For as long as slot machines have existed, gamblers have tried to find ways to cheat them. Before the digital age, when slots were primarily mechanical, clever (and not-so-clever) players devised various tricks to manipulate these machines and increase their winnings. Among the most infamous methods were the use of magnets and counterfeit coins—two techniques that may sound like something out of a heist movie but were very real threats to casinos for decades.
While some early cheaters walked away with stolen jackpots, the house always catches up. Casinos, manufacturers, and security experts relentlessly fought back, implementing sophisticated countermeasures that ultimately led to cheaters being caught, blacklisted, or even arrested. Here’s a look at how old-school casino cheats tried—and failed—to outwit the system.
Magnet Tricks
One of the most enduring myths in slot machine cheating history is the idea that a powerful magnet could be used to manipulate the reels of a slot machine. In the earliest mechanical slot machines—those built in the early-to-mid 20th century—reels were controlled by metal components, including springs and gears. Some cheaters figured out that by placing a strong magnet near the machine, they could cause the reels to stop on winning combinations.
The trick was simple in theory: the cheater would spin the reels, then apply the magnet at just the right time to force them into a favorable position. Once the payout was triggered, they’d remove the magnet, leaving no evidence of tampering.
While this method may have worked on a handful of outdated slot machines, it quickly became obsolete. By the 1960s and 1970s, slot machine manufacturers started using non-magnetic aluminum and plastic components to control the reels, rendering magnets useless.
Casinos also began implementing additional security measures:
- Weighted Reels – Mechanical slots started using weighted reels and balance sensors, making any external force, like a magnet, easy to detect.
- Tamper Detection – Machines were fitted with sensors that could recognize when foreign objects, such as magnets, interfered with normal operation.
- Surveillance Improvements – Casinos began closely monitoring slot players with cameras, making it nearly impossible to manipulate a machine without being caught.
Despite these advancements, some cheaters still tried their luck, only to be swiftly removed from casinos, often with severe consequences.
Fake Coins and Counterfeit Tokens
Before modern electronic payment systems, slot machines accepted physical coins, making them vulnerable to counterfeiting. One of the most widespread slot machine scams involved using “slugs”—fake coins made from cheap materials like lead, aluminum, or even washers cut to resemble real currency.
The goal was straightforward: trick the slot machine into recognizing the slug as a real coin, allowing players to spin the reels without spending real money.
Some cheats went a step further by modifying real coins. By shaving down the edges or altering the weight, they aimed to trick the coin acceptor into thinking a legitimate coin had been inserted while actually using a much lower-value object.
One particularly devious trick involved using a specially crafted “lightweight” coin attached to a string. The cheater would drop the coin into the machine, trigger a credit, and then pull it back out to reuse it. This method worked well on early mechanical slots but quickly fell out of favor once casinos caught on.
Casinos responded to these scams by upgrading their machines with advanced validation technology:
- Optical Sensors – These sensors analyze the size, shape, and surface of a coin to ensure authenticity.
- Weight Detection Systems – If a coin doesn’t match the expected weight, it is immediately rejected.
- Magnetic Signature Checks – Even if a fake coin looks identical to a real one, machines now scan for the unique metallic composition of authentic currency.
- Ticket-In, Ticket-Out (TITO) Systems – Modern slot machines use paper tickets and digital payments instead of coins, eliminating the possibility of coin-based scams entirely.
Despite these advancements, slot cheats kept looking for new ways to outsmart the system—though few succeeded for long.
Infamous Slot Machine Cheats Who Got Caught
- Tommy Glenn Carmichael. No discussion of slot machine scams would be complete without mentioning Tommy Glenn Carmichael, one of the most notorious slot cheats in history. A former TV repairman turned gambling scam artist, Carmichael developed several devices to exploit slot machines. One of his most infamous inventions was the “top-bottom joint”, a device made of a metal rod and wire that could manipulate the machine’s payout mechanism. This trick allowed him to trigger payouts at will, raking in thousands of dollars before casinos caught wind of his activities.
Carmichael’s success led him to create even more sophisticated cheating tools, including “The Monkey Paw”, which could pull internal levers inside a machine. He sold these devices to other criminals, spreading the cheating epidemic until law enforcement finally shut him down.
By the early 2000s, Carmichael was caught and sentenced to time in prison. His downfall also led to increased security measures in casinos worldwide, effectively making his tricks useless.
- Louis “The Coin” Colavecchio. Another famous name in the world of slot machine cheats was Louis Colavecchio, known as “The Coin.” He was an expert counterfeiter who used high-tech tools to produce near-perfect replicas of casino tokens.
For years, he traveled between different casinos, using his fake coins to play slots without spending real money. His scheme was so sophisticated that even casino staff had trouble distinguishing his counterfeit tokens from genuine ones.
Eventually, law enforcement caught up with him after an investigation revealed thousands of fake casino tokens in his possession. After serving time in prison, Colavecchio became a cautionary tale of how counterfeit slot scams ultimately fail.
The Rise of Casino Security and Surveillance
As cheating attempts became more elaborate, casinos invested heavily in security technology. Today, most casinos employ a mix of high-tech surveillance, artificial intelligence, and human oversight to ensure that cheaters have no chance of success.
Casino Security Measures That Make Cheating Nearly Impossible
- Facial Recognition Software – Casinos use advanced AI-driven cameras that can recognize known cheaters and automatically alert security.
- RFID-Enabled Chips and Tokens – Some casinos have embedded RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags in their chips, making counterfeiting impossible.
- AI-Powered Behavior Analysis – Modern surveillance systems analyze player behavior and flag suspicious activity in real-time.
- Slot Machine Encryption – Modern slot machines have heavily encrypted digital systems, preventing any kind of software manipulation.
- Immediate Legal Action – Any player caught attempting to cheat a slot machine can face severe legal consequences, including lifetime bans and felony charges.
Casinos have made it clear: the era of successful slot machine cheating is over. Even as technology advances, the house always finds a way to stay ahead.
