Gambling can be a dangerous game. Even with your best efforts and luck on your side, even skilled gamblers could still end up losing large sums of money in unwise dealings.
Over the years, unscrupulous gamblers have managed to fleece casinos of millions. While some cheaters may evade detection and end up behind bars, the vast majority are eventually caught and sent for prosecution.
MIT Blackjack Team Scandal
When it comes to casino scandals, few can rival the MIT Blackjack Team as an iconic example of cheating in action. Consisting of students and alumni of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University who employed advanced card-counting techniques against casinos at blackjack tables to win millions in winnings – yet their success didn’t come without consequence – some casinos banned or “trespassed” against them for cheating and some were even arrested as a result of their success.
The MIT Blackjack Team scandal has become legendary, inspiring the 2008 film 21 and leaving an indelible mark on popular culture. Furthermore, this scandal brought increased awareness to advantage gambling; serving as a reminder that even though casino games may appear fair there are always people looking for ways to gain an unfair edge against the house.
Lumiere Place Scandal
The MIT Blackjack Team was one of the most infamous casino cheating scandals ever. A group of students and alumni from MIT and Harvard employed advanced card-counting techniques to beat casinos and win millions in profits; unfortunately this plan eventually backfired, leading to their members being banned from casinos nationwide.
This scandal brought to light the darker underside of Las Vegas casinos and caused authorities to introduce stricter gambling regulations – ultimately ending mob control of casino operations there.
St. Louis casino resort was sued in 2018 by the parents of a nine-year-old boy who drowned in its pool, alleging it failed to adhere to state and city safety codes while providing inadequate staff or lifesaving equipment.
Don Johnson Scandal
Miami Vice star with rolled up suit jacket sleeves became embroiled in one of his greatest public relations disasters when German customs officials discovered bank statements in his car which purported to show him engaging in money laundering activities. However, he claims they do not belong to him personally but instead represent potential investors for a slate of movies he was seeking investors for.
Johnson has had his share of ups and downs throughout his life, but it appears he’s finally on a better path now. He married Kelley Phleger – a schoolteacher without Hollywood connections – and gave up destructive drinking habits; later welcoming a daughter named Dakota Johnson who would later make headlines through her role in Fifty Shades franchise films.
Black Sox Scandal
Few sports scandals in recent history have inspired as much public fascination as the Black Sox Scandal, when eight members of Chicago White Sox conspired with gamblers to throw the 1919 World Series against Cincinnati Reds and fix games allegedly. This scandal ultimately resulted in their permanent expulsion from baseball as well as strict gambling-restrictions rules still applicable today.
Although its architects remain unknown, surviving grand-jury testimony points to first baseman Chick Gandil and White Sox pitching staff ace Eddie Cicotte as prime instigators of the fix. Other participants were gamblers Joseph “Sport” Sullivan and Abe Attell as well as gambler Buck Weaver; shortstop Charles (“Swede”) Risberg; left fielder Claude “Lefty” Williams; outfielders Oscar (“Happy”) Felsch and Joe Jackson as well as utility infielder Fred McMullin.
Tommy Glenn Carmichael Scandal
Tommy Glenn Carmichael had no inkling when he opened his TV sales and repair shop in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1980 that he would eventually become one of the most notorious casino cheaters ever. Although his past contained minor drug convictions and juvenile misdemeanor charges, nothing about his background hinted at being capable of rigging slot machines to the tune of millions in casino profits.
Tommy had found success, yet was becoming disenchanted with the lifestyle brought on by it. He needed additional funds and quickly.
Tommy had his moment of clarity when an old high school classmate of his visited his shop with an item known as the “top and bottom joint,” an anti-slot machine tool designed for cheating slot machines that allowed Tommy to regain his status among Vegas’ top casino hackers. With it he could regain his place among them.
