How to Cheat Old Gambling Machines

8 Liner Cheats: Do EMP jammers still work on these old-school machines?

Gambling machines have evolved so much in over the last century, they are hardly recognizable compared to the original devices of the early 1900s. With each new development in technology, an equally wizened development comes from the more duplicitous side of the tracks – the cheaters who aim to cheat gambling machines out of money.

The most famous slot machine cheating scandals took place in the 1970s and 1980s; the same time period when mechanical reels were being swapped out for the electronic variety. No doubt, it was a rash of suspected cheating on those old mechanical games that led to the push for computerized slots. Likewise, it was the infantile technology that went into the earliest digital slots that made them so easy to exploit.

Do Old School 8 Liner Cheats Still Work?

Since the turn of the century, it’s become nearly impossible to cheat at slot machines. I say nearly, because there are still groups out there that manage to exploit games for smaller, virtually undetectable amounts of cash. But compared to the old-school cheating mechanisms like Carmichael’s infamous “monkey paw” and more recent “EMP Jammers”, the games have become far too advanced for all that.

Or have they?

Down south in the US state of Texas there remain some very interesting machines known as Eight-Liners. These aren’t slot machines, exactly. Texas law forbids slot machines and almost every other form of casino gambling. These 8-liners are legal, for the most part, so long as they follow strict payout rules.

What are Eight-Liners?

An 8-liner is a gambling machine that takes its name from the way winning combinations can be lined up. Much like a classic 3-reel slot machine, it features a 3×3 grid of reel positions that revolve vertically when the spin button is pressed. A symbol will stop in each position. If three matching symbols align in any of the 3 horizontal, 3 vertical or 2 diagonal lines (8 lines in all, hence the name), the result is a win.

Players don’t win a multiplier of a monetary bet, though. Like I said, these aren’t slot machines, or gambling machines, for that matter. According to Texas state law, the prizes must be merchandise, not cash, and no single prize can be valued above $5.00.

That hardly makes it worth cheating 8-liners in the first place, unless you consider the truth of the matter, which is that a significant portion of all 8-liner gaming halls operate “under the table”, so to speak. On the surface, these gaming halls appear to be legitimate, but behind closed doors, cash bets are taken and cash winning are paid. And when this happens, you can bet your bottom dollar someone is looking for a way to cheat eight-liners.

Are EMP Jammers an Option?

An EMP jammer is a small device that creates a transient electromagnetic disturbance , or electromagnetic pulse (EMP), that radiates outward. Any electronic device within close proximity will be disrupted (or jammed) by the EMP.

The theory is that by using an EMP jammer, the player can disrupt the normal operation of an 8-liner machine, causing it to trigger a payout even when the correct symbols do not appear on the game’s machine. According to some people I’ve spoken to, yes, an EMP jammer will still work on old-school gaming machines. However, if there are no coins in the hopper, you’re not going to gain anything from it.

Inherent Danger from All Sides

More importantly, 8 liner cheats can get you in more trouble than meets the eye. First of all, as I stated above, these games are not legal if played for cash. If you find them available for cash in an illegal gaming hall, how much do you want to risk the operators of that establishment figuring out that you’re cheating? These are criminals to begin with. If you think they’ll let you go with a slap on the wrist and boot to the rear, think again.