The cheating ring concocted a scheme that used phantom “hop” bets. Cooper and Branco were Bellagio craps dealers and Granito and Martin were the players involved in the action. When Cooper and Branco were at a craps table, Granito and Martin would step up and mutter confusing bets amid last-second activity before the roll of the dice. The 'NO CALL BETS' on a craps table specifically is for people who call out bets when there are not enough chips in the rail to cover the bet. These players had plenty of chips in the rail. Craps bets are booked verbally all the time. To correctly book a bet, the dealer needs to repeat 3 pieces of information: The bet, the amount, and player.

A former craps dealer, a former professional baseball player and another man received prison this week for cheating at craps at the Bellagio in Las Vegas.

Mark Branco, the dealer, along with Jeffrey Martin, a former professional baseball player, and Anthony Granito, a friend of Branco’s, all received more than eight years in prison for the $1 million scheme, according to a report from the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

The men each pleaded guilty last year to theft and cheating at gambling.

A fourth defendant in the case, former dealer James R. Cooper Jr., is awaiting sentencing after helping Nevada prosecute the others.

“This is not about sending a message,” the prosecutor said. “It’s about punishing appropriately, and it’s about preventing anarchy.”

The cheating happened between August 2012 and July 2014.

MGM Resorts, the owner of the Bellagio, determined that the men defied odds of 452 billion-to-1. Granito and Martin won a hop bet, which pays about 15-1, 19 times in 230 rolls in a single session, according to the casino. During their winning streak, they would have been expected to lose $712,029, but they won a total of $1,086,400.

The scheme was discovered only after another dealer alerted the casino about suspicious activity. During sentencing, the men unsuccessfully asked the judge for probation.

Martin played minor league baseball for the Kansas City Royals, Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds from 1995 to 2002.

Thread Rating:

lilredrooster

I think this is how it worked: they mumbled 'hops' and some numbers. if the bet won the dealer who was in on it paid. if it didn't the dealer pretended he didn't hear it. according to the report the Bellagio did not have a designated spot for hops bets
https://www.foxnews.com/us/two-men-placed-on-nevadas-black-book-after-running-con-at-bellagio-casino

𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘵: 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵............. ᴍᴀʀᴋ ᴛᴡᴀɪɴ

Nathan

I think this is how it worked: they mumbled 'hops'. if the bet won the dealer who was in on it paid. if it didn't dealer pretended he didn't hear it. according to the report the Bellagio did not have a designated spot for hops bets
https://www.foxnews.com/us/two-men-placed-on-nevadas-black-book-after-running-con-at-bellagio-casino

You Cad. I was thinking of mentioning this thing first crack as soon as I saw it in Google Trending, but I forgot and you best me to the punch. ;)

In both The Hunger Games and in gambling, may the odds be ever in your favor. :D 'Man Babes' #AxelFabulous 'Olive oil is processed but it only has one ingredient, olive oil.'-Even Bob, March 27/28th. :D The 2 year war is over! Woo-hoo! :D I sometimes speak in metaphors. ;) Remember this. ;) Crack the code. :D 8.9.13.25.14.1.13.5.9.19.14.1.20.8.1.14! :D 'For about the 4096th time, let me offer a radical idea to those of you who don't like Nathan -- block her and don't visit Nathan's Corner. What is so complicated about it?' Wizard, August 21st. :D

darkoz

Quote: lilredrooster

You Cad. I was thinking of mentioning this thing first crack as soon as I saw it in Google Trending, but I forgot and you best me to the punch. ;)

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Sounds like that old story
The Rooster and the Hare

darkoz

That cant be how it worked. In fact they may have gotten away with it if it worked like that
The article said the casino noticed the high odds bets were paid off quite more than the odds expected. This sounds like they were being paid regardless of valid result
Otherwise the defense would be they got paid when they won - check the tapes
The scam seems to be they mumbled the wager so the pitboss and other legit dealers couldnt hear it. The Confederate dealer paid the result claiming that he heard the wager being made
The table not having a hops bet location to place the chips made the dealers verification of what he heard the key to the scam

For Whom the bus tolls; The bus tolls for thee

Joeman

Quote: lilredrooster

You Cad. I was thinking of mentioning this thing first crack as soon as I saw it in Google Trending, but I forgot and you best me to the punch. ;)

Bellagio Craps Scheme

Don't feel too bad Nathan, it looks like MathExtremist beat you both by 2 1/2 years!
I guess the news is them making it into the Black Book..

FleaStiff

The collusion was long ago but computers keep track of who was on duty and usually ALL crew members get canned which is why dealers keep eyes and ears open.
Benny Binion of long ago had the right idea. He had a box man who was quite deaf and another who was quite blind, so he had them sit double box... nothing got past them.
Anyone read the utterly absurd comments from the gambling public who just did not grasp the situation

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FleaStiff

Some people thought the bet offered would not pay off except once in 450MM times, some thought lotteries offered a better payout. total ignorance.

Wizard
Administrator

Interesting. I'll follow the story, but not much to go on yet.

Casino officials became aware of the con in 2014 after noticing several bets that won despite 452 billion-to-1 odds, according to the Review-Journal.

What is this bet in craps with 452 billion to 1 odds? That is like rolling a yo seven times in a row.
I will be on the Strip tonight and try to confirm the statement that the Bellagio had nowhere to put hop bets, but I'm immediately skeptical. Hopefully one of the big craps players on the forum can comment, but if you catch me making a hop bet, other than in a tournament, then please just put a bullet in the head, which is why I don't know the procedure of how they are handled, if there are not the little circles for them I see on most tables.
I've said this several times, but from my time at the Venetian I learned that what most staff on the floor found more annoying than advantage play and outright cheating was shot takers. People that make an ambiguous bet or decision and then argued if the result didn't go their way. It sounds like they were doing something like this, aided by a confederate dealer, but about the details, I don't know but am interested.

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Let's keep this topic going. Craps

It's not whether you win or lose; it's whether or not you had a good bet.

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FleaStiff

it is obviously a poorly written article and most definite