Some of the Cheating Methods that Casinos Use
These are some of the most commonly used cheating methods by casinos when it comes to Blackjack:
- Selective Shuffling
- Hyper-shuffling
- Sleight of Hand
- Removing Cards from the Deck
- Subtle Tricks
- Swapping Hole Cards
- Mishandling Chips or Money
- Pegging
- Using Holdout Shoes and other Cheating Devices
Selective Shuffling
This is how cheating at Blackjack using selective shuffling works:
- When around 50-60% of the deck has been used, it’s usually around that time when the dealer re-shuffles the card.
- However, if the dealer notices that a player is winning too much, he’ll reshuffle the deck of cards on the spot.
- In extreme cases, the dealer will reshuffle the cards after around 2-3 hands only.
- Customers have every right to complain if they see a dealer doing this since it messes up the house edge.
Hyper-shuffling
These are some of the ways how hyper-shuffling is used to cheat at Blackjack:
- This method is being used when a dealer shuffles faster than usual.
- If a dealer works fast in handling the deck of cards, the players will find it hard to follow along.
- This practice also increases the casino’s house edge.
- When a dealer at a table seems to be working extremely fast, it’s best to avoid playing at that particular table.
Sleight of Hand
This is how Sleight of Hand works:
- A dealer will go unnoticed in placing a bust card on one of the players’ deck of cards.
- Instead of giving the player the card at the top of the deck, the dealer will use his quick hands to give him a bust card.
- Dealers will usually look for players who had too many to drink so they won’t notice what the dealer’s about to do.
Removing Cards from the Deck
This is how removing cards from the deck works:
- This is one of the worst cheating methods at Blackjack.
- Dealers will pull out all the important cards from the deck like a ten, jack, queen, and king.
- The chances of a player winning big is very low once the casino has resorted to this low move.
- This method goes unnoticed by players, especially if the dealer only removes one or two important cards.
The Par Sheet
This is how the par sheet works:
- A casino machine’s par sheet is the one which determines the odds of the game.
- It specifies each stop’s weighting, including the blanks.
- Casinos treat their par sheets with confidentiality since it’s also partly responsible for a casino’s house edge and payback percentage.
Subtle Tricks
These are some examples of subtle tricks that casinos use to cheat at Blackjack:
- This form of cheating uses psychological and subconscious methods to trick players into spending more money.
- One popular trick is to give out free alcoholic drinks so players will get tipsy and easy to cheat at a Blackjack game.
- Offering few low stakes tables also encourage players to participate in mid to high stake games of Blackjack.
Swapping Hole Cards
This is how casinos use swapping hole cards for cheating at Blackjack:
- This method is rarely used since it’s usually prohibited or at least regulated in most casinos.
- The dealer will use his quick hands to replace a low hole card with a high hole card.
Mishandling Chips or Money
This is how casinos mishandle chips or money for the purpose of cheating:
- This method is very rare since it can be easily exposed when the wrong player has been cheated on.
- The dealer will give the wrong change to the player.
- The dealer could also give a player with a winning bet insufficient amounts of the prize.
- This form of cheating usually targets players who are not attentive and can easily be distracted.
Pegging
These are some of the ways how casinos use pegging for cheating at Blackjack:
- This cheating method refers to putting subtle marks on high-valued cards in the form of dimpling.
- This is hard to identify and discover since only the dealer pays close attention to the cards.
- To prevent this from happening, players must always check the cards for suspicious marks.
Using Holdout Shoes and other Cheating Devices
These are some examples on how casinos use holdout shoes and other forms of cheating devices just to cheat at Blackjack:
- Holdout shoes are well-known in the casino industry.
- Holdout shoes refer to a type of shoe that resembles the usual dealer shoes.
- This cheating device has a mirror which lets the dealer get a glimpse of the card that’s on the top of the deck.
- Other cheating devices are also used by dealers at Blackjack games.
- If a casino gets caught allowing its dealers to use these cheating devices, it will automatically lose its gambling license.
James Reynolds Johnson is a seasoned expert in the world of online casinos. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, James has a wealth of knowledge about the latest casino games, trends, and technologies. He has worked with some of the top online casinos in the world, providing expert analysis and advice on everything from game selection to payment methods. James is passionate about helping players find the best online casinos that offer fair games, excellent customer support, and generous bonuses. When he's not writing or researching, James enjoys playing blackjack and poker.
