Do Roulette Dealers Know Magic?

Magic Tricks

Have you ever been in a casino and watched a roulette dealer throw the same number 3 or 4 times in a row?  Is this magic, or pure coincidence?

Well, it depends on what is going on and it could be a number of things.  But let me tell you that there are some dealers that know exactly what to do.  There are some dealers that when many of the punters are betting on, say, the TIER section of the wheel, these dealers will throw in such a way as to avoid the TIER.  Most of the time they will get it right and the chips will all go into the casino's pocket.

It doesn't sound very fair, does it?  Not at all, but you can beat the dealer at their own game, if you know how.  Some croupiers will get pretty (thinks of a polite way to put this) annoyed if you can do this, so it's best to keep under the radar.  There are many ways to do this, including but not limited to team play.

I was talking to a former dealer a few months ago and when I mentioned what I did for a living, they said:

"Oh yes, we all know what we are doing.  We get kudos if we can take out a high roller!"

I must say that I was rather shocked by this, but not terribly surprised.  Think about it this way, how did the casinos begin?  In shady back-alleys and illegal clubs, run by the organised crime gangs.  It still goes on a bit today, but let's not delve into that.

If the dealer has been working for a few years in a casino, usually on the same wheel, don't you think they are going to think to themselves: 

"Should I try to aim for a particular spot on the wheel?"  

EXACTLY.  Of course they would and that's when they become a profitable asset for the casino.

Just like magic.