Chip thieves and the book "American Roulette"

[DrewOnTilt]

Ah, yes. The Chip Thief. Hang around any casino or cardroom long enough, and you will run into this person. Usually it’s just a drunken idiot who tries to palm chips from your stack. Still, it surprises me that so many poker players (myself included) will leave large stacks of chips and bills unprotected. Most people seem to just assume that the casino workers and other poker players will keep an eye on their money.

I just read the book "American Roulette" by Richard Marcus, a former casino cheater. It is a true crime story of how Marcus and his gang of thieves targeted casino games and high rollers through sleight of hand techniques and various scams.

The book only briefly mentions poker, but describes in depth the various ways that these con men separated high rolling casino patrons from their money. It also gives good insight into what casino security can and can’t adequately police. I was surprised at how easily these guys were able to swipe thousands of dollars at a time from the gaming tables. The methods that these guys used to steal chips from high rolling craps players could easily be employed at a poker table.

I don’t think that any professional thief would be interested in my dollar chips, but American Roulette reminded me that casinos and cardrooms are peppered with opportunists. Plus, I hope to someday have the skill and bankroll to play in higher-limit games. I will no longer leave my chips unattended.

Anybody who frequents casinos should definitely have a look at American Roulette. It's a good read, as it shows the truth about who is watching what inside a casino, and how easily a willing thief can pilfer money right out from under people's noses.

[The Armchair]

One of the more curious things I've witnessed was at a 4/8 table at Foxwoods. A quiet woman who had been playing rather TAG asks to color up, which she does, and then leaves. Nothing strange -- until someone realizes that she left a lone $2 chip at her seat. The house wouldn't give it up to another player, partially if not mostly out of confusion as to what to do with the two dollars, but also because it acted as a way to save her seat.

She did, in fact, return about 30 minutes later.

Maybe your post is why she left a chip behind?

[Bremen]

Thats why I always count my chips before I leave the table :0) I must admit though, I have no idea what recourse I have if I get back and notice a couple chips missing :-\ I assume I could get them to look at the security tape, but that dosn't guarantee me anything.

[DrewOnTilt]

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I assume I could get them to look at the security tape, but that dosn't guarantee me anything.

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I don't think you'd have any recourse at all. One of the things discussed in that book is that the cameras don't always cover everything like the casinos would have you believe. I was really surprised to read this.

[MichaelOar]

I was at the Palms shortly after it opened its poker room (March '04?), and a guy had a whole rack of chips ripped off when he went to the bathroom. Lots of yelling, but he went home empty handed!

Michael

[RydenStoompala]

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Most people seem to just assume that the casino workers and other poker players will keep an eye on their money.


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They will. There is no worse scenario for a casino than being targetted as an easy mark. If the scumbags who palm chips think your staff are asleep on the job, you'll soon have a pretty empty casino. I have friends who deal craps and they can give you, within $5, the stack size at every post and the total in action on every roll.

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I was surprised at how easily these guys were able to swipe thousands of dollars at a time from the gaming tables.

[/ QUOTE ]

They cant. That's why most thieves dont try it. The cameras at any given event dont have to catch you. When a customer raises a stink over a missing stack, security goes to the main pathway cameras and looks for the traffic in and out of the area. It takes about three minutes to spot the thief. Then, if they're in Vegas or another area with a concentration of casinos, they get outside help right away. The other security departments get the picture and the LVPD gets a call. Usually, the casinos handle the problem

All of the guys who wanted to write a book, but couldn't, are either waiting to get out of the Clark Country lockup or they're still lost somewhere in the desert.

It's a dumb idea to target casino patrons. The take is low compared to the risk, the cameras are everywhere and there is no way out of town (assuming you're stupid enough to pick on Vegas) if the heat is on. Marginally retarded idea.

All that being said, chips are money and you should be aware of where they are and how much you have at all times. The casinos cant catch bad guys if nobody tells them there's a problem.

[spadeclub99]

What do you do to protect your chips in a NL game where you can't take your chips and you step away from the table.

[Ruhr]

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What do you do to protect your chips in a NL game where you can't take your chips and you step away from the table.

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Or even a limit game for that matter. I thought most B&M casinos don't want you taking stuff off the table unless you're ready to leave for good?

(Well, at least at Borgata in AC they have a problem with you taking the CASH on the table, the cash you got because you sold a stack to a new player.)

[turnipmonster]

you can't remove chips from the table in almost any game, it's a very common rule.

--turnipmonster

[edtost]

if i have paper on the table and am getting up for more than a few minutes, i'll usually count it down for the table and say "$x behind" before putting it in my pocket. no one has ever objected.