Roulette Cheating Methods: Nine Known Techniques

Anyone who’s played roulette knows the thrill of the spinning wheel. While most players trust in luck and strategy, some resort to cheating. We delve into nine historic and recent roulette cheating techniques – but remember, we’re sharing this for information, not implementation!

1. Biased Roulette Wheels

Biased Wheels are roulette wheels that have slight imperfections, causing the ball to favor certain sectors more frequently. Cheaters used to exploit this by betting on those favored sectors.

One such case involves the Pelayo family from Spain. They meticulously recorded roulette outcomes, identifying biased wheels and winning millions in the 1990s. However, the casinos caught on and sued the family. The courts ruled in favor of the Pelayos, arguing they simply used ingenuity and cleverness, not fraud. Yet, their story served as a wake-up call for casinos to maintain high standards for roulette wheels.

2. Past Posting

Past Posting is a notorious cheating technique where the gambler places a bet on the table after the ball has landed. The cheater has to be swift and often requires an accomplice to distract the dealer.

A notable past poster is Richard Marcus. He developed a high-stakes version of past posting known as “The Savannah”. In his three-man operation, he would lay a $5,000 chip beneath a $5 chip. If the bet won, he’d point out the dealer’s supposed ‘mistake’. If it lost, he’d quickly replace the high-value chip with another $5 one.

Marcus and his team stole millions using this technique. However, as his face became familiar and casinos increased their security, he was finally caught. Today, he’s banned from all casinos in Nevada, and his story serves as a reminder of the potential fallout of such risky and dishonest tactics.

3. Ball Tripping

The Ball Tripping method involves placing a small pin in the roulette wheel, invisible to the naked eye. When activated, the pin pops up, disrupting the ball’s trajectory and making it land in a specific sector.

This method was employed by a notorious British fraudster, Charles Wells, in the late 19th century. With his mechanic’s skills and a hidden trip pin, he made a fortune from various casinos in Monte Carlo.

However, his luck didn’t last long. Although Wells was never arrested for his roulette scams, he was later jailed for defrauding people in an unrelated case. His extravagant lifestyle drew too much attention, leading authorities to investigate his source of wealth. Ball Tripping, as a method, is virtually obsolete today due to the high levels of surveillance in modern casinos.

4. Magnetic Balls

The Magnetic Balls technique is an intricate scam where the standard ball is replaced with a magnetized one. Hidden magnets in the roulette table then allow cheaters to influence where the ball lands.

One well-known case is that of the Frenchman, Pierre Dugal. In the late 19th century, Dugal was a master of manipulating roulette tables, often breaking into casinos at night to install his magnetic contraptions. He amassed large sums of money with this method.

But Dugal’s luck ran out when he was betrayed by his wife in a fit of jealousy. She tipped off the casino, leading to his arrest. This method has largely faded due to heightened casino security and the implementation of routine equipment checks.

5. Sector Targeting

Sector Targeting is a strategy where a player observes and analyses the wheel’s bias over numerous spins to predict which sector the ball will land in. It requires patience, mathematical analysis, and sometimes even technological assistance.

One famous exponent of this method was Joseph Jagger, an English engineer. In the late 19th century, Jagger observed that a slight mechanical bias in a roulette wheel at the Beaux-Arts Casino in Monte Carlo caused the ball to land on certain numbers more often than others. He capitalized on this information and won massive sums, earning the moniker “The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo.”

However, once the casino realized what was happening, they rearranged the wheels overnight. Jagger spotted the change and continued his winning streak, but eventually, the casino removed the biased wheel, putting an end to his venture. His tale is a cautionary one: even when successful, cheating methods are often short-lived as casinos continually upgrade their security.

6. Collusion with the Dealer

The method of Collusion with the Dealer involves a gambler and a casino dealer secretly working together to cheat the house. This could involve slight-of-hand, subtly manipulating the wheel or ball, or even signaling the gambler about the wheel’s bias.

A notorious example is the Tran Organization, which orchestrated one of the biggest known casino-cheating operations in the U.S. Their scheme didn’t involve roulette but showcased the potential scale of dealer-player collusion. The group recruited and trained dealers from casinos across North America to perform false shuffles during baccarat and blackjack games, leading to winnings of up to $7 million.

Their operations extended from 2002 until they were caught in 2007. The FBI arrested and indicted 42 members, including ringleaders Phuong Quoc Truong and Van Thu Tran. Their enterprise ended in prison sentences and hefty fines, underscoring the risks of attempting to cheat casinos.

7. Roulette Computers

Roulette Computers are electronic devices used to predict where the ball will land. These devices measure variables like the speed of the wheel and the ball’s trajectory to calculate the likely landing sector.

The Ritz Club Trio from Eastern Europe famously utilized this technology. In 2004, they won £1.3 million from the Ritz Casino in London. Using laser scanners in their mobile phones to measure the speed of the ball and the wheel, they were able to predict the likely outcome.

However, their massive winnings over two days drew suspicion, and they were arrested. Their equipment was found, but surprisingly, they were not charged as the use of such a device was not explicitly illegal in the UK at that time. Since then, legislation has changed, and casinos have ramped up their surveillance to prevent the use of such devices.

8. Roulette Devices

Roulette Devices refer to a wide range of tools or gadgets designed to cheat the game. This can encompass anything from concealed gadgets to manipulate the ball or wheel, to hidden cameras to spy on the dealer’s actions or the wheel’s movement.

One of the earliest and most well-known users of roulette cheating devices was a group known as the Eudaemons, formed in the 1970s by university students. They created a wearable computer that could predict the game’s outcome with significant accuracy. The device was concealed in their shoes and sent signals through small vibrations.

They won a substantial amount, but their success was short-lived. The device proved too uncomfortable and impractical, and they disbanded after a short time. Today, the use of such devices is considered illegal in many jurisdictions, and casinos use a plethora of security measures to detect and prevent their use.

9. Cheating in Online Roulette

While traditional roulette cheating methods are not applicable to online roulette since the outcomes are computer-generated, this doesn’t mean there aren’t scams out there. One prevalent scam involves websites promising to provide winning roulette predictions for a fee.

These websites claim to have found a way to predict the outcomes of online roulette games, promising users hefty profits. However, these are typically fraudulent, aiming to cash in on players looking for easy wins.

An example is a scam software called “Roulette Sniper”. This software promised to help players win at roulette consistently, but it was eventually revealed as a scam, tricking users into paying for a program that provided no real advantage.

Always be wary of such scams. Instead, play safely and responsibly at top online roulette casinos, where games are fair, and outcomes truly random.

Conclusion

From Biased Roulette Wheels to Online Roulette Scams, the world of roulette is no stranger to individuals and groups looking to beat the system. These tales of intricate scams and cunning cheats underscore the lengths some will go for the lure of easy money. However, it’s worth remembering that the house always has the upper hand.

Most of these cheating methods are now obsolete due to heightened casino security and strict regulations. For those considering online roulette, stay vigilant against scams offering surefire prediction software. Remember, the thrill of roulette lies in the unpredictability of the game.