Full disclaimer: we don’t encourage cheating. However, it’s crucial to be aware of the methods used by charlatans to outwit the house and walk away with loads of cash. Since the dawn of casino establishments, the way people cheat in gambling has changed over the time.
Common methods used in cheating in the casino
Past posting
Past posting is one of the oldest forms of cheating in gambling, and yet it is hard to pull off. This method involves placing a wager on the table after determining the game’s outcome.
This is a standard fraudulent gambling method. It is commonly used in the game of roulette. Players use tricks to distract the croupier and quickly place a large set of chips onto the section of the table where the results are based.
Savannah move
Famous con artists invented some of the common methods of casino cheating. One of these methods is the Savannah move, a popular trick in roulette coined by Richard Marcus.
The trick is widely known as highly complex because it involves an elaborate skill like acting. To make this method successful, one should act like a drunk while playing and stealing the high-paying chips.
Card counting
Card counting is one of the famous tricks for cheating on a blackjack table. This method is perfectly featured in several heist films, including 21, The Hangover, and Two Smoking Barrels.
Card counting involves keeping a tally of the playing cards the croupier has already dealt in the player’s mind. Doing so lets the player guess correctly which cards may appear later. While not considered illegal, this trick is heavily frowned upon, and suspected card counters can be banned in the casino.
It is a highly complex method of cheating in the casino that requires considerable mathematical skill and solid memory. Using other skills, such as strategy, is better in blackjack.
Card-marking
One of the cheating methods in gambling that involves playing cards is card marking. This method is self-explanatory. Players mark a specific card using a special ink, which is only visible when wearing special glasses or folding a particular part of the card. The goal is for the players to recognize the card during play easily.
This method is one of the easiest on the list. However, it is hazardous, and if the player gets caught, they will be subjected to severe consequences. This method is difficult to implement nowadays because many casinos punch holes in cards they sell as souvenirs to prevent them from being used in the real game.
Collusion
Collusion is one effective way to cheat in the casino. However, it requires two or more people to make it work. This method is predominantly used in poker, where players sit in a circle facing each other.
To make this work, a player and an accomplice collaborate during the game to communicate the quality of each other’s hands. They can use various communication techniques, such as hand signals or facial expressions.
While this method is risky in land-based casinos, it can be easily used at an online casino where the casino does not supervise the players.
Conniving with shady dealers
Some players simply connive with the dealers, who are already working in the casino with questionable character. In today’s world, especially in places where casino gambling is allowed, rogue croupiers are prevalent.
Shady dealers use various cheating methods to ensure the player wins the game and gets a portion of the payout. These methods include using magnetic balls, radio transmitters, and other tricks.
Over the decades, several ways have been developed to outwit the casino system. As you already know, cheating in a casino can be considered a crime and can lead to dire consequences. Knowing these methods to avoid committing them in casinos is essential.
