Slot machines are some of the most popular forms of gambling, whether online or at brick-and-mortar casinos. While new slots, whether offline or on the Internet, are known for their wealth of features and tight security, older fruit machines were a little more prone to cheating.

It’s for that reason that slot machines in the real-world were often susceptible to hacks which saw some players cheat their way to more wins and money. Let’s have a look at the biggest cheats from back in the days.

Shaved Coins

Old slots used light sensors to identify the values of any coins inserted into the machine. This cheat saw people shave the outer rims of coins to change their shape slightly so when they’re inserted, the first light sensor accepts it as a regular coin by reading its value. However, the second light sensor would detect it as faulty and refund the coin to the player.

It means players using shaved coins could insert the coin, get a spin on the reels and then get it back. This would allow them to receive unlimited spins with a single coin literally.

Eventually, the mechanics of fruit machines were adjusted, and cheating with shaved coins wouldn’t work anymore.

Foreign Coins

During the 1980s, many players in Nevada used foreign currency on slot machines to land wins. Back then, Mexican one peso coins were the same shape as 25 cents American coins, allowing players to insert a peso coin and play with 25 cents.

Around the same time, a hardware manufacturer sold a line of washers (Thin, round plates with a hole that are used to hold bolts or nuts) which were the same size and weight as US coins. Players used the washers as valid coins, allowing them to play on slot machines.

Today, slot machines no longer accept coins, preventing anyone from using this particular method.

Light Wand

Tommy Glenn Carmichael is a well-known casino cheater who spent years creating unique devices to cheat on slot machines. One of his most famous methods was the Light Wand which was designed to manipulate the light sensors in slot machines. It allowed users to insert pennies and force the computer into thinking they deposited hundreds.

The wand was inserted at the coin slot of the machine and emitted a series of flashes which confused the censor. This allowed Carmichael to make several payouts by depositing small amounts of money.

Similarly to the foreign coins cheat, the light wand can no longer be used since slot machines no longer accept coins.

The Monkey Paw

The Monkey Paw was another invention created by Carmichael. This device was made of a guitar or piano string attached to a bent metal rod. It was inserted through an air vent to flip a microswitch and trigger a jackpot payout.

Carmichael sold the gadget to numerous cheaters and regularly cheated at slot machines for 40 years. He was eventually caught, his homes and devices seized, and he served jail time. Following his release, Carmichael turned against cheaters and decided to help casinos fight them.

Coins On A String

One of the most well-known cheating methods is classic. Many cheaters who weren’t creative enough to make tools and devices like Carmichael just used a simple string. Cheaters would tie a string around a coin, insert it into the slot machine until it registered the coin and then pulled it back out.

It allowed the cheater to play numerous spins on the machine without actually paying anything. Since most slot machines today no longer accept coins, this can no longer be used.

By writing this, we are not encouraging hacking or cheating when playing slot machines. The cheats above are entirely illegal and do not work anymore. Also, if you are caught cheating, the casino has the right to withhold any winnings even if you have won the jackpot.