13 Proven Ways to Cheat at Slot Machines

An effective cheating trick on online slot games is tampering with source code. The virtual slot machines operate using Random Number Generator (RNG) software.

RNG is an integral part of online slot machines that casinos use to provide a fair gambling experience to every player. This mathematical system uses programming languages to show spin outputs.

So, anybody with coding expertise can crack the source code, trick the slot, and win the payout. Or an insider from the game’s software development team.

One such incident happened in the past when Ronald Dale Harris erased and reprogramed computer chips to win jackpot payouts. The computer programmer set a program that allowed to hit the winning combinations on a specific sequence.

Ultimately, he had a downfall. Ron spent two years in prison when he tried the same tactic to rig keno games.

Hence, only a tech-savvy with a team of like-minded people can pull off such a stunt. However, there’s no assurance of not getting caught.

During the ’70s and ’80s, slot cheaters commonly used top-bottom joints to win slot games. It’s a two-part device with a metal rod and a q-shaped rod on top attached to a long copper wire on the bottom.

Players would put the above part into the coin slot while the bottom into the coin chute. This technique deceives the slot machine by jamming it. Once the slot machine hacks, it releases all the coins stored inside.

This technique may not guarantee payouts, but you can reel the slots for free!

Slot machines in the 1980s operated using a light sensor to track inserted coins. In these game machines, the actual physical comparator and the sensor work separately.

Cheaters found the loophole for how to cheat slot machines. That said, they used shaved coins with an object of similar size and shape to insert into the game machine simultaneously.

Slots would return the shaved coin, but not that other object players used. It means slot machines accept the object as valid coins.

Hence, it allowed players to enjoy free gameplay sessions.

Cheating a slot machine with a magnet is another unique trick to rig slot spinning mechanism.

Players use a strong magnet on the side of the slot machine as soon as the winning combinations pop up on the reels. This cheating method will instantly stop the slot from spinning. As a result, a player would win the game.

However, you can’t use such slot machine hacks anymore. Yes, you read it right! This cheating method won’t apply to the new-age slot machine games as they don’t work using a magnetic system. Instead, they use computer programs to throw results.

Nevertheless, a little bit of knowledge can never cause any harm.

Anyone who played with a yo-yo toy in childhood will get the drill quickly.

In this method, you attach a thin string to the coin and insert it into the slot machine. It’ll trigger the game to start spinning. At this moment, a player will instantly pull back the coin using the attached string. You can use this technique repeatedly till you win money.

Again, this cheating trick may not work on modern slot machine games. However, you can try your luck to hit a winning combination.

Bill validator device represents small bills as larger ones to mislead the slot machine. Although the player will wrap the device around a $1 bill, the slot will assume it’s a $100 bill.

You can even use a bill validator tool on advanced slot machines if they work using dollar bills. However, there should not be cameras nearby. Of course, it’s impossible in casino clubs nowadays.

Tommy Glenn Carmichael wrote a history when he invented a light wand to fake slot wins. It truly worked as magic to earn lucrative payouts in slot gaming.

This slot machine cheating device blinded the optical sensors when inserted in the coin cabinet. It manipulated the mechanics as slots couldn’t understand the number of coins deposited and how much to pay. This confusion resulted in winning jackpot prizes.

This cheating technique was a whole lot of work.

At the Caesars Boardwalk Regency casino, a gang of frauds unlocked the slot machine to attach a 20-inch piano wire. Once connected, it blocked the internal clock that calculated the player’s spins. This trick worked, and they won the whopping $50,000 jackpot.

However, the happiness of winning lasted only a short time. The casino operator arrested the players with the help of a video that filmed them conducting the scam.

For years, hackers used this coin technique to exploit slot machines.

In the past, casinos allowed slot gaming based on the weight of coins. Slot cheaters used fake coins of the same weight to deceive the software inside the machines.

Players can only use this trick in old-fashioned casino parlors with coin-based slot machine games.

Infamous slot cheater Louis Colavecchio was the first to use fake coins to dupe Las Vegas casinos. He earned hundreds of thousands of dollars before being arrested for the scam in 1998.

Online slot gaming is the latest phenomenon in the market. These casinos offer bonuses to boost the winning chances. It can include a Welcome Bonus, Free Spins, and No Deposit Bonus.

So why not sign up on various gambling sites to claim multiple promos?

You can apply a bonus grinding trick to spin the slot games in your favor. This way, you can reel multiple slots risk-free. For example, you can play slots for free if you activate the No Deposit Bonus.

However, bet only on low-volatility real money slot games to fulfill playthrough requirements smoothly.

“Monkey Paw” was the first slot cheating technique invented by Tommy Glenn Carmichael. It was a popular method to win slots falsely before video slots came into the picture.

Carmichael built a Monkey Paw device using a simple guitar string wrapped around a thin metal bar. After inserting the tool into the payout chute, it’ll tamper the microswitch to release coins. As a result, he could earn up to $1,000 payouts per hour.

However, casinos upgraded their slot machines once they understood the trick used to rig the game. When caught in 1996, Carmichael also served a few months in prison for cheating.

Impressed by his skills, casinos hired him to create anti-cheating tools for their businesses after the release.

Originally a locksmith, Dennis Nikrasch initially used his skills to steal all the coins inside slot machines.

Later, he bought and disassembled a slot machine to find the loophole. He understood that reprogramming its computer microchip could exploit the system into winning jackpots.

So, Nikrasch bought several chips and hired a team to initiate the scam. In the Harrah’s Hotel and Casino, he replaced the original chips with his self-made, manipulated chips in a $3.7 million progressive jackpot.

When busted, he ended up in the jail.

Software glitches are for real. Any device that operates on a software system can malfunction, including slot machines. This error created a way for slot cheats to exploit them.

It’s an ideal cheating hack when playing online slot games. In the past, many scammers used this technique to win a bet or two.

However, it’s not an easy trick. To effectively use this method, technical know-how is crucial. You must understand the reeling and stake patterns to confuse the machine. Once identified, you can trigger the glitch to hit the jackpot.

Sometimes, casinos can reject your winnings if they discover you’re taking advantage of software glitches.

Scammers and hackers earned massive amounts using these innovative slot machine hacks. However, the situation isn’t the same anymore!

Land-based and online slot machine games now work on advanced technology. Rigging the reels is far from possible. Further, surveillance cameras installed inside the casino premises monitor every player to detect any suspicious activity. 

Intentionally abusing and altering the slot game’s outcome is also illegal. You should only use methods that aren’t illegal, like using multiple bonuses while following guidelines. After all, nothing can be more enjoyable than playing slot games fairly.