12066785451 ProfGamblers Handbook

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HANDBOOK

c(

The Professional Gambler's Handbook: Beating the System by Hook and by Crook by Weasel Murphy

Copyright @ 1997 by Weasel

Murphy

_CASI

rsBN 0-87364-915-X

Printed in the United States of America Published by Paladin Press, a division of

Paladin Enterprises, Inc., P.O. Box 1307, Boulder, Colorado 80306, USA. (303) 443-72sO

Direct inquiries and/or orders to the above address.

PALADIN, PALADIN PRESS, and the "horse head" design are trademarks belonging to Paladin Enterprises and

registered in United States Patent and Trademark Office.

All rights reserved. Except for use in a review, no portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the publisher. Neither the author nor the publisher assumes

any responsibility for the use or misuse of

information contained in this book.

GONTENTS

crook

INTRODUCTION

t

1

CHAPTER 1

CASINOS, CARD ROOMS, AND THE PEOPLE WHO RUN THEM

t

3

CHAPTER 2

CHEATING WITH CARDS

i

15

GHAPTER

3

SLOT MACHINES

t

47 CHAPTER

4

CHEATING AT CRAPS T 65 CHAPTER 5 CARNIVAL GAMES T 89 CHAPTER 6

STREET CONS AND OTHER CHEATING METHODS S 97

CHAPTER 7

STAYING ONE UP ON THE IRS

t

109

WARNING

This book is

written for

the sole purpose of entertainment

and education.

It

is not the

intention

of the author to promote

or

condone cheating.

Many

methods described

in

this book

are

illegal

in

any

legalized

gambling

establishment

or

legal-ized games. Penalties for cheating

vary

from state to state and

town to town.

In

most.cases, cheating

in

a legalized gaming

establishment is punishable as a felony.

AUTHOR'S DISCLAIMER

Various incidents,

dates, names,

and location

of

events

may

have been

altered

to

protect the innocent,

guilty,

and

those who wish to remain anonymous.

ln

ato

chea uatir are

i

8am mac, som( adva have k

parti

one'

it's

t

there Peop a

ver

It

gami state Casir cheat

ing

rn usual

:ainment Promote his book

or

legal-;tate and gaming ,f events

ilty,

and

INTRODUGTION

This book

is

written for

everyone

who

_{has been cheated}

at

one

_{time or}

_{another and}

_for

_those

who wish not to

be cheated.

J<nowing

how

to cheat is being able to

ia".,iify

u ,it_

uation where cheating is

taking

place.

Mu^y

games

oiit

rr,..

are

identified

_in

_{rhis book,}

_{anJ methoa,}

_{oi.i"uti;;;;;i"r"}

games are _{explained. As fast as the manufacturers}

o?

gr*i"g

machines

_add

_{devices to. keep}

_people

from

cheati;;;-i"*,

::T_*""

is

finding

ways to

bypiss

t-h".,.*

devices.

With

the

aqvancement

_of

_technology

_in

_the

_surveillance

area, cheats

have

found

ways to _{evade-t-hem as well.}

Knowing

how to

manipurate _{cards and dice}

_is

_{an art.}

_At

parties and

family

_{functioris, it,s entertaining to watch}

_{,o*"_}

one

who

can

perform

tricks

with

cards

u.,i

di.".

artt."gt

it's

underhanded

_and

_somewhat

_{immorar to}

cheat others,

there is a sense of power

just

_in

_{knowing how to}

_do

_it.

_Most

people _{can master many of the tricks}

outlined

in

this book

in

a

very

short

period

of time.

All it

takes is practice.

It

cannot be overstated

_that

_cheating

_in

_legalized

_public

gaming

houses

_{is illegal.}

_{penalties for"cheating}

"r;y.f.o*

state

to

state,

but

most viorations

are

considered

_feronies.

Casinos

take

seriously-

_the

_{prosecutitn of pe.so.rr}

_lr"gt

t

*:l::,t:

rl,11l:

gr,

sambling' activiti es, gettin

g

ca u

ght

chea t_

mg

wilI

not bring

_{about fines or}

_jail

_terms.

_Tie

_peiarties

are

Gl

AI

RI

1 gaml has c

I!

but

v gaml throv two

I

o

the e; Wash oPera game Many mach Vegas to

hol

In

10 ye

Dowr

such i boost.

CHAPTER 1

GASINOS,

_{GARD ROOMS,}

AND

_{THE PEOPLE WHO}

RUN

THETVI

This

chapter deals

_{primarily with bits}

_and

_{pieces about}

gambling and

its

beginning.

_{trrctuaea are}

_{views tne-auir,o.}

has on cheating and differerit

_typ",

_{of gambling houses.}

A

QUTCK HtsToRY TESSON

.

M1.y

different

opinions _{exist on}

_when

_{gambling started,}

but who

really

knowi?

Cave men probably

_ilua

_,o*?iyp"

_of

gambling interest.

I

can

visualize

contests

_{that involved}

throwing

bones

into

a circre.

"I

bet

six

land

in

the

circll-and

two

will

be

within

a _{boar,s ear of the center.,,}

.,

Op:"-qambling in

the

United

States

took

a

slow

start

in

the early 1800s, from

New

Orleans to San _{Francisco, and}

_from

Washington, D.C.,

to

Toledo.

_{As fast}

_{as casinos opened}

_for

operation, laws were

_{introduced to}

_{make them}

_ifielainig

games

of

that periodwere-faro,

_{craps, blackjack,}

_,"Epotur.

Many

establishments _{had slot machines.}

_In

_{the tgsos,}

pinball

machines became

popular

They were

still playing

frro'ir.,

Lu,

kFu?

in

fhe

early 7970s. The

Unionplazawas

one of the last to

hold

a faro game.

early 1930, _{Nevada legalized gambling,}

_but

_it

would

be 10

_{years before}

_{casino. ga*U_ti.,g}

"would

i'..o*" O;;;"r.

Downtown

clubs

like

the

Er

Coriez and

ruxury

rt.fo-tot.r,

such as

the El

Rancho Vegas gave Nevaaa

gamUtini

_itstig

THE PROFESSIONAL GAMBLER'S HANDBOOK

the best steak

specials

anywhere. The EI

Rancho

Vegas

burned

to the ground and is presently a vacant

lot

across the

street

from the

Sahara.

Although much is

said about

Las

Vegas,

for

many years Reno topped Las Vegas

in

gaming and

entertainment activity.

At

one

time,

Reno

had the dubious

distinction

of being the divorce capital of the

world.

Organized crime got its start

in

casino gaming

in

the

mid-1940s

with

the opening of the Flamingo Hotel. This hotel was

the mastermind and dream

come

true

for

the infamous

"Brtgsy"

Siegel.

In its

day, the Flamingo was the

ultimate

in

gambling

atmosphere.

As

of this writing,

the

Hilton

Corporation

owns

and

operates the Flamingo. Rumor has

it

Mr.

Siegel

built

secret passages behind

walls

in

the casino

for

his

escape,

should the

need arise.

As many know, the

need

arose,

but

Mr. Siegel

didn't

make it.

DO CASINOS CHEAT?

Of

course

they

do.

Most

of

the

blatant

cheating

takes

place

in

small, out-of-the-way places, and most of that

cheat-ing is

done

by

floor-level

employees.

It

wouldn't

be

fair

to

say cheating

in

major casinos is excessive,

but

the only reason

for that is the Gaming Commission.

An

argument often used concerning whether

big

casinos

cheat is,

why?

Why

do they

cheat

when

a1l

the

odds are

in

their

favor?

Why

do people place themselves

in

a position to

lose

their

license

to

operate? Greed

is

one

of

many answers.

Stealing

just

to

get away

with

it

is

another. There's a saying

that

answers

why

people

in

good

positions cheat

and

steal:

"Which

tastes

better?

A watermelon

stolen

from

a melon

patch, or the one you had to

buy in

the store?"

MAJOR CASINOS

The operation

of

a major casino

in

today's environment is

like

CEC CASE big-l A SIT rolle

I

mak

the

r exP( betr,r hotel long, Par.ir

vour

to ch ,A of ch usua the h most

I

\-egas Arabr These rr-oul There sheik chasir sheik greeti A(

CASINOS, CARD ROOMS, AND THE PEOPTE WHO RUN THEM Vegas rss the

ut

Las ng and ubious ie

mid-lel was

lmous

nate

in

Iilton

: has

it

ino for

e need

I

takes :

cheat-fair

to reason casinos ; are

in

ition

to 15\^/ers. saying C steal:

melon

l]I1u"y-

other

big

business:

almost

all

have

stockholders,

CEos, a _{board of directors, and so on. years ago this}

wasnit the

case.

Many

were

_{run by}

_organized

_crime

_finities

_or

_former

bigtime

_{gamblersmakingerren bigger big time.}

_In

those days a small-time _{gambler cou-ld e_njoy most}

_oflne

_ambiance

a high

roller _{could: free buffets, fine shows, and inexperri,u"}

.oar,-r.

.Those days are gone.

Corporations feei the

necessity to make money

at

every

turn.

Tilkets

for

shows

u."

."pu*irr",

the

cost.

_{of dining is}

_outrageous,

_and

_{luxury .oo.r.,r'*a}

too

expensive

for

the average

working

.rrur,.

Competition

between

_{these casino}

_{gianls is}

_{tremendous. several malor}

hotels have

built

theme parks so families on vacation

will

no

longer

_!lp*r

_{Las vegaibecause there's}

nothing for *re

kids.

Paying

for

these new

idditions

_{is extremery expEnsive.}

_io

_ask

yourself,

_would

_{these expenses give}

management the motive

to cheat now and then?

.

Although_upper

management does

its

share,

many

cases

of ch.eating take prace at th6 _{floor level. cheating at flo6r ierret}

usually

benefits

the

floor

men

and

dealers

u"[.ur"iy

_r,"rp,

the house. Reasons

for

these

people

cheating

,r"

,.,uir,y,

Ur,

most often

it

comes

down

to

pLin

greed.

FLEECING THE ARABS

I

knew

a dealer

_{who worked at}

_a

_major

_casino

_in

_Las

vegas

who

was calred on

to

do his

handiwork

whenever _the

Arabs came

to town. I,m

_{not_talking about the average Arab.}

These are the oil barons and their

fairilies.

Ten

millioi

_dolars

would

_{be considered}

.walking

_around

_money,,

to tt

"*.

There's a joke _connected

_with

_thlse

_{people that}

says

ur.aruU

sheik

and

one

_{of his wives went to}

_an

_irt

_gallery.

_After

_{pur_}

c,haling several

_{paintings valued at}

_millio"ns

"1a"jir.r,tin"

sheik

_{turned to his wife}

_{and said,}

,,Now

_{that we}

have

the

greeting cards, let's go

buy

some gifts.,,

According

to this

dealer

and

others

in

the know,

_it

_was

THE PROFESSIONAL GAMBLER'S HANDBOOK

normal practice to fleece these Arabs every time they came to

town.

They were easy

pickings

because

they

didn't

seem to

care

about losing, and

if

they

did, they

didn't

complain.

Dealers

didn't

complain

either,

because

tips

were always

exceptional. To get away

with

fleecing the Arabs,

the

games

would

be

in

private

suites.

This

maneuver was agreeable to

the Arabs

because

they like their

privacy. The

suites were

usually on the

top floor

of the

hotel because

the scrutiny of

gaming officials is very

limited

under these conditions.

One interesting story about a

visit

by

these Arabs tells of an

invitation

made

by

a major

hotel and

casino. The

invita-tion included free accommodations (the entire top

floor

of the

hotel), free

food,

free

shows, and

just

about

anything

else

except gambling.

Airfare

would

have been included,

but

the

Arab

dignitaries had

their own

planes.

They

came.

Sheriff

Ralph Lamb, and a

sizable

police

escort, greeted

them

on

arrival at

the Hughes

private airfield.

The

reason

for

the police escort had

nothing

to do

with

the welcome committee:

it

was because the Arabs had

brought

an arsenal of weapons.

The weapons were seized

and held

in

safekeeping

until

the

Arabs departed Las Vegas.

Craps, blackjack, and mini-baccarat tables were already

in

place

when the

entourage

arrived. Gambling

began almost

immediately.

No

sooner

had gambling started when

the

Arabs

began

complaining

about the small

baccarat tables.

The casino manager

attempted

to

explain that

it

would

be

impossible to get a standard table upstairs. The Arabs became

enraged and complaints became threats to take their business

elsewhere. This was a serious problem, and the casino

man-ager

wasn't

about

to

lose

this

golden-egg-laying goose. The

casino manager

immediately got on the

phone

and

called a

local helicopter company and a

building

contractor. When the

helicopter arrived, employees of the hotel had already carried

a standard baccarat table

into

the

parking

lot. The summoned

building

contractor was almost

finished cutting

a hole

in

the

rool the the tabl deci

of tl

lVrOl

I

.iqu

is

or

Play duy than A

is

thr effecl ously enfor NCSS€

to"ft

lresh, Once ihe m the p

quit.'

the

pl

CASINOS, CARD ROOMS, AND THE PEOPLE _{WHO RUN THEM} rme to ]em to ,plain. .lways games rble to

;

were

tiny

of tells

of

invita-'of

_the rg else rut the Sheriff

em

on

'or

the mittee: aPons.

rtil

the rady

in

almost

en

the tables.

uld

be )ecame rsiness

)

man-;e. The alled a ren the carried moned r

in

the

roof

of

the hotel.

Minutes

after

arriving,

_{the helicopter}

_lifted

the baccarat table

_{to the top of}

_the

_hotel

_{and lowered}

_it

_into

the-

freshly cut hole

_in

_the

_ioof.

_Employees

then

carriei

*,"

table to the room where _{the Arabs were} patiently

_waitine.

.

]t

ryur reported

this

maneuver so preased ti-,.

niuuit.,.y

decided to _{stay an extra week and lost an extra}

$50

million.

CHEATING

There are _{many ways to cheat. This book}

_will

cover many

of

them,

but

_{there are several techniques}

_I

_{feel are}

_morally

wrong although legally

right.

ro

some

,n,,

*:i"*;#;"[":ili.0,

_0,,,

_{these tech_}

niques are.

very

effective.

rhe

ibsence

oi cloiks

and

windows

:,

:,:^"_

:

f-1":

e p ra cti c e s. I t' s p.s ych o I o gi c a

I

c h e a ti n g. K ee pi n g players

trom

knowing

_what

_time

_of

_diy

_it

_{is or}

_wieth"i

_it,,

luy

o_.

night

is

an effective

way to

keep

_{them much}

_longer

than they intended.

As far as

I,m

concerned,TfJ;;r"rt

_{legal cheating method}

is

the use

of

alcohol.. Nevada

_{haJi gu-i.g}

_law

_{thit ,ry,}

_i.,

effe5t,."it's

_{illegal to}

_take

_unfair

_adrrintage

_{or allow}

an obvi_

ously intoxicated

_individual

_to

_{gamble.,,"Th"ru,,}

little, iiany,

enforcement

_of

_{this law. It,s u}

_.oi.r*o.,

_practice,

and I,ve wit_

:.:,r:d

time- and again a

pit

boss instructing a cocktail waitress

to "freshen" a

_{winning gimbler,s drink. NLt}

_{only is the}

_drink

fresh,

_it

_{usually containi}

_{more alcohol than}

_prurio*

arint

s.

Once the

winning

player becomes _{intoxicated and loses back}

lfte

m:ney

won plus,

it

becomes time for the

pit

boss to notice

the

_{player is intoxicated and informs}

_the

_player

it,s

time

to

quit'

This final

_{reprimand usually comes about the same time}

r

THE PROFESSIONAL GAMBLER'S HANDBOOK Gard

Gounters

For

years casinos have

allowed the public to

believe

there's a way to beat the system. Some systems help gamblers

cut the

percentage

the

house

has

on

a

game,

but laws of

physics (mathematics) can't be beaten over an extended

per-iod of time. But, casinos make a

big

deal of

throwing

out card

counters, players

with

adding machines, and other

mathemat-ical devices. As of this

writing,

some creative and space-aged

card counters are using small computers hidden in their

cloth-ing. These small devices are operated by the counter's toes.

Laws

uphold

the

ejection

of

a card

counter.

Here's

one

reason

why.

Let's

say

you're

an average gambler

with

just

enough

knowledge of

blackjack

to

make

the

game

fun.

One

day you

get

a

streak

of luck that's bigger than you

ever

dreamed. Every move/ unconscious or intentional,

works out

to

your

advantage

and

you're

thousands

of

dollars

ahead.

The

pit

boss has the

right

to

have

you

taken

from

the table,

forcibly

if

necessary, to a back room where you

will

be

grilled

about

your

gambling practices. Forcing a player

in

these

cir-cumstances to stand naked so casino authorities can check

for

hidden

devices

is not unheard of.

Once

it's

determined you

aren't

a card countel, a feeble apology

is

offered

and

you're

allowed to return to

the table. Your

hot

streak is over.

If

you decide

to

stay,

odds

are

you'll

lose

_{back every Penny you}

were ahead, plus the money you brought

with

you.

There are a

few

casinos

that

don't

use these tactics at all.

Binion's Horseshoe

is

an example.

I

was

living in

Las Vegas

during

the time the late Binny Binion took on a

world

famous

card counter.

Binny was

one

of

the

old-time

gamblers

who

would

let anyone take a gambling shot at him.

Any time

and any

limit.

The card counter always lost.

Faking Winners

Another case of casinos

morally

cheating the public is

fak-ing

large

winners.

Sure, there are

big

winners

at one sitting,

but

t anotl them casin erate,

tull

o on oI gamt Peop belier Four the bt Sr ingrer r-ou

f

next t \-egas

of

ad

\evar

read

r

tne

ol ative r A

rr-iil

o .lmoul :astic '

i\'hat

can br Specia =pecia.

:ted fr

nons f, :hese r

CASINOS, CARD ROOMS, AND THE PEOPIE WHO RUN THEM

lieve

rblers ,vs

of

I

per-t card emat--aged cloth-3S. s one h

just

. One ever <s

out

head. table,

pilled

;e cir-ck

for

C you /ou'rg tf you

y you

at all. Vegas rmous s

who

re and is fak-;itting,

but

they're

very

rare. Those

who

win big

usually

come back

f:,_h":,|ry

ilg

give

it

back,

plus

whai

they

broughi with

them.

Wh-9n

_{things get}

_{slow for}

_the

_casino

_tusineJs,

some

casinos

will

fake a big winner.

An

example is having u

.o.,r.a-era-te, acting _{as a}

_tourist,

_{walk into}

_{a casino}

_with

_I

briefcase

tull

of mo_ley (in reality it,s the casino,s money). He

fuyiit

uff

on one

roll

of the dice.

If

the gambrer loses,

itis

oh

weli.

ff

ttre

gambler wins,

it's

out the

dooi

with

the winnings. A crowd

of

people saw

i!

the news media picks

up

on

it,

ind

the

public

believes

it.

sometimes the actuaibet

wai

a hundred thousand.

Four hours after the fact,

word

by

way

of

the grapevine has

the bet at one

million.

It,s incredibie free

publicit!.

'

severar

casinos

:I,oJ:1[tJrt""i,",lr",oo"r,,

_as

_{the main}

rngredient

_of

_{their advertising}

_{campaign. These offers}

make

vou

feel

you're

getting

,

good

deal.

tfreality

you,re g"iU.,g

next to_.1o!h]ng.

_It's

_{a deceptive practice. Bob Siupak}

_Jla

_nii

\regas

_World

_{Casino was one}

gf

fo.

biggest

_,rr"rrtf

_this

_type

of advertising. He continually

ran

into

trouble

with

the

\evada

State Gaming Control Bbard over this practice.

iiyo,

read magazines or the Sun-day

pape,

you have probably lead

one of his ads that offer a

,,virtuaily

_{free vacation.,, The'oper_}

ative

word

is ztirtually.

.-A

llpical

advertisement

for

casinos

using this

practice

rvill

offer

free

gaming

tokens

that

can be

usel

to win

large amounts

_of

_money.

_Offering

_{items such as automobiles,}

fan_

tastic vacations, _{and other valuabre prizes}

_{is not}

_uncommon.

\vhat

these casinos

_{want is for}

_yo,

_to

_{assume these tokens}

:u"

f".

used

throughout

the

casino.

This is

rarely

ttre-case.

special free tokens are usudny _{used excrusively in}

_{tne ortwo}

specially designated slot machines. These

*u."runu,

are oper_

ated free and are not req rired to comply

with

gaming

r"fiU_

tions for jackpot _{payoffs. This meansit;s}

_{pe.feltty le[al}

t"o

rig

r

THE PROFESSlONAL GAMBLER'S HANDBOOK

some, especially casino operators, this

activity

is not cheating.

To me,

and many

others,

it's

trickery.

According to

Webstet

trickery

is cheating.

Big Winner,

Good-Bye

Machine

Not

once have

I

seen

or

heard

of

a slot

machine

being

taken

out

of

service because a

player lost too much

money

playing

it.

On the other hand, watch

a

customer

play

a

machine and get

lucky-lucky

enough to empty the machine

a

few

times-and

see

what

happens. The machine

is

taken

out of

service.

Why? According

to

slot

managers

there's

a

malfunction, and the gaming

authority

upholds this action. CHEATING AGAINST MAJOR CASINOS

Cheating against major casinos

normally

comes

from

the

inside.

Usually

it's

the

floor-level

employees

who

cheat, and

they rarely

cheat

the player.

It's

the

house

money they're

after. The most

popular

method is to

work with

a player

act-ing

as a confederate. This player

will

be given several

advan-tages not afforded other players.

Blackiack

At

blackjack,

the

dealer signals

to

the

confederate

what

the hole card is. This

type

of

signal

usually

comes as a head

nod. When

it's

the

confederate's

turn to

act,

the

dealer

will

give the signal.

Chin down

if

the hole card is seven or higher.

A

head

nod up,

the

hole

card

is

a ten.

A

head

nod to

either side suggests the hole card

is

six

or

under. These head nods are

very slight

and

made

at the

precise

moment the

dealer and confederate make eye contact.

Other cheating methods used

by

dealers

include making

payoffs

for

more than

what

was

bet and

looking

the

other

way

if

the confederate player caps the bet on hands of 21.,20,

or

a

good double down.

If

there's

a

good chance

the

player

feel plal On, am( des met rr-he i-lr-" lfa! and and

:oni

the

:onf

I aclir deal loud conf sav i

cff

a Surv only A there

ing

I

abou ing u supp,

CASINOS, CARD ROOMS, AND THE PEOPLE _{WHO RUN THEM} heating. [Vebsteq, re being i money :

play

a nachine

is

taken here's a ction.

rom

the eat, and

they're

rver act-I advan-te

what

; a head

rler

will

: higher.

o

either ad nods e dealer making re other fi 21,20, e player

feels a _{losing hand is}

_imminent,

_{the dealer}

won,t look

as the

player

palms some

of

_{the chips that were placed}

_for

_{the bet.}

Once

the

_{confederate has}

_,on

_{u sizable,}

_or

prearranged

amount, _{the chips are cashed}

_in

_{and the}

money

_{r!1it rutl.}

_ut,

designated meeting place.

.fuy.rrq

a. player

-or" th:l'rl;at

he,s entitled is a

popular

method of _{cheating against the house at craps. Leaving}

a bet

when

it

should _{have been taken}

_down

_{and paying}

ofi%.,

_tt.

fly"

are

two

more,popurar

_{methods. There u.u}

_Lrrry

ott

u, ways

to

cheat the house,

but

these are

the

hardest

tJ

aetect

and are the most profitable. paying

_off

_more

_,nr.,

_*tutlU",,

:1l]:Tiig

losing bets

on

the"tabje

is

easy

for

a deater and

conrederate, especially

_in

_{a fast_moving game.}

_{paying off}

,,on

the

fly"

takes the cooperation

_of

_{the boxman, dealers, and}

a

confederate. This type _{of maneuver is extremely profitable.}

.Betting on

the-fly-is primarily

"r"a

where

there

is little

activity

(head-to-heaA

_wittr

_the

_house

_is

_{the o.,ty}

*uy

_ort

dealers

_will

_get

_{involved with this}

cheat).

A

full

table

with

loud

and

active players

_will

_also

_work.

_{Orrir.,fin";;;;, ,}

confederat-"

_pl?y"r

_will

_throw

_a

_{bet on the}

table,

but

won,t

say a

word.

When

the

_{dice have landed, the deaier}

_*ifi

_puy

3ff

as.,f,f

the player had called

th"

;;;;;;il;;'rilii",

Surveillance _{can't hear what,s being}

said at the table

_,nJ

_.u,

only _{assume the dealers are}

_pryi"giiion

a legitimate bet.

DEALERS _{VS. PI.AYERS}

..

Although most

dea.lers

_{give the}

_{gambler a}

_fair

_shake,

there are some

who

don,t,

_whlch;rkd

_{this method of}

cheat_

ing worth mentioning.

_I

_{know of}

_craps

_dealers

_*f,o-Urrg

l_b_ol,

.h:,uting

a gamb-ler

who

fails

;iip

This type

oi1t

"r,_

rng

usually

comes

_{asa short}

_payoff.

_Foiexampfl,

_,

pfuy.i

i,

I

THE PROFESSIONAL GAMBLER'S HANDBOOK

method

is

to

delay

calling

out

the call

bet

or

not calling

the

bet at all.

If

the player

would

have

won

and asked to be paid,

the

dealer says,

"it

was no

bet,

you

were

too

late," or

"I'm

sorry,

I didn't

hear

you,"

If

the player

would

lose the bet, the

dealer

"hears"

the call and takes the money

down. In

almost

all

cases

when

the player

beefs,

the boxman

will

back

the

dealer. Dealers

who

do this

contend

that

it's

proper

conduct

since casinos

pay

minimum

wage

and they depend on

the

generosity

of

players

to

make a decent

living.

Some dealers

even feel

it's

an obligation of the player to

tip. It isn't.

There's

no excuse

for

this type of behavior, and

if

you

come across

it,

don't

hesitate

to

report

it

to

the casino manager. Bypass the

pit

boss; he may approve of such actions.

SMALT CASINOS

Small casinos on roads leading to major gaming cities are

more apt

to

cheat

in

one

form

or

another,

from

the

dealers

right up to

the

owners. The reason

is survival.

Licenses

for

operating a blackjack table

or

slot machine are

just

as

expen-sive

for

a small

joint

as

they

are

for

a

major

casino.

Most

small casinos get very

little

tourist traffic

and aren't often vis-ited

by

gaming officials. When gaming officials do

visit,

they stick

out

like

a sore

thumb.

A.y

cheating practices

going

on

can be curtailed

until

the officials leave. ILLEGAL GAMBLING

Illegal

gambling

is

an

enormous

industry,

from

bookies and back

room poker

tables,

to friendship

bets

on

Sunday's

football

game.

Historians

note

that

settlers

coming over

on the

Mayflower

played

games

of

chance,

only

to

be

admon-ished

by their

leaders. Today,

every

city and town

in

this

country

has some

form of illegal

gambling.

Some estimates

suggest

money changing hands

on illegal gambling is

10

times more than money wagered legally.

are for sot, nin alu Fo( e\p oul on( not ioir C5Lc itab casi s e\r Tre, atm che casi

cAstNos, _{CARD ROOMS, AND THE} pEOptE _{WHO RuN THEM}

ling

the >e paid,

or "I'm

bet, the almost ack the :onduct

on

the dealers There's

ross it,

,ass _the ties are dealers rses

for

exPen-,.

Most

:en vis-it, they ring on ,ookies nday's

ver

on

dmon-in

this

imates

;is10

BUST OUT _{AND STEER JOINTS}

One name

_{given to}

_{a house that}

_blatantly

cheats

is

,,bust

out

joint."

Bust out joints are exactly that. A gambler who warks

into

one. of _{these places can count on leaving}

_in

_a

short time

with

nothing

_but

_{his clothes. Further chapters deal}

with

how

these

joints _cheat.

The name "steer joint,,also _{applies to}

_bust

_{out joints.}

They

are so named because peopre

wilh

huge _{bankrolls and a taste}

for gambling _{are actuaily sieered}

_towira

_them.

Most are very

sophisticated

operations.lt

_{takes time, effort,}

_u"a

.ur"f.ripiu.,-ning to get the mark headed

in

the

right

_{direction. The reJuk is}

always the same: the

mark

leaves wi"th his clothes and empty pockets.

_{It's not}

_uncommon

_for

_the

_{mark to}

leave

behind

expensive _{pieces of} jewelry as collateral for unpaid

_rou.t*.

'INDIAN

GAMING"

Lately,Indian

_tribes

_have

_{found that having}

gaming

establishments

_{is not only}

_{legal on}

_their

_land,

_U"t

_i"?f

prof_

itable. Many _{tribes are taking-advantage of gaming,}

_*iit'r","*

casinos- be_ing

_{built all}

_orre,

_the

_Unitei

_Staies.

_I

_hive

"irit"a

several

of

these casinos

_in

_{California, and they}

_are

_nice.

Treatment

of

customers

_{is of the highest}

_caliber,

_ur.,a

_in"

atmosphere

_{is friendly.}

_I

_have

_.,"rr.i

_seen

_or

heard

of

any cheating,

and

dealers are

strictly

_{monitored, at}

_least

_in

_the

(

lea at( ma "t-C ac,

joit

\br

:,1 Jn€ age

iorl

mal. clea is al Som

toa

thro plac,

CHAPTER 2

CHEATING

_WITH

_CARDS

Just

about

everyone,

_including

_{me, has been amazed}

at

least once

by

somebne,s

_{ability tJmanipulate}

_cards.

_It,s

_not

easy

to work

cards,

but

with

practice

juit

about

u"yo""

.u.

master the art.

_{Working for}

_a

_clsino,

_{a good card mJchanic is}

worth

10 times his.r,yeighl

_in

_gold.

_Woiking

_{agui^st-a-casino,}

a ca_r$ _{sharp is trouble}

_*itf,

_a

_cipital

T.

How

the average

ganibleiis

cheated

in

casinos, steer

igi"l:,

and

private

games

will

be covered

_in

_this

_cnapter.

You'll

also learn

how

_{an excellent card sharp can do}

_th;-;;rr"

to

a casino-

A

_{professional card sharp can}

_iheat

_{almost any_}

one,

including

the _{seasoned player, dealef,}

_and

_{casino man_}

agers. The hand is

definitely

_qri.t".

_{than the eye.}

CUTTING FOR HIGH OR LOW

.

Cutting

cards

is

an

example

of

cheating

_{in its}

_simplest

lo.T,

yet

it's very

effective.

iven

the amateur

trickster

can

maKe _{senous money using this trick. I}

know, I _{was taken to the}

cleaners on at _{least one ociasion by}

someone using this trick.

A slight

_{alteration of a}

_standird

_{deck ot}

SZ

_fiiyi"j.*a,

is all

it

takes. Cards altered

for

this con are

callei

,,rtriip"ir.,,

lo*,:

novelty

shops sell

stripper

decks,

but it,s

"rry

Jri""gl,

to alter

them

privately.,pirit,

_separate

_the

_{high .'r.ar-GO,}

through

aces)

from

thL

low. cards (deuces

thr6ugh

9s) and

:or

-or

lei

THE PROFESSIONAT GAMBLER'S HANDBOOK

Take the stack of

high

cards and,

gripping

them

firmly

at

the ends, use a fine piece

of

sandpaper and

gently

sand both

sides of the cards. Be sure to

grip

the cards

fumly

during

the

entire sanding process. This

will

ensure equal and exact

sand-ing of all cards.

lmportant: Only 1-/32 of an inch needs to be remoued _t'rom each

side. Once the sides have been sanded,

slightly round off

the

corners. This

will

keep a professional look to the cards.

Once

the

high

cards are completed,

take the

low

cards,

grip them

firmly

at the

sides,

and

sand

down

both

ends.

Again,

remove

only

1

/32

of an inch

from

each end. The

cor-ners on

these

cards should

be

rounded the

same

as

the

other

cards.

When completed correctly,

the

sanding

job

is

unnoticeable.

When

cutting for high

card,

gently cut

by gripping

the

cards

at the

ends.

This

will

ensure

a

high

card

draw

every time.

If

the game changes

to

low

card,

lightly grip

the cards

on the side. This

will

ensure a

low

card every time.

PRIVATE GAMES

Many

people

I've

contacted, concerning

gambling,

have

had

bad

experiences

in

private card

games.

Private

card

games are

held

in

homes, back rooms

of

bars,

hotel

rooms,

and

sometimes

public

transportation. Regulations

are few,

and

conditions are

ripe for

cheating. Levels

of

cheating and

methods

of

cheating

vary with

the type and location

of

the

game. A neighborhood card game between people who

know

each other

wouldn't

usually be subject to cheating, regardless

of

the gambling

limit.

In

contrast, a

nickel/dime

game between strangers

in

the back room of a bar

would,

at times,

be

subject

to

cheating

of

one

form or

another.

Low-limit

games

won't

have the sophisticated cheating methods

expect-ed

in

a

high-limit

game. eff set 3Xr "\- e :et

tir

:'ilal

ra

--a r( :he

.'f

c

ila)

Car :em : -:t

tl

:heir

:latr

:ard

rlcy

: eca

CHEATING WITH CARDS

mlv

at d both

ng

the t sand-vn ench

off

the cards, ends. 1e cor-as the

job

is

ng

the every r cards

;

have e card rooms/ 'e _few, rg and

of

the ,

know

rrdless game times,

;-limit

:xpect-SETUP GAME

_.

Finding or starting

a

high_limit

game

is

sometimes an

effort

in

itself. _{The most}

_{poprlu. with}

_{professional cheats} is a

setup game. This.

_{type of}

_{game takes}

_{careful pta.,r.,i.,f}

ur,a

execution.

_The

_{idear setup}

_would

_be

_{having't*o-o.'th.."}

rvealthy _{businessmen as marks,}

_a

dealeq,

t*o"ptuy"rr,

_,^a

_,

setup man.

To get this

kind

of game takes time. _{Bait has to be pranted}

for

the marks.

A time

ind

prace have to be

negotiatei

irrut is

convenient

_{for all}

_{the marks. When game}

time

arrives,

it,s

a

Jefinite

payday

for

the

pros.

u

The card game

in

the

movie

The Sting

is

an exaggerated

example of the extent some pros

will

go to"form u

,"tr'p'gu..,".

FIXING THE DECK

.

Marking,

shuffling, and

_{dealing cards are essential tools}

ior

cheating

_in

_{a card game. AnothZr valuable}

tool

is getting marked _cards

_into

_a

_gime

_{so they can be}

shuffled ana"aeatt.

If

a player came

to

a.gamg and piaced several

op"rr

a".t,

"f

cards on the table, other

playersiould

_become

_J"rpi.i"*.

_ff

the same

player

came

to

thu

gu-"

_{and placed}

_,",.JJ

_a".f,

of

cards

_{on the}

_tabre

_still

_in

_tie

_{manufactur".,r-."[opti.,",}

players

_{would think}

_{these cards were}

legit.

Not

alwavs

so.

Cards.marked

_{prior-to the}

_game

_.un

_fo8t'r,

_,ir""Sti,n"y

came direct from the factory.

.

.,SoT"

novelty

shops

sei

cards that have been pre_marked

a.t

lhe

factory.

Most

professional card

sharp,

p."?".

to

^u.t

their,own.

_{Cards puichased at a}

_novelty

_,io."

aor.,;t

,*uffy

match the looks

or

feer

_of

_professional

_{cards. professionar}

cards are those

manufactur"a

_{Uy companies such as Bee}

or

Bicycle' Professional _cheats

_*u.t

_{their own}

_cards

_primar,y

I

THE PROFESSIONAL GAMBLER'S HANDBOOT

Removal

of

Gards

NOTICE;

A

clean and obstacle-t'ree area

is

required.

I

also

adaise wearing surgical (latex) gloaes throughout the operation.

A

small

letter

opener is the best

tool

to use when

remov-ing

the cellophane

from

a new deck of cards.

Carefully

insert

and

slowly

slide the

opener

all

the

way

along the

seam.

If

you

use extreme care,

the

cellophane

will

separate

without

being

damaged.

Slowly

insert the opener and

with

a

light

cutting

action

work

the

opener

back and

forth.

Use

slight

pressure

toward

the opening

side

of

the

cellophane. Gently

work

the opener along the edge as the cellophane opens.

Once

the

seam

is

opened,

gently hold

the

deck

by

the sides

with

two

fingers and

lightly

shake

the

deck

up

and

down

until

the

box falls

from

the cellophane. CAUTION: As

the deck slides

_from

the cellophane, don't squeeze the cellophane.

This is to preuent crimping, bending, or zorinkling the cellophane.

Using a sharp

knife

(preferably a draftsman's scalpel) or a

razor, carefully cut inside the seam on the side of the box. Cut

exactly where the flaps are glued together.

Once the side of the box is open, carefully

tip

the box and

let

the

cards

slide out. The

cards are

new

and slippery,

be

careful to not

allow

them to

fall

on the floor.

It

is

extremely

important to

remember the

position of all

contents.

All

cards,

including

jokers and advertising

para-phernalia,

will

have

to

be placed back

in

the

box

exactly as

they were taken

out

before the cards were altered. There are

many players

who

know

exactly

what

order the cards are

in

when they

are packaged

at

the

manufacturing plant.

The

cards are ready to be marked.

lmportant: lfse caution during the card-marking process. Don't

handle the cards unnecessarily. Don't bend the cards

in

any

man-ner. Llse surgical gloaes throughout the marking process.

Replacin$

the

Cards

CHEAT]NG WITH CARDS l.

I

also ion. remov-y insert eam.

If

vithout

a

light

:

slight

Gently 15.

by

the

up

and 'ON; As lophane. ohane. rel) or a rox. Cut oox and rery, be >n

of all

18 Para-:actly as here are ls are

in

rnt.

The ss. Don't 't1y

ffian-There

will

usually be small pieces

of

,,card dust,,,

which look

iike

lint,

that

fell

from the box when the cards were

first

taken

:ut.

sprinkle

these pieces back

into

the box once the cards are

n.

This adds even more

authenticity to

the cards. There

will

alivays be one player

who'll

make a comment like, ,,Hey, you

can

tell

these are really ne\ /."

while

making the comme.rt,"th"

iiayg

will

be pointing to or playing

with

those pieces of ,,lint.,,

After

carefully placing the cards back

in

the box,

fold

the

nside portion

of the side flap in. Using Elmer,s glue, spread a '"'ery _{thin coat on the inside flap.}

_Allow

_{the glue to dry for about}

:n'o minutes. Fold ihe outer flap _{onto the glued inside flap.}

_If

a

:ortion

of the glue squeez.es _{out along the edge, use a sli'ghtly}

Jamp cotton cloth to gently

wipe

the glue

awiy.

lmportan"t: Do

-.tt

-use tissue paper or paper towels.

why?

The fibers

might

stick

:o _{the glue and be} seen, _{and they tend io smea, and smidge.}

Place the box on the side of the

newly

glued flap

anl

bal_

:.nce

a

small, heavy object

on

the

top

side. Leave [he

box

in

:his position for at least

two

hours.

...N:*t,-making

sure

the

top

of

the box

goes

first,

gently

.lide

the box back

into

the cell,ophane

*.apper.

Importint:

Go

."to

and use caution Keep _from damaging

tii

cellopiane

in

any

-:anner.

_{Should the}

_{cellophane become}

_bent

_or

_damaged

_in

iny

way/

it's

ruined.

.

Carefully fold

the inside

_{portion of}

the

cellophane

flap

:losed. Use a clear epoxy glue and place a

few diops

on

thl

-nside flap. TWo or three

tiny

drops are

all

that,s

.,""ded;

,r-,y

nore

will

smear the cellophane. _{Immediately and gently}

_fold

:he

outside

flap

onto the

inside flap. Hold

the

c"losed

flap

-lown for about 10 seconds

_

Wlren completed, the box should

look

exactly like

it

came

:rom the factory _{and is ready to be introduced}

_inio

_{a game.}

INTRODUCING MARKED CARDS INTO A GAME

One

way to introduce

marked

decks

into

a

game

is

to

r

THE PROFESSIONAL GAMBLER'S HANDBOOK

bring

them

to

the

game

and

set

them on the

table.

Do

this

prior

to any

games

getting

started.

"I

just

stopped

by

the

store and picked

up

a

few

decks

in

case we need them," is an

example

of how to let

players

know

there

are

fresh

cards

available.

This method allows other

players

or

dealers

to

introduce

your

cards

into

the

game themselves.

Should

the

individual

having the marked decks be the host

of

the game,

the cards

can

be placed

with

other

fresh

decks

and

iniro-duced as the game progresses.

True professionals have patience and sense enough not to

become greedy. Suspicion runs deep when one player

wins

a

majority

of pots

all night

long.

Winning

a few good pots each

hour

of play is

more

than

enough

to

take the

lion's

share of

winnings

home. There are exceptions. When a setup is made

to fleece a specific mark, all is fair. The idea is to take as much

money as possible from the mark

in

the shortest time. MARKING THE CARDS

I

remember

_{playing Old Maid with my}

_friends

_{as a}

_kid.

After

a

few

sessions the cards became dog-eared,

bent,

and

some

of

the cards were

torn.

Everyone

who

belonged

to

the

group knew which

card was the maid. When a new member

to the group joined

in,

there were laughs and giggles when

the new

kid

got the

old

maid. Card

cheats

like to

have the

same advantage.

That's

knowing

the

identity of

cards

dur-ing

play.

There are numerous ways

to mark

cards, some

very

effi-cient, and

some

not

so

efficient.

One

popular method

is

to

mark

the backs

of

cards so

the suit

and value can be

identi-fied. There are manufacturers

who

make marked cards,

pack-aged and ready

to

go,

with

a sheei

of

instructions

telling

the

buyer what to look

for. Professionais

like

to

mark their

own.

It's kind

of a self-image thing, like signing a painting.

T1 -- i ^

:tf

::: lft Be -:rlLl : _{-__^r} - - - . ri. \( - _{, '":s.} ': "..t11 "..: --.-. i a _ - a: tt _-i ₅ ilt

CHEATING WITH CARDS e.

Do

this

ed

by

the em," is an esh cards

lealers

to

hould

the the game,

,nd

intro-rgh not to 'er

wins

a pots each

;

share

of

r

is made r as much l. as a

kid.

>ent, and ed

to

the member les when have the Lrds

dur-;erv

effi-rod

is

to ,e

identi-Is,

pack-'liing

the

eir

own.

The ,,rub out,,

is

o""r:?

rx:t

:.L1

methods.

_rt

_{takes time}

,rd

patience to mark cards using this technique,

but

itls

well

"'

orth

the

effort.

Some experts

ruin

several decks

of

cards

::fore

achieving _{the desired results.}

Backs

of

cards are often eraborate, _{and a manufacturer,s}

.ientity

can be determined _by

_{merely looking}

_;t

_th"

_;;;rg",

. -.1:.-l:

_!9tlg

the most

famoui,

Bee _{being not f-ar}

_behind.

i

NOTICE;

KEM

playing cards orc

urid

by most ma1o, cord

"

_"''1s'

wy

_{card rooms}

choose these cards goes"beyond _their

ex.cer-..:t

quality.

KEM

_{cards are plastic and}

_iifficutt"

_to

_prr*,onrrtty

;nage.by

-be.nding, warping, o.r

getting

wet.

Whin

bent they

":.r,rn.to

_their

_original

_shape

almost

iimetliately.

When KEM

-.;"ds haae been altered, they- are easy

to

spot. It,s

iery

rare to see

:

:!

ca/s

u.sed in games _{uihrrc cheiting tactics are used.}

.

fn

th9 first photo

above,_

the

sc"alpel

is

_{pointing to}

_the

:esign that

will

be removed.

_In

_theiotto#ing

_pr..3,l,

_ir-,"

::sign

has been removed.

Removing _{a design musi be done}

_very

_lightly

so the area

rHE PROFESSIONAL GAMBLER'S HANDBOOK

The design of

the card can be

altered by lightly scratch' ing oaer an inked area. . elued -3.rd as ::re del ,,,

hile

:emovi

iemov

,:etail c

-j

aqu

:reir

c :;mOVU Tht

:ietho(

:1\'

nt

:isign:

'"

_:.riou

:.oke(

Lin

:in1Ove

:,.

ihis

: ,- -Lor d,

:-ior

or

::Per

c * -1 go.

::

-rt ap

r.rhod

The :--=:gad ::-1OVe

l--..

mO

s.:

the t :,:. ihe c

being rubbed

will

stay

flat

and

firm

and

does

not

become

rougi.

Most professional

cards have a glossy-finish'-The

glos"sy

finish

is

also removed along

with

the

design.

This

i"u.r"r

a

flat look

and is easily detected. To replace the glossy

look, use a smail amount of clear wax shoe

polish'

Rub a very

small amount of polish over the

dull

spot.

Allow

the polish to

dry

a few

minutes,

then

lightly rub to

a

shine

with

a clean,

dry, cotton cloth.

one

application

will

usually

bring

back the

glossy look.

If

not, repeat the procedure.

CHEATING W]TH CARDS

es

not

become

sv

finish.

The

e

design.

This

lace the glossy

ish. Rub a

very

ru the polish to

r rr-ith a clean,

bring

back the

,es

to

different

''alued cards. Removal

of

one small design

_{might signify}

_the

:ard

as an ace.

on

cards manufacturea

_u1ini.fEr",

_."il";a

"r

:he

detail

in

one

of

th_e angel,s

*1"g,

_could

_signify

_an

ace,

rr-hile

_{the removal of}

_{thetetail in"th.}

u.rg"t7r-#rr.g

ur-,a

:emoval

_of

_{the detail}

_in

_{the chest area}

could

signify

a king.

iemoval

_{of the}

_{d:lr1l in}

_{the angel,s}

_{_ir,g,}

chest area, and the

]etail

on the angel,s head (maki"ng her look bald) could signi_

r'- a _{queen. Because of the great detail}

manufact*".rp-t-u..

_o,

-reir

cards,

_{there are}

_end"less

_{possibilities to what}

desien

:emoval cheats _{can use to}

_identify

_{the varue and suits}

"i.;;Fr.

There are

many.other

_*uy,

_{to mark}

_cards

"ri"g1hi,

:rethod.

Professionir _cheats

_.rrl

_th"i,

_imagination

to-doesign

ill:1Tl-":

_"l

pafterns. As

previousllistatJ,

_r.pr.rr"

:esrgns are

trademark

signatures

_of

_some

_{pros. yeais}

_ago,

','arious

_{pros could}

be

_{linkea to}

_{the marked}

_aurij",

_o.,

-:ooked decks.

Line

Work

_

Line work

is

just

the opposite

_{of rub}

_{outs. Rather than}

r.move

_spots

_or

_designs,

_line

_work

adds

desig",

to

.urar.

fo

- _l]lr,t_

!-p1rly,

continual experimenting

with

mixtures of

- -ror .'ye and water

w'l

_result

_in

_{a coror}

eiactly

matchintlhe

:.-,lor on _{the cards. On.glossy cards, u ,u".y fine}

piece of sand_

:rper

can be

_{usedto lightly buff}

_the

_area

_where

the design

'

iil

go' This

will alow

_the

_ink

_{to adhere to}

the card.

If

a dulr

.:ot

appears

_after

_the

_ink

_has

_dried,

_the

_{clea*f_,r"-f"firn}

:

ethod

will

work

to repair the

dull

spot.

rhe

coror out

works

":iir"J:[t"

principle

as the

rub

out.

-.:l:rd

of

removing

a design

by

rubting

ii ofl

the design is

'-'moved

by

using

a-

color

matitring thJ

_coror

_{on the ci.ds.}

- r.e most

popular

_{color dye is}

_white.

_{The same}

care _{is used to}

.:r

th€ exact shade of.white as to get any

other.oto..-O"rigr.,,

'

r

rhe cards can be _eriminated

_witi

_the

white

dye.

white

dye

g