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.
Understanding the "Past Posting" Scam
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.
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 drops
- Dealers are trained to intensely stare at the chips immediately after announcing the winning number
- Past posting is a severe felony offense, not a simple misunderstanding of the rules
How Players Manipulate the Deck
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.
By convincing the dealer to rotate specific high-value cards 180 degrees, the player can easily identify them before they are dealt, completely destroying the house edge.
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.
| Cheater Action | Dealer Counter-Measure |
|---|---|
| Pinching (Stealing back a lost bet) | Clearing losing bets before paying winners |
| Marking Cards with fingernails | Replacing the entire shoe of cards frequently |
Attempting to cheat a modern casino is an incredibly foolish endeavor that almost universally ends in severe felony charges and prison time.
