Card Cheaters (CardCheaters.com) was a news source about gambling cheating and scams which was run by Gambling Incorporated (GamblingIncorporated.com) from January 2005 through February 2017. Although it continued to offer a newswire through December 2022, none of that was archived. Their archives are now available here.
Bee Erdnaseum Commemorative Playing Cards
This commemorative deck was designed in conjunction with the Genii article which asserts that W.E. Sanders is the true identity of S.W. Erdnase who wrote the classic 1902 about cheating at cards. The back design features a special Scott Kim Inversion which looks the same in both directions while spelling both names. The deck is printed on Bee stock using their older faces and a worm back design. The limited edition deck was printed by the USPC for Dan & Dave and Conjuring Arts. For more information or to purchase from Gambling Incorporated click: HERE.(9/2011)
Gambling Museum
Richard and Mary Schulte who opened “The Green Elephant Antique Gambling and Saloon Museum” are featured in a Jackson Citizen Patriot article that reported, “Cheating came hand-in-hand with gambling and that’s also covered at the museum with loaded dice, a 90-year-old rigged roulette wheel Richard Schulte loves to demonstrate and contraptions that card players snuck up their sleeves to hold cards that might better their hands. “The players weren’t the only ones cheating,” Richard Schulte said. “The slot machines had things called ‘bugs’ inside them that stopped the machine from paying out. If I had a dishonest bone in my body, I could probably make a few bucks, but I don’t.” To read the September 23 article by Leanne Smith titled “Couple brings gambling history to life” click: HERE.(9/2011)
A Family Affair
A 57-year old and his 34-year old son help a dealer cheat at the Resorts Worlds Sentosa casino in Singapore. A Channel News Asia article reported that, “Deputy Public Prosecutor Ruth Wong said that as part of the plan, the Lims would approach Oh to exchange either 500-dollar or 1,000-dollar chips for those in smaller denominations. The then-dealer would hand them more 100-dollar chips than what they were entitled to.” To read the September 12 article by Shaffiq Alkhatib titled “Father and son jailed for conspiring to cheat casino” click: HERE.(9/2011)
Erdnase’s Identity Revealed
According to a 28-page feature in the September 2011 issue of Genii Magazine the identity of S.W. Erdnase is actually Wilbur Edgerton Sanders (1861-1935). The mystery around the seminal 1902 card cheating and magic book titled “The Expert At The Card Table” has plagued researchers for more than 100 years. There have been many articles, books and even plays about the elusive Mr. Erdnase and what could be his true identity. Until now it was assumed that his name was E.S. Andrews (S.W. Erdnase spelled backwards). This compelling article changed all that and opened up a new era of investigation about the author. To purchase a copy of the magazine from Gambling Incorporated click: HERE.(8/2011)
Cop Caught Capping
A police officer pleads guilty to cheating at Blackjack at the Sycuan Casino in California while channel 10News airs a surveillance video of him repeatedly capping his bets. The story reports, “‘This is good evidence we have. The camera tells no lies,’ said Steve Van Slyke, director of surveillance for the Sycuan Gaming Commission. …In the video shot by an overhead camera, [the cop], in the first three hands, adds a $25 chip when the dealer is looking in the other direction at a player on the other side of the table. …Despite three capped bets, [he] ties the dealer on two of the hands and only wins one hand. He earned an extra $25 because of the cheating.” To read the August 17 transcript titled “Video Shows How Ex-Officer Cheated At Casino” and watch the video click: HERE.(8/2011)
A Gang 70 Strong Hustling
A Popular Science article featured a story about a scam that ran at the new Cosmopolitan casino in Las Vegas last January. According to the story, “…a gang called the Cutters cheated at baccarat. Before play began, the dealer offered one member of the group a stack of eight decks of cards for a pre-game cut. The player probably rubbed the stack for good luck, at the same instant riffling some of the corners of the cards underneath with his index finger. A small camera, hidden under his forearm, recorded the order.” To read the August 8 article by Andrew Rosenblum titled “Spy vs. Spy” click: HERE.(8/2011)
Card Sharking Show
Magician Guy Hollingworth presented his magic show/play about S.W. Erdnase and his 1902 book “The Expert at the Card Table” at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica, CA. A Variety review described it as, “Guy’s openness is a sham, of course. Every trade secret he demonstrates is just a come-on into the real jaw-dropping magic. We’re twice as baffled when a vanished or torn-up card reappears, or the deck is dealt out incredibly ordered by suit, because we think he’s already told us the secret.” To read the July 18 review by Bob Verini click: HERE.(7/2011)
Bee Erdnase Acorn Special Edition Cards
One-way, monogrammed playing cards were produced with a unique back design. The illustrations from the classic 1902 book “The Expert At The Card Table” were reduced and used to form a Bee like back design. Unless you look carefully you will not even notice the illustrations. The limited edition deck was designed by Guy Hollingworth and printed by the USPC for Conjuring Arts. They are available in a Cambric finish and the rarer Ivory finish which facilitates certain cheating techniques. For more information or to purchase from Gambling Incorporated click: HERE.(7/2011)
Dealing Winners
A crooked Blackjack dealer helps scam Golden Eagle Casino. A Star Phoenix article reported that, “Two men have admitted cheating by taking advantage of opportunities provided by an allegedly crooked dealer. …The dealer did not shuffle properly but dealt specific cards that guaranteed wins for the players, flashed cards so they could make favourable playing decisions, helped them mitigate losses by telling them when to “buy insurance” and sometimes allowed them to take back chips from lost bets… [He] also stole high-value chips the dealer slid back to him under lower-value chips, court heard.” To read the July 29 article by Betty Ann Adam titled “Pair sentenced in casino scheme” click: HERE.(7/2011)
Card Shufflers With Cameras
Card shuffling machines with embedded cameras were used to identify and transmit the information. An article in The Standard reported that, “Macau police have smashed a mainland syndicate that allegedly swindled casinos out of more than HK$24 million using camera-embedded card shuffling machines, arresting seven men.” To read the July 28 article by Natalie Wong titled “Casino cheats raked in $24m” click: HERE.(7/2011)
Baccarat Markings
Two men caught at Mohegan Sun and charged with cheating at Baccarat. An article in The Day reported that, “[They] allegedly paid casino dealers …to mark the seven, eight and nine cards in baccarat and mini baccarat games, giving them a 21.53% advantage of winning each hand. …Their gambling records indicated that both men had lost more money than they won until they started cheating. …The two former casino dealers have also been charged and have cases pending in the same court.” To read the July 5 article by Karen Florin titled “Two men allegedly paid Mohegan Sun dealers to mark cards” click: HERE.(7/2011)
Decades Old Crew Caught
An international three person crew who has been ripping off casinos for decades is caught. According to a Ham & High article, “Over the course of two lucrative decades the trio became the scourge of the gambling establishment. With a travel itinerary that would be the envy of many, the well-oiled team hit casinos in Australia, Macau, Las Vegas and in countless European cities. Using a technique called ‘top hatting’, they would dupe croupiers during roulette games by placing a high value chip on top of a winning number after it is called.” To read the June 13 article by Sanchez Manning titled “World’s biggest gambling cheat stopped in tracks” click: HERE.(6/2011)
WSOP Marked Cards?
Misprinted/Marked cards used at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. A Bluff Magazine article reported that, “Though the card controversy began in the $1,500 Pot Limit Hold’em event, the repercussions of the discovery that players could still see the printing defect on the deuce, trey, four, and five of spades ended up resulting in some shuffling and scrambling in the Championship event. …eventually the tournament switched entirely to the black decks, where the defect is more difficult to see than on the red decks. …The cards were replaced within a day or so and WSOP staffers told BLUFF that the US Playing Card Company (USPC) could feasibly reprint the more than 10,000 decks needed for the WSOP in the span of a day or two.” To read the June 10 article by Jessica Welman titled “WSOP End of Day: Card Controversy Continues, Stars Shine in Shootout” click: HERE.(6/2011)
Chips Used To Mark High Cards
Blackjack team caught in Delaware. An ABC Action News story reported that “Authorities say Huang used a gaming chip to make indentation marks on “ten-valued” playing cards. Allegations say Yu and Li were players at the same blackjack table and attempted to use the knowledge of the marked cards to their advantage. …Police say a subsequent search of Yu’s rented vehicle outside the casino yielded evidence that the group of men were targeting casinos across the country. Police say they are suspected of being part of a larger organized cheating team working out of New York City and San Francisco.” To read the May 25 article titled “Delaware State Police have arrested three men and charged them with cheating at a blackjack table at Delaware Park Casino” click: HERE.(5/2011)
Bee Erdnase Smith No. 2 Cards
Playing cards were produced with a unique back design. The illustrations from the classic 1902 book “The Expert At The Card Table” were reduced and used to form a Bee like back design. Unless you look carefully you will not even notice the illustrations. The limited edition deck was designed by Guy Hollingworth and printed by the USPC for Conjuring Arts. They are available in a Cambric finish and the rarer Ivory finish which facilitates certain cheating techniques. For more information or to purchase from Gambling Incorporated click: HERE.(4/2011)
Sandpaper Card Marking
An Express-Times article reported that “An Oak Ridge, N.J., man has been accused of using small pieces of sandpaper to mark playing cards at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem, court records say.” The article also pointed out that “Some of the cards that were used at poker table number one had abnormal wear marks on different portions of the back. The wear corresponded to the value of the cards. For example, an ace was marked in the upper left corner and the marks continued in descending numerical order.” To read the April 11 article by Michael Buck titled “N.J. man accused of marking cards at Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem” click: HERE. (4/2011)
Singapore Roulette Scammers
Roulette scammers in Singapore get convicted. According to a Channel News Asia article “…[a croupier] who manned a Roulette table, also overpaid his accomplice a total sum of about S$1,700. …[He] controlled the movement of the ball used at his Roulette table such that it would always land within a pre-determined area….And should the ball land elsewhere, [he] would deliberately overpay the next time he won to make up for the losses.” To read the March 22 article by Shaffiq Alkhatib titled “Croupier and punter jailed for cheating RWS of nearly S$29,000” click: HERE.(3/2011)
January 29 Cheating Auction
On January 29th at Potter & Potter Auctions in Chicago there will take place a gambling and magic auction titled “Card Table Artifice & Legerdemain.” It features a vast array of gambling and cheating equipment and books that you are unlikely to ever see in one place again. Many very rare first edition books like Erdnase, Ritter, Green and much more. The auction takes place live and online. To visit the online auction site click: HERE.
>>>To purchase a catalog from Gambling Incorporated click: HERE. (1/2011)
New Hold’em Cheating Book
Cheating At Texas Hold’em is a new book by magician John Born subtitled, “A Modern Guide to the Art of Deception and Illicit Play at the Card Table.” It is full of all of the latest gimmicks and techniques used to cheat at cards and Texas Hold’em in particular. Along with all of the classic methods which are presented in a modern context you will find many new approaches and ideas developed by Born and some of the people he knows. What makes this book stand out from many of the rest is that it was written in a manner that even the most uninformed card player will be able to understand. For more information or to purchase from Gambling Incorporated click: HERE. (1/2011)
Hold-Out Use At Foxwoods
Four men were arrested at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut for cheating at Baccarat and taking in close to $900,000 during 14 visits between September 8-October 20. The method they used appears to be a “Hold-Out” attached to one of the player’s left arm. The switches were made behind cover of a scorecard that was waved by a second crew member. It seems that the team also ran this scam in Atlantic City and police are investigating the possibility of the team being part of a Korean syndicate. To read the January 4, Norwich Bulletin, article by Greg Smith titled “Foxwoods cheater hid cards up sleeve” click: HERE.(1/2011)
>>>To read the January 7, The Day, article by Izaskun E. Larrañeta titled “Police: Foxwoods card cheats had something up their sleeves” click: HERE.(1/2011)
AC Tropicana Fined
The Tropicana Casino in Atlantic City was fined $40,000 for not catching a dealer and customer team which cheated at Blackjack for seven months during 2008-2009. The scam involved the dealer not collecting losing bets and over paying winning bets. It is estimated that this happened on 20-30 different occasions. To read the January 5 Associated Press article by Wayne Parry titled “$115K in Casino Fines for Cheating, Underage Cases” click: HERE.(1/2011)
Video Poker Scam
A software glitch allowed players to inflate the jackpot payouts in IGT video poker machines. Two men in Las Vegas were charged with stealing more than $400,000 by exploiting the bug. It seems that once the machine is set by an attendant the players can play single coins until they hit a jackpot and then make the machine think they played a maximum bet. The scam was also used in Pennsylvania. A Las Vegas Review-Journal article reported that, “A player can stumble onto a glitch, but one also can be discovered by a dedicated slot cheat who buys a machine and experiments to find vulnerabilities.” To read the January 5 article by Brian Hayes titled “Two men charged in slot plot” click: HERE.(1/2011)
