How to spot cheating in casino?

In terms of fairness, online casinos can mostly be described as totally legitimate and very likely follow the rules and regulations of the latter in terms of the fairness of the games they offer to their customers. Nonetheless, as is the case with other industries, there are one or two cases of cheating found in it. While every casino available online is sure to steer clear of the law and offer a level playing field to its customers, some are involved in manipulating the software and or games to ensure they make their huge profits.

In online games, and especially in online casinos, there can be some tricks that prevent the player from winning; In this article, we will take a closer look at four of them and try to understand how you can avoid these tricks while gambling.

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1. Manipulating Blackjack Odds

Blackjack is perhaps one of the most popular games in the casinos/booths, and for the most part, the likelihood or chance provided to the players is reasonable if basic strategy is followed. Normally, depending on the kind of game, the edge that the households have in Blackjack isn’t more than half a percent, and in effect, the player can stand a good chance of making some good amount of money. But yes, there are times when the deck “shoe” the set of cards on which the game is being played is changed to alter the probabilities.

Example: Number of Tens and Aces: while some casinos are notorious for pulling tens and or Aces out of the deck to minimize the possibility of a player beating the game. In one reported case, the casino called three tens and 2 aces of their virtual shoe out. This shifted the probabilities of the game dramatically, bringing the return to the player to 95% instead of 99.5% for basic strategy players.

How to Detect This:

It also allows following the frequency of each card being dealt in order to identify if a casino has changed odds in blackjack. We should consider a few hundred hands; if you see more or fewer tens, aces, indeed, anything that is unusual, then probably you are in a fixed game. Regarding manipulations of card ranks, you can use a statistical test, or the chi-squared test, on the distribution of card ranks.

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2. Unfair 50-50 Games

There are many typical online casino games of staking that assure equal probabilities of winning and losing, like a game of roulette where the stakes are placed on the red/black. These games are supposed to be utterly random, and each result is possible equally. However, some casinos master the game in a way that places them just a little bit ahead of the players.

Example: 49-51 Split – The casino might advertise a game that will work at a 1:1 ratio, so players can expect to lose their money midway through the game. Further examination it became evident that this game was designed to the house advantage of 2% i.e. 49-51. This was done by fixing the RNG to select red 49 percent of the time and black 51 percent of the time.

How to Detect This:

The only method to see that odds are being offered unfairly in 50-50 games is to look at many outcomes and search for patterns. In this particular case, you need to pay attention to the loss/win ratio. If more often you lose than win, or vice versa if every time you play the small wheel on one side red or black you tend to lose then most probably the game is rigged. That is why going through the online communities and forums where people share their experience about the casinos’ shady behavior can also be of use.

3. Preferential Shuffling

In shoe games such as blackjack or baccarat, the jackpot gains the advantage and the loss over a certain number of dealt cards. In some particular casinos, there is something called preferential shuffling where the dealer shuffles the cards each time the probabilities are in the favor of the player, giving the opponent a chance of exploiting the player’s weaknesses.

Example: Shuffling When the Player Has an Edge – One account was that a casino shuffled the cards when the player seemed to be getting an upper hand. For example, if the cards that were left in the shoe were positive for the player, the dealer will reshuffle the cards to help the casino win more. This is commonly found in live casinos, wherein pit bosses will instruct the dealer to re-cut the cards if they think a player is counting them.

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How to Detect This:

In order to identify preferential shuffling in an online casino, be very keen at moments when the deck is shuffled. If the casino shuffles more frequently than normal, or at odd times like when you’re hot, then consider it unfair play. Record the house edge of the game just before the shuffle as well as a short time after the shuffle to make sure your suspicions are correct.

4. Guaranteeing a Winning Month for the Casino

Another type of dishonesty centers around manipulating the games in a way that only results in profit for the casino by the end of each month or some other time frame. This sort of manipulation is the most dangerous because all types of games and all types of players are rigged to guarantee that the casino will always win in the long run.

Example: Fixed Random Number Generators (RNGs) – A particular casino wanted to check the authenticity of operations for some of their games, so they hired an auditor. In particular, the auditor was able to find out that towards the end of the month, the casinos adopted the technique of calibrating the RNGs so that the casino could be able to make sufficient money within a month as a way of compensating for any mishaps that may have occurred in the first few weeks of the month. This meant that if the casino has not made its money up to the end of the month, then the games would be rigged so that the players would lose in order to make up for the lost amounts.

How to Detect This:

The authors say that this kind of cheating is actually much harder to detect for the simple reason that it requires constant monitoring of the outcomes of games. However, if you find that you are losing more as the month draws to a close, or if your winning rand records are suddenly stopped dead in their tracks, then you’re probably being manipulated. Another way to do this is to compare the RTP percentages of the slots over different periods of time so as to check out for any abnormality.

How to Protect Yourself

Despite the examples above, seven away, most online casinos are indeed fair and can be trusted. However, to protect yourself from potential cheating, it’s important to follow these guidelines:

1. Choose Reputable Casinos:

Only gamble with the established, licensed casinos, which are proven to be honest to their clients. There is always information regarding the gaming authorities, and almost all casinos are audited to confirm their reliability.

2. Look for Certification:

Of course, most online casinos are approved by organizations auditing the randomness of given games. Some of the seals that people should consider as genuine are eCOGRA, Certified Fair Gambling, or iTech Labs seals.

3. Read Player Reviews:

There are also logs from other players stating whether the online casino in question engaged in the use of unfair practices. Most people provide their experiences and feelings concerning online casinos, and this information can be found in online forums and review sites.

4. Monitor Your Gameplay:

Be observant of the outcomes and conditions around you and remember any strange running, for example, constantly being on the looser stake in 50-50 odds, or shuffling in card tricks. If something is odd, it means it is high time to check it or try a different casino to play.

5. Use Third-Party Tools:

There are other methods, however, that you can use to determine the fairness when playing online casino games. Then, there is the unusual tool, which can also monitor the outcomes of the game and can even make a conclusion on numerous aspects to examine if there’s something wrong.

As much as there are many online casinos, most of them can be trusted with fair play; however, there are a few that provide fake games to enhance their gains on the side of the players. By realizing that so many ways exist through which the casinos can influence games you get protected from being a victim.

Always play at reputable, licensed casinos, and keep an eye out for any unusual patterns in your gameplay. If you suspect cheating, don’t hesitate to report the casino to the relevant authorities and stop playing there. Staying informed is your best defense against online casino fraud, ensuring that you can enjoy a fair and fun gaming experience.