How To Spot Cheaters At The Casino

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.


Understanding exactly how these professional thieves operate not only satisfies a morbid curiosity but also protects honest players from becoming collateral damage at a compromised table.

Past Posting: The Art of the Late Bet

Past posting occurs when a cheater incredibly quickly and silently adds additional chips to their winning bet exactly a split second after the winning outcome is determined.


While the dealer's eyes are momentarily distracted by the sudden commotion, the extra high-denomination chips are seamlessly slid onto the winning betting circle.

The scam almost always involves a loud, intentional distraction created by an accompliceCheaters also use "pinching," which is removing chips from a bet after losing the handIf a player is constantly hovering their hands near their chips after the deal, pit bosses become highly suspicious
Card Marking and Edge Sorting

Historically, this involved utilizing invisible ink readable only with special contact lenses, or using a fingernail to create a tiny, microscopic dent in the cardboard.


Edge sorting relies on finding tiny, microscopic manufacturing defects in the geometric patterns printed on the absolute back edge of the casino's playing cards.

Dice Sliding at the Craps Table

However, highly skilled mechanics attempt a scam known as "dice sliding," which completely removes the random tumble of the dice.


To combat this, casinos mandate that both dice must physically bounce off the chaotic, rubber pyramid "alligator" siding at the far end of the table.

Cheater ActionDealer Counter-MeasurePinching (Stealing back a lost bet)Clearing losing bets before paying winnersMarking Cards with fingernailsReplacing the entire shoe of cards frequently

The glamorous era of casino cheating has largely been eradicated by incredibly advanced facial recognition, RFID-chipped betting tokens, and relentless surveillance.