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A slot machine with its electronic insides exposed stands on two green milk crates in the rear of a strip mall workplace like a patient on a treatment table.

The man in front of the equipment, 53-year-old Tommy Glenn Carmichael, has a special and valued talent:

“I’ll defeat a slot machine if you give it to me.”

No two-bit slot machine robber steals from Carmichael. He was a brilliant inventor who worked with a select group of thieves to steal thousands from casinos, earning the title “one of the greatest” from the authorities.

Carmichael spent nearly two decades creating the tools he used to loot casino machines around the United States and the Caribbean, including the kickstand, monkey paw, and light wand.

He conned the casino security with the same ease as he conned the machines. As mysterious as a triple seven, he was.

guilty of slot fraud Carmichael is referred to as “a legend” by Jerry Criner. “When it comes to creating cheating tools, he has the best inventiveness.”

The adjective is undisputed by the police.

During the 1980s

It’s 1980. Carmichael, 30, is sitting at his Tulsa television repair business, Ace TV Sales and Repair, when he is interrupted by an old acquaintance named Ray Ming who is now living in Las Vegas. Carmichael received a gift from Ming.

In his trunk, Ming kept a “top-bottom joint,” the pinnacle of cheating devices 20 years ago, along with a Bally’s slot machine.

We began playing around, Carmichael said. I could see that it was quite easy.

Carmichael had recognized his aptitude for deceit.

He decided to close the repair shop straight away. Carmichael, a native of Tulsa who resembled a young Johnny Cash and had thick brown hair, succumbed to the pull of Las Vegas. He went to Sin City with his fourth wife.

He started by stealing a 5-cent slot machine close to the Las Vegas Strip and made a brash exit while carrying $35 worth of nickels in his pockets.

He said, “You think you’re going to have automobiles and boats.” “You know, the American Dream.”

Getting Caught at Last

The group had been at the peak of its popularity for more than four years before Tommy and his fellow members traveled to the Circus Circus Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas at the end of 1996.

Tommy’s new unidentified surveillance cameras can see beyond crooks who hide from other cameras.

Security personnel ran towards Tommy and caught him after he used a Light Wand gadget to activate the machine.

Tommy was found guilty of employing, possessing, and removing cheating technology this time. Tommy was released less than 24 hours after being arrested because the evidence was insufficient to keep him locked up for much longer.

The Conclusion

The Protector, its most popular product, was designed to prevent the use of any fraudulent gadgets, which are still in use today. Tommy makes a failed attempt to sell his innovations to casinos.

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In a dream, Tommy witnessed the answer. He recalled, “I’m seeing myself from behind, and I’m holding [the instrument].” Since 1990, he had been hunting for a way to cheat the newest slot machines. To replace the awkward old equipment that had landed him in jail, he required a new one. He spent the day and night in his Vegas condo focused exclusively on a Fortune One video poker machine. But no matter what he did, a puzzle deep inside the unit would halt him.

The answer suddenly came to him in the deepest slumber in all its magnificent simplicity: a flexible metal piece wedged at the head and some piano wire. Tommy told the History Channel, “I got out of bed and created it”. The Monkey Paw, which Tommy has unearthed, is the answer.

Tommy Glenn Michael in 1980

When a friend of Tommy Glenn Carmichael went to Ace TV Sales and Service in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1980, Carmichael was a repairman in addition to a pool hustler. Although the thirty-year-old had a few minor drug convictions and some juvenile misdemeanors on his record, nothing about him suggested that he would someday be regarded as one of the most cunning fraudsters in gambling history.

To play with, Carmichael’s friend had brought along a Bally’s slot machine and a top-bottom joint fraud device. When asked how his thriving illegal business got started that day, Carmichael simply responded, “We started playing around.”

To start a payout using the top-bottom joint was a clumsy method. The tool had a piece of guitar string for its “bottom.” It entered the machine’s left corner and pressed up against the circuit board, delivering low-wattage power to the component. The “top” was a metal disc that was bent and shaped like the number 9. It completed a strong enough circuit after it was entered into the coin slot to hot-wire the coin hopper.

The Jackpot

Carmichael shut down his repair business and moved to Las Vegas to use the top-bottom joint. He made about $35 in nickels from his first attempt; it wasn’t much, but it was enough to prove that he was onto something important. “You believe you’ll have boats and cars,” he later told the media. “You know, the American Dream.”

On July 4, 1985, that ideal was destroyed. After a few successful years, Carmichael was gambling slots at Denny’s near the Las Vegas Strip, and police pushed him into the wall and discovered his invention.

Conclusion

Last but not least, Tommy Glenn Carmichael has acquired the moniker “The Edison of Slot Machines” for his skill as a creator and hacker of slot machines as well as his knowledge of electronics and computer programming.

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They say there are three types of gambler: professional gambler, social gambler and the problem gambler.

For many punters, it’s a dream to become a professional gambler. You’ve seen all the big names: Phil Bull, Alex Bird, Dave Nevison, Harry Findlay & Patrick Veitch.

A selection of horse racing gamblers who are well-known for making a lot of cash although, for some, it was fleeting.

Most would-be pro gamblers have enjoyed these publications:

• Phil Bull: Professional gambler, racehorse owner and publisher. Founded Timeform since 1948.
• Alex Bird: The Life and Secrets of a Professional Punter (1986)
• Dave Nevison: A Bloody Good Winner (2007), No Easy Money (2009)
• Harry Findlay: Gambling For Life: The Man Who Won Millions And Spent Every Penny (2017)
• Patrick Veitch: Enemy Number One (2010)

A list of exceptional gambling publications.

No wonder many would-be professional gamblers dream of hitting the big time, making a bundle of cash and even enjoying the limelight.

I have been a successful gambler for many years. In fact, I’ve been interested in horse racing since 1986, at the age of 16. My brother and I got into racing from our Dad who loved a bet on a weekend. He wasn’t a big money gambler, a tenner on an each-way Yankee. We took our racing seriously and our niche of two-year-old thoroughbreds. I consider myself an authority within this niche and if someone knows more they are very good. Personally, I have never met anyone within this field who knows more. I don’t say those words to brag. I’m not saying it for any other reason than trying to explain the level you need to achieve and the confidence within.

It never pays to limit others because there are thousands of ways to win and lose money. If someone finds something which makes them money then good for them. Only a loser wants others to lose.

You may question why I have a niche. It’s simple. There simply isn’t enough time to know everything. And you need to understand that you don’t need to. It is better to know more about one thing than a little about everything. The Jack of all trades and master of none. Saying that, if you can make your betting pay then you don’t need me to tell you what works or not.

If you have little experience about what you need to do to make your betting pay then the following information may help you, keep you looking in the right direction, save you time and make you money.

There is no easy route to making your betting pay. No quick way to riches. Also, if your soul aim is the love of money above and beyond the love of horse racing you are unlikely to succeed. Only time and money will tell. If the subject matter doesn’t fill you with passion, enjoyment, intrigue and ambition it will be a long road.

Psychologists say it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert. Realistically, this is just the starting point. It’s like you opening the door to the bookmakers. I’ve spent over thirty years working on my niche of two-year-old horse racing and still learning. It has been a bloody hard road, filled with frustrations, disappointment, learning hard lessons but moments of great joy, financial success and ambition. My passion is still as strong today as it was bad in the day.

It needs to be.

This year has been a challenge. Sometimes things just don’t go to plan. Although I am very confident I won’t lose money on any given year. But there is a need to win good money. All the time and effort to endeavour to win can be a sacrifice. You don’t want to be working for a minimum wage. You could find yourself in the red. And if you don’t know enough you will lose. It’s not about being the best on planet Earth but it is about being better than most.

You can fool yourself but long term results will either show you a profit or a loss and that is the truth.

Each and every result tells you the answer to the question. Listen to what those winner are saying. They detail the truth of what it takes to win. As every loser details the negative. Don’t let winners and especially losers pass by without assessment or judgement. You will be selling yourself short.

You are investing time and money.

You can earn more money but you can’t make more time, so use it wisely. You will win or lose based on your knowledge. It has nothing to do with money. Skill is skill. Knowledge is power. It’s the key to making you hard-earned cash.

You wouldn’t want to bet on fixed odds because long term you cannot win.

Skill is the difference between you and the layer (who takes your bet). Is it possible you know more? It is. But also it needs to be the case. Gambling isn’t something you want to play with. Don’t bet for fun. Don’t create bad habits because they will drive you crazy, waste your time and cost you money. This happening may disappointment you so much you give up.

You can make money gambling but you need to be confident in your knowledge. The reason, when things go wrong, and at times they will, you will need to keep strong, hold your nerve and keep control of your emotions with exceptional discipline.

If you start losing the plot you will lose.

The problem with the journey of a professional gambler is that you will not see many of the problems until they slap you in the face. It takes years of experience to appreciate the good, bad and ugly. Even then you are still learning. Your progress in learning those winning ways will need to be slow and progressive. Push too hard and you will destroy what you have and all the good work may be lost.

Reinforce the positives. Eradicate the negatives.

You may just achieve your goal of being a professional gambler.

But remember the skill part comes before the money.

Good luck.

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I always remember watching Carry On At Your Convenience (1971) when Sid Plummer got a tip from his pet budgie, Joey, and it won. In fact, the winners kept coming and coming until his bookie, Benny, barred him.

Sid Plummer said: ‘What sort of sportsman are you?’

The bookie replied: ‘If I was a sportsman, I’d be riding the horse!’

True.

Modern-day bookmakers are often criticised, for very good reason. They have turned into accountants who knock any liability on the head. Meaning, any punter who looks to have the slightest chance of winning cash will have their account closed.

Well, it probably won’t be closed, just limited to a point where you will be lucky to place a bet of a couple of quid, best odds guarantee will be removed, all in the hope that you, the punter, will just withdraw your cash and leave the bookmaker too it. I guess from a data point of view it means they don’t have to show they’ve closed thousands of accounts!

A limited account is worse than a closed account.

It really is a poor state of affairs.

It’s cynical the way bookmakers keep the losing punters and make record profits.

You have to question what is happening when a bookmaker won’t even take a few quid on an each-way accumulator.

And the way they pretend to care about welfare issues. I honestly think all these ‘tools’ are simply about protecting the bookmaker. I don’t want anyone to have a gambling problem and it’s good reason why individuals need to be responsible and don’t just bet for fun.

I’ve heard of so many punters struggling to open accounts, having accounts closed or limited, even punters who have lost money (not addicted) have had their accounts closed.

None of this makes much sense.

I think bookmakers are creating a problem for themselves and for punters alike.

I had one bookmaker close my account before I’d even placed a bet. They said: ‘Because of the nature of your business we don’t think it’s in our interest…’

‘Blah, blah, blah.’

You can’t make it up, hey.

I think to keep your account open you have to be conscious of what makes a bookie want to close it. It doesn’t take much have them on your back. I don’t have lots of information to guarantee you won’t have problems.

I would open an account with four or five hundred pounds.

I think it’s best to have routine bets of similar monetary value. The worst problem is trying to trade from one account to another as using the bookmaker account and exchange. If you try to be too clever betting, cashing out you can guarantee you will receive an email detailing your account have been limited. They won’t give you a warning, just the bad news. It’s a real annoyance but you kind of reap what you sow. Although I do think it is a pain.

I’d look to keeping your account pretty level. In that sense, if you are winning a fair amount of money you may want to bet on a loser or two. Ideally, place a bet you think will lose and see if you can lay the bet to lose on the exchanges, hopefully at a similar price. You will need to do this because if you keep winning your account will be limited if not worse.

To be honest, you are better off using exchanges compared to bookmakers because they don’t care whether you win, lose or draw.

I know, at times, it is better or preferable to have a bookmaker’s accounts. And if you do, then make sure you are betting with the mind set that your account will be scrutinised. If you’re a winner, you will need to level it out with a few losers.

Good luck.

There have been books written on this subject.

Here are my thoughts.

Firstly, I would say if you have your own way of working, and it works for you, then still to what you do. Each to their own. To be honest, I wouldn’t advise anyone to do anything without serious consideration of the pros and cons.

From my horse racing betting perspective I’m not keen on any betting staking system that’s just too elaborate. I think anyone can make something difficult. As the saying goes: ‘Keep it simple, stupid.’ Not sure if that should have a comma, as it looks like an insult. It was Kelly Johnson who coined that phrase. I think he worked on spy planes. If it works for him then perhaps it can work for you.

From my experience, it is easy to tie yourself up in knots with complex staking plans, irritated by the consequence of something that is meant to improve your lot and ultimately finances.

My problem with staking plans is how on Earth do you pick between the lines of a good and bad bet? I guess it is based on perceived value. The method may vary from one person to the next so I don’t want to surmise. I would think that most punters would consider a short priced favourite has more hope of winning than an outsider or speculative punt. Who knows? That’s the logic I would consider. But does this work well in practice? After all it is what puts the most money in your pocket rather than win percentage or anything else. I can appreciate why it’s a difficult thing to pin down and why some punters have a variety of strategies. If they have clear data to prove their point then good for them.

However, it makes me wonder if someone is so good a betting most effectively and efficiently then they should, perhaps, bet even more on those selections. Perhaps that’s what they are doing.

I have an issue with the accuracy of most punters selection of best bet compared with a lesser hope.

For example, some of the best bets I have had came from betting on a big prices winners. Let’s say, you have a 50/1 you give half a chance. What do you bet? A fraction of that you would on a 6/4 shot? Is the reality of the winning hope based on the price or assessment of the horse?

Can you pick between the lines?

I don’t think so. In fact, I would suggest that most punters would find more success if they bet level stake across the board. You may think that is a ridiculous idea and to be fair it does depend on your style of betting. That’s why you need to review your selections to have a better idea. It may be a positive to write a diary to consider the thought process.

I’ve found that the best money I have ever made comes from betting level stake when a giant priced winner pops up. It seems much to easy to conclude you should bet more on a favourite and less on an outsider. Perhaps that thought process itself should be questioned. Because I think it lacks logic or understanding.

How many times have those half hopes won at big odds and that banker failed miserably?

Assess your staking strategy by reviewing how you would have fared if betting level stake. If the profits were bigger then it might be a worthwhile option. Also, you save a lot of time and irritation by questioning how much to bet on each selection. It seems an approach which creates problems and builds annoyance. When you have a winner you will be saying: ‘I wish I had put more on that!’ When you have a loser you will be saying: ‘I wish I had put less on that!’

Level stake you say: ‘It is what it is.’

There’s a lot to be said for keeping it simple, stupid.

Assess your data so you’re not the fool.

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