Ida Summers is one of the most famous casino cheats of all time. Ida Summers was at the peak of her notoriety in the 1960s and 1970s when most women in her unconventional field were reduced to the role of diversion and lookout while the men did the actual cheating.
She was also unique in the sense that she did the cheating alone, unlike normal casino cheats who operate in cahoots.
Her notoriety earned her the name Vegas Vixen and she made thousands of dollars from her adventures
Ida Summers focused on utilizing card switches at games such as Blackjack, Caribbean Stud Poker and Texas Hold’Em.
How Did Ida Summers Cheat?
Ida Summers was very attractive and seductive and she used these qualities to distract dealers and pit bosses as she pulled off some clever card switches unnoticed. Her favorite game was Blackjack but she also made a killing from other card games like Texas Hold’em and Caribbean Stud. Early in her days in Vegas, Ida used a process called “hand mucking” to execute her cheat.
This involves bringing in one or two cards into play at the table. Ida was careful to make sure these cards matched the casino’s perfectly. She did this by stealing decks of cards from inattentive dealers or sometimes persuading them to her one of the casino decks to practice at home. This involves bringing in one or two cards into play at the table. Ida was careful to make sure these cards matched the casino’s perfectly. She did this by stealing decks of cards from inattentive dealers or sometimes persuading them to her one of the casino decks to practice at home. During a game, she would secretly bring these cards into play when they were useful in order to earn an advantage over other players at the table. She would hide them in her sleeves and then deftly switch them with another card from her hand.
Later in her career, she got even bolder and adapted to the use of “cold decks,” a move that practically guaranteed her a win. ”Cold decks” were blackjack shoes full of cards prearranged to beat the house. Although this move was very rewarding it was extremely risky and hard to pull off. First she had to find a shoe that was exactly like the casino shoes.
She also had to physically switch the original shoe with the rigged one without being seen by the dealer, pit boss or other players. In order to achieve this, she hired accomplices who would pick the original deck from her lap once she had managed to steal it and dispose it for her. The replacement deck was rigged in such a way to avoid suspicion. Other players could win a few hands too but at the end of the play, Ida always went home with the biggest profit. She also placed accomplices at the table sometimes in order to maximize her earnings. The use of accomplices also exposed her to further risk because she could not be sure who to trust.
Ida Summer’s Arrest
It is not known with certainty how casino officials finally caught up with her but it involved a collaboration with the FBI. It is reported that they watched her for several months before being able to prove that she was cheating, another testament to her unmatched prowess. It is also speculated that one of her assistants ratted her out to officials though this has never been proven. Her crimes could have put her behind bars for several years but her powers of persuasion may have come into play again as she got away with a slap on the wrist; probation. Some of her accomplices were arrested and actually jailed for assisting her. Ida also possibly got away from another possibly more precarious sanction for her crimes; during her days, casinos were closely associated with the mafia and many cheaters would get killed if caught. She retired from her treacherous career, but her fame fast and wide, making her a legend in the gaming world.
She was inducted into the Blackjack Hall of Famestress and was featured on the last episode of a show on the History Channel called Breaking Vegas which chronicled the escapades of some of the most famous casino cheats. Ida’s brazen cheat scheme is practically impossible today due to all the high-tech surveillance but even back then it was an audacious move that few would have dared to attempt.
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