Slots cheats have been a constant challenge for casinos, with many individuals finding creative ways to manipulate slot machines for their advantage. In this article, we will explore some of the most notorious slots cheats and their methods.

Ronald Dale Harris: The Engineer Turned Cheater

A former engineer from The Nevada Gaming Commission, Ronald Dale Harris, rigged the codes of slot machines to work in his favor. He cheated machines for years until his partner’s big win in a casino exposed the scam.

Shaved Coins and Light Sensors

As technology advanced, slot machines began using light sensors to register payments. Cheaters would use shaved coins, sending them down the machine with an object matching the required stake coin’s size and shape. The shaved coin would be returned, and the other object would start the game.

Fake Coins: Louis “The Coin” Colavecchio

Louis Colavecchio, a con artist, used fake coins to scam casinos for years until his arrest in 1998. He resumed his cheating activities after being released in 2006 but was caught again within months.

Magnets and Older Machines

Cheaters used magnets to stop the metal reels of older machines from spinning, claiming payouts. However, modern slot machines are programmed by computer software and are not magnetic, making this technique obsolete.

The Yo-Yo Technique

The yo-yo technique involved attaching a string to a coin and sending it into the machine to trigger the game’s start. The player would then retrieve the coin using the string. This method is now redundant due to technological advancements.

Tommy Glenn Carmichael and the Light Wand

Tommy Glenn Carmichael created the light wand, which he used to blind the optical sensor on slot machines. This prevented the machine from detecting how many coins were deposited, allowing him to manipulate the game and turn small wins into massive payouts.

The Caesars Boardwalk Regency Scam

In 1982, a group of men worked together at the Caesars Boardwalk Regency casino in Atlantic City. They used 20-inch long piano wires to jam the wheel rotation clock, allowing them to control the spins. They hit the $50,000 jackpot but were caught on camera, and the winning player was arrested.

Top-Bottom Joint Method

The top-bottom joint method was popular in the 1970s and 1980s. Cheats used a special tool split into two parts to jam the machine and force it to release all stored coins.

Monkey Paw: Carmichael’s Second Invention

Carmichael also created the “monkey paw” by attaching a guitar string to a bent metal rod. He inserted it into the machine’s air vent to trigger the coin hopper switch, allowing him to manipulate the game.

In conclusion, slots cheats have used various methods to manipulate the system, but casinos are becoming more sophisticated in detecting these cheats. It’s essential to remember that cheating is illegal and can result in severe consequences.