How to Spot Cheating Teams Marking Cards at Blackjack Casino Games
Marking Cards
Some players attempt to cheat at blackjack by marking cards through a variety of methods which players and casino staff should be aware of.
So you want to know how to cheat a casino at blackjack or learn how to spot cheating teams marking cards? We can tell you how cheaters have done it.
The reason we know this info is because the blackjack cheaters who practiced these illegal methods got caught and incarcerated. Some cheaters lost their homes and families after the lawyers took most of their savings. It’s hard to make mortgage payments from prison.
The main disadvantage, (besides getting caught), when cheating at blackjack is that it’s not a one-shot deal. Blackjack cheaters have to cheat over and over again to make it worthwhile. It’s not as if it’s possible to cheat at blackjack card games once and steal a million dollars. It’s closer to cheating 5000 times in a row without getting caught.
The odds are against cheaters no matter how great they think they are. Besides the dealers, the experts in the casino’s security center, the pit boss, the computer programs which analyze game play, there are also the rail birds (spectators) who are standing right behind you with nothing better to do but cough on player’s necks.
That’s the difference between play in casino and online: online there is nobody annoying breathing down your neck or loudly analyzing everything on the table and how they would have played it ‘much better.’
In any case, don’t use any of the methods listed below anywhere because they are illegal in all jurisdiction. The examples below are provided for informational purposes only to educate the public and casino staff about methods used by professional card cheaters.
Marking cards by Scratching
In a casino blackjack game which uses 6 decks (practically all) it’s quite difficult to mark the majority of the blackjack cards when playing alone, so this method usually involves a team of blackjack cheaters. The team marks all 10 point valued blackjack cards (T, J, Q, K) usually by scratching an edge of the card.
The scratches are made by a finger nail, a casino chip, a lucky charm, a ring, a cigarette lighter or whatever else doesn’t look suspicious on a blackjack table.
The mark on the blackjack cards has to be visible enough for the cheater to clearly see it from a few feet away, yet unnoticeable unless it’s specifically looked for.
The advantage is tremendous since besides knowing if the blackjack dealer’s hole card has a ten value, using a complex card counting system becomes much easier.
Today, huge well organized gangs of Asian blackjack cheaters are using this simple method to beat casinos out of thousands of dollars in the United States. Three members of such a blackjack cheating gang were just caught this past week marking cards at a Delaware casino blackjack table.
Marking cards with a Liquid
Blackjack Cards can also be marked with a variety of substances seen only through special contact lenses or glasses. Inks and alcohol spots have also been used by blackjack cheating teams.
The difficulty with such a method is dipping a finger or some object in the substance and marking the blackjack cards in full view of a dozen people and the casino’s telescopic cameras without being asked what the heck they are doing.
Some blackjack cheaters mark the sharp edges of the card with cigarette ashes mixed with a conveniently spilled beer right on the felt.
Marking cards by Bending
Bending cards in a blackjack game is self-explanatory. The blackjack player crimps the card in a way that won’t arouse the suspicion of the dealer yet is easily detectable by the cheating team.
As in all forms of marking cards in blackjack, usually just the ten value cards are bent. Any long time casino employee should be able to spot bent cards, review security tapes, and quickly identify the perpetrator.
It’s much nicer to play blackjack online where you won’t find gangs of cheaters marking cards, especially if you play at reputable online casinos. Go play some free online blackjack games, and see for yourself.
