There are countless gamblers around the world, but only a few have managed to beat the casinos at their own game. Casinos have invested millions of dollars into protecting their assets. They have even enlisted the help of former scammers to make their games impenetrable. So it’s no surprise that modern-day scammers are fighting an uphill battle getting over casinos.
Even though it’s almost impossible to scam casinos, some daring players have pulled it off. On top of making a fortune, they also got away without serving jail time. Many people have scammed casinos, but most of them ended up going to prison. In this series, we will cover the rare cases of ingenious players who beat the casinos & preserved their freedom. These players have trail blazed techniques that were used for years to come. Prepare to be blown away by the audacity of these schemes!
Gonzalo Garcia Pelayo’s Brilliant Scam
This Spanish record producer’s original claim to fame was his catchy music. In the late 80’s he was one of Spain’s most beloved producers. However, by the end of the 90’s he would become notorious for his exploits in casinos around the world.
Contrary to popular belief, not all roulette wheels are created equal. Wheel bias is when a roulette wheel isn’t random. This could be caused by the wheel not being level or a factory defect. Once wheel bias occurs, certain numbers are more likely to drop. Since this defect is extremely subtle, it’s hard to detect. But once you discover this flaw, there’s big money to be made.
Since Gonzalo had plenty of cash from music he decided to pursue his passion for roulette. Many people had rumored that wheel bias existed, but he was the one to prove it. He enlisted the help of his 5 children & hit the casinos to discover whether this myth was true.
Attention to Detail is the best Attributes of Gonzalo
What made this scheme work was Gonzalo’s attention to detail. He would stare at the roulette wheels for thousands of spins & record the results. Then he would analyze his findings on the computer. After spying on the machines for days, he would make his move. Knowing the “hot numbers” gave him a 15% player’s edge. This flipped the casino’s 5% advantage in his favor, & he made massive sums of cash.
Unfortunately, it was only a matter of time before he wore out his welcome at casinos. After pulling this stunt in multiple casinos across Spain, security began to catch on. Gonzalo ended up taking his show on the road, hitting casinos across the United States. Atlantic city, Las Vegas & plenty of small towns ended up getting suspicious.
Once Gonzalo had been blacklisted at every major casino in the world, it was time to retire. He ended up quitting the game with over $1.5 million stored in the bank. Despite one casino suing him for their losses, he was still able to keep his fortune. The Spanish Supreme Court ruled in his favor, citing that all he did was use ingenious computer techniques. This epic ruling sealed this player’s place in our Hall of Fame.
