The monkey’s paw was one of the early devices used by slot cheats. The mechanism was essentially a guitar or piano string attached to a bent metal rod. Cheater would jam it into the machine through an air vent and fish around for the switch that released the coin hopper.

Risk-takers love gambling activities, and they have been interested in them for decades. Sweepstakes machines give those risk-takers a chance to test their luck, which is the main reason they are excited to play. Do you think that luck is always the factor that determines the results? Some of the deceitful betters did not think so, and they tried to change the outcome of slot machines. There were many occasions that gambling scandals shocked the whole world. So, in this post, we will cover some of the memorable gambling scandals and give you some insight into their history.

The Story of Tommy G. Carmichael Who Rigged Sweepstakes Machines

Over twenty years, Tommy had improved a tactic that helped him to earn millions of dollars by playing sweepstakes machines. He created various tools which indeed helped him to complete those acts. One of his primary inventions is a monkey’s paw or slider. By using this wire, he inserted the tool into sweepstakes machine’s payout chute and changed the system. He tripped the microswitch of the slot machine, which made it hit the jackpot. He was using monkey’s paw during the times when sweepstakes slot machines were not so complex.

As the technology helped gambling platforms to improve, Tommy saw this as an opportunity for improvement too. He created new tactics for coping with new slot machines. What were that tactic and the tool that Tommy utilized? The device is called a light wand, which helped Tommy to block the machine’s sensor. After doing that, he tricked the slot machine and made it to spit out free coins. Just like any story, this one has an end too. Although Tommy managed to take millions of dollars by cheating in sweepstakes slots, it ended in 2001 when the F.B.I caught him. Carmichael spent his 326 days in jail and, after that, had three years of probation. Not only that, but also officials claimed that Tommy is banned from all types of gambling activities, and he cannot enter casinos or sweepstakes parlors ever.

How Ron Harris Cheated in Sweepstakes Machines?

How To Cheat Video Slots

In the early 1990s, there was an online casino software designer who worked for Nevada Gaming. That person was Ron Harris, who shocked the world after taking thousands of dollars from slot machines through his tactics. Ron was a sweepstakes software designer who has more capabilities for coding the sweepstakes machines again and again while adding new features to the game. He used his skills and position for changing the codes of slot machines and enabled his friends and coworkers to earn huge jackpots through those modified slot machines.

The main trick that Ron used was about the sequence of coins. He re-coded the software and made a machine to pay out the jackpot whenever the coin sequence was happening as Ron planned. According to CNN reports, Ron managed to cheat on at least 30 custom slot machines that helped him to get thousands of dollars. Eventually, police caught him in 1996 after one of his accomplices was found while trying to rig a keno game in Atlantic City Casino. So, Ron went to jail for slot cheating and illegal gambling and stayed there for seven years.

Fake Slot Machine Coins

The man who became popular for his iconic nickname-“the Coin” was Louis Colavecchio. He utilized fabricated coins in sweepstakes machines and earned over thousands of dollars without spending a dime in real money. Police arrested Louis in Atlantic City in 1997, and they found around 700 pounds of fake coins in his car. Province Journal reports that after completing his two years sentence in prison, Louis returned to jail again in 2018. Even at 76 years old, the main was able to create fake hundred dollar bills and rig slot machines in Rhode Island.

Is it possible to cheat on every casino game?

It is one of the main questions that come up to mind while we are talking about the most popular gambling scandals till now. There are some examples of the people who were able to rig online casino games and get away with millions of dollars. So, what are those casino games, and who were those people?

John Kane and Andre Nestor’s Journey

John Kane was a fanatic video poker player who got 500.000 dollars by using the simple trick that he discovered while playing. He was mainly playing on the same video poker machine at that time. One day, John noticed that there is a glitch in punters, and they can give out the same handout after every jackpot win. John used a tactic that was based on the wagering amount. Kane wagered only one cent on each round, and as soon as the jackpot came out, he bet the maximum.

Casino bosses noticed the success of the man and his friend Andre Nelson. So, they thought that those customers are cheating and rigging the games. Though, federal prosecutors did not feel like that. Both men got away with thousands of dollars after the lawsuit resulted in their favor. The attorney said that both John and Andre did the same thing, which was pushing the button in a sequence, and that was perfectly legal.

Infamous Blackjack Team

We know that our main topic is about slot machine scandals. However, due to the scope and influence of the case, we had to put this one on the list. The main actors of this gambling scandal are the students who called themselves the M.I.T. Blackjack Team. For over two decades, the team members earned millions of dollars by the card counting technique that they created—the background story of the M.I.T. The Blackjack Team was started in the 1970s by ex-students of prestigious universities such as Harvard and M.I.T. The importance of the case was not only about the massive scope, popularity, or anything. Those students wrote history by beating the gambling machines in their own game. It was the first-ever organized act that involved scientific tactics in beating the casino.

The leader of that team was Bill Kaplan, who was the former M.I.T. student. Over the years, Bill shared his knowledge and tactics while training young card specialists. He had roughly 100 students at a time. As the Blackjack Team revealed, casinos started to follow the members and used legal actions against them. The leading members of the team broke their relationships in 1993. However, in the early 2000s, there were former students of Bill who still used that tactic and continue to exploit the casinos. The story of young students who became millionaires through their card counting techniques inspired Hollywood too. In fact, the famous movie “21” is dedicated to the M.I.T. team.

From Card Dealer to Millionaire-Interesting story of Richard Marcus

A homeless man who just arrived at Las Vegas applied for a job as a baccarat and blackjack card dealer. During his tenure, he acquired enough skills and learned a lot about the games. The knowledge helped Richard to create a cheating mechanism that would make him a millionaire. `He used the sleight of hand method as a magician, and that helped Richard to succeed. The actual trick that made him famous around the online gambling world is called past posting. With this trick, Richard used his quickness and sleight of hand skills to replace lower denominations with higher coins. He did that whenever he won. So, if he was betting a smaller amount and winning the bet, he was immediately changing the coins and earning massive jackpots.

Monkey Paw Slot Machine

Final Thoughts

These were the most memorable gambling scandals that ever happened. For those of you who wonder if it is possible to rig the sweepstakes machines and overall casino games, the answer is yes. However, with today’s hi-tech machines, it is harder than you think. Even if it is possible, it is not advisable to do that because you may face severe consequences at the end.

Hack Video Slot Machine Games

“How to win on slot machines” is a popular search term, but we all know that the real question most of the gamblers want to know if there are “ways to cheat a slot machine”. That’s ok. Everybody wonders that. Since it is just the reels turning and symbols placing, there must be a “trick”, right? Well, we will answer this question right below but we are warning you: Don’t get your hopes up.

IS CHEATING ON SLOTS POSSIBLE?

No. It is certainly not possible. This is not a click-bait article, we are giving you the answer right away. No, you cannot manipulate slot machines. There are no cheats, no hacks. Sorry. There was a time when this was possible, but not anymore. (We are giving a couple examples below.) To understand why, you must learn how slot machines work.

Hack Slot Machine At Casino

Most of the players still think that they are made of cogs and wheels. Thing is, they are totally “digital” since the 90’s. The spinning reels you are seeing are actually a piece of a computer code. If you open a slot machine cabinet and look inside, you won’t be seeing any “cogs”. The inside of a slot cabinet looks like a computer case. Each cabinet is connected to a central server, which actually “spins” the reels. A computer software decides whether you have won or not. You cannot manipulate such a system with a screwdriver – you cannot manipulate it at all.

CHEATING THE COGS AND REELS

Up until the 60’s, slot machines at casinos were mechanical devices. Believe it or not but they did not actually require “electricity” to run. They were like mechanical watches and some casino worker manually winded them every couple of days. These were the games that could be cheated: In fact, most of the slot cheats are made to work with that type of machines. It was even possible to understand when a winning spin would happen – the cogs were making a weird sound when that was about to happen, especially if the machine was old. Thing is, there are no mechanical slot machines anymore. In 1960, all casinos switched to electro-mechanical games, which worked with electricity. These were still using cogs and wheels, but they were much harder to cheat. In the 90’s, IGT presented video slots: Games that ran on a computer software. All the wheels and cogs were gone, it has been only computer code from now on. And this is the case since the last 30 years: All slot games have been running on a central server (even the ones in brick-and-mortar casinos) and they are using advanced software, which cannot be “hacked”.

WHY IS IT IMPOSSIBLE TO CHEAT MODERN SLOT MACHINES?

That’s because the results are determined by an RNG (random number generator) and it is impossible to predict the outcome. Let’s explain this so it will be easier to understand. The symbols you see on the slot machine screen are not actually symbols. They are computer codes that have a numerical counterpart. Here is an example:

• Watermelon symbol: 22343
• Grapefruit symbol: 34342
• Jackpot symbol: 33525

Each time you spin the reel, the RNG software randomly generates a series of numbers. If this number is in the range of the symbol’s number, that symbol is displayed on the screen. For example, if the RNG software generates a number between 22.340 and 22.350, you see the watermelon symbol on the screen, because its numerical counterpart is 22.343. Basically, it works like this:

• The RNG software tells the central server which numbers it generated.
• The central server checks the numbers and decides which symbols to place on screen.

All this happens in mere seconds. The results are really random, even the programmer of the RNG software cannot predict them. In other words, even if you have full access to the central server, you still cannot change the result of the RNG. That’s why “hacking” won’t work: The results of a spin are checked by multiple sources and all this happens in a very short period of time. To “cheat” such a system, you must hack several servers, listen to every digital communication, and get full access to the entire network. To tell the truth, if you are capable of such things, do not waste time on cheating slots. We are sure some intelligence agency will find a job for you. It will be a futile effort anyway: The RTP values of these games are known by the casinos, and if those values change, someone will notice you. In short, there are no slot cheats for modern slot games, whether they are in a brick-and-mortar or an online casino.

THE MOST FAMOUS SLOT MACHINE CHEATS: TOP 10

Cheating The Slot Machines

We mentioned that there was a time when slot cheats were possible, due to mechanical defects of the cabinets. Well, here are some examples. These are known as the most famous slot cheats of all times. We must warn you though: None of them work anymore. So if you are planning to visit a casino with this “knowledge”, know that it will be a punishable crime and a very shameful situation.

1. Cheat Code: This was a cheat method that was not open to “public”. When the video slots first appeared, they were using simple computer code and even simpler chips. There is a thing called “backdoor” in coding, which means the programmer leaves an open door for himself to access the software anytime he wants. Ronald Dale Harris was one of those programmers. He left several backdoors on slot codes he wrote and used some of them to gain full access to the games. Basically, he was able to predict the results before the reels start to spin. He got arrested and the casinos switched to the central server audition we mentioned above. It is impossible to do this anymore.
2. Shaved Coins: Slot machines use simple light sensors to identify the value of coins inserted. The name of this slot cheat is literal: People were shaving the outer rims of the coin. The light sensor accepts it as a normal coin since it is unable to check the outer rim. However, the payout mechanism is able to do that, so detects it as a faulty coin and refunds it. Basically, it was possible to insert a coin, spin the reels, and get the coin back. This was a mechanical fault and it is mostly fixed now. Modern light sensors check the whole surface of the coin (sides included).
3. Fake Coins: This is actually counterfeiting. Some gamblers were using hardened metal dies to make their own “coins”. A person is able to tell the difference but a light sensor can be tricked, which was the whole “concept” of this cheat. Once more, modern light sensors do not fall for this scam. A person named Louis Colavecchio was especially successful at this tactic and he is in jail now.
4. Yo-Yo: Get a monofilament fishing line. Tie it around a normal coin. Drop the coin to the machine. Right after the light sensor accepts it as a payment, pull the line and get the coin back. This “tactic” used at phone cabinets too for years. It does not work anymore. But it was possible to trick the old mechanical slots back in the days.
5. Light Wand: Invented by the famous slot cheater Tommy Glenn Carmichael, this was a weird looking device. Remember the light sensors of slot machines we keep telling you about? Yeah, most of the slot cheats were designed to manipulate that system and the light wand is no exception. This device is inserted at the coin slot of the cabinets, where the light sensor is placed. Then, the device starts to flash a series of lights to confuse the sensor. With this “technique”, you can place a penny and the sensor will think you just placed hundreds of coins. The device was very small and portable, and once it goes into the slot, it is impossible to see it. The fun part is, it is actually still possible to use this technique because light sensors are unguarded against it. However, you need to know which “light codes” the sensor accepts. This was the trick of Carmichael. He bought a couple of scrap slot cabinets, analyzed the sensors, and programmed his device accordingly.
6. Piano Wire: Take a mini-drill. Find a mechanical slot cabinet. Open a small hole next to the cogs. Insert a 20-inch long piano wire to the hole and manipulate the wheels & cogs. If you know what you are doing, you can jam the cogs and stop them at the winning spin. All of these happened back in the 80’s. Well, not anymore. There is a reason why casinos stopped using mechanical slot games.
7. Top-Bottom Joint: Another device designed by Tommy Glenn Carmichael. Yes, he was the most famous slot cheater of all times. He loved to manipulate gaming cabinets – the guy had a talent for it. A top-bottom joint is a long wire. The top looks like the letter “Q”. The bottom is connected to a mini-battery. You insert the Q part into the coin chute and give a little electricity to the wire. If you know where to “touch” inside the cabinet, you can hot-wire the payout mechanism and force the cabinet to release all of the stored coins. Again, this technique required a very detailed knowledge of how slot cabinets work. Tommy Glenn Carmichael was buying those used slot cabinets for a reason. In theory, it is still possible to do this.
8. Monkey Paw: This was the primitive version of a top-bottom joint. Basically, a monkey paw is guitar string attached to a metal rod. If you know where it is located, you can put a monkey paw to a coin chute and trigger the release switch of the payout mechanism. Once more, it is invented by… you guessed it right, Tommy Glenn Carmichael. He used this device on mechanical slots and switched to the top-bottom joint when video slots appeared.
9. Bill Validator Device: You can insert bills into a slot machine too, coins are not the only way to pay them. This is a simple device: The top part is covered by a 100 USD bill. You put a 1 USD bill inside. Insert the device into the chute. The light sensor will accept it as a 100 USD bet. Pull the device out (and the 100 USD bill that is tied to it) and the 1 USD bill will drop into the machine. Congrats, you just made a 100 USD bet with paying only 1 USD. This technique still works on some old slot games.
10. Computer Chip Replacement: Buy a second-hand slot cabinet. Reverse engineer its chips. Write the entire code and get a chip of your own, which will favor the odds in your favor. Go to a casino. Open a cabinet, insert your own chip. Start spinning. A skillful cheater can open the cabinet & insert his own chip in less than 15 seconds. This technique does not work anymore due to the multiple control mechanisms we described above.

HOW CASINOS PROTECT FROM SLOT CHEATS?

They are investing in better light sensors, for starters. In addition, the whole casino floor is watched & recorded 7/24. Note that almost all of these cheats require physical manipulation of cabinets. So they watch the recorded streams right after anybody wins a prize. If they see the manipulation, you get arrested – simple as that. There will always be cheating players, but they will always get caught.

IT IS LUCK AND NOTHING ELSE

Do you wonder how to win at slots? It is luck and nothing else. You cannot cheat slots or use a “system”: All games are random and you cannot predict the results. Sure, there are some tips and tricks you can use to increase your chances of winning, such as choosing games with high RTP rates but that’s it: You cannot cheat the system. Read our other guides that focus on slot games tips & tricks to see the “legal” ways of increasing your luck. Using a cheat is… well, it won’t end well, we can guarantee that.