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.


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.

Understanding the "Past Posting" Scam

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."


This scam requires absolute, flawless timing, massive distraction, and the steady, lightning-fast hands of a professional close-up magician.

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.


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.

How Cheaters Manipulate the Dice

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.

Scam NameRequired Skill LevelDetection DifficultyDice SlidingExtremely High (Physical skill)Low (Dealers watch the throw closely)Invisible InkLow (Requires tainted deck)High (Requires UV light to detect)

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