"Poker Cheats" caught
Jan 15th, 2007 by Mark
So it appears that some old tricks are being employed in new ways.
3 cheats plead guilty to “cheating at play” under the 1846 Gaming Act (UK) in London’s Southwark Crown Court for using a hidden camera to read the cards being tossed by the dealer to players. Hardly new. Neither was the radio communication they used.
Hyperventilating Tabloid Report
The casinos are playing this up, as usual.
“These casinos have suggested they may have experienced losses of as much as £250,000 from this scam,” said Detective Inspector Darren Warner of the Clubs and Vice Gaming Unit.
O.K. let me get this straight. You are telling me that a poker game cost you a quarter million?
A game that is only spread by the casino and not “house backed” (i.e. having the house’s money on the line) can not have that kind of loss. Even though they were cheating, that does not mean the house lost money. In actuality just the opposite would be true.
If the game is raked (% of pot goes to house) then players who know they have a made hand will drive the pot. This increases the rake, most likely to the max. If the game is time based (everyone pays per hour or half hour a set amount) then the house is out nothing.
No doubt some ding-dong will latch onto this as proof that online games are rigged. Sheesh.