Cheque Value Scam

Marking Cheque Value

The last scam we are going to discuss is marking cheque value. First, let’s go over what normally happens on a roulette table. Each player will have a different colored roulette chip with the minimum value of the table they are playing on. Depending on the casino, that minimum value may be $1, but in the past, it was $0.25.

If the player requests a chip of a higher value, then the dealer will mark the cheque value by placing a colored roulette chip in the rack. The rack is a plastic container attached to the head of the wheel. After the the dealer has placed that chip on the rack, they will put a lammer on top of it. The lammer indicates the total value of a stack of 20. If the player requests $5 chips, then the dealer would place a lammer with the number “100” on top of the colored roulette chip, indicating that each stack of 20 chips is worth $100.

It’s imperative that the player color up their chips before leaving the table. The player should not leave the table with any roulette chips. As soon as a player has left the table, the dealer will take down the chip and the lammer and verify that all of the roulette chips are there and accounted for.

Roulette chips typically have the table number marked on it. For example, if you are on the table marked RO-05, then you will see 05 on the roulette chip. It’s helpful when the table number is printed on the roulette chips for the corresponding table. Since each roulette table has the same number of chips and the same number of stacks, it’s easy to look at the table and see if any chips are missing. Being able to verify that all chips are accounted for strengthens game security. Sorting machines weaken game security because it’s difficult to verify that all chips are there and accounted for.

If these procedures are not followed, then that leaves the table vulnerable to certain scams. For example, if a roulette player plays with blue chips at a value of $25 each. When they lose, they will leave the table, and shortly after that another player will buy-in, requesting blue roulette chips. After playing for a while they leave, taking some of their blue roulette chips with them. The second player will give these extra chips to the first player who will then come back to the table with the missing chips saying they forgot to color up. Those stack of $1 roulette chips just turned into a stack of $25 roulette chips.

It is important for the dealer to stop players from walking away from the table with their roulette chips. Remind players that once they leave the roulette table, their roulette chips become worthless. Players must color up to actual cheques before leaving the table. If you are unable to stop the player from leaving, call your floor supervisor over and notify them of what happened, what color chips the player had, what the value of their chips are, how many chips they took with them, and a description of the player.

One of the ways casinos combat this scam is by implementing a policy that if a player leaves the table with roulette chips, and the chips are worth $5, then when that player comes back to cash them out the dealer will only give them the minimum value assigned to most roulette chips, which is $1 per chip. This will help persuade players to change their roulette chips before leaving the table. To avoid any confusion during break time, when going on break, notify the incoming dealer of the higher chip value that is in play.