Casinos use a large wooden wheel the has 38 slots numbered 1 through 36,
plus 0 and 00. Bets are placed on a table layout that has all of the numbers laid
out sequentially. This layout is designed in even rows and columns which allows
a great variety of bets.
THE OLD DAYS: Today’s casinos don’t use rigged roulette wheels like in the
old days. The most common rigged wheel was one that employed
electromagnets and a steel ball. After the ball was dropped into the wheel, the
dealer placed a hidden button that activated the magnets, forcing the ball to
drop into specific slots. The desired number depended on what bets were on
the table. For example, if there was a lot of money on the “outside” bets like red
or black, the dealer would have the ball fall into the zero slots on the wheel,
causing all outside bets to lose. Rigged tables like this were easy to detect using
a simple compass while standing near the table.
THE MODERN DAYS: Today’s casinos are carefully monitored by modern
Casino Gaming Commissions are run by the state the casinos are located in. For
example, all Nevada casinos are monitored by the Nevada Gaming
Commission. Our research has indicated that most Gaming Commissions are
run honestly and fairly. Any casino caught cheating can lose its gaming
license, which is worth millions of dollars to the casino. Thus, casinos make sure
all of their games and dealers are honest. After all, with the built-in advantage
they have over the players in every game, they don’t have to cheat.
The problem is that most casinos have found ways to “cheat” players without
really cheating them in the legal sense of the word “cheat.” Here’s how they
“cheat” at roulette:
- In top-secret training sessions provided by the casinos, roulette dealers are
taught how to put the ball into specific sectors of the roulette wheel. While they
can’t place the ball in specific numbers, they can put the ball in specific sectors.
A sector is a section of the wheel containing numbers. For example, a sector of
five numbers around the zero slot consist of the numbers 14, 2, 0, 28, and 9. - How does “sector-hitting” cheat the players? The two most common sectors
dealers aim for are the zeros: zero and double-zero. Why? Because all outside
bets (red/black, even/odd, high/low, the dozens and columns) lose when a zero
or double-zero is spun. For example, if there is a lot of money on red, the
dealer will aim for zero. Why? Because there are two black numbers
located on both sides of the zero, so if the dealer puts it in that sector, and
misses the zero, chances are s/he will hit one of the black numbers. In either
event, red loses. Or, if there’s a lot of money on black, the dealer will aim for
zero. Why? Because there are two black numbers located on both sides of the
zero, so if the dealer puts it in that sector, and misses the zero, chances are s/he
will hit one of the black numbers. In either event, red loses.