Card counting is a strategy that is used in blackjack that is legal but is often frowned upon. Some of the most infamous casino cheats have earned millions of dollars using this strategy. Even while it’s not hard to pick up the routine, doing so can have significant repercussions.
None of the strategies that these cheaters used to defraud casinos were caught, and the majority of them were banned from casinos forever. On the bright side, an increasing number of individuals are now working together with casinos to improve safety measures, identify potential cheaters, and make the gaming industry a better place overall.
Richard Marcus
After struggling to make a living through legal gambling in Las Vegas, Richard Marcus found work as a blackjack and baccarat dealer. Marcus was able to watch how casinos operate from both sides and obtain a fresh viewpoint.
Marcus just needed that information to learn how to defraud casinos, and he used it to his advantage to make millions throughout his career. He used clear deceit as the basis of his fraud.
He would place a simple bet by piling two $5 red chips on top of a $500 brown chip. Marcus, on the other hand, laid out the stake so that the dealer thought it was just a $15 wager with three red chips.
If the wager paid off, Marcus would notify the dealer and receive more than $1,000. If he loses the bet, he will wait until the dealer turns away before exchanging the $510 in chips for $15.
Marcus’ straightforward fraud was successful for years before he was discovered, charged, and banned from casinos. Marcus, on the other hand, still acts as a role model for other cheaters today. The “World’s #1 Casino and Poker Cheating Expert,” Marcus, continue to help people through “education” by maintaining a website, blogging, and penning two books.
Dominic LoRiggio
Blackjack and craps were two games that LoRiggio also called “The Dominator” was a master at. After years of practice, frequently lasting for hours on end, LoRiggio mastered the art of “controlled shooting,” a strategy for acquiring the necessary rolls in a craps game when you need them. The strategy comprises holding the dice perfectly, tossing them so that they stay together in the air, and softly laying them down on the back wall of the craps table.
LoRiggio asserts that he can control two dice using only basic physics, contrary to the widespread belief that controlling just one dice is impossible.
Blackjack Team of MIT
The MIT blackjack team developed a technique in the 1990s that employed statistical strategies to advance the discipline of card counting to a new level, making them the most well-known individuals on this list. They practiced in various situations as they collectively approached card counting.
The outcome? One of the most well-known casino fraudsters in history, made famous by the movie 21.
Ron Harris
To make sure that only state-approved computer chips were being utilized, Harris, a computer technician, was responsible for inspecting and testing slot machines throughout Nevada. Undoubtedly, he was more complex than that. Harris obtained access to Bally’s programming for their keno machine’s random number generator using his knowledge of casino games, and he then utilized his computer equipment to simulate the computations carried out by the actual machine.
After using inside knowledge to win $100,000 at Bally’s in New Jersey against 1,000,000-1 odds, his accomplice was caught. Naturally, Harris was fired from his position. Oops.
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