Insider Insights
Read exclusive interviews with industry big hitters and learn about how the casino business works and who runs it. Plus, find out about the latest technologies and the future of online gambling…before the robots take over.
R. Paul Wilson On: What We Can Learn From Hoaxes
As a magician, a con-artist and a filmmaker I have a great passion for a good story that not only entertains or captures the imagination of an audience but also creates a real reaction from real people in real life. A great hoax has the potential...
June 27, 2022
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4 min read
Political Betting: How Long Until Boris Johnson Resigns?
Recommended Bets Back Boris Johnson to Leave Office in 2022 @ 3.6 (Betfair)Back Penny Mordaunt to be Next Conservative Leader @ 7.4 (Betfair) When writing my political predictions for 2022 back in January, two of my four bets involved when UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson would...
June 14, 2022
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5 min read
R. Paul Wilson On: How To Be Your Own Casino (3/3)
This final instalment of how to play games where you become the house and have an unbeatable mathematical edge (over...
June 13, 2022
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4 min read
R. Paul Wilson On: How To Be Your Own Casino (2/3)
This is the second in a three-part series on how to turn yourself into “the house” and reap the benefits...
May 30, 2022
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5 min read
R. Paul Wilson On: How To Be Your Own Casino (1/3)
This is part one of three from our series on games where the odds are in the hustler’s favour. I...
May 16, 2022
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4 min read
R. Paul Wilson On: It Ain’t Paranoia If They’re Really Out To Get Me
A question I’m often asked is, "Have you ever been conned?" Of course the answer is "yes" - and I’ve...
May 2, 2022
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5 min read
R. Paul Wilson On: Why The Lottery Is A Waste Of Your Time
One of my favourite performance pieces is an absolute miracle with a borrowed deck of cards, created by the Spanish...
April 19, 2022
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5 min read
R. Paul Wilson On: Lottery Scams
Lottery scams come in many shapes and sizes, from bogus systems to counterfeit tickets. I’ve talked about lotteries as a...
April 6, 2022
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5 min read
10 Things Casinos Never Want You To Know
Casinos are a hot house of fun - we all know that - but they are a business at the...
April 4, 2022
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5 min read
How Casinos Spot Fake Chips (And Why You Should Never Use Them)
About a decade ago, I was tasked with the unique job of going through all the floats (the racks that...
March 25, 2022
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4 min read
R. Paul Wilson On: The Self-Help “Experts” Who Are Out To Get You
I have a healthy suspicion of anyone who tries to oversimplify complicated aspects of life and business. A few of...
March 21, 2022
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5 min read
R. Paul Wilson On: The Benefits Of Magical Thinking
One of the peculiarities of being a magician is that we often find solutions to problems no one else would...
February 25, 2022
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5 min read
R. Paul Wilson On: Deals That Seem Too Good To Be True
In the last year or so there seems to have been a dramatic increase in online advertising that offers amazing...
February 7, 2022
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5 min read
R. Paul Wilson On: The Fake Chip Collateral Scam
Late night in Las Vegas, in a dark corner of a quiet bar, a discussion becomes heated until it is...
January 27, 2022
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6 min read
2024 US Election Betting: Will History Repeat Itself?
Recommended Bets Back Republicans to win Presidency @ 1.88 (Betfair)Back Elizabeth Warren to be the Democrat Nominee @ 32.0 (Betfair)Back...
January 24, 2022
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4 min read
R. Paul Wilson On: When Sleight Of Hand Magicians And Card Cheaters Collide
Over the years, a few sleight of hand magicians have sought out card cheaters and crooked gamblers to share ideas...
January 15, 2022
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5 min read
Top Political Betting Markets In 2022 (And What You Should Bet On)
Recommended Bets Buy Brian Kemp for Republican Georgia Primary @ 44c (PredictIt) Back 2022 for Boris Johnson Exit @ 2.96...
January 7, 2022
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4 min read
R. Paul Wilson On: The Oversimplification Fallacy
Con artists understand how to weave complex concepts into simple ideas that capture the imagination of their marks, but simplicity...
December 27, 2021
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5 min read
R. Paul Wilson On: The Mysterious Case Of “The Flipper”
How many bets or important decisions have been determined by the toss of a coin? From sporting events to all-or-nothing...
December 14, 2021
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5 min read
R. Paul Wilson On: The Secret Behind This Magic Card Trick
It’s getting close to silly season so I thought I might break the habit of a lifetime and share a...
November 27, 2021
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5 min read
How Money Laundering Really Works & Why It’s A Problem In The Gambling Industry
Money laundering is a very serious criminal activity and is much more prevalent than you might think. What Is Money...
November 25, 2021
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4 min read
R. Paul Wilson On: Why You Need To Act Like An Advantage Player 24/7
I’ve often spoken about the value of identifying useful information in a gaming context. This can secure an advantage for...
November 17, 2021
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5 min read
R. Paul Wilson On: The Tinder Trap
Modern dating apps offer a convenient method to meet people (hopefully) searching for similar relationships but this form of digital...
October 31, 2021
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5 min read
R. Paul Wilson On: The Scams That Were Forbidden On “The Real Hustle”
When filming The Real Hustle, we aimed to expose as many scams as we could but there were several challenges...
October 23, 2021
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5 min read
R. Paul Wilson On: Investment Scams Are Going Up-Up-Up!
Since diving into Bitcoin as the basis for potential scams, I’ve found myself drawn deeper into the mire of investment...
October 10, 2021
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5 min read
R. Paul Wilson On: Bogus Scams
Not every scam I hear about is as real or widespread as you might think. I regularly receive panicked warnings...
September 26, 2021
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5 min read
R. Paul Wilson On: The Truth About His Feature Film “Con Men”
Sometime in 2015, I found myself in Samy’s Camera store in Los Angeles about to buy an expensive camera to...
September 13, 2021
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5 min read
R. Paul Wilson On: Call Centre Cons
I’ve studied and executed almost every kind of scam you can imagine. For The Real Hustle, the goal was always...
August 29, 2021
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4 min read
R. Paul Wilson On: Coincidence Or Magic?
In an earlier article I discussed how seemingly impossible bad beats can actually happen at the card table and how...
August 16, 2021
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5 min read
R. Paul Wilson On: The Seemingly Impossible
The ‘seemingly impossible’ happens every day. Crazy, wild coincidences are a passion of mine and I have more than a...
August 9, 2021
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5 min read
Top 10 Insider Tips We Learned From Casino Staff On Reddit
Casino employees are the best people to go to for tips and tricks on all things casino-related, and they're often...
August 6, 2021
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4 min read
10 Crazy Casino Secrets We Learned From Reddit
Casinos have all kinds of secrets they don't want you to know. But over on Reddit, thanks to AMAs and...
July 9, 2021
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3 min read
R. Paul Wilson On: Why Fear Is The Enemy
Can thinking like a gambler help us navigate times of fear and uncertainty? At the time of writing, many countries...
June 21, 2021
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5 min read
R. Paul Wilson On: Crypto Scams (2/2)
The current craze surrounding cryptocurrency highlights how old con games continue to work on a new generation of suckers. While...
June 13, 2021
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4 min read
R. Paul Wilson On: Crypto Scams (1/2)
I know next to nothing about cryptocurrency. Like any investment, crypto offers varying degrees of risk and can return profits...
June 12, 2021
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5 min read
R. Paul Wilson On: The Psychology Of Being Conned
I’ve often said that the difference between being mugged at knifepoint and handing over your savings to a scammer is...
May 24, 2021
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5 min read
R. Paul Wilson On: The Fortune Teller’s Egg Scam
Over 11 seasons and three specials of The Real Hustle television show, there were a few con games that made...
March 18, 2021
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5 min read
R. Paul Wilson On: The Secret Of Soapy Smith
The name Jefferson Randolph “Soapy” Smith is well known amongst magicians, Old West historians and cheating aficionados. Soapy evolved from...
February 27, 2021
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4 min read
R. Paul Wilson On: Reworking Old Con Games
Con games evolve over time and can be adapted to new circumstances, cultural shifts or technology. In this article, I’m...
February 13, 2021
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5 min read
Body Language Expert Reveals The Worst Kissing Scenes In Film
Love it or hate it, Valentine’s Day is coming this weekend. And with all the usual options off the cards...
February 11, 2021
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8 min read
Most shared Insider Insights
How Money Laundering Really Works & Why It’s A Problem In The Gambling Industry
Nov 25, 2021 —
4 min read
Top 10 Insider Tips We Learned From Casino Staff On Reddit
Aug 6, 2021 —
4 min read
