5 Slot Machine Scams That Shocked Las Vegas

There have been some illegal betting practices in Las Vegas, including a hospital that bet on when patients would die. One nurse was accused of murdering a patient so that she could win. 

The lights, money, and glam are enticing for many and make some act in ways that maybe they normally wouldn’t. Are you curious about the biggest slot machine scams in Las Vegas history? Read on to see these different slot machine scams that surprised Las Vegas. 

1. The Monkey Paw

You can use real money online casino now and make cash. One of the top casino scams is where Tommy Glenn Carmichael used devices such as the light wand and monkey’s paw to steal millions from casinos. 

This lasted about 2 decades until he was caught. The way these devices work is by rigging the system in your favor. 

One device is a wire that you insert through the machine’s payout chute. This trips the microswitch into releasing the jackpot. 

He also uses a small light bulb and camera battery that blinds a slot machine’s sensor and tricks it into spitting out coins. He would make thousands of dollars a day doing this.

The FBI caught him and he had to serve a little bit less than a year in prison. He also served 3 years probation. He’s not allowed to enter casinos now. 

2. Coded Slot Machines

Ron Harris in the 90s has software engineering experience writing anti-cheating software for the Nevada Gaming Control Board. In private, he codes machines with a hidden software switch to pay out huge jackpots. 

When you insert the coins in a certain sequence, they spit out the money. People would walk away with hundreds of thousands of dollars due to this. 

He was caught when one of his accomplishes was found in Atlantic City. He’s serving 7 years in prison. 

3. The Roselli Brothers

They’re some of the most intelligent casino scammers in history. At their peak, they made about $40 million without losing their money. 

In order to do this, they take the identity of unsuspecting victims. This allows them to build up credit terms with the casinos that they target. 

They hack data to find the names of individuals with perfect credit scores. Next, they open up a credit account with a number of casinos. 

Once set up, they deposit money into each. Casinos then extend credit to these players.

The Roselli Brothers would increase their credit lines. This lead to a million dollars. 

Once cashing the account, they vanish out of sight. The casinos then pursue the victims whose credit was stolen. 

While searching for the brothers, they find out that the brothers had died years earlier. Their true identity is still unknown to this day. Due to this, the innocent victims suffer from terrible credit ratings now. 

4. Radio Roulette Ball

One of the top Las Vegas scams is the Radio Roulette Ball. This dates back to the 70s. 

There’s a roulette dealer in France at a casino who is interested in amateur radios. This allows them to test casino security.

A mechanism is made from a small transmitter and radio receiver. A mechanism has a roulette ball fall on certain numbers. It’s incredibly accurate as well. 

The dealer switches in the receiver ball, and the sister-in-law holds the receiver. She plays at a different game to avoid detection.

The brother places bets during this. This allows them to dictate the range of every number during the play. 

This makes them about $1 million per week. Unfortunately, the sister-in-law is caught when a casino owner notices her.

He’s interested in her and she rejects him. This leads to a closer observation of her. Since she’s in the casino during heavy losses, they become suspicious. 

The casino calls in the authorities. After checking out different gambling scams, they decide to check for radio frequencies. They’re caught and arrested. 

5. Las Vegas Scams

While the above is about those who trick the system, below is about Las Vegas scams that they have to make more. Some of them have low returns with high fees due to convenience. 

McCarran Airport Slot Machines

This is one of the most common scams out there right at the airport. At the McCarran Airport, there are video poker machines and slots. 

Keep in mind that they’re not well-paying machines. While the casinos will have slot machines with better returns. 

Resort Fee Scams

Many casino hotels will charge you a resort fee. There are some that don’t, but they’re harder to come by. 

It can include a fitness center, wi-fi, local calls, and bottles of water. It can range from $10-$28 per night. 

If you achieve a Platinum or higher tier, then stay at the Caesar Entertainment Resort. They’ll waive the resort fees due to this. Comped rooms often don’t have resort fees either. 

Your best bet is to focus on one company to gamble your money. While it’s the same company, many companies will have multiple locations underneath them. 

Exploring the Most Known Slot Machine Scams

After exploring this guide, you should have a better idea of some of the top slot machine scams out there. Be mindful of how you play and don’t do any of these! Play the game legally to avoid trouble.

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