the ability to make tens of thousands of dollars per year," he said.

The bar remains open but Gill said administrative action will be taken due to the violation of the alcohol license. ABC could suspend or revoke the license.

Sunday's raid followed a three-month investigation of the bar by the ABC Special Operations Unit, located in Cerritos. The group began investigating the bar at the request of the ABC Riverside District office following a series of complaints.

"We sent investigators in there numerous times undercover who played and won money on the slot machines," Gill said.

While arranging the sale of the slot machine, investigators told Harold Noell that they would be using it in Palm Springs. Noell then asked them to make it appear the sale would be to someone out of state, Gill said.

In addition to the slot machines, four betting pools of up to $10,000 on the Super Bowl game also were confiscated at the bar.

While the large amount of the pools made it a concern for investigators, Gill stressed that any such gambling pool is illegal under state law.

Asked if the timing of the raid was coordinated to the game, Gill replied, "Let's just say it worked out very well."

C.J. Schexnayder can be reached by e-mail at cschexnayder@pe.com or by phone at (909) 737-1366.