The biggest casino blunders of all time that cost millions

Gambling is often about luck, but sometimes casinos lose not because of fate – but because of their own mistakes. From shrewd players who discovered misprints on cards to technological feats that defeated roulette, history is full of blunders that have cost millions. In this article, read about the biggest casino mistakes of all time, and how clever gamblers took advantage of them.

How two players reused the same cards to win

In 2012, a professional gambler used a card error to his advantage. Phil Ivey and Cheung Yin Sun won over nine million dollars at the Tropicana Casino. They used a technique in which they recognised minute misprints on the cards.

The casino had the same cards used over and over again. This allowed them to see which cards were valuable. The casino lost millions because no one saw the mistakes in time.

Why the Ritz Casino in London could do nothing against clever techies

Three players used lasers and phones at the roulette table in 2004. They calculated where the ball would fall. Within a few nights, they won more than a million pounds.

The casino found no evidence of fraud. The players only used maths and technology. They were allowed to keep the winnings.

What the MIT Blackjack Team did that nobody expected

A group of students at MIT used maths and team play to dominate blackjack. They played in major casinos in the 1990s. By counting cards, they won millions of dollars.

The casinos understood too late how smart and organised they were working. They followed the rules, but the system worked against the casinos.

How fake chips disrupted a major tournament in Atlantic City

A man added fake chips to a major poker tournament in Borgata. He hid the chips in his room. When he tried to flush them, the pipes got clogged.

The tournament was shut down. The casino had to refund players. The damage ran into millions.

How one wrong move by a dealer cost thousands

At a Cincinnati casino, a dealer accidentally showed the bank’s card face-up. Players saw the difference. One player matched his game and won a lot of money.

The dealer did not follow the rules properly. As a result, the casino lost several tables full of money.

Why a woman didn’t get her millions from a slot machine

In 2015, Katrina Bookman was playing on a slot machine in New York. A jackpot of more than $40 million appeared on the screen. She thought she was a millionaire.

The casino said it was a mistake. She received no money, only a dinner voucher. The case made headlines worldwide.

How a man hacked Crown Casino’s system

A gambler from Malaysia was playing in Australia. He was working with a casino employee. Through an earpiece, he received information about the cards.

Within days, he won more than 30 million Australian dollars. The casino discovered the collaboration only later. The culprit disappeared with the winnings.

How an armed man robbed the Bellagio but could do nothing with his loot

In 2010, a man wearing a motorbike helmet walked into the Bellagio. He pointed a gun at staff and stole chips worth a million and a half dollars. He fled on foot.

The chips were high in value but not redeemable. The casino switched off everything. He could not use his winnings.

How Don Johnson won millions through clever deals

Don Johnson played in Atlantic City during the recession. He negotiated favourable terms with the casinos. They thought he would lose anyway.

He won over 15 million dollars. He used the casino’s rules against them. The casinos then adjusted their policies.

How one employee crashed the system

An employee at a casino in Canada forgot to turn on security. Players could bet after the game ended. They exploited the error.

The casino discovered it only after days. The damage amounted to hundreds of thousands of dollars. The employee was fired.

Why a card shuffler cost a fortune

An automatic shuffling machine did not work properly. The cards returned to the table in the same order. A player noticed the pattern.

He started placing higher bets. Within an hour, he won tens of thousands of euros. The casino stopped the game late.

How a roulette became predictable

A roulette dealer forgot to spin the ball properly. The outcome was predictable. Smart players saw the pattern.

They raised their bets. They won several rounds. The mistake went unnoticed for a long time.

How a mistranslation caused a multimillion-dollar claim

A foreign player claimed a jackpot. The rules had been poorly translated into his language. He did not understand that his bet was too low.

He went to court. The casino lost the case. They paid out the full amount.

Why a jackpot was paid out too early

A machine gave out a bonus that was not intended. Players were given access to a special round. The bonus gave high payouts.

The system needed an update. That was installed too late. The casino lost half a million in an hour.

How a forgotten reset kept the jackpot open

A technician forgot to reset a jackpot. Players thought they were playing on a normal machine. But the top prize remained active.

A visitor won without knowing it. The casino tried to stop the payout. The player eventually got his money.

Why some mistakes change casinos forever

After every big mistake, casinos adjust their system. They install new software. They retrain their staff.

But mistakes keep happening. As long as people work with money and gamble, there will be blunders. And smart players take advantage of that.