Laser technology roulette win

[Leon Heller]

I've just heard on the BBC radio news that three people from eastern Europe
apparently won over 1 million pounds playing roulette at a London casino
earlier this year by using a laser and some electronics hidden inside a
mobile phone casing. They used the system to measure the speed of the wheel
and the ball and to predict where to place their bets. They were charged
with deception by the police when the casino got suspicious, but the charges
were dropped when it was decided that they hadn't actually broken any laws,
and they were allowed to keep their winnings.

Leon

 

[Dave Garnett]

I've just heard on the BBC radio news that three people from eastern
Europe apparently won over 1 million pounds playing roulette at a London
casino earlier this year by using a laser and some electronics hidden
inside a mobile phone casing. They used the system to measure the speed of
the wheel and the ball and to predict where to place their bets. They were
charged with deception by the police when the casino got suspicious, but
the charges were dropped when it was decided that they hadn't actually
broken any laws, and they were allowed to keep their winnings.

Here is the article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4069629.stm

I'm a bit dubious. You would need to know the speed of the ball and wheel,
and also the phase to predict a landing point. I'm not sure how you could
measure all those things quickly and covertly to a high enough accuracy. At
best you would get an approximation because of noise etc - maybe that's
enough to tip the balance in your favour.

Anyway, it's good to know that human ingenuity is alive and well !

Dave

 

[Ian Stirling]

I'm a bit dubious. You would need to know the speed of the ball and wheel,
and also the phase to predict a landing point. I'm not sure how you could
measure all those things quickly and covertly to a high enough accuracy. At
best you would get an approximation because of noise etc - maybe that's
enough to tip the balance in your favour.

Anyway, it's good to know that human ingenuity is alive and well !

Been done, decades ago.
Google "the newtonian casino"

 

[Rich Grise]

I've just heard on the BBC radio news that three people from eastern Europe
apparently won over 1 million pounds playing roulette at a London casino
earlier this year by using a laser and some electronics hidden inside a
mobile phone casing. They used the system to measure the speed of the wheel
and the ball and to predict where to place their bets. They were charged
with deception by the police when the casino got suspicious, but the charges
were dropped when it was decided that they hadn't actually broken any laws,
and they were allowed to keep their winnings.

What I wonder is, are you allowed to place bets _after_ the croupier
releases the little ball? If so, then it's indistinguishable from a sure
thing.

Thanks,
Rich

 

[Leon Heller]

What I wonder is, are you allowed to place bets _after_ the croupier
releases the little ball? If so, then it's indistinguishable from a sure
thing.

I think you are allowed to place them within three turns of the wheel, after
the ball is dropped. That must be how they won so much.

Leon