Figuring out how to cheat at slots has occupied the minds of players for as long as slot games have existed. With games evolving over the years, from mechanical one-armed bandits to sophisticated online games, there has never been a shortage of criminal creativity. Here is a series of slot machine cheats that have kept slot designers and creators in suspense over the years. Needless to say, these cheats cannot be used when playing UK online slots at The Phone Casino.
The big payout swing
Among the most popular cheats are those that trick slot machines into paying more than they are supposed to. This usually involves triggering payment switches and/or manipulating payment sensors. Here are a few that have been used in the past to great effect. Until the enterprising thieves are caught, of course.
Lighting the way
One of the most famous techniques is the use of a light (sometimes called the light wand technique) to blind or « confuse » the sensors as they count money coming through the door. The longer the sensor was blinded, the more money flowed from the machine.
The monkey paw patrol
A man named Tommy Glenn Carmichael became infamous as one of the most prolific slot machine cheats. Credited with the light wand technique mentioned above, he also introduced the famous « Monkey Paw ». By attaching a guitar string to a bent metal rod (which resembled a monkey’s paw), he would pass the « paw » through an air vent on the machine and press the coin dispenser switch which released all the pieces.
A top-to-bottom jam
Unlike the « monkey’s paw », the « top-bottom joint » passed through the front of the machine. The top of the device was a bent metal rod that was attached to the bottom, a long wire. By inserting the top into the coin slot and simultaneously inserting the wire into the coin passage (where the coins came out), cheaters were able to jam the machine and trigger the release of all coins.
Chipping in and cashing out
Dennis Nikrasch, a criminal locksmith, should have a movie dedicated to him. This tireless lock picker discovered that modern electronic machines used computer chips to determine payments. Ever resourceful, Nikrasch and his accomplices analyzed a few machines, programmed replacement chips and managed to defraud Las Vegas casinos of more than $15 million (£12 million) in the late 1990s. had his team block the cameras while he swapped chips. He was finally denounced by one of his accomplices for “underpayment.
The coin manipulation
If you were alive during the golden age of arcades, some of this stuff might sound familiar. Wherever there was a chip dispenser, there was someone trying to get as many rounds as possible with a single coin. Here are some slots cheat tips from the UK and other parts of the world that were fun but short-lived.
The yo-yo play
Who doesn’t remember drilling a hole in a coin, attaching a string to it and dipping it into the coin dispenser to trigger several rounds before removing the coin? It was basically free to play. This technique was quickly phased out, but it was quite effective for those who knew how to take advantage of it for a while.
Shaving to save
Cheaters are incorrigible. Once machine designers integrated light sensors to record payments in addition to physical comparators, cheaters found a solution. They would shave the coin and insert it with an object that matched the physical attributes of the coin. The worthless object fell, and the shaved coin was ejected.
Fake it to make it
Slots cheaters used fake chips to fool casinos. It was an unimaginative technique but required a lot of work. If you were resourceful enough, you could make enough money with this trick.
Validating the bill
This technique involved wrapping a $1 bill with a device that fooled the bill validator of the newer machines into thinking it was receiving a $100 bill. Still sometimes used today, most casinos have become aware of this technique and have modified their validators.
The great reel spin scam
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Some players seek legal advice on how to win at slots, while other cheaters have spent a lot of time finding ways to trick the reels into winning combinations. Here are some ingenious methods cheaters use to manipulate the reels.
Playing with pianos
One of the oldest cheats was the piano wire trick. In 1982, a few crafty thieves connected piano wires to the gears that spun the reels of a machine at Caesars Boardwalk Regency Casino in Atlantic City. They pulled the wires to manipulate the gears and create winning combinations. Needless to say, they were all caught on camera and severely punished.
Magnetized
Using magnets to cheat on old metal slot machines is part of slot machine legend. The idea was to spin the reels, then use a magnet to stop the spinning once you spotted a winning combination. It was not a subtle method but, for a short time, very effective.
The online hustle
Online slots cheaters have a harder time, but it’s not impossible. It’s less about cheating and more about manipulating the system.
The software glitch
Online and electronic slot machines, just like most computers, run on software. And, as with most software, they are prone to bugs. This usually means that if a certain pattern of combinations occurs, the machine pays as a « bug ». However, be careful; most machines come with a disclaimer stating that a malfunction “voids all payments.” Ask the 90-year-old grandma who won $41 million but was denied payment because it was a bug.
The bonus gambit
Most online casinos offer welcome bonuses for new registrants. Generally, for every amount you deposit, the casino will match it to you. Bonus grinding, as it is called, involves signing up to multiple casinos and exploiting the welcome bonus by betting on low volatility slots in order to avoid something called player bet management systems which are put in place to manage this type of situation.
Hitting the rate
Online slot machines are subject to a law that imposes a minimum payout rate, generally around 95%. This is called RTP or return to player rate. Some players try to cheat the system by suddenly increasing their bets after a series of losing spins. However, be careful; some casinos have discovered this trick and have implemented measures to counter this behavior.
Win with the Phone Casino
You won’t need to cheat when playing online slots in the UK.