Cheater in Keno Game Caught Out by R. Paul Wilson: Understanding the Circumstances
In a shocking turn of events, a former casino technology division employee named Ronald Harris was accused of manipulating the Keno game at Bally's casino in Atlantic City. Harris's method, a formidable combination of insider cheating and hardware forgery, allowed him to predict the Keno outcome by replicating the computer's internal processing [1].
The scheme began when Harris, who previously worked in the casino's technology division, obtained access to the highly confidential source code of the Keno game program. This code, even casino buyers of the software were not allowed to see, enabled him to replicate the computer's internal processing to anticipate winning numbers [1].
An accomplice, Reid E. McNeal, exploited this information by purchasing multiple Keno tickets with number combinations that matched the predicted outcome. On January 14, 1995, McNeal won a Keno jackpot of $100,000 at Bally's, a sum never before seen in the history of Atlantic City [1].
Their scheme unraveled when McNeal tried to cash out without identification, leading authorities to Harris, who was found with a portable computer and literature about gaming machines and Keno [1].
Harris's device required a device to make predictions based on the same program running on the same type of machine as the casino's. He built a device to predict Keno numbers based on past sequences, using stolen equipment [1]. Harris's cheating method took advantage of the weaknesses in the computer programs of that era, which usually used algorithms based on past sequences or results to generate future outcomes [1].
The subsequent investigation resulted in charges against Harris, but the question remained about how he had beaten a Keno game thousands of miles away in New Jersey. It was later discovered that Harris employed several confederates to use his reprogrammed machines across the city, winning thousands in a single sitting [1].
Ronald Harris was later identified as an employee of the Nevada Gaming Control Board, raising suspicions that he may have had access to information that could predict the outcome of gambling games [1]. Harris's cheating method was not subtle, as he was caught and arrested shortly after the jackpot win in Atlantic City [1].
Casino security became suspicious of McNeal due to several factors, including his lack of excitement, no identification, and refusal to accept a check. McNeal's hotel room, where he was staying, revealed another man named Ronald Harris, who seemed odd and evasive to the gaming investigators and law enforcement officers [1].
Harris's device, when tested in Atlantic City, resulted in the biggest jackpot ever recorded for the game of Keno on their first try [1]. Harris, in a panic, ran for the airport, leaving enough computer equipment to tip authorities to what might be going on [1].
This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of securing sensitive information and maintaining the integrity of casino games. The case of Ronald Harris and Reid E. McNeal's manipulation of the Keno game in Atlantic City remains a notable example of insider cheating in the gaming industry.
- The blog post delves into the case of Ronald Harris, aformer casino technology division employee, who was accused of manipulating the Keno game at Bally's casino in Atlantic City using a device that predicted the Keno outcome by replicating the computer's internal processing [1].
- The casino-and-gambling section of the general news outlet covers the crime-and-justice aspect of Ronald Harris's scheme, where he obtained access to the highly confidential source code of the Keno game program to replicate the computer's internal processing and beat the system [1].
- The casino-games category on the blog discusses the instance of Ronald Harris's device, when tested in Atlantic City, resulting in the biggest jackpot ever recorded for the game of Keno on their first try, highlighting the weaknesses in the computer programs of that era [1].
