What are the most common cheating methods in casino games?
How do people cheat at casino games such as blackjack, poker, and roulette? And how can a casino detect it?
5 Answers
Cheat in a casino? It’s hide-and-seek. Classic blackjack tricks involve marking cards or teaming up with the dealer. You could signal your accomplice or use a tool to keep count. Poker cheats steal “hole” cards or work together at the table. They may have a hidden camera in an earring. For roulette there are weighted balls and magnets.
How do you catch cheaters? You watch them. The entire floor is wired; every table and wheel is under 24-hour video surveillance. Dealers are trained to notice aberrations: too much winning, too rapid betting. Pit bosses are alert to suspicious behavior: players who remain unnerved by their losses, or whose betting patterns don’t match up. Card shuffling can always reveal edge-sorting.
Prevention is critical. Randomize the chairs, rotate the croupiers, and be vigilant. A player who seems suspicious? We’ll send him to another table or throw him out for an instant investigation. Pay attention, and the scammer will soon be on his way.
Cheating in a casino can take many different forms such as card marking, collusion, and the use of hidden electronic devices. In Blackjack, it may involve counting cards or using tools to determine what card the dealer has as his or her down card. In poker, there is a lot of collusion between players. In Roulette, cheaters will cheat by using biased wheels, or magnetic devices. Casinos detect these crimes by using video, data analysis, and highly trained dealers. The most important thing is to be vigilant and follow your instincts!
Casino cheats are crafty. Blackjack cheats could cheat the dealer, keep a record of dealt cards in their mind, or use technology to see which cards have been played. Poker cheats could mark cards or use false chips. Roulette players may try to manipulate the ball with magnets or tamper with the wheel. Casinos fight back by deploying technology, watching for unusual bets, training employees, and performing frequent inspections, while investigating suspicious behavior.
Cheating in real-money games is also something of a cottage industry. Blackjack cheats resort to card marking or other means of keeping tabs on which cards have already been played. Poker cheats collude by passing information about their hole cards. Roulette cheaters can tilt the wheel or rig an electronic roulette machine. But casinos deploy all kinds of countermeasures, like security cameras and surveillance staff, strict betting limits, and floor staff who know what to look for. As a venue operator, make sure that your surveillance is top-notch, and you’re auditing your games frequently enough. Keep your wits about you!
So, how do casinos deal with cheaters in games like blackjack? By looking for players who count cards or play with marked decks. Or in poker, by watching out for colluding players or those using secret signals to communicate. Or in roulette, by searching for biased wheels, electronic devices, or other tricks. The best way to catch cheaters is through close monitoring of activity and bets, and personnel with keen eyes and a good intuition. Casinos also counteract cheaters by frequently changing the mechanics of their equipment.