Potentially For Rigged Slot Tournaments?

I figured you guys are experts so this is the best place to ask.

So I get invited to these slot tournaments held at various MGM properties. With the exception of the circus circus every property assigns machines to players PRIOR to the tournament.

My concern, is that this could be ripe for rigging. After researching I know that there are various tournament chips that have differing payback percentages. For example one IGT tournament mode chip can return 500 percent while another 2000 percent for the same exact game. The obvious problem with this, is that the casino would know which machines have the higher paying chips and could assign these machines to their “most valuable” customers.

I’m not even sure this would be against gaming regulations since technically you could obtain a higher score on a 500 percent payback chip than a 2000 percent chip even if it’s unlikely.

Does anyone have any feedback on this?

Quote: casinoking000

I get invited to these slot tournaments held at various MGM properties. With the exception of the circus circus every property assigns machines to players PRIOR to the tournament.

REALLY? This has happened to you on multiple occasions? I'm aghast!

Surely there are other WoV members who have recent experience playing slot tournaments at MGM properties. Please, someone say this isn't so.

Quote: casinoking000

For example one IGT tournament mode chip can return 500 percent while another 2000 percent for the same exact game. The obvious problem with this, is that the casino would know which machines have the higher paying chips and could assign these machines to their “most valuable” customers.

While what you say is possible, I think it's highly unlikely unless there's a ridiculously concerted effort. First, a machine that's set higher and does indeed win more would probably be noticed by regular players as being "luckier." To mask that, they would have to go into the slot machine menus for two machines and change the tournament settings, which wouldn't take too long, but the tech would have to be shielded so nobody sees what's going on.

Finally, the assignment system would have to be coordinated with all the floor people so that the "valuable" customer gets the better machine. Can non-management people keep a secret that well?

Isn't there a randomized system for assigning people machines, like how poker rooms use a randomizer system to assign poker tournament seats. (Yes, the computer can be manipulated, but that's another level of coordination for something like MAYBE helping a more-valuable customer.)

With all my experience I wouldn't put it past casinos and I don't think it would be all that hard to rig things. They do it all the time. There's casinos that have been caught "palming" a winning ticket for a specific person. There's casinos that absolutely rig drawings by giving top players 1,000,000 extra entries while the regular joe has 2 entries. Rivers casino in PA was caught short decking their blackjack shoe games years and years ago and were fined, yet that just got swept under the rug and no one even talks about it anymore. Casinos absolutely cheat, and have been caught cheating...

Quote: smoothgrh

While what you say is possible, I think it's highly unlikely unless there's a ridiculously concerted effort. First, a machine that's set higher and does indeed win more would probably be noticed by regular players as being "luckier." To mask that, they would have to go into the slot machine menus for two machines and change the tournament settings, which wouldn't take too long, but the tech would have to be shielded so nobody sees what's going on.

Finally, the assignment system would have to be coordinated with all the floor people so that the "valuable" customer gets the better machine. Can non-management people keep a secret that well?

Isn't there a randomized system for assigning people machines, like how poker rooms use a randomizer system to assign poker tournament seats. (Yes, the computer can be manipulated, but that's another level of coordination for something like MAYBE helping a more-valuable customer.)

I’m not sure it would require a whole lot of coordination to put a higher paying chip in a couple machines document those machine numbers and then assign those machines to the most valued players.

Quote: Romes

. Rivers casino in PA was caught short decking their blackjack shoe games years and years ago and were fined, yet that just got swept under the rug and no one even talks about it anymore..

With the limited number of licenses at that time, and the absurd profitability of the PA market, that probably should have meant revoking their license. Ridiculous.

Quote: casinoking000

I’m not sure it would require a whole lot of coordination to put a higher paying chip in a couple machines document those machine numbers and then assign those machines to the most valued players.

I suppose that if a casino really wanted to cheat, that would be a plausible way to do it.

We're not assuaging anyone's fears!

Chris Hansen better get on top of this and off those pedophiles.

So, this conspiracy would have to include the slot techs who set up the machines, and the marketing promotions clerks or slot attendants who seat the players.

Do you really think that SOMEONE would have dropped a dime on the whole operation if that was going on? I mean there is a LOT of money to be made blowing the whistle on something like that.

We are talking about MGM here, not Joe's local tavern and back room gambling joint.

"For example one IGT tournament mode chip can return 500 percent while another 2000 percent for the same exact game"

And I would assume if the casino wanted to assure a particular person would win the tournament they would probably be dumb enough to set it at 2000% and leave the others at 500%. This would be noticed by just about any halfway educated gambler. A red flag would be an extreme understatement since the scores on the 2000% machines would reach near impossible levels from that of a 500% payback machine. Have you noticed scores on multiple occasions that are way above the avrage?