Physical Cheating Devices
Physical devices are used by slot cheats to trick the machine into not registering a proper payout. Whether this is holding open the dispensing mechanism or blinding the machine to prevent it from seeing the coins being paid out the methods are ingenious but are a little more risky than say shaved coins as there is little doubt about what the device is used for if your caught. Most of these devices can not be used by a single person and require a team to properly use.Monkey Wire - A Monkey wire is a wire that is inserted into the slot machine through the coin hopper. Once in the machine the Monkey Wire is placed so that it blocks the counting mechanism of the slot machine preventing it from knowing how much it has paid out. This device won't make the slot machine hit more often but when it hits it will payout more than it should. So for example, instead of paying out 30 coins for a reel combination the machine might end up paying out 60 or 70 coins. The downfall like most devices is that you need to be able to insert the device into the slot machine without being seen and then retrieve it before you leave. If you are caught there is very little doubt what the device is being used for.
Light Wand - This device was developed by Tommy Glenn Carmicheal and works on a similar principle to the Monkey Wire except it worked on machines after the Monkey Wire no longer worked. This device was very small and lightweight and consisted of a wire, a tiny light bulb and a small battery. Slot Machine use a optical device for counting out the correct number of coins when a paying reel combination is hit. The Light wand is inserted in the slot machine via the coin hopper and placed so that the light blinds to optical reader. When a paying combination is hit the machine is emptied and the cheat collects their money and moves on to the next machine. Ironically one time when Tommy was using the device he actually hit a jackpot with the light wand in place. If it wasn't for the quick thinking of his girlfriend at the time that delayed the Casino personnel Tommy would not have been able to retrieve the light wand and his cheating device would have been discovered when the slot machine was inspected before Tommy's jackpot was paid out. Again like the Monkey Wire there is little doubt if caught what the light wand is used for. Inserting and retrieving the light wand is just as risky as the Monkey Wire.
Drilling - This cheat is more myth than fact. It certainly was a popular cheat in Hollywood movies but I highly doubt it was actually used for anything more than a petty attack on a casino in real life. The idea behind the drill attack is to drill a hole in the side of the machine to insert a device to alter the payout mechanism of the slot machine either physically or electronically. It is fairly obvious to see why this type of attack would be of little use to someone who is trying to cheat the casino. Drilling metal is not an easy, or quiet process and a hole in the metal shell of the slot machine isn't going to help you affect the outcome of a slot machine.
Coin Hopper and Cashbox theft - Although this method might lack the romantasism associated with other gambling cheating methods it is possibly the most effective way of stealing money from the casino. Slot machines and Video Poker Machines mainly use tubular locks which with some practice can be picked with relative ease. What is unique about these locks is that they can be picked and by using a lock decoder a master key can be made without actually opening the machine in question. Once the master key is made the master will usually open a bank of slot machines or video poker machines. Once the cheat can unlock a machine the bill cashbox or the the Coin Hopper can be be emptied by an experience theif in as little as 7 seconds.