Since the very first casino opened its doors, an endless war has raged between the operators trying to protect their money and the criminals trying to steal it.
The casino's "Eye in the Sky" catches most of them eventually, but recognizing the signs of a scam unfolding right next to you is a fascinating skill.
How Cheaters Manipulate Casino Chips
The most common and arguably the most difficult-to-detect method of table game cheating is a sleight-of-hand maneuver known universally as "past posting."
Often, a confederate (an accomplice) will intentionally spill a drink or loudly argue with a waitress at the exact moment the cheater makes the move.
Modern roulette tables feature advanced sensors to detect any chip movement after the ball dropsDealers are trained to intensely stare at the chips immediately after announcing the winning numberPast posting is a severe felony offense, not a simple misunderstanding of the rules
Card Marking and Edge Sorting
In card games like Blackjack and Baccarat, the entire house edge relies entirely on the fact that the next card in the shoe is a complete mystery.
A more sophisticated, highly controversial method popularized by poker legend Phil Ivey is known as "edge sorting."
The Mechanics of a Craps Scam
The craps table is extremely difficult to cheat due to the massive size of the table, the required wall-bounce, and the presence of four highly trained dealers.
This mathematically alters the probability of hitting a 7, giving the cheater a massive, incredibly illegal advantage over the house.
Cheating MethodTarget GameHow it WorksPast PostingRoulette / BlackjackAdding chips to a winning bet lateEdge SortingBaccaratExploiting asymmetrical card patterns
The glamorous era of casino cheating has largely been eradicated by incredibly advanced facial recognition, RFID-chipped betting tokens, and relentless surveillance.
1
How to Spot Cheaters at the Casino
franciscofreeh edited this page 2026-08-05 04:00:21 +02:00