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Wednesday
January 24, 2001
Gambling
Cheats
 Las
Vegas casinos offer visitors any number of ways to try
their luck. But some attempt to increase their odds
by cheating, and these culprits quickly learn that when
you're under the neon lights of the strip, big brother
is always watching.
Here at Bellagio, millions of dollars change hands every
day. But how do they make sure all of those transactions
are legitimate? Well, they've allowed us back here to
the highly restricted surveillance center where they
monitor the entire gaming floor.
According to security director Pat Fischer, there are
some 1800 hidden cameras watching over Bellagio, 500
VCRs are used to record the action at the 170 gaming
tables and three thousand slot machines. Fischer says,
"What we do have here is we record every camera in the
system 24 hours a day, seven days a week. So whether
or not we're looking at a camera it's still recording,
so we can go back and look at it."
How do people try to avoid detection and cheat the casino?
One way is with a "bet switch." Fischer explains, "What
he's going to do is he's going to wait until the outcome
of the game has been determined. If he wins, he's going
to leave his bet. But if he loses, he's going to switch
it for a smaller bet to minimize his losses."
Roulette cheaters sometimes try to place a bet on a
winning number. After the ball lands, a technique known
as "past posting." Fischer tells us, "What he made was
a double move. He dropped the money the money on the
#35 and then made a second move to distract the dealers."
So how does she suggest you take her money if you don't
want to risk prison time? Fischer suggests, "Probably
the best odds are on the 21 game. Twenty-one is the
only game that you can legitimately, with a lot of work
and practice, gain an advantage over the house."
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Gambling
Myths 
