A gang of casino croupiers 'fixed' a roulette wheel in an Ocean's Eleven-style scam to steal thousands of pounds, a court has heard.
Casino workers Craig Walker, 26, and Daniel Johnson, 29, used a secret signal - scratching their heads - to tip off their stooge Kevin Traynor, 32, in a bid to raise his stakes.
The Blackpool residents used the scam to make £23,000 from Coral Island casino in Blackpool, Lancashire.
Managers at the casino became suspicious that Traynor's winnings were disproportionate to his bets and, checking CCTV, uncovered the ruse.
Preston Crown Court heard Walker and Johnson were working together on a quiet shift at the casino when they discovered it was possible to perform a 'ho spin' on the wheel - fixing it so the ball stayed in the same slot.
They enlisted Traynor, a family friend of Johnson's, to visit the casino and place a number of bets.
When he was given the signal, dad-of-one Traynor increased his bet from £25 to £100, securing a win and splitting the cash with his two accomplices.
SWNSCraig Walker (pictured) and Daniel Johnson are in court for 'fixing' a roulette wheel in an Ocean's Eleven style scam to steal thousands of pounds from Coral Island casino in BlackpoolIll-gotten gains: Craig Walker (pictured) was jailed for 14 months for 'fixing' a roulette wheel
In January 2015, two months after the trio started their scam, casino manager Richard Monroe became suspicious about Traynor's gambling pattern and asked a member of staff to supervise him.
Traynor seemed to be gambling small amounts but making big wins and when computer records revealed a £2,100 payout, Mr Monroe delved into CCTV footage.
Walker - a senior croupier with responsibility for overseeing games were being played fairly - was seen scratching his head prior to a ball being anticipated.
Patrick Williamson, prosecuting, said: "All three said their motivation was that they had been in debt."
All three men were arrested and admitted their part in the plan, before pleading guilty to fraud.
Fraser Livesey, defending Walker, said: "He will never again work in the trade he has learned since he was 18. No one is ever going to trust him."
For Johnson, Brian Williams, said: "What began as an idle discussion developed into a plan. He can hardly believe they did it."
SWNSCraig Walker and Daniel Johnson (pictured) are in court for 'fixing' a roulette wheel in an Ocean's Eleven style scam to steal thousands of pounds from Coral Island casino in BlackpoolJailed: Daniel Johnson was part of the team who stole from Coral Island casino in Blackpool
Walker was jailed for 14 months, while Johnson was jailed for 12 months.
Traynor, of Prestwich, Greater Manchester, was handed a nine-month sentence suspended for two years and ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.
Sentencing the men, Recorder Nicholas Clarke QC said: "On eight occasions you operated the game in such a way that your stooge, who you brought in from Manchester, could come in and play the game to win.
"You gave a signal, a no spin was arranged which prompted an increased bet and so secured a larger win than you would by playing by chance or without the knowledge of the wheel."