Steven Stotts, aged 57, was arrested in November 2006, for “capping” bets (adding chips) or “pinching” (taking back chips) while playing blackjack at the Northwood casino in Iowa.
The surveillance camera shows Stotts adding more chips on the table when the game had already been determined or trying to take away chips before the dealer had time to collect.
Larry Mullen, of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, said capping is done when the player knows the result of the game, and tries to add more chips as to get better winnings. The opposite (pinching) is done as to lose the less amount of chips possible. Mullen says that it is difficult to keep track of all the players when you get a busy table, and that’s when they turn to the surveillance cameras.
Stotts has been sentenced in Worth County District Court to five years in prison.













