The Secret to Craps: The Right Way to Play

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The Secret to Craps: The Right Way to Play http://www.learnthesecrettocraps.com

by William J. Enslen, Jr.

Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.

Table of Contents Introduction...................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 1: Craps Math 101.............................................................................. 4 Chapter 2: The Crew........................................................................................ 11 Chapter 3: The Table and Equipment.............................................................. 14 Chapter 4: The Table Layout........................................................................... 17 Chapter 5: Approach the Table........................................................................ 20 Chapter 6: Roll the Dice.................................................................................. 26 Chapter 7: Dice Setting................................................................................... 31 Chapter 8: Basic Play and Types of Bets........................................................ 39 Chapter 9: Good Bet or Bad Bet?................................................................... 94 Chapter 10: The Secret to Craps..................................................................... 105 Chapter 11: Winning Systems (Hogwash!).................................................... 127 Chapter 12: Tokes and What They Can Do for You...................................... 134 Chapter 13: Watch Your Bets and Payoffs..................................................... 141 Chapter 14: Etiquette and Superstitions......................................................... 144 Chapter 15: Wash Your Hands...................................................................... 148 Chapter 16: Craps Lingo................................................................................ 151


List of Figures Figure 4-1. Craps Table Layout, Side Section................................................. 18 Figure 4-2. Craps Table Layout, Center Section............................................. 19 Figure 5-1. Player Positions............................................................................. 23 Figure 7-1. Pyramid Rubber on the Back Wall of the Table........................... 34 Figure 7-2. Close-up of the Pointy Rubber Pyramids on the Back Wall........ 35 Figure 8-1. Flat Pass Line Bet......................................................................... 43 Figure 8-2. Pass Line with Odds Bets............................................................. 45 Figure 8-3. Right and Wrong Ways to Stack Chips........................................ 46 Figure 8-4. Location of the Don’t Pass with Odds Bets................................. 52 Figure 8-5. “Bridging” the Don’t Pass Odds Bet............................................ 55 Figure 8-6. “Heeling” the Don’t Pass Odds Bet............................................. 56 Figure 8-7. Locations of Come Bets............................................................... 62 Figure 8-8. Locations of Don’t Come Bets.................................................... 67 Figure 8-9. Locations of Place Bets............................................................... 72 Figure 8-10. Locations of Buy Bets............................................................... 81 Figure 8-11. Straddling the C&E Bet............................................................ 91


The Secret to Craps: The Right Way to Play Introduction

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Introduction Why would anyone pay good money for a craps book when hundreds of Internet websites explain the game for free? Seems stupid, doesn’t it? Let’s be honest, if you simply want to learn the basics of the game, you shouldn’t have bought this book. You could have read the free websites and saved your money for the tables (you’ll certainly need it if you play without the knowledge gained from this book). Craps is undoubtedly the most exciting casino game. Walk around the casino and observe people playing other games. You’ll quickly realize that the craps table is where the action is. It’s where you routinely hear people clapping and screaming. It’s where you see them jumping up and down, hugging and high-fiving their playing partners. Not only is craps the most fun to play, it also offers one of the lowest house advantages of any casino game, if played correctly. Playing “correctly” means you know what bets to make, when to make them, how much to bet, and what bets to avoid giving you the optimal mix of essential variables: smart play, betting action, fun, and excitement. Although important to preserving your bankroll, making “correct” bets with the lowest house advantage is only a prerequisite to my secret for playing the game correctly. Contrary to what you probably read in other books and Internet articles, craps is designed for the casino to win and the player to lose. Over time, the player always loses. The knowledgeable player knows he’s supposed to lose, so he plays for fun and excitement. He hopes, but doesn’t expect to win. The secret is to find the optimal mix of variables that allows you to walk away with something left in your pocket and be happy that you didn’t lose it all. The secret allows you to play longer, lose less, and leave in a good mood. You might even leave a winner, making your gambling vacation even sweeter. I’ve played craps regularly my entire adult life. In my earlier days, I read lots of books and, when the Internet came along, I browsed lots of websites. They all explain the game basics and offer sure-fire winning strategies. They all explain what to do at a craps table, but none effectively explain how or why. That’s where this book is different. It takes you on an exciting journey into the “why” and “how” of the game. Other books typically describe fundamentals but fail to define the details that allow a player to become truly knowledgeable in all aspects of the game. This book doesn’t give false hope. It doesn’t promise you can beat the house out of ga-zillions of dollars. It doesn’t offer wacky dice-setting schemes to overcome the house advantage. It does, however, explain the math so you can easily understand that the game is designed for you to lose. The math proves that no so-called “winning” system will ever beat the house over time. This book also challenges the silly notion that a player can affect the outcome of a craps decision by mastering dice control. The fact is that there’s no true winning strategy for craps. Don’t be fooled. Don’t be one of the countless Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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losers who walk up to the table, drop $200 in front of the dealer, bet according to some fancy-sounding system, then walk away mad and broke 45 minutes later. The game has a built-in house advantage that, over time, no one can beat. Over time, the casino always wins. This comprehensive understanding allows you to enjoy the game without worrying about winning. You think, “If I’m going to lose, why should I bother playing?” Good question. This book has the answer. As we’ll discuss later, craps is based entirely on odds, which implies that, as time increases, the results approach a perfect distribution. Although the house has a built-in advantage even in a perfect distribution, we play anyway because of the hope that in the relatively short time we play, we’ll hit a variance in the distribution, an anomaly, where the odds seem to take a vacation and favor us instead of the house. When that time finally comes, everything we do is right. The air is pure, the sun is shining, there’s peace on Earth. But how do we time it just right to hit that short-lived variance where everything goes our way and we end up needing a wheelbarrow to carry all our chips to the cage? After many hours of play, I’ve discovered what I consider my “secret to craps.” The secret isn’t one of the ga-zillion phony systems that seldom wins and often loses. The secret is explained later in this book. Not only will you learn the game basics and my secret to craps, you’ll also learn many tidbits of knowledge that will allow you to approach a table with confidence and look like an experienced player, even if it’s the first time you’ve ever dropped money on the table. After all my reading, it’s apparent to me that few written materials--books or Internet articles--provide the nitty-gritty details of all aspects of the game. All craps books define the basics, such as table layout, types of bets, good versus bad bets, money management, and bogus winning strategies. But few books give the details a player needs to truly understand the game and be a respected player. The game is much more fun if the crew and other players respect you as a knowledgeable player than if they see you as just another sucker. This book gives you those details. I also include anecdotes that add to the fun of learning the secret to craps. What’s the secret? If the game is designed for players to lose, why do knowledgeable players bother with it? How do knowledgeable players find the optimal mix of essential variables that allows them to walk away with a smile? The secret is in this book. Let’s get started. Let’s first learn the game, and then how to minimize your losses and maximize your wins. I recommend starting at the beginning because, even though the early chapters explain game fundamentals that you may already understand, they probably include something you don’t yet know. Remember, this book goes into details to explain more than simply “what” to do. It explains the “how” and “why.” So, start at the beginning. Otherwise, it’s like learning to read before learning the alphabet. I’m sure you’ve heard of the Latin saying, “Scientia est potentia” (knowledge is power). In craps, knowledge is money. I like taking it a step further and saying, “More



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knowledge is more money.” If you understand that concept, you’ll be eager to soak up all the game details that you’re about to learn. History of Craps Dice and dice games date back to the Crusades, but modern craps is only about 100 years old. Modern craps evolved from the ancient English game called Hazard. No one knows for sure the origin of the game, but Hazard is said to have been created by the Englishman, Sir William of Tyre, in the 12th century. It’s believed that Sir William’s knights played Hazard during a siege on the castle Hazarth in 1125 AD. The name Hazard was derived from the castle’s name. Early French settlers brought the game Hazard to Canada (the colony of Acadia, which is Nova Scotia today). In the 1700s, when displaced by the British, the French moved south and found refuge in southern Louisiana where they eventually became Cajuns. When they left Acadia, they took their favorite game, Hazard, with them. The Cajuns simplified the game and made it more mathematically fair. It’s said that the Cajuns changed the name to craps, which was derived from the name of the losing throw of 2 in the game of Hazard, known as “crabs.” From Louisiana, the game spread to the Mississippi riverboats and across the country. Many consider the dice maker John H. Winn as the father of modern craps. In 1907, Winn created the modern craps layout. He added the Don’t Pass line so players can bet on the dice to lose. Later, he created the boxes for Place bets and added the Big 6, Big 8, and Hardways.


The Secret to Craps: The Right Way to Play Chapter 1: Craps Math 101

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Chapter 1 Craps Math 101 Craps is a dice game that uses two dice. The dots on a die are called “pips.” (A pip is simply a dot that represents numerical value, as on a die or a domino.) After rolling the dice, add the face-up value of the pips on both dice to determine the value of the two-dice roll. Thirty-six combinations of numbers can be rolled with two dice, as shown in Table 1-1. Table 1-1. Possible Two-Dice Combinations DIE #1

DIE #2

TOTAL

DIE #1

DIE #2

TOTAL

1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3

1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6

2 3 4 5 6 7 3 4 5 6 7 8 4 5 6 7 8 9

4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 6 6

1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6

5 6 7 8 9 10 6 7 8 9 10 11 7 8 9 10 11 12

As shown, the possible values for a single two-dice roll are from 2 to 12. It’s important to memorize the number of ways to make each number, 2 through 12. This is especially important for beginners because this basic information is used, for example, to determine how much Odds on the point to take or lay. (The terms “Odds,” “point,”



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“take,” and “lay” may be foreign to you now, but before you finish this book, you’ll understand more craps lingo than you’ll probably ever use.) Table 1-2a summarizes the results of Table 1-1 and provides a quick-look at the number of possible combinations for each value of a two-dice roll (in other words, the number of ways to make each number). For example, suppose you want to know how many ways there are to make a 12. Using Table 1-1, count the number of times 12 appears in the TOTAL column. You find there’s only one way to make a 12 (a 6 on die #1 and a 6 on die #2). Another example, suppose you want to know how many ways there are to make a 9. Using Table 1-1, you find there are four ways to make a 9 (count the number of times 9 appears in the TOTAL columns, which is four times). Table 1-2a. Ways to Make a Number When Rolling Two Dice TWO-DICE VALUE 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

# OF WAYS TO MAKE IT 1 2 3 4 5 6 5 4 3 2 1

Table 1-2b on the next page illustrates in a different format (as commonly seen in many craps-related books and Internet websites) the number of ways to make each number.



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Table 1-2b. Ways to Make a Number When Rolling Two Dice TWO-DICE VALUE

TWO-DICE COMBINATION

2

[1-1]

3

[1-2] [2-1]

4

[2-2] [1-3] [3-1]

5

[1-4] [4-1] [2-3] [3-2]

6

[3-3] [1-5] [5-1] [2-4] [4-2]

7

[1-6] [6-1] [2-5] [5-2] [3-4] [4-3]

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[4-4] [2-6] [6-2] [3-5] [5-3]

9

[3-6] [6-3] [4-5] [5-4]

10

[5-5] [4-6] [6-4]

11

[5-6] [6-5]

12

[6-6]

# OF WAYS TO MAKE IT 1 2 3 4 5 6 5 4 3 2 1

You don’t want to look like an inexperienced newbie in front of the dealers. One way to immediately show that you don’t have a clue is to fumble around with how much Odds to take or lay on the point. Instead, you should know it by heart, without even thinking about it. Otherwise, the dealers will immediately recognize your inexperience and offer to “help” you by suggesting what bets to make and how much to bet. Generally, if you take their advice, your chip stack will suffer. Even when dealers are genuinely on your side rooting for you to win (the more you win, the better their chances you’ll tip them), they’ll typically ask if you want to make Hardway or “proposition” bets that have high house advantages. Not knowing what to do, you’ll sheepishly reply, “Yeah, how much is the Hard four? Oh, only a dollar? Okay.” You’ll toss in your $1 chip and a few rolls later, you’ll lose. That’s one less chip in your stack. Craps is easy, so don’t let all the numbers and odds scare you. After you play for a while, it’s as simple as adding two plus two. Let’s look at an easy method to remember how many ways to make each number. Notice in Table 1-2a and Table 1-2b that there are six ways to make a 7, five ways to make either a 6 or 8, four ways to make a 5 or 9, three ways to make a 4 or 10, two ways to make a 3 or 11, and one way to make a 2 or 12. Note that, except for the 7, all the numbers are paired according to how many ways to make them. So, first memorize the pairings. Let’s build a table to help us memorize it.



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Table 1-3a. Ways to Make a Number by Pairings Pairings 7 6 or 8 5 or 9 4 or 10 3 or 11 2 or 12

As you can see in Table 1-3a, the pairings are: •

6 pairs with 8 (remember “6-8”)

•


•


•


•

2 pairs with 12 (remember “2-12”).

It’s interesting to note in Table 1-3a that the first number of each pairing as we go down the rows decreases by one (i.e., 6, 5, 4, 3, and 2). The second number of each pairing as we go down the rows increases by one (i.e., 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12). Next, subtract one from the low number of each pairing, as shown in Table 1-3b. Table 1-3b. Ways to Make a Number by Pairings Pairings 7 6 or 8 5 or 9 4 or 10 3 or 11 2 or 12

Low # - 1 7-1=6 6-1=5 5-1=4 4-1=3 3-1=2 2-1=1

Very good! See how easy this is? You just calculated the number of ways to make each number when rolling two six-sided dice, as shown in Table 1-3c.



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Table 1-3c. Ways to Make a Number by Pairings Pairings

Low # - 1

Ways to Make It

7 6 or 8 5 or 9 4 or 10 3 or 11 2 or 12

7-1=6 6-1=5 5-1=4 4-1=3 3-1=2 2-1=1

6 5 4 3 2 1

Let’s see if you’re paying attention. Quickly, how many ways to make a 4? If you can’t memorize it, do the math. The pairing is “4 pairs with 10,” and 4 is the low number of the pairing, so 4 - 1 = 3. Therefore, there are three ways to make a 4. Let’s do one more. Quickly, how many ways to make an 8? Excellent! You’re a natural at this! The pairing is “6 pairs with 8,” and 6 is the low number of the pairing, so 6 - 1 = 5. Therefore, there are five ways to make an 8. Again, the basic information contained in Table 1-2 is important, so memorize it. Do it now. Don’t continue reading until you memorize the number of ways to make each number. If you can’t memorize it, then memorize the pairings and do the simple math trick explained above to figure it out. With all the emphasis I place on learning the number of ways to make each number, it’s obvious that craps is a game of odds, comparing possible winning combinations to possible losing combinations. For example, suppose we want to compare the number 7 to the number 4. 4 is our favorite number, so we bet on 4 instead of 7. Therefore, our bet wins if a 4 shows and loses if a 7 shows. Assume that all other numbers don’t matter, so we ignore them and keep rolling until either a 4 shows (we win) or a 7 shows (we lose). Let’s bet $1 and assume it’s an even-money bet, which means if we lose, we lose the $1, and if we win, we win $1. The odds for this even-money bet are expressed as 1:1 (stated as “one to one”). An even-money bet, or a 1:1 bet, means for each unit we bet and win, we receive that exact amount (e.g., if we bet $5 and win, we win $5; if we bet $8 and win, we win $8). Is betting the 4 against the 7 for even money a good bet? No way! It’s a terrible bet because we have twice as many chances of losing than winning. From Table 1-3c, we see there are six ways to make a 7, and only three ways to make a 4. That means there are twice as many ways for us to lose as there are for us to win. So, making this even-money bet is not only terrible, it’s stupid. But 4 is our favorite number and we want to bet it, so is there any circumstance where betting the 4 against the 7 is a good bet? Yes, of course. When betting the 4 against the 7, we take a much greater risk because there are twice as many ways to lose as Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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there are to win, so we want to be compensated for taking that risk. We’re compensated by getting odds on the 4, which means if we bet $1 and win, then we expect to win more than our $1 bet. But how much more? It’s simple, so don’t fear the math. Again, there are six ways to make a 7 and three ways to make a 4. The comparison of those outcomes is expressed as 6:3. This expression is like a fraction, so we reduce the expression to 2:1. Therefore, we expect to get 2:1 odds when betting the 4 against the 7. If our $1 bet wins, we expect to win two times our $1 bet, which is $2 (i.e., $1 x 2 = $2). If, for example, we bet $3 on the 4 against the 7 and win, we expect to win two times our $3 bet, which is $6 (i.e., $3 x 2 = $6). To illustrate this further, let’s roll the dice 36 times and assume the results are distributed exactly according to the number of ways to make each number (i.e., a perfect distribution). We know there are six ways to make a 7 and three ways to make a 4. For an even-money bet, if we bet $1 on the 4 against the 7 on each of the 36 rolls and the distribution of results is perfect, we expect to win $1 three times and lose $1 six times. So, for an even-money bet, our net result is a $3 loss. Let’s use the same example except, this time, we get 2:1 odds when we bet the 4 against the 7. If we again bet $1 on each of the 36 rolls, we expect to win $2 three times and lose $1 six times. Therefore, for a 2:1 Odds bet, our net result is that we break even, as we expect (i.e., we win $2 x 3 = $6, and we lose $1 x 6 = $6). If everything balances out after a long period of time with a large quantity of dice rolls, how does the casino make money? How can they build those multi-billion-dollar casinos? They screw us, that’s how! And they don’t feel the least bit guilty about it. Earlier, I mentioned “house advantage.” That’s a politically correct term for “we’re going to screw you until we take all your money.” The house (i.e., the casino) takes a set percentage out of every possible bet (except the free Odds bet, which we’ll discuss later). They do it several ways, but the best way to illustrate this concept is to compare the results of making a Place bet on the number 4 or 10. (We’ll look at Place bets and all other bet types later.) Since 4 is our favorite number, let’s look at Place betting the 4 against the 7. As we know from Table 1-3c, there are three ways to make a 4. If we Place bet $5 on the 4 against the 7, we expect to win $10 (remember, we expect to get 2:1 odds on the 4, so we should expect to get $5 x 2 = $10 when we win a $5 bet). Ready? Here it comes! Instead of giving 2:1 odds for a Place bet on the 4 against the 7, the house gives odds of only 9:5. Ouch! That means, when we bet $5 and win, we receive only $9 instead of the $10 we expect. They’ve screwed us out of that extra dollar that we should have gotten based on the true odds of 2:1. Using the 36-roll perfect-distribution example again, we find that the house is making tons of money off suckers like us. For each of the 36 rolls, suppose we bet $5 on the 4 against the 7, and the odds are only 9:5 instead of the 10:5 true odds that we expect to get (i.e., the expression 10:5 equals 2:1). That means, for each losing roll, we lose $5, and for each winning roll, we win $9. After 36 rolls with a perfect distribution, we expect Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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to lose six times for a total of $30 (6 x $5 = $30), and we expect to win three times for a total of $27 (3 x $9 = $27). The net result is that we lose $3, even with a perfect distribution. It’s easy to see how the casino’s profits add up over time. In this example of a Place bet on the number 4, they screw us out of a dollar by not giving the full true odds of 10:5 (again, 10:5 equals 2:1). Consider all the people playing craps 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year. All those dollars add up to millions. The house advantage varies among the many different types of possible craps bets. We’ll discuss them all later and you’ll learn which bets have high house advantages (or “edges”) and which have relatively small house edges. Obviously, you want to avoid the bets with the higher house edges and focus on those with the smallest. Be advised, simply knowing which bets are smarter than others isn’t the secret to craps! In later chapters, we’ll go a bit deeper into the math to understand why certain bets are considered better than others and why the casino can’t lose. Don’t worry; you don’t need to be rocket scientist to understand it. Now that we have a basic understanding of odds and their importance to understanding craps, the next step is to become familiar with the crew and table.


The Secret to Craps: The Right Way to Play Chapter 2: The Crew

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Chapter 2 The Crew “New shooter, coming out! Place your bets. Money plays to the table limit. Hardways work unless you call them off. Get your C and E’s, Horns, and Whirls. No more bets, the dice are ready!” Huh? Who’s that guy and what did he say? A live, normal-size craps table (i.e., not a rare “mini-craps” table) is manned by four people: one boxman, two dealers, and one stickman. Sometimes, the stickman is referred to as a third dealer. Actually, four dealers are assigned to a table, but they rotate about every 20 minutes, so a table has three dealers working with the fourth dealer on break. Boxman The boxman is the table boss. She sits in the middle of one side of the table directly in front of all the casino’s chips. Casino personnel usually refer to chips as “cheques,” which is of French origin. Technically, there’s a difference between a chip and a cheque. A cheque is a chip with a denomination printed on it and is always worth the value of the imprinted denomination. Chips, however, don’t have denominations imprinted on them and any color can be worth any amount as defined by the dealer. For example, in a poker tournament, the dealer may define white chips as $1 and blue chips as $10; whereas in a roulette game, the dealer may define white chips as 25 cents and blue chips as $2. When you plop your money down on the table and hear the dealer say, “Cheque change only,” he’s simply telling the boxman that a new player wants to exchange cash for chips (cheques), and that the cash on the table is not in play. Cash plays in most casinos, so if you put a $5 bill on the Pass Line just before the shooter rolls the dice and the dealer doesn’t exchange your cash for chips, your cash is “live” and “in play.” When the dealer says, “Cheque change only,” the boxman knows that your cash is not in play. The boxman watches everyone and everything. Her job is to ensure the game runs properly. She watches the dealers to ensure they give the correct winnings, take down lost bets, and don’t cheat the players or casino. She also watches the players to ensure they don’t cheat the casino or other players. She acts as the referee for disagreements between a player and dealer (e.g., a player may argue that the dealer paid incorrect odds, didn’t pay a bet, or made some other kind of mistake). She acts as a bouncer when players get out of control and she can deny a player a position at the table for cursing too much, constantly complaining about a slow dealer, or otherwise making the game less enjoyable for other players. Your interaction with the boxman will typically be limited. She might say, Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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“Hello,” but that’s about it. Her job is to focus on running the game properly, so she minimizes distractions by leaving player interaction to the dealers and stickman. When you drop your money on the table, the dealer picks it up and gives it to the boxman. The boxman then places the money on the table as she counts it so the overhead camera can see the total amount. After the count is complete, the boxman then stuffs the cash into a narrow slot in the table where it falls into a metal box secured to the underside of the table (that’s how this person got the name “boxman”). Dealers The two dealers stand on either side of the boxman and handle players’ bets in the side section. The dealer is like a bank teller, giving and taking money. When you win, he pays you by putting your winning chips in front of you so you can easily reach them. Conversely, when you lose, the dealer takes down your bets. If you approach the table with high-denomination chips, such as $100, the dealer exchanges your $100 for $1 and $5 chips. A good, fun dealer can add much enjoyment to your game play. When the table is packed and the numbers are running hot, it’s fun to watch a fast dealer with his arms flying everywhere counting out chips and knowing exactly how many everyone gets. If the table is cold with not much action, you can carry on a conversation with him. He’ll answer questions about the game or politely correct you if you make a mistake, such as not putting down enough Odds on the point. Most dealers are your friends and want you to win because players’ tips are how they make most of their money. They earn minimum wage and rely on tips for their livelihood. When a dealer auditions at a casino, personality and people skills are considered more valuable than dealing skills. The casino knows a new dealer’s skills will develop quickly, but more importantly, the casino knows that a polite and friendly dealer makes the game more enjoyable for the casino’s patrons. However, you’ll occasionally run into a dealer who’s having a bad day. Maybe he has a headache, or his feet hurt, or he’s hungry. The crew rotates typically every 20 minutes, so he’ll be gone soon and another dealer will take his place. Stickman The stickman stands at the center of the table on the opposite side of the boxman and dealers. She controls the pace of the game. She uses an L-shaped, wooden stick (called a “mop” or a “whip”) to gather the dice after each roll and give them to the shooter for the next roll. The stickman also manages the proposition bets, which we’ll discuss later. If a proposition bet wins, the stickman tells the dealer how much to pay the winner. If a proposition bet loses, the stickman takes down the bet. When the stickman’s chip stack gets too big (usually about 20 chips), she hands them off to the boxman. The casino doesn’t want a lot of stacked chips on the table where the stickman works because it’s easier for people to reach down and steal them.



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The stickman calls each roll of the dice, usually adding banter that makes the game more entertaining. It’s fun to listen to a good stickman spouting craps jargon and amusing rhymes. The stickman also tries to persuade players to make proposition bets that have a high house advantage. A good stickman is a bonus for the casino because she can talk people into making bigger bets than they normally would, as well as making proposition bets that they normally wouldn’t. Proposition bets and bigger bets mean one thing to the casino--bigger profits. Don’t fall into the stickman’s trap. She can be very tempting. It’s okay to laugh at her banter, but don’t get sucked in. Simply say, “No thanks.” Don’t let her talk you into increasing your bets, making proposition bets, or making any other kind of bet that you know you shouldn’t make. Mini-Craps Rarely, you’ll see a mini-craps table, typically in small casinos. For mini-craps, the game is the same, but the table is half normal size and accommodates only eight players. Because the table is smaller, only one dealer is needed to run the game. That one person performs the functions of the boxman, dealer, and stickman, which makes the game slower than a normal game.


The Secret to Craps: The Right Way to Play Chapter 3: The Table and Equipment

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Chapter 3 The Table and Equipment My heavens! What are all those squares and rectangles and numbers? How can anyone understand all that? Relax. After 30 minutes of play, it’s easy as pie. The Table The craps table is 8, 9, 10, or 12 feet long (depending on the casino’s specifications), about five feet wide, and about three-and-a-half feet high. Along the top rail are built-in chip racks for each player and an armrest for the players’ comfort while leaning on their elbows. A shelf is along the bottom of the table for holding drinks, ash trays, and whatever else a player may want to store there. In case you’re wondering, a typical 10-foot table weighs about 350 pounds and costs about $4,500. Always put your drink glass or beer bottle on the bottom shelf directly in front of where you stand at the table. Not to the side, not around the corner, not anywhere but directly in front of you so your body protects it. I finally learned this lesson after about the fifth time a drunk mistakenly took my beer or reached down for his cigarette and accidentally knocked it over. Ladies, never give a thief an opportunity, so never put your purse on the bottom shelf. Don’t lean over the table while drinking or sucking on a cigarette. No matter how careful you are, there’s a chance you’ll spill something or drop ashes on the table. That’s a definite no-no. You won’t be taken out back to have your hands smashed with a hammer, but you interrupt the game for the crew to clean up your mess. Most of the time, the crew politely asks you not to do it again, but the players likely won’t be so nice, especially if there’s a drunk at the table. Because you interrupt the game, losers who need someone to blame for their subsequent bad luck point their fingers at you. Therefore, never put a drink on the chip rack or armrest; instead, put it on the bottom shelf. Along the inside ends of the table are many little cushioned spikes (sometimes called pyramids). The spikes ensure a random bounce so there’s no way shooters can control their dice throws. A mirror runs along the inside of the table opposite the boxman. The mirror simply helps the boxman control the game (i.e., gives her added visibility). The casino’s chips are neatly stacked on the table in front of the boxman, generally 20 chips high. Standard policy for all casinos is to “protect” the higher denomination chips by stacking them in the center and surrounding them by the lower denomination chips. It’s harder for a thief to grab the higher denominations because they’re “protected” by the lower denominations.



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A money slot in the table bed is just in front of the right side of the casino’s chip stack within easy reach of the boxman. After the boxman counts a player’s cash, he sets it over the slot and manually pushes it through with a block of acrylic plastic that fits perfectly into the slot. The money then falls into the drop-box that’s secured to the underside of the table. The acrylic block has a handle that’s a little bigger than the slot, so it acts as a cover over the slot to prevent chips and dice from falling into the drop-box. As many as 10 players can play at each end of the table, but typically, the boxman limits the number of players on each end to eight. The chip racks on the railing are sectioned off making it easy to recognize the player positions. When you approach the table, find an unused chip rack and take that position. If it’s busy, you’ll have to squeeze in wherever you can. If it’s dead, you can choose any position you want. Player position #1 is next to the stickman. Each succeeding position goes around the table to position #8, which is next to the dealer. After each roll, the dealer pays all bets in order, starting with position #1 and ending with position #8. The Puck The on/off puck is a round plastic puck (looks like a hockey puck) that’s white on one side and black on the other. The white side has big, block letters that say “ON.” The black side says “OFF.” Each dealer has a puck for his side of the table. When the puck is OFF (black side up), it signifies to the players that a new game is about to start. When the puck is ON (white side up), it signifies a game is in progress and identifies the “point” (discussed later). When a point is established, the dealer places the puck white-side-up on the “point box” for that number. When a shooter loses and the game ends, the dealer removes the puck from the point box and places it black-side-up at the end of the table. The Dice Casino craps dice are perfect squares with sharp corners (unlike standard toy dice with rounded edges) and are typically red, but may be any color in accordance with the casino’s specifications. The casino’s logo is usually imprinted on each die. Each die also has a small number or other code that identifies the specific dice that the casino uses for that particular day. If the dice are thrown off the table, or at random times during the day, the boxman inspects the dice to ensure they aren’t damaged and to ensure they have the correct code for that day. This helps protect the casino from cheats who insert “capped” dice (crooked dice) into the game. Depending on the casino, a pair of dice will remain in play for eight to 24 hours. The Dice Dish A small glass, plastic, or wooden dish is placed on the table directly in front of the stickman against the side of the table. Unused dice are kept in this dish. Although only two dice are used during a game, the stickman maintains between four and eight dice in his dish (usually five or six).



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At the beginning of a new game, the stickman dumps the dice from the dish onto the table and then uses his mop (i.e., stick) to push them all to the next shooter. The shooter selects two dice she wants to throw, and the stickman pulls the unused dice back and places them in the dish. The Placard A removable placard is mounted on the inside wall of the table on the dealers’ side. This sign defines the table’s minimum bet, maximum bet, and maximum Odds allowed. The signs are also color-coded so you can easily know the table minimum from a distance. Typically, white indicates a $2 or $3 minimum, red is $5 minimum, yellow or blue is $10 minimum, and green is $25 minimum. The minimum and maximum bet amounts usually apply to all bets except proposition bets. The typical table has a $5 or $10 minimum bet, $2000 maximum bet, and allows three, four, or five times Odds depending on the point number. The minimum proposition bet is usually the value of the lowest-denomination chip used at the table. For example, if $1 chips are being used, then $1 is the minimum for a proposition bet.


The Secret to Craps: The Right Way to Play Chapter 4: Table Layout

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Chapter 4 Table Layout The table is covered in felt, like a pool table, with a printed diagram of the various types of possible bets. The table layout is divided into three areas: two side sections and a center section. The two side sections are exactly alike and each side section has its own dealer. The center section is a shared area for players at both ends of the table. The stickman works the center section. The blank buffer area between the end of the table and the printed diagram (i.e., the “layout”) is called the “apron.” See Figure 4-1 and Figure 4-2 for illustrations of the table layout. Typically, the felt is green and the diagram is printed in plain block letters. However, newer tables are being custom-built to a casino’s specifications. Don’t be surprised to find tables with bright colors and unique print, such as Roman numerals instead of plain numbers. When taking a position at the table, the only areas you care about are the center section and the side section at which you stand. The other side section at the other end of the table doesn’t matter to you because it’s only for the players at that end of the table. Each side section has two areas: the self-service (or player’s) area and the dealer’s area. The self-service area of the layout includes the following bets: Pass Line, Don’t Pass Line, Come, Don’t Come, Field, and on some tables the Big 6 and Big 8. This player’s area is called the “self-service” area because you make and pick up these bets yourself without the dealer getting involved. The dealer’s area includes the six square boxes with the numbers 4 through 10, excluding 7. These numbered boxes are known as “point boxes” and the dealer puts several types of your bets here: Place, Buy, Lay, Come, and Don’t Come bets. The thin rectangles at the top and bottom of each point box are where the dealer puts Place bets. The wider rectangles at the top of each point box are where the dealer puts Lay and Don’t Come bets. The dealer puts Buy and Come inside the square point boxes. Unlike the selfservice area, you’re not allowed to put down or pick up any bets in the dealer’s area. Later, we’ll discuss how you make these bets with the dealer’s help. The center section is shared by both sides of the table and has the proposition bets. The stickman handles all bets in the center section; therefore, as with the dealer’s area, don’t put down or pick up any bets in this section.



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Dealer

x

See separate figure to view the Center Section.

ne i N

8

10

Come Pays Double

2

3

4

9

10

FIELD

Pays Double

11

12

B

I

8

Players

Si

Don’t Come Bar

PASS LINE

4 5

“Apron”

Don’t Pass Bar

Boxman

6G

Don’t Pass Bar PASS LINE Stickman “Apron”

Players

Figure 4-1. Craps Table Layout, Side Section



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HARDWAYS

C

C

E

C

E

C

9 to 1

9 to 1

Side Section

7 to 1

E

E

C

E

C

E

C

E

C

E

C

E

C

E

7 to 1

C ONE ROLL BETS

E

C

E

C

4 to 1

ANY SEVEN 4 to 1

30 to 1

E E

C C

15 to 1

7 to 1

HORN

Side Section

E

30 to 1

15 to 1

ANY CRAPS

C

7 to 1

E

Figure 4-2. Craps Table Layout, Center Section


The Secret to Craps: The Right Way to Play Chapter 5: Approach the Table

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Chapter 5 Approach the Table You’re in the casino, lights are flashing, electronic machines are chiming, you have a pocketful of money, and your heart races as the excitement builds. You see the craps tables in the distance. Your pace quickens. The three people at one table are quiet; not much action. The 15 people at the other table are cheering, laughing, clapping, high-fiving, and hugging each other. You think, “Wow, that table must be hot.” There’s one open spot at the end by the fat guy. You think, “I don’t know if I can squeeze into that spot. I’ll wait for another one.” Before you finish your thought, someone dashes into that last open position, squeezing in sideways between the fat guy and the drunk with a cigarette hanging off his lip. You think, “Oh, man, that guy took my spot. That’s okay, I’ll get the next one.” You stand in the background, jockeying for position to see the action. You count the number of players on each side of the table, confirming that no more players can squeeze in. The shooter is on fire. She rolls number after number. A drunk yells, “Winner, winner, chicken dinner!” The gorgeous woman on the other side of the drunk is thrilled and hugging everyone at that end of the table. The players’ chip racks are filling up with red, green, and black chips. You wait. You watch. No one leaves. You continue watching. Everyone wins tons of money. Except you. What just happened here? Fear. You’re new to the game; you’re not sure of what to do; you let fear take control. Not enough room by the fat guy was just an excuse for not taking the only open position at a hot table. The result--you lost out on winning gobs of money. Get Over Your Fear It’s natural, it happens to everyone. If you’ve never played craps, you’ll probably be scared crapless (pun intended) of walking up to the table, plopping down your money, and making that first bet. It feels worse if you have to do it alone without someone to guide you or give you confidence. I remember the first time I played. It was at the old Vegas World before it became the Stratosphere. My lovely wife was off in a corner feeding a nickel video poker machine. I was alone. I strolled in circles around the casino for an hour, looking at the tables, telling myself, “Okay, I’m ready now.” Then, I walked up to the table and froze. I pretended to watch, not interested in actually playing. After a few minutes of feeling like an idiot, I turned around and walked in circles again. Finally, I got the nerve to take an open position at the table. I was so nervous that I dropped my wallet onto the table. One of the crew made an amusing remark, which embarrassed me more. I forgot I wasn’t Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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supposed to hand the dealer my fresh hundred-dollar bill, so when the dealer told me to drop it on the table, I realized my mistake, which added to my anxiety. After the shooter threw a seven-out, I knew the current game was over and time to start a new game. I took a deep breath, made my first $5 Pass Line bet, and the rest is history. Accept it. You’ll be nervous the first time. But don’t let it keep you from playing. After about 10 minutes, your fear will be gone and you’ll laugh and holler with everyone else. Just take a deep breath and walk up to the table. Take an Open Spot You see a table with several open positions. Which spot should you take? That’s a matter of personal preference. Is there a gorgeous man or woman playing alone at one end of the table? Which players are smoking? Which look bored? Which appear drunk or obnoxious? Pick a spot where you’ll feel the most comfortable. I like playing on the end, immediately next to the dealer (position #8). (See Figure 5-1 for player positions.) On the end, I don’t have to worry about players on both sides of me. I don’t like playing next to the stickman because I always seem to be in the way of him reaching for the dice or maneuvering the stick. One time, the guy accidentally bopped me on my head with his stick. Of course, he was very apologetic, but that didn’t make my head feel any better. After playing for a while, you’ll get a feel for your favorite position. You don’t have a choice when it’s crowded. If you get a lousy spot (e.g., an obnoxious guy is next to you), simply move to another open spot. If the table is full, wait until someone leaves and take their position. Be aware of a player “coloring up,” which is a sign that she’s leaving, and tell the dealer that you want to move into her position. The dealer will then hold that spot and not allow a new player to quickly step in. The dealer will politely ask the new player to move to the spot that you vacate. Obviously, when you change positions, don’t forget to take your chips. People next to you can affect your mood and entire playing experience. They can make it fun or miserable. You might get stuck next to a chain-smoking fat guy with wicked body odor, or it might be a group of heavily drinking babes spilling out of their halter tops. So, choose wisely, Grasshopper. Recently, my brother and I were in Vegas and we went to our favorite casino for craps. (Our wives let us go alone together on condition that they could go shopping at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota.) The casino has a sit-down table, a $3 minimum, and 100 times Odds (a craps player’s dream come true, which we’ll discuss later). We arrived at about 9:00am, hoping for an empty seat at the sit-down table. No luck. Just as we asked each other if we wanted to go somewhere else, two guys put their chips down to color up. (“Coloring up” is when a player exchanges small-denomination chips for larger ones, usually when he wants to leave the table.) My brother and I took their seats, bought some chips, and made our $3 Pass Line bets.



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Two young ladies, about 30, sat to the left of us. Three of their friends stood directly behind them watching. From their deep Southern drawl, I figured they were from L.A. (Lower Alabama). It was only 9:00am, but they each held some kind of liquor drink. My brother said, “You girls are starting kind of early this morning.” “Honey, we’ve been drinking all night long,” the noisiest one said. (I could barely understand her slurred accent.) Neither of them had a clue how to play the game. They made the minimum $1 and $3 bets and were simply having fun. They relied on the dealer to tell them what to do, how much to bet, where to put their chips, and when to pick up their winnings. The dealer was wonderful--funny, helpful, friendly, and patient. The noisy one did most of the talking--and laughing. That laugh, I’ll never forget it. It was a low, bellowing, “Bwaahahaha!” Each time she won a red $5 chip, she laughed, “That’s going in the vault. Bwaahahaha!” Then, she stuffed it into her bra, took another sip of liquor, and asked the dealer, “How much do I bet now?” After a couple of rolls, two guys at the end of the table screamed, “Yes!” One of them won about $50 on a big bet, and the other won only $5. The $5 winner shouted, “We’re rolling now!” The noisy girl broke out into another “Bwaahahaha,” after half choking on her drink. She looked at the $5 winner and said, “What are you jumping up and down all excited for? You didn’t win anything!” She then pulled a $5 chip from her bra, held it up, and turned to her friends, “He won five dollars and he’s jumping like a fool. Bwaahahaha! He got money. Bwaahahaha!” Everyone at the table cracked up, including the dealer. Even the guy she made fun of laughed. Just the way she said “money” in that drunken, deep accent was hysterical, “muh-nee.” “That’s cigarette money. Bwaahahaha! He got money!” I was literally in tears. “What do I bet now?” she asked the dealer while sipping her drink. “How about another horny bet?” he said. (The dealer referred to a Horn bet, having fun with her by calling it a “horny” bet.) “Yeah, baby, I like those horny bets,” she said. “Bwaahahaha! He got money!” I hadn’t laughed that hard in quite a while. So, the moral of this story is, people at the table can make or break your playing experience. Again, choose your spots wisely. “Bwaahahaha! He got money!”



Come Pays Double

2

3

4

9

10

FIELD

Pays Double

11

12

B

I

8

6G

Don’t Pass Bar

Player Position #8 Player Position #7

10

Player Position #6

8

PASS LINE

4 5

ne i N

Don’t Come Bar

Don’t Pass Bar

x Si

23

PASS LINE Player Position #1

Player Position #2

Player Position #3

Player Position #4

r n #5 e ay io Pl osit P

Figure 5-1. Player Positions



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Drop Your Buy-in Money and Get Your Chips Before you approach the table, have your buy-in money ready in your pocket. You don’t want to fiddle with your wallet at the table, showing other players how thick it is with hundred-dollar bills. When taking a position at the table, a game will likely be in progress. You can buy-in at any time; you don’t have to wait for the current game to end. However, don’t drop your money if the shooter is getting ready to throw. Wait until the shooter throws, then wait until the dealer finishes paying off all bets for that roll. While the stickman still holds the dice in the center of the table (before he pushes them to the shooter for another roll), ensure you have the dealer’s attention and drop your buy-in money in front of you in the Come area. As you drop your money, say in a strong voice so the dealer and boxman can hear you, “Change only, please.” “Change only, please,” makes it clear to the crew that you’re not making any bets with your cash; you simply want to exchange it for chips. The dealer responds so the boxman can hear, “Cheque change only,” then picks up your cash and places it in front of the boxman. The boxman counts it to verify the amount and turns it facedown so the camera can get a good look at the denominations before pushing it down the money slot. When the boxman gives the okay, the dealer places a stack of chips in front of you. Pick up your chips immediately, unless the shooter is getting ready to throw. Never reach down into the table when the shooter is about to throw. It’s considered bad luck if a die hits your hand. If a 7 shows after hitting your hand, the whole table gets mad and blames you for causing a 7-out. Put your chips in the chip rack directly in front of you. If the dealer gives you chips in different denominations, immediately arrange them in your rack so the higherdenomination chips are in the center (i.e., surrounded on both sides by the lower-denomination chips). This protects your higher-denomination chips from theft. For example, suppose your buy-in is $200. The dealer typically gives you four green chips ($25 each), 18 red chips ($5 each), and 10 white chips ($1 each). Make sure you protect those green chips by putting them between the red or white ones. This seems trivial, but there’s a good reason for it. Most people with whom you gamble are fairly honest, but the moment you let your guard down is probably when you’ll get hit. Look at the boxman’s huge chip stack. Notice that the $1 chips are on the outside ends of the stack, then the $5 chips, then the $25 chips, and so on. The highestdenomination chips are in the center. When in the center and protected, the chips are less vulnerable to theft. Same goes for your chips. A thief typically sneaks one of your chips when you’re leaning over the table. For example, as you lean over to roll the dice, the natural tendency is to remain leaning until the dice have stopped. Everyone’s attention, even the crew’s, is typically on the dice at the opposite end of the table. This is the optimal time for the thief to reach for your stack Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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and sneak a chip. It’s too difficult for a thief to sneak one from the center of your stack, so he usually goes for one on the end. If a thief sees your $1 or $5 chips on the outside of your chip stack, he’ll likely find another player with unprotected high-denomination chips, rather than risk being caught for a measly $1 or $5. Another simple way to avoid being a victim is to keep one hand on your chips at all times. I’m right-handed, so I always keep my left hand on the left edge of my chip stack. When I roll the dice, take a drink, or turn my head to cough, I use my right hand and keep my left hand on my chips. This discourages thieves from picking me as a target. Here’s another tip to lessen your chance of being a victim. Keep your wallet in your back pocket only if the pocket can be secured with a button. If you wear jeans, put your wallet in the front pocket. You occasionally lean on the table’s elbow pad with your rear end sticking out into the aisle. The outline of your wallet bulging through your unbuttoned back pocket is a tempting target for a thief. For women, if you must carry a purse, then I recommend never putting it on the table’s bottom shelf.


The Secret to Craps: The Right Way to Play Chapter 6: Roll the Dice

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Chapter 6 Roll the Dice After each throw, the stickman gathers the dice and places them in the center of the table while waiting for the dealers to catch up. If it’s crowded with a lot of bets on the table, the stickman waits until the dealers pay all winning bets. When the dealers are ready, the stickman pushes the dice to you. Regardless of what else is occurring at the table (e.g., a conversation between a player and the boxman, the dealer re-stacking chips or otherwise appears he’s not paying attention, etc.), when the stickman pushes the dice to you, it’s a silent indication for you to pick them up and throw them. When selecting two dice to throw, simply reach down and take two. Don’t analyze each die or rearrange them or take forever to pick two. Just take any two so the game can start. It’s annoying when a new shooter picks up all six dice, drops them all on the table, scoops them all up again, drops them all again, trying to find a pair that he thinks is lucky. Avoid doing this. It’s inconsiderate and just plain silly because there are no lucky dice. Other players are anxious for the game to start, and no one wants to wait for some clown wasting time trying to figure out which two dice are going to land his way. Just pick two and start the game. When handling the dice, always use one hand and never allow the dice to leave the table. “Leaving the table” means bringing them outside the imaginary plane that extends straight up around the edge of the table. In other words, when holding the dice, always keep your hand inside the table. This is a standard rule among all casinos for security purposes. It’s difficult to introduce crooked dice into the game using only one hand when it’s in plain view over the table. When handling the dice for the first time, you may be nervous or so excited that you forget these basic rules. The crew will quickly remind you by politely, but firmly, requesting that you use only one hand and keep it in plain view. To make the crew’s job a bit easier, I like to flash an empty hand just before picking up the dice. As I reach down for the dice, I quickly turn my palm up, flash open my fingers so they (and the camera) can see my hand is empty, and then grab the dice. It’s an instantaneous, fluid motion just long enough for the crew to see my empty hand, but quick enough that most players don’t notice it and don’t realize what I’m doing. Smoothly toss the dice, both at the same time, to the other side of the table so they hit the table felt first and then bounce against the back wall, which ensures you have no control over the outcome. If the dice come close to the back wall but don’t hit it, the stickman will likely call it a good roll, but will politely ask you to hit the back wall on subsequent throws. Follow these simple rules and you’ll do just fine:



•

Handle the dice with only one hand.

•

Don’t bring the dice outside the table.

•

Smoothly toss the dice. Don’t slide, drop, or throw them hard.

•

Don’t toss the dice higher than the height of the dealers.

•

Toss the dice so they land on the table felt and bounce against the back wall.

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Sometimes, even with a nice, smooth roll, a die bounces off the table. That’s okay, it happens. The stickman calls, “No roll,” empties his dish, and pushes all the dice to the shooter to select another pair. When a die leaves the table, the shooter has the option of requesting, “Same die,” meaning she wants to continue using the one that flew off the table. This is pure superstition, especially when the shooter is having a hot roll. Changing a die or both dice in the middle of a hot roll is considered bad luck. When a die leaves the table, typically a player or member of the pit crew (not the table crew) picks it up and drops it on the table. The dealers are never allowed to leave the table to search for a die; they must always keep their eyes on the table. After finding the die, a player isn’t allowed to hand it directly to a dealer. Dealers and players aren’t allowed to exchange anything hand-to-hand, whether it’s money, chips, dice, food, or anything. Instead, the player drops the die on the table, and the dealer picks it up and hands it to the boxman. The boxman then inspects it to ensure it has the proper markings and sometimes spins it between his thumb and index finger to get a feel for the weight (to verify it’s not weighted on one side). If it passes inspection, as it usually does, the boxman drops it on the table and the stickman pushes it to the shooter to use on her next roll. Another “no roll” situation occurs when a die comes to rest on the boxman’s chip stack. When this occurs, the stickman simply gathers the two dice and pushes them back to the shooter for another throw. Sometimes, a die lands on the rail (i.e., the players’ chip rack around the edge of the table). When this occurs, the stickman usually says something amusing like, “No roll, too tall to call.” (A good stickman has lots of rhymes that add to the fun.) Other situations frequently occur that one might think are “no rolls,” but are valid. These situations are when a die comes to rest leaning against the wall, leaning on a player’s chip on the table, or leaning against the boxman’s chip stack. A “leaner” is a valid throw and the outcome for that die is determined to be the number that is most facing up. The basic “Don’ts” for throwing dice are summarized in the following. Oftentimes, a “bad” throw may be considered valid, but it’s still a bad throw and should be avoided because of its negative consequences as described below.



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--DON’T throw them so hard that they hit the back wall first before hitting the table felt. Instead, toss them smoothly so they first hit the table felt and then bounce off the back wall and stay inside the table. --DON’T throw them so hard that they bounce repeatedly off the table, throw after throw. This holds up the game and frustrates everyone. Sometimes a flying die hits another player and can hurt. (DO say you’re sorry if your hard throw causes a die to bounce off the table and hit someone, especially if it hits them in the head. Be polite. You never know if the person is a drunk or the type of person who holds a grudge.) --DON’T try to be fancy with your throw. No one cares about your superstitions or talent for twisting your arm or wrist in weird positions as you launch the dice on their way. Besides, you look ridiculous. --DON’T waste everyone’s time arranging the dice in a specific orientation before picking them up (e.g., some morons like to find the 6 on each die and line them up parallel, and then recite silly incantations to give them a little extra luck). It’s okay if you want to apply luck or superstition as you play, as long as it doesn’t affect other players. By taking forever to line up your dice in your lucky orientation and applying some sort of mojo to them, you delay the game, which frustrates the other players. So, don’t do it. --DON’T try to appear as though you’re skilled at controlling your throw (i.e., appearing as if you can somehow control their outcome). If a throw is deemed valid, there’s no way anyone can control the dice to consistently produce a desired outcome. I don’t care what you read in any book or anywhere online about some scammer’s claim to have practiced 40 years to learn to throw dice and affect their outcome. It’s pure nonsense. The shooter may be able to control the dice for the instant they’re flying through the air, but as soon as the dice hit the table felt and bounce off the back wall, the outcome is completely random. To ensure a random outcome, the dice are required to hit the back wall, which have all those rubber spikes (pyramids) that cause the dice to bounce completely randomly. So, to avoid looking silly, don’t try to control your throw. Just toss them to the other end of the table. --DON’T aim for big stacks of chips at the other end of the table. When the other end has high rollers who have lots of chips stacked on the table, don’t try to knock over the stacks. Chips fly everywhere making a mess and upset the crew because they have to remember where all those chips go. If you see chip stacks at the other end of the table, do the dealers a favor and try to aim away from them. If you accidentally hit the chips and scatter them to the winds, don’t worry, they won’t say anything the first couple of times. But if your throws routinely knock chips everywhere, they’ll politely ask you to miss them. --DON’T hit the mirror on the side of the table. The dice are hard and the corners are generally pointed, not rounded. Don’t break the casino’s mirror.



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--DON’T take too long blowing on the dice for luck. A quick puff is okay as long as it doesn’t delay your throw. Remember, your superstitions are okay as long as they don’t affect other players. Unnecessarily delaying the game affects other players. After a game ends with a 7-out, the stickman passes the dice clockwise to the next player. If the game ends with a natural or by rolling the point number, the same shooter continues rolling for the next game. If the shooter is hot and hitting point after point, she may hold the dice for 30 minutes or more. If you don’t want to shoot, you don’t have to. You may choose to pass the dice to the next clockwise player. If you’re too nervous or otherwise not ready to shoot, simply make a waving motion with your hand toward the next player and tell the stickman, “Pass.” The stickman then pushes the dice to the next player. If you decide to shoot, you must first make a Flat Pass Line or Flat Don’t Pass bet (these bets are discussed in a later chapter). This helps ensure the shooter won’t leave the table before a decision is made to end the game. You can certainly leave the table if you absolutely must (e.g., you’ll miss your flight if you don’t leave immediately). However, if you shoot, try to have the courtesy to finish the game before leaving. Crooked Dice Chances are slim that you’ll ever play in a game with crooked dice at a modern casino. However, every now and then, some idiot tries to cheat the system by inserting crooked dice into the game. By adhering to strict policies for controlling the game, casinos eventually catch even the most skilled slight-of-hand artists. As we know, each player must handle the dice with only one hand and must not bring the dice outside the table. These two simple rules make the cheat’s job extremely tough. To make it more difficult, the table has a mirror along the entire length of the wall opposite the boxman so the boxman can easily see if the shooter is “palming” dice. Additionally, each time a die leaves the table after a roll, the die doesn’t come back into play until after the boxman thoroughly inspects it. The dice are replaced at random times during the day and typically don’t remain in play for more than 24 hours. Crooked dice come in many forms, such as loaded, painted, capped, tripped, bricks, and floaters. Loaded dice are heavier on one side. Painted dice have a solution applied to one side to make it stickier. Capped dice are shaved on one or more sides and the removed material is replaced by a material with different bounce characteristics. Tripped dice have their edges altered so they’re not all equal. Bricks (a.k.a. flats) have one side shaved to reduce the surface area of the adjoining sides. Floaters (because they float in water) have an off-center hole inside them. Shapes are dice that aren’t perfect cubes (some or all sides are either concave or convex). The intent of crooked dice, regardless of their form, is to alter the likelihood of certain numbers appearing. Even a slight change in the odds of a certain number appearing may be enough to change a small house advantage into a small player



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advantage. “Passers” are crooked dice modified to favor point numbers, while “missouts” are modified to favor the number 7. Because of the control measures that modern casinos employ, don’t worry about playing in a legitimate game with crooked dice. Now that you know about crooked dice, you’ll understand why the casino has rules for handling the dice and why the casino interrupts play to inspect every die that leaves the table.


The Secret to Craps: The Right Way to Play Chapter 7: Dice Setting

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Chapter 7 Dice Setting We talked briefly in the last chapter about dice setting and its absurdity. Let’s revisit the subject so you don’t get duped into wasting your money. Simply put, dice setting is controlling the dice to increase the appearance of certain numbers and decrease the appearance of others; thereby, decreasing the house advantage. The Internet truly is a wonderful creation, but be careful. I’ve noticed an abundance of websites advertising seminars and formal classes for learning dice setting to control the outcome of a craps decision. Some claim you can learn to consistently roll certain numbers. Other smarter hoodwinkers who realize the silliness of such a claim assert that, although you can’t reliably role specific numbers, you can affect the outcome enough to change a small house advantage into a small player advantage. Even respected gaming authors have written and sold entire books on the subject. Do yourself a big favor--don’t fall for these ridiculous claims. “Craps can be beaten!” “Dice control specialists.” “Release and throw the dice on their axis and hit their sweet spots every time.” Who makes up this mumbo-jumbo? Better yet, who believes it? Apparently, people do; otherwise, these websites wouldn’t exist and books wouldn’t sell. They claim that dice control is a physical skill you can learn. That is, you can learn it after paying hundreds of dollars. They entice you with carefully chosen words and pictures explaining how to master stance, spin control, set, grab, grip, delivery, and bounce control to increase or decrease your likelihood of rolling a number. Let’s look at these silly claims a bit closer. “Craps can be beaten!” Of course, it can be beaten. Any idiot using any bizarre system can win. The question is will the system win, and will it win consistently? If I win only one session out of 100, then I can deceitfully say that I beat the game in terms of that one session. But will I have more or less money in my pocket over the long-term? Most definitely less. No combination of bet types and bet amounts will consistently win over the long-term. (We discuss so-called “winning systems” in a later chapter.) Additionally, as explained below, I believe that no wacky dice-setting technique will consistently win over time. “Dice control specialists.” Be skeptical of such claims. What criteria are used to measure their skill and what level of skill warrants the title “specialist?” Some websites even say their dice-setting instructors are “certified.” Again, be skeptical. What’s the certification authority (i.e., what’s the certifying organization and what are its credentials)? Unless the criteria and certification authority for becoming a dice-control specialist are defined and legitimate, don’t fall for the “certified specialist” nonsense that’s advertised on some websites. If the certification criteria are defined on the website, then Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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read them carefully. For example, consider the notional criterion, “Each of our dice-setting specialists has more than 30 years of experience in rolling dice.” That criterion is meaningless. A trained drunk monkey can toss dice for 30 years (assuming a monkey can live that long), so it, too, can have 30 years of experience in rolling dice. “Release and throw the dice on their axis and hit their sweet spots every time.” (A sweet spot is typically the spot on a bat, club, or racket where the vibration from the impact of a ball is canceled out, so the hitter doesn't feel any stinging or shaking. So, what is the sweet spot on a die, anyway?) For dice, what does hitting their sweet spots do? Does it eliminate vibration within the dice, thereby, helping to result in a consistent bounce? Theoretically, I guess it’s possible, but so is time travel (i.e., Einstein’s theory of relativity). It may be possible, but in my opinion, it’s highly unlikely. Craps dice, with their sharp angles and points, must travel at the exact same speed and distance, follow the exact same trajectory, and land at the exact same angle to have a consistent bounce off the tabletop. If everything isn’t exactly the same, the resulting bounce is random, not controlled. You must also account for humidity, temperature, air flow, and even the precise location of where the dice contact the tabletop (the tabletop likely has subtle differences in bounce characterictics because of the tightness of the felt, varying density of the tabletop material, and other factors). A slight difference in an environmental condition can have a slight affect on the orientation of the dice as they fly through the air. And the slightest deviation from the desired flight path or orientation will cause a slight change in the angle at which the dice hit the tabletop, resulting in a random bounce. Even if you successfully control their bounce off the tabletop, you must then control their bounce off the back wall. The dice must consistently contact the rubber spikes (pyramids) on the back wall at precisely the same angles and speeds to consistently get the desired results. Varying environmental conditions may also affect the bounce characteristics of the rubber at different times during the day, thereby, causing a random bounce. Because all variables must be in such precise alignment with the heavens and stars, I believe that deviation and error cannot be removed. In my opinion, I truly believe that quantum physicists will prove Einstein’s theory of relativity and actually demonstrate time travel before anyone develops a dice-tossing skill that can consistently control the bounce off both the tabletop and the back wall. For a mere $500, so-called “certified” instructors will teach you the crossed-sixes set, the 2-V set, the all-sevens set, the ice-tong grip, the stacked grip, the 2-finger front diagonal grip, and many other sets, grips, and tosses to reliably influence a craps decision. For example, if you use the all-sevens set with the proper grip pressure, bounce control, toss angle, spin control, and stance, you can reliably roll a 7. They might as well take their bizarre claims a step further and advertise that their Master Yodas can teach us to use the Force, too. Come on, get real. Do they really expect us to believe that the way we position our feet and the amount of pressure on each foot can affect our spin and bounce control; thereby, affecting the outcome of our roll? Good grief. The one I like, in particular, is the 6-5 set. They claim this set is good for the



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come-out roll only; not good for Place numbers. Sadly, people do, indeed, believe this nonsense. Not only do they sell dice-tossing lessons, some sell practice boxes, too. Imagine that! $500 for a day’s seminar and they’ll throw in a practice box for the incredibly low price of only $199. Woohoo! Where’s my checkbook? Another website suggests warming up with your practice box or in your hotel room’s dresser drawer before going down to the tables to get a feel for how your toss is at that particular time of day. A dresser drawer? Good grief. Even the dumbest moron should quickly realize how silly that sounds. A dresser drawer doesn’t have the same rebound characteristics and friction coefficient as a craps table, and doesn’t have little rubber spikes on the back wall against which the dice must bounce. So, how could practicing in a three-foot-wide dresser drawer without rubber spikes foretell anything about your potential results at a twelve-foot craps table? It may be possible to minimally control the flight of the dice before they hit the table, but I just don’t believe anyone can control their multiple bounces, especially off the back wall that’s lined with hundreds of little rubber spikes, each of which is carefully designed to produce a random bounce. See Figure 7-1 and Figure 7-2 for illustrations of the pyramid rubber that lines the back wall. Remember, we learned in an earlier chapter that the casino has strict rules for tossing the dice, which include a requirement that they hit the back wall (thereby, hitting the pyramid rubber). Do you honestly believe that anyone can consistently control the precise angles and speed at which the dice contact those rubber spikes? Additionally, to compound the problem, the layout is often sprinkled with chips in the Pass Line, apron, Don’t Pass line, Come box, point boxes, and Field box. The dice sometimes hit one or more chips either before or after bouncing off the back wall. It’s unlikely that anyone can control the angle at which the dice contact the chip and, therefore, the deflection off that chip. The books and websites claim that casinos hate “skilled” dice shooters because of their potential for changing a small house advantage into a small player advantage. Yes, casinos hate dice setters, but not for that reason. Casinos hate them because they delay the game, which means fewer rolls per hour, which means fewer dollars for the casino (the lower the roll rate (rolls per hour), the lower the casino’s profit). Dice setters seemingly take forever to shoot. They slowly rotate each die until the perfect combination appears, then carefully align them, then slowly take what they believe is a precise grip with the precise amount of pressure, then apply the perfect amount of mojo to the dice by waving their free hand over them or blowing on them or doing some other nonsense, and then finally toss them using some sort of weird gyration designed to impress everyone at the table with their dice-tossing skill. Instead of taking two or three seconds to simply pick up the dice and toss them, these clowns take what feels like forever. The casinos don’t like them, I don’t like them, and neither will you.



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Back Wall Lined with Rubber (see next figure for close-up) Smooth-faced Rubber Pyramids (Spikes) Padded Arm Rest

Chip Rack

Padded Arm Rest

Stickman

Chip Rack

P a s sL ine

Pass Line

Dealer Mirror Tabletop Layout: Side Section

Tabletop Layout: Center Section

Figure 7-1. Pyramid Rubber on the Back Wall of the Table



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Smooth face extends up about 5 inches

Each pyramid is about 3/4-inch square at its base

Typically 7 rows of pyramids. Total width (top to bottom) of rubber is about 11 inches. Pyramid rubber extends around the entire back wall.

Bottom edge adjoins the tabletop

Figure 7-2. Close-up of the Pointy Rubber Pyramids on the Back Wall (Straight-on Frontal View) Remember, in a modern casino, a roll is deemed valid only when the dice hit the back wall and, therefore, the pointy rubber spikes. The design characteristics of the spikes (e.g., size, shape, angles, material, density, quantity, pattern, etc.) guarantee the casino a random bounce.



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You want proof that dice control is a scam to rip you off? Consider one simple question and its answer. Take a deep breath and try to relax your overwhelming desire to get rich off the casino. Now, ask yourself, “Do you think that the casino would allow truly skilled dice setters to play with an advantage over the house, no matter how slight?” Be honest with your answer. Again, “Do you think that the casino would allow truly skilled dice setters to play with an advantage over the house, no matter how slight?” Of course not. The casino has the right to deny service to any player for any reason, whether you’re too drunk, too obnoxious, too lucky, too skilled, or too anything. If they don’t want you playing for any reason, they can tell you to leave and there’s nothing you, the law, or anyone can do about it. Consider blackjack card counters. Card counting is entirely legal, but if the casino thinks a player is card counting (and, thus, has a small advantage over the house), it immediately removes him from the game. The casino never accepts a player advantage. The casino always has the advantage--always. Same with craps. If the casino believes a player has an advantage over the house by means of controlling the dice, it removes him from the game. The bottom line is that when the dice hit the back wall, no one knows how they’ll bounce off those rubber pyramids. That’s why casinos allow dice setters to use their wacky tossing routines. Again, “Do you think that the casino would allow truly skilled dice setters to play with an advantage over the house, no matter how slight?” I’ve never heard of any of the so-called dice doctors, dice wizards, or famous multi-book dice-control authors getting thrown out of a casino because of their dice-tossing skills. Have you? According to their websites and written works, they routinely play in casinos across the globe allegedly beating the heck out of the casino. So, ask yourself again, “Do you think that the casino would allow truly skilled dice setters to play with an advantage over the house, no matter how slight?” Casinos have been around for a long time. They’re big business. Consider the multi-billion dollar resorts in Vegas (yes, that's “billion” with a “b”). Do you honestly think they haven’t thoroughly examined the legitimacy of dice control? A player advantage smacks those mega-businesses right where it hurts--in their wallets. Do you honestly think the casinos would tolerate and allow a player to play with an advantage over the house? The answer is obvious to me. Is it obvious to you? Put yourself in the casinos’ shoes. If you have the right to deny service to anyone for any reason, why would you allow anyone to play with an advantage over you and, thereby, risk losing your wallet? I doubt that you would. If you agree that casinos do allow dice-control specialists to play, and if you agree that casinos don’t allow players to play with an advantage over the casino, then what does that tell you about all the books, articles, websites, newsletters, and magazines that claim you can beat the heck out of the casino by using dice control? I don’t see how the answer could be any more obvious or simple. Let’s do an easy analysis: Casinos allow dice Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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setters to play; casinos don’t allow a player to play with an advantage over the house; therefore, it stands to reason that the casino doesn’t believe the dice setter can gain an advantage over the house. It’s that simple. You wanted proof that dice control is a scam? That sounds like awfully convincing proof to me, how about you? If it’s true that the casino doesn’t believe the dice setter can gain an advantage over the house, then why should you believe it? If you still don’t see the light, it’s probably because you’re desperately clinging to your blazing desire to beat the heck out of the casino. You want so badly the idea of dice control to be legitimate that you can taste it. You think, “Regardless of what you say, I saw a guy last night set the dice and he rolled point after point. It worked for him, so how can you say it doesn’t work?” Simple. It was his turn to get lucky at that particular instant in time. Everyone has good times, mediocre times, and bad times. Even the dice setter gets lucky occasionally. The question is whether the dice setter is consistently a winner. He’s not. His hot streak turns cold, just as it does for everyone. Minutes after his hot roll, the dice setter again goes through his wacky motions, but this time he immediately rolls a losing 7-out. As we’ll learn in a later chapter, it’s not the player’s dice-shooting skill or the player’s betting system that makes him a winner, it’s the distribution variance. The game is designed for the player to lose, so the player’s only hope for winning lies with the phenomenon called variance. Nothing more, nothing less. Remember, the knowledgeable player plays for fun and excitement, not because of some misguided false hope of winning. What these dice-setting gurus have done is quite entrepreneurial. They realize more people are learning that no true winning system exists, so profits from selling them have dropped. They probably asked themselves, “How can we still make money off these money-hungry get-rich-quick fools?” It didn’t take them long to figure it out. They probably thought, “If we can’t get them to buy our bogus betting systems, our only other option is to convince them they can control the dice.” I must admit, it’s brilliant. Throw in some fancy words and statistical terms to make it sound scientific, get some of their acquaintances to plug it and write a few testimonials, then cleverly advertise it as a way to beat the casino for untold profits. Woohoo! Where’s my checkbook? Oh, and don’t forget to buy the practice box, too. You’ll definitely need that. I can’t help wondering why these so-called experts waste their time giving seminars and writing books instead of playing craps. If their dice-setting skills can beat the house out of thousands of dollars each session, why aren’t they making millions each year by putting their skills to work? Student testimonials on some of these dice-setting websites claim winning thousands after just a few hours of playing time using the techniques learned in the seminars, so why don’t the dice wizards and writers make millions for themselves by applying what they claim? If students can win thousands after attending a short seminar (as the testimonials state), imagine what the experts can win using the skills they’ve supposedly honed for years.



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I suspect that their response might be such nonsense as, “I enjoy teaching (or writing). It’s in my blood. I love sharing my knowledge with others, helping them to obtain wealth to make their lives easier and more satisfying. I’m a teacher (or writer), not a craps shooter. I’ve devoted my life to teaching (or writing).” (Excuse me while I throw up.) Gee, that sounds so noble of them. Let’s have a group hug and sing Kumbaya. If they love it so much, why don’t they provide their services and books for free? Wouldn’t it then be much more self-rewarding, self-enriching, and self-fulfilling? Here’s an idea for them to consider. Spend each morning playing craps using their dice-setting skills to make a minimum of $1,000 per day (that’s at least $365,000 per year). Apparently, this is easy to do, according to the testimonials. Then, in the afternoons and evenings, they could teach their seminars and write their books for free. This approach would accomplish two goals: 1) Make plenty of money to live well (probably much more than selling seminars and books), and 2) Achieve harmony with their inner spirits by doing what they love and feeling good about themselves for helping the less fortunate. Because of their enormous craps winnings, they wouldn’t have to sell their books or services. This would allow them to reach out to even more unfortunate people because, if it were free, more people would take their seminars and read their books. Imagine how many more lives they could improve if it were free. Imagine how much more heartwarming and rewarding it would be for them if they selflessly gave it away for nothing. If they could beat the house for millions, they certainly wouldn’t need the relatively minimal income from book and seminar sales. I don’t know about you, but to me, it doesn’t add up. These shysters are settling for a fraction of what they supposedly could make if they simply implemented the schemes they’re peddling to you and me. Makes you wonder, doesn’t it? When you experience these clowns at the table, act like a beginner and politely ask, “Why do you do set the dice like that?” You’ll be amazed and amused by their stupid responses. But don’t stand too close while talking to them; their bad breath from all the bullshit coming out of their mouths is strong enough to knock you down. For even more fun, ask them, “What number are you going to roll?” If he responds (he likely won’t), then say, “A buck side bet says you won’t roll that number.” If you’re lucky and the idiot takes your bets, you’ll win more from him than you will from the casino. When it’s your turn to shoot, casually pick up the dice and smoothly toss them using a natural, fluid motion. If you need to apply some mojo, it’s okay to gently knock the table once or twice with the dice or quickly blow on them as part of your tossing motion. But, please, we all beg you, don’t set the dice before each and every throw.


The Secret to Craps: The Right Way to Play Chapter 8: Basic Play and Types of Bets

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Chapter 8 Basic Play and Types of Bets A new game starts with the “come-out roll” where the stickman typically says, “New shooter, coming out.” Once a new game starts, it continues until a “decision” is made. The decision that ends the game is whether the shooter makes his point or rolls a seven-out (7-out). Prior to the come-out roll, the dealer places the puck in the OFF position (black side up) on the side of the table, usually near the Don’t Come box. The OFF puck indicates that a new game is about to start. The shooter rolls the dice. If the shooter rolls a 2, 3, 7, 11, or 12 (either of which is called a “natural”), a decision is made immediately and the game ends with that single roll. A 2, 3, or 12 on the come-out roll is called “craps” or “crapping out.” The same shooter then continues and starts a new game. If the number appearing on the come-out roll is any of the remaining possible numbers (i.e., 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10), then a point is established (these numbers are called “point” numbers). The dealer places the puck in the ON position (white side up) in the point box corresponding to the point number that the shooter establishes. So, if you walk up to a table and see an OFF puck, you know that a new game is about to start. If you see an ON puck in one of point boxes, a game is already in progress and that number is the point. If the shooter establishes a point on the come-out roll (i.e., rolls a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10), the shooter continues rolling until she rolls the point number again or until she rolls a 7, which results in a decision and the game ends. If the shooter ends the game by rolling the point number, that same shooter keeps the dice and starts a new game. If she rolls a 7 (called a “7-out”), she loses the dice and the next shooter in line clockwise around the table starts the next new game. Remember, a “craps” is when the shooter rolls a 2, 3, or 12 on the come-out roll; and a “7-out” is when the shooter establishes a point and then ends the game by rolling a 7. When a 7-out occurs, don’t be one of the many who yell, “Oh, man, he crapped out!” This tells everyone, including the dealers and boxman, that you don’t know the game as well as you think. When the dealers learn of your inexperience, they have better luck influencing your bets. So, when a shooter rolls a 7-out, call it a “seven-out,” not a “craps.” In terms of a decision that ends the game, once a point is established, the only relevant numbers are the point number and 7. All other numbers are meaningless in terms of a decision to end the game. The following scenario illustrates how games end with decisions.



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1. The shooter rolls an 8 on the come-out roll, so the point for this game is 8. The dealer turns the puck ON (white side up) and places it in the 8 point box. 2. After the point is established, the only numbers that matter, in terms of ending the game, are the point number and 7. The shooter rolls a 12, which doesn’t matter, so the game continues and the shooter rolls again. 3. The shooter rolls a 4, which doesn’t matter, so the game continues and the shooter rolls again. 4. The shooter rolls an 8 (i.e., she rolls her point number). The game ends. The dealer turns the puck OFF (black side up) and places it on the side of the table. 5. Since the shooter rolled her point, she continues shooting the next game. The shooter rolls a 7 on the come-out roll for the new game. A 7 on the come-out is a natural, so the game ends immediately. The shooter continues shooting the next game. 6. The shooter rolls a 12 on the come-out roll for the new game. A 12 on the come-out is a natural, so the game ends immediately. The shooter continues shooting the next game. 7. The shooter rolls a 5 on the come-out roll, so the point for this new game is 5. The dealer turns the puck ON (white side up) and places it in the 5 point box. 8. The shooter rolls a 10, which doesn’t matter, so the game continues and the shooter rolls again. 9. The shooter rolls a 7 (i.e., a 7-out). The game ends. The dealer turns the puck OFF (black side up) and places it on the side of the table. Because the shooter rolled a 7-out, the dice move clockwise to the next player at the table who wants to shoot. If the shooter rolls the point number to end the game, she gets to use the same dice to start a new game, or she may choose to select another pair from the stickman’s dish. However, if the shooter makes her point, those dice are usually considered lucky so you’ll seldom see a shooter asking for a new pair.



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If the shooter rolls a 7-out to end the game, the stickman empties all the dice from his dish and uses his stick to push them all to the next shooter. The new shooter selects two, and the stickman pulls the remaining dice back and places them in his dish. A new game, with a new come-out roll, is about to start. Types of Bets Craps offers a variety of bets, some good and some bad. I’ll explain later what “good” and “bad” mean, but first let’s learn the basics. Most bets are similarly marked on the tables of all casinos, so in general, all craps tables look alike, except for cosmetic differences such as color and letter/number style. Some casinos offer a few additional unique bets, such as Hop bets, Big 6 and 8, and “no craps.” These bets are always marked on the table so you’ll easily know if the casino offers them. Flat Bets The most basic craps bets are the Pass Line and Don’t Pass. These bets are common in that each is a “Flat” bet, which means the bet is typically made before a new game starts and before a point is established. Also, the Pass Line and Don’t Pass bets can have an Odds bet, which is an additional bet on or against the point number after the point is established. Other Flat bets are the Come and Don’t Come, which are made after a point is established. All these bets are defined later, but the point here is simply to define “Flat” bet so you’ll know the term when you hear it. Pass Line Bet A Pass Line bet is a Flat bet that you typically make prior to a come-out roll. If you walk up to the table and see an OFF puck, you know a new game is about to start and you can get in on the action by making a Pass Line bet. The Pass Line is the long, curved section along the edge of the layout closest to where the players stand. It’s clearly labeled as, “PASS LINE,” typically in white letters. The Pass Line is sometimes called the “front line.” (You’ll occasionally hear the stickman’s banter, “Winner, winner, front line winner.”) The Pass Line on the layout goes around the entire edge of the table where the players stand so any player in any position can easily reach it. The table minimum and maximum bets are defined by the placards on the inside of the table next to each dealer. For example, if you see a red placard defining a $5 minimum and a $2,000 maximum, that means your Pass Line bet must be at least $5, but can’t be more than $2,000. The Flat Pass Line bet is a self-service bet, which means you make this bet yourself by placing your chip(s) on the Pass Line. Generally, the only time the dealer makes a Pass Line bet for you (i.e., the dealer puts the chip(s) on the Pass Line) is when you ask for change and tell the dealer to put some of it on the Pass Line. For example, suppose you want to make a $5 Pass Line bet but all you have are green $25 chips. After you have the dealer’s attention, drop a green chip in the Come area and say, “Five on the line, please.” The dealer knows exactly what you want. He changes the $25 chip for five $5 chips and makes the Pass Line bet for you by putting a $5 chip on the Pass Line Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


42

directly in front of you. Then, he puts the four remaining $5 chips in the apron in front of you. Make sure you pick up the four remaining chips from the apron and place them in your chip stack so the dealer doesn’t think you’re making a $25 Pass Line bet instead of only a $5 bet. Ready? Let’s make your first-ever craps bet. While the stickman controls the dice in the center of the table and banters, “New shooter, coming out, new shooter,” put a $5 chip inside the Pass Line directly in front of you. That’s it! You just made your first craps bet. Exciting, isn’t it? (See Figure 8-1.) When the stickman sees that the dealers are ready and everyone has made all their Flat bets, he pushes the dice to the next shooter who selects two and then throws the come-out roll. For a Pass Line bet, the come-out roll can produce three possible outcomes: 1) if a 7 or 11 appears, the Pass Line bet wins and the game ends, 2) if a craps appears (i.e., a 2, 3, or 12), the Pass Line bet loses and the game ends, and 3) if a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 appears, a point is established and the game continues until either the point number appears again, in which case the Pass Line bet wins, or a 7 appears, in which case the Pass Line bet loses. If a point is established on the come-out roll, you can’t remove your Flat Pass Line bet. Other bets, such as Place bets, can be removed whenever you change your mind and decide to take them down. Not so with the Flat Pass Line bet. For the Pass Line bet, the come-out roll favors the player but then shifts to the house when a point is established. Therefore, for a Pass Line bet, the price for getting an advantage on the come-out roll is that you can’t remove the bet once a point is established and the advantage swings to the house. Again, once a point is established, you must leave your Flat Pass Line bet alone until a win/lose decision is made. If you forget this rule and pick up your Pass Line bet before a decision is made, the stickman will smack you on top of your head with his stick and yell at you to put it back. Just kidding! The crew will simply remind you of the rule and politely ask you to return the bet to the table. The Pass Line bet is an even-money bet, which means you win the exact amount that you bet. For example, if you make a $7 Pass Line bet and win, you win $7. If you bet the Pass Line, it’s also called betting “with” the dice (as opposed to betting “against” the dice) or betting the “right” way (as opposed to betting the “wrong” way). If a Pass Line bet wins, the dice are said have “passed.” In the context of Pass Line bets, “pass” means to win, so don’t confuse it with “passing” the dice to the next shooter. On the come-out roll, a Pass Line bet has a 2:1 player advantage. There are eight ways to win on the come-out roll and only four ways to lose. Let’s review. For a Pass Line bet on the come-out roll, a 7 or 11 wins and a 2, 3, or 12 loses. There are six ways to make a 7 and two ways to make an 11; therefore, there are eight ways (i.e., 6 + 2 = 8) to win a Pass Line bet on the come-out roll. There’s one way to make a 2, two ways to make a 3, and one way to make a 12; therefore, there are four ways (i.e., 1 + 2 + 1 = 4) to lose a Pass Line bet on the come-out roll. Eight ways to win versus four ways to lose is written in terms of odds as 8:4, which like a fraction reduces down to 2:1. That’s how we get a Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


43

“Off” Puck Dealer

Boxman

4 5 See separate figure to view the Center Section.

ne i N

8

10

Don’t Pass Bar

x Si

Come Pays Double

2

3

4

9

10

FIELD

Pays Double

11

Don’t Pass Bar $5

12

B

I

PASS LINE

OFF

Don’t Come Bar

8

6G

PASS LINE

Stickman

$5 Flat Pass Line Bet Figure 8-1. Flat Pass Line Bet Assume you’re in player position #2 (refer to Figure 5-1 for player positions). In this example, your $5 Flat Pass Line bet is placed in the Pass Line directly in front of you as shown in the figure above. Notice the black “Off” puck in the Don’t Come box. The “Off” puck indicates that there’s no point established and a new game is about to start with a come-out roll.



44

2:1 advantage with a Pass Line bet on the come-out roll. But that’s only on the come-out roll. For a Pass Line bet after a point is established, the advantage shifts back to the house. No matter what the point is (i.e., 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10), there are always more ways to make a 7 and lose than there are ways to make the point and win. The advantage that you enjoy on the come-out roll for a Pass Line bet is outweighed by the disadvantage you incur if a point number is rolled on the come-out. The net result is that the house maintains a small advantage on the Pass Line bet, even when you make an Odds bet. When a point is established, you can make a Free Odds bet, or “take Odds on the point.” This is a bet on the point number in addition to the Flat Pass Line bet. The Odds bet is a self-service bet, so you make this bet yourself by putting the chip(s) in the apron directly behind your Pass Line bet. There’s no marked location on the table to define where to put your chip(s) for an Odds bet. It goes in the apron one or two inches directly behind your Pass Line bet. (See Figure 8-2.) This is called “behind the line.” (You’ll occasionally hear a dealer remind a player by saying, “Sir, you don’t have anything behind the line.” This means the player doesn’t have an Odds bet on the point.) Make sure your Odds chips aren’t in the Pass Line or touching the outside line of the Pass Line; otherwise, the dealer might think they’re either part of the Pass Line bet or a Place bet on the point. If your Odds bet requires you to use different-denomination chips, put the higherdenomination chips on the bottom of your stack. For example, if the point is 5 and you want to make an $8 Odds bet, stack your chips so the $5 chip is on the bottom and the three $1 chips are on the top of your stack. If you mix them up (called a “barber pole”) or if you put the $1 chips on the bottom, the dealer will re-stack them. Avoid making the dealer constantly fix your chips; stack them properly yourself. (See Figure 8-3.) I like to slightly offset the lower-denomination chips on top to make sure the dealer sees the higher denominations on the bottom. Offset them just barely enough so the stack doesn’t look out of alignment but so the dealer can clearly see that big chips are on the bottom. Offsetting the chip stack isn’t required, but I like to do it to ensure the dealer knows big chips are on the bottom. When the shooter rolls the point and the Pass Line wins, the dealer typically double-checks the total amount of your Odds bet and then pays accordingly. However, sometimes the dealer is sloppy or lazy and misses the fact that you have big chips on the bottom. So, offsetting the lower-denomination chips on top by just a hair allows a lazy dealer to realize the full amount of your Odds bet. You think, “There’s a square or rectangle painted on the table for every other bet, so why isn’t there a little box for an Odds bet?” Good question. The casino prefers that you don’t make Odds bets, so they don’t have a spot painted on the table for them. Odds bets pay off based on true odds, so the casino doesn’t have any built-in advantage, but neither does the player. Because it’s the only bet in craps that doesn’t have a built-in house advantage, the Odds bet is the best bet you can make. With the payoff based on true odds, you can expect to break even over the long run with this bet. Not so with any other bet on the table.



45

“On” Puck


ne i N

8

10

Come Pays Double

2

3

4

9

10

FIELD

Pays Double

11

12

$5

$5

B

I

8

6G

Don’t Pass Bar

Stickman

Don’t Pass Bar

x Si

4 5

ON

Don’t Come Bar

PASS LINE

Dealer

Boxman

PASS LINE $5 Odds Bet

$5 Flat Pass Line Bet Figure 8-2. Pass Line with Odds Bets Notice the white “On” puck in the 4 point box. This indicates the shooter rolled a 4 on the come-out roll to establish 4 as the point. Notice the $5 Odds bet in the apron about one or two inches behind the Pass Line. After the shooter establishes a point, you can then make an Odds bet.



46

Wrong

Right

$1

$1

= $5 = $1

Figure 8-3. Right and Wrong Ways to Stack Chips The stack on the left has the $1 and $5 chips mixed up (called a “barber pole”). The stack on the right has all higher denominations on the bottom and all lower denominations on top.



47

The minimum Odds bet is typically the table minimum as defined by the placard. The placard also tells you the maximum amount of Odds you can take. Depending on the casino, the maximum Odds available generally vary from two times your Flat Pass Line bet to 100 times your Pass Line bet (written on the placard as “2x” or “100x”). For example, if the table minimum is $5 and the maximum Odds allowed is 3x (i.e., three times your Flat Pass Line bet), and if you make a Pass Line bet of $10, then you can make an Odds bet on the point for as little as $5 (i.e., the table minimum) or as much as $30 (i.e., three times your Pass Line bet). Here’s where the math that you learned in Chapter 1 comes into play. The Odds bet on the point is based on true odds, or the odds that a number will appear compared to a 7. Let’s review the data in Table 1-3c from Chapter 1. NUMBER ROLLED 7 6 or 8 5 or 9 4 or 10 3 or 11 2 or 12

WAYS TO MAKE IT 6 5 4 3 2 1

Remember, for a Pass Line bet after a point is established, the bet wins if the point is rolled before a 7, and it loses if a 7 is rolled before the point. Therefore, odds are based on the number 7. For example, if the point is 6, the odds against rolling the point and, therefore, winning the Pass Line bet are 6:5 (i.e., six ways to make a 7 and lose versus five ways to make a 6 and win; therefore, 6:5). If the point is 5 or 9, the odds against winning are 6:4 (which reduces down to 3:2). If the point is 4 or 10, the odds against winning are 6:3 (which reduces down to 2:1). Notice how the odds are based on the number of ways to make a 7 compared to the number of ways to make the point number. These are true odds with no built-in house advantage. So, how much Odds can you put down for each point number? This is easy because we memorized Table 1-3c in Chapter 1. Refer to Table 8-1 below for examples of how much of Odds you can take behind the line for each point number. Table 8-1 assumes you play at my favorite casino on the Las Vegas Strip where, at the time of this writing, they still offer 100x Odds. For a 100x Odds table, your Odds bet can be the minimum (i.e., 1x), the maximum (i.e., 100x), or anything in between (i.e., 2x to 99x). It depends simply on your bankroll and how much you want to risk.



48

Table 8-1. Examples of Odds Bet Amounts POINT NUMBER 6 or 8 5 or 9 4 or 10

FLAT PASS LINE BET $5 $5 $5

MINIMUM ODDS (1x) $5 $6 $5

2x ODDS $10 $10 $10

100x ODDS $500 $500 $500

Why is the Odds bet for the 5 or 9 a multiple of two (e.g., $6, $10, or $500 in Table 8-1) when Odds bets for the other point numbers are multiples of five? To answer that question, let’s take this a step further and examine how we determine the Odds bet amounts for each particular point number. For a point of 6 or 8, the odds of making it compared to the 7 are 5:6 (i.e., five ways to make a 6 or 8 compared to six ways to make a 7). Therefore, if you bet $5 in Odds, you expect to win $6 if the point shows before a 7. Therefore, for the point numbers 6 and 8, the Odds bet should be a multiple of five to ensure you get the full true odds paid if you win. For example, if the point is 8 and you make an Odds bet of $10, how much do you expect to be paid if your Odds bet wins? That’s right! You’re getting the hang of it! You expect to win $12 for that $10 Odds bet. Why? Because the true odds compared to the 7 are 5:6, which (as you know from your grade school math class on fractions) equates to 10:12. For a point of 5 or 9, the odds of making it compared to the 7 are 4:6, which reduces to 2:3. This means that, for every $2 multiple, you win a $3 multiple. Therefore, the Odds bet for the 5 or 9 should always be an even number (i.e., a multiple of 2). For example, suppose the shooter rolls a point of 5 on the come-out. The dice feel like they’re starting to heat up, so you decide to make an Odds bet on the point. For the 5 or 9, the Odds bet should be an even number, so you decide to bet $8 in Odds. If the shooter then rolls the point, how much does your Odds bet win? Very good! Your $8 Odds bet wins $12. Remember, your Odds bet on the 5 or 9 should be a multiple of two (i.e., an even number). Here’s an easy rule for determining how much you’ll win with an Odds bet on the 5 or 9: Divide your Odds bet by 2, and then multiply by 3. For example, suppose the shooter rolls a point of 9. The dice are really hot and the shooter makes point after point, so you decide to live dangerously and make a $50 Odds bet (note that your Odds bet is an even number). If the shooter rolls the point, how much does your Odds bet win? That’s right! Outstanding! You win $75. Use the rule to figure it out: Divide the Odds bet by 2 (i.e., $50 divided by 2 = $25), then multiply by 3 (i.e., $25 x 3 = $75). Easy as pie! For a point of 4 or 10, figuring out the Odds bet can’t get any easier. The odds of making a 4 or 10 compared to the 7 are 3:6, which reduces to 1:2. Notice that you can bet in $1 multiples because for every $1 multiple you bet, you win a $2 multiple (i.e., you win double your bet). The odds of making a 4 or 10 compared to the 7 are exactly half;



49

therefore, you expect to win twice as much as your bet. For example, suppose you make a $5 Odds bet on the point of 4. (Remember, if the table minimum is $5, you must bet at least $5 in Odds.) If the shooter rolls the point, you win $10 (i.e., $5 x 2 = $10). More examples, if you bet $17 in Odds on the point of 10, you win $34. If you bet $23 in Odds on the point of 4, you win $46. Unlike the Flat Pass Line bet, you can pick up (remove) your Odds bet at any time. You can make an Odds bet at any time, too. When you decide to make or remove an Odds bet, do it while the stickman still controls the dice in the center of the table. Avoid reaching down at the last second just as the shooter is about to roll; otherwise, the whole table may yell at you, “Watch your hands!” (It’s considered bad luck if the dice hit someone’s hands. The losers have to blame their misfortune on something, so if the dice hit your hands and a 7 shows, they blame you for causing the 7-out.) Let’s go through a scenario to illustrate what we mean by making or removing an Odds bet “at any time.” 1. The puck is OFF (black side up). A new game is about to start. You make a $5 Flat Pass Line bet. 2. The shooter rolls a 6 on the come-out; therefore, 6 is the point for this game. 3. The shooter looks lucky and you have a gut feeling that a 6 is going to hit before a 7, so you make a $5 Odds bet behind the line. 4. The shooter rolls for five minutes, rolling number after number, except for the point (i.e., 6) or the dreaded 7, either of which will end the game. You get a terrible gut feeling that there’s no way the shooter can keep rolling before a 7 shows. You can feel it; that dreaded 7 is coming soon. So, you reach down and pick up your $5 Odds bet. (Remember, you must leave the Flat Pass Line bet alone.) 5. The shooter rolls a 7 to end the game. Wow, your gut feeling was right, just in the nick of time! Way to go! In this scenario, the Flat Pass Line bet loses because a 7 appeared before the point number, so you lose your $5 Flat bet. But you don’t lose the $5 Odds bet that you made at the beginning of the game because you picked it up (removed it) before the shooter rolled a 7-out.



50

Don’t Pass Bet A Don’t Pass bet is almost the exact opposite of a Pass Line bet. Like the Pass Line bet, the Don’t Pass bet is a Flat bet that you make prior to the come-out roll. The Don’t Pass section is above the Pass Line clearly marked “Don’t Pass Bar 12,” typically in black letters. The Don’t Pass is sometimes called the “back line.” The rules for table minimum and maximum bets are similar to the Pass Line bet. For example, if you see a red placard defining a $5 minimum and a $2,000 maximum, that means your Flat Don’t Pass bet has to be at least $5, but can’t be more than $2,000. The Don’t Pass bet is a self-service bet, which means you make this bet yourself by placing your chip(s) in the Don’t Pass section. For the Don’t Pass bet, the come-out roll can produce four possible outcomes (note how they’re almost exactly opposite of the Pass Line bet): 1) if a 7 or 11 appears, the Don’t Pass bet loses and the game ends; 2) if a 2 or 3 appears, the Don’t Pass bet wins and the game ends; 3) if a 12 appears, it’s considered a tie and the bet doesn’t win or lose, and the game ends; and 4) if a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 appears, a point is established and the game continues until either the point number appears again, in which case the Don’t Pass bet loses; or a 7 appears, in which case the Don’t Pass bet wins. For the Don’t Pass bet, you hope the shooter rolls a craps on the come-out; or if a point is established, that she doesn’t make her point and, instead, rolls a 7-out (again, note how the Don’t Pass is opposite of the Pass Line bet). The “Bar 12” part of the Don’t Pass label indicates that a 12 on the come-out roll is a tie. Some casinos have “Bar 2,” which means a 2 on the come-out is a tie. Whether the bar is 12 or 2 doesn’t matter because the odds are the same (i.e., there’s only one way to make a 12 and only one way to make a 2). However, some casinos like to stick it to its patrons by having a Bar 3. You probably won’t see this because it’s so rare, but it does exist. Unlike the 12 or 2 that have only one way to make either number, there are two ways to make a 3. This small difference increases the house advantage from its normal 1.4% to about 4.4%. If I see a Bar 3 in a casino, I immediately turn around, walk out, and go to another casino. The house already has an advantage over the player, so the idea of the casino screwing the player even more really chaps my rear end, so I refuse to give them my business. Remember, the Don’t Pass is basically the opposite of the Pass Line. Therefore, unlike the Flat Pass Line bet, you can remove your Flat Don’t Pass bet at any time after a point is established. For the Don’t Pass, the come-out roll favors the house but then shifts to the player after a point is established. Therefore, after a point is established, the house actually wants you to remove your Don’t Pass bet because you have the advantage. Unlike the Pass Line, you cannot “put” a Flat Don’t Pass bet and you cannot increase your Flat Don’t Pass bet after a point is established. (“Put” bets are described later.) Again, for the Don’t Pass, the come-out roll favors the house but after the Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


51

come-out roll when a point is established, the Don’t Pass favors the player. Therefore, the house won’t allow you to wait until a point is established to “put” a Flat Don’t Pass bet. If you want to bet the Don’t Pass, the house requires you to go through the come-out roll. The Don’t Pass bet is an even-money bet, which means you win the exact amount that you bet. For example, if you make a $5 Don’t Pass bet and win, you win $5. If you bet the Don’t Pass, it’s also called betting “against” the dice (as opposed to betting “with” the dice) or betting the “wrong” way (as opposed to betting the “right” way). On the come-out roll, a Don’t Pass bet has an 8:3 house advantage. For the player, there are three ways to win on the come-out, eight ways to lose, and one way to tie. Let’s review. For a Don’t Pass bet on the come-out roll, a 7 or 11 loses, a 2 or 3 wins, and a 12 ties. There are six ways to make a 7 and two ways to make an 11; therefore, there are eight ways to lose a Don’t Pass bet on the come-out. There’s one way to make a 2 and two ways to make a 3; therefore, there are three ways to win a Don’t Pass bet on the come-out. Eight ways to lose versus three ways to win is written in terms of odds as 8:3. That’s how we get an 8:3 house advantage with a Don’t Pass bet on the come-out. But that’s only for the come-out roll. For a Don’t Pass bet after the point is established, the advantage shifts back to the player. No matter what the point is (i.e., 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10), there are always more ways to make a 7 and win than there are ways to make the point and lose. The advantage that you enjoy after the come-out roll for a Don’t Pass bet is outweighed by the 8:3 disadvantage you have to survive on the come-out. The net result is that the house maintains a small advantage on the Don’t Pass bet, even when you make an Odds bet. After a point is established, you can make a Free Odds bet, or “lay Odds on the point.” Notice for the Don’t Pass bet, the Odds bet is called “laying” Odds; whereas, for the Pass Line bet, it’s called “taking” Odds. The Odds bet is another bet against the point number in addition to the Flat Don’t Pass bet. The Odds bet is a self-service bet, so you make this bet yourself by putting the chip(s) next to your Flat Don’t Pass bet in the Don’t Pass section. Like the Pass Line bet, there’s no marked location on the table to define where to put your chip(s) for an Odds bet. The location for your Don’t Pass Odds bet is next to your Flat bet. See Figure 8-4. Unlike the Pass Line bet where the chips are all stacked in one pile behind the Flat bet, the Don’t Pass Odds bet is either heeled or bridged. To understand what “heeled” and “bridged” mean, we should first review true odds and how much Odds we need to lay on the Don’t Pass.



52

“On” Puck


ne i N

8

ON

10

Don’t Pass Bar

x Si

4 5

Don’t Come Bar

Come Pays Double

2 $5

$1 $5$1 $5

3

4

9

10

FIELD

Pays Double

11

Don’t Pass Bar

12

B

I

PASS LINE

Dealer

Boxman

8

6G

PASS LINE Stickman

$12 Odds Bet $5 Flat Don’t Pass Bet Figure 8-4. Location of the Don’t Pass with Odds Bets

Assume you’re in player position #1 (refer to Figure 5-1 for player positions). In this example, your $5 Flat Don’t Pass bet is placed in the Don’t Pass line directly in front of you as shown in the figure above. Your Don’t Pass Odds bet is placed next to your Flat Don’t Pass bet in the Don’t Pass line. In this example, your Odds bet amount is $12 (i.e., assume the two bottom chips are $5 chips and the two top chips are $1 chips). Notice the white “On” puck in the 8 point box. The “On” puck indicates that the point for this game is 8. Because you bet the Don’t Pass, you hope a 7 shows before the point (i.e., 8). Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


53

The Don’t Pass Odds bet against the point is based on true odds, or the odds that a 7 will appear compared to a point number. Let’s review the data in Table 1-3c from Chapter 1. NUMBER ROLLED 7 6 or 8 5 or 9 4 or 10 3 or 11 2 or 12

WAYS TO MAKE IT 6 5 4 3 2 1

Remember, for a Don’t Pass bet after a point is established, the bet wins if a 7 is rolled before the point, and loses if the point is rolled before a 7. Therefore, like the Pass Line bet, odds are based on the number 7. For example, if the point is 6, the odds of rolling a 7 and winning the Don’t Pass bet are 6:5 (i.e., six ways to make a 7 and win versus five ways to make a 6 and lose; therefore, 6:5). If the point is 5 or 9, the odds of winning are 6:4 (which reduces down to 3:2). If the point is 4 or 10, the odds of winning are 6:3 (which reduces down to 2:1). So, how much Odds can you lay for each point number? This may seem a bit trickier than “taking” Odds on the Pass Line bet, but it’s not. It’s simply the exact opposite of the Pass Line Odds bet. For the Don’t Pass bet after a point is established, the player has the advantage because there are more ways to win than to lose (i.e., there are more ways to make a 7 than ways to make any of the point numbers). Since we’re dealing with true odds, and since the player has an advantage over the house, you must bet more in Odds than the amount you expect to win. As you recall, for a Pass Line Odds bet on the point of 6 or 8, if you take $5 in Odds behind your Pass Line bet, you expect to win $6 for that $5 Odds bet. The Don’t Pass Odds bet is the exact opposite. Therefore, for the Don’t Pass bet and a point of 6 or 8, you have the advantage after the come-out roll so you must lay $6 in Odds and expect to win $5. For the point of 5 or 9, the true odds are 3:2 (i.e., six ways to make a 7 versus four ways to make a 5 or 9), which means you lay a multiple of 3 to win a multiple of 2. For example, suppose you make a $5 Flat Don’t Pass bet and the shooter rolls a point of 9. You have a gut feeling that the dice are cold and a 7 will appear, so you decide to lay maximum Odds on the point. Suppose the table maximum allowable Odds for the 5 or 9 is 4x; which means, with your $5 Flat bet, the most you can win for an Odds bet is $20



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(i.e., $5 x 4 = $20). Therefore, to win $20 on a Don’t Pass Odds bet, you must lay $30 because the true odds are 3:2. Remember, there are six ways to make a 7, and four ways to make a 9 (hence, the odds of 6:4 or 3:2). With a Don’t Pass bet, you have the advantage after a point is established, so if you want to lay an Odds bet, you have to lay your fair share. For the point of 4 or 10, the true odds are 2:1 (i.e., six ways to make a 7 versus three ways to make a 4 or 10), which means you lay exactly double what you expect to win. For example, suppose you make an $8 Flat Don’t Pass bet and the shooter rolls a point of 4. Suppose the table maximum allowable Odds for the 4 and 10 are 100x, which means for your $8 Flat bet, the most you can win for an Odds bet is $800 (i.e., $8 x 100 = $800). The true odds of rolling a 7 versus a 4 are 2:1; therefore, you have to lay $1,600 in Odds to win $800. Remember, for a Don’t Pass bet after a point is established, you have the advantage so your Odds bet must be the higher amount to win the lower amount. Don’t worry if you’re a bit confused. We’ll walk through a scenario in a few minutes. Now that we know how much Odds we must lay for a Don’t Pass bet, let’s get back to “heeling” and “bridging.” Remember, for the Pass Line Odds bet, you put the higher-denomination chips on the bottom of your Odds bet stack and the lowerdenomination chips on the top of the stack. The same is true for the Don’t Pass Odds bet (i.e., higher-denomination chips go on the bottom, lower denominations go on top). If the payoff for a Don’t Pass Odds bet equals the amount of the Flat bet, then the Odds bet is bridged. The part of your Odds bet that’s equal to the Flat bet is placed directly next to the Flat bet. Then, the rest of the Odds bet is placed on top “bridging” them. For example, suppose you make a $5 Don’t Pass bet and the shooter rolls a point of 8. Knowing the true odds for the 8 are 6:5 (i.e., six ways to make a 7, and five ways to make an 8), you then lay $6 in Odds with the hope of winning $5. In this example, if you win the $6 Odds bet, you win $5, which exactly equals what you win with your $5 Flat bet (i.e., your $5 flat bet is even money, which means you win $5). Therefore, since your Flat bet and Odds bet win the same amount (i.e., $5 each), you bridge your $6 Odds bet by placing a $5 chip directly next to your $5 Flat bet, and then placing the $1 chip so it bridges the two $5 chips. See Figure 8-5 for an illustration of how the Don’t Pass Odds bet is bridged. If the payoff for a Don’t Pass Odds bet doesn’t equal the amount of the Flat bet, then the Odds bet is heeled. This means you place the bottom chip of your Odds bet chip stack directly next to your Flat bet. Then, place all remaining Odds bet chips on top of that single chip but offset and leaning on that bottom chip (i.e., your Odds bet chip stack is crooked because it’s leaning on the bottom chip). See Figure 8-6 for an illustration of how the Don’t Pass Odds bet is heeled. Still confused after looking at the illustrations in the figures? That’s okay, don’t get nervous. The dealer is always willing to help if you forget. After a couple of times, it all makes sense. It won’t take long before you’re a pro. If you’re not sure what to do the Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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$12 Lay Odds Bet “Bridged” $10 Flat Don’t Pass Bet Don’t Pass line

$1 $5

Don’t Pass

$5

= $5 = $1

Figure 8-5. “Bridging” the Don’t Pass Odds Bet In this example, assume the point is either 6 or 8. With your $10 Flat Don’t Pass bet, you lay 1x Odds for $12. For a Don’t Pass Odds bet, you lay the bigger amount to win the smaller amount. In this example, you lay $12 to win $10. Because the Odds bet payoff ($10) equals the Flat bet payoff ($10), you “bridge” your Odds bet chips by putting $10 next to your Flat bet and then “bridging” the two $10 stacks with the two $1 chips.



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$24 Lay Odds Bet “Heeled”

Don’t Pass line

$5 Flat Don’t Pass Bet

Don’t Pass

$5

$1

$5

= $5 = $1

Figure 8-6. “Heeling” the Don’t Pass Odds Bet In this example, assume the point is either 6 or 8. With your $5 Flat Don’t Pass bet, you lay 4x Odds for $24. For a Don’t Pass Odds bet, you lay the bigger amount to win the smaller amount. In this example, you lay $24 to win $20. Because the Odds bet payoff ($20) doesn’t equal the Flat bet payoff ($5), you “heel” your Odds bet chips. Notice that the higher denominations are on the bottom of the heeled stack.



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first time you try it, simply tell the dealer, “I want to lay some Odds but I don’t know if it should be bridged or heeled.” The dealer asks, “How much do you want to lay?” Suppose you say, “Fifteen dollars to win ten.” The dealer asks you to drop your chips on the table (remember, dealers aren’t allowed to take anything, especially chips, directly from a player), and then he properly heels or bridges them based on the amount of your Flat bet. You’ll quickly get the hang of it. Just don’t be afraid to ask the dealer questions. His job is not only to deal, but also to be friendly and help the players. When playing the Don’t Pass, you might consider controlling your emotions more than when playing the Pass Line. By far, most people play the Pass Line even when the table is ice cold (i.e., “cold” means everyone is rolling a 7-out and a point hasn’t been made since the last Ice Age). When the table goes cold, players become grouchy and sometimes downright mad because they lose time after time. Your winning on the Don’t Pass adds to their frustration. In fact, they blame you and your Don’t Pass bets for causing the table’s bad mojo. You’ll hear all sorts of mumbling, such as, “It’s cold because that butthead keeps betting the Don’t.” If you scream and clap every time your Don’t Pass wins, you make their misery worse. So, unless you enjoy pissing off people, it’s best to simply remain calm on the outside and quietly pick up your Don’t Pass winnings. However, if you don’t care, then go for it. Scream and clap as loud as you can. Just be aware that everyone else at the table will hate you and blame you for their misfortune. Pass Line and Don’t Pass Scenario Now that we have all that gobbledygook about the Pass Line, Don’t Pass, true odds, taking Odds, and laying Odds whizzing around in our muddled brains, let’s walk through a scenario to make everything clear. The following scenario is an example of making Pass Line, Pass Line Odds, Don’t Pass, and Don’t Pass Odds bets. The following assumes the table minimum is $5, maximum is $2,000, and the maximum allowable Odds are 10x. 1. A new shooter prepares to make a come-out roll for a new game. You make a $5 Flat Pass Line bet. The shooter rolls a 3. The game ends immediately. For a Flat Pass Line bet on the come-out roll, 3 is a craps. You lose $5. The dealer takes your $5 Flat bet. 2. The same shooter prepares to make another come-out roll for a new game. (Remember, a shooter loses the dice only when he rolls a 7-out, not when he rolls a craps.) You make another $5 Flat Pass Line bet. The shooter rolls an 11. The game ends immediately. For the Pass Line on the come-out, 11 is a winner. You win $5. The dealer places a $5 chip next to your Pass Line bet. Pick up your winnings, but leave your original $5 chip on the Pass Line because a new game is about to start.



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3. The same shooter rolls a 6 on the come-out; therefore, the point for this game is 6. You take $5 in Odds on the point behind the line. 4. After a point is established, the only numbers that matter for Pass Line and Don’t Pass bets are 7 and the point number. The shooter rolls a 4. The number 4 doesn’t matter, so the game continues. 5. The shooter rolls a 9, which doesn’t matter, so the game continues. 6. The shooter rolls a 6 (i.e., the point). The game ends. “Winner, winner, chicken dinner!” The point showed before a 7, so the Pass Line with Odds bets win. The dealer pays you $5 for the Flat bet (pays even money) and $6 for the Odds bet (pays 6:5). Pick up your winnings and your Odds bet. Leave your original $5 Flat bet on the Pass Line because a new game is about to start. 7. The same shooter rolls a 7 on the come-out for this new game. The game ends immediately. For the Pass Line on the come-out, 7 is a winner. You win $5. The dealer places a $5 chip next to your Pass Line bet. Pick up your winnings, but leave your original $5 chip on the Pass Line because a new game is about to start. 8. The same shooter rolls a 5 on the come-out; therefore, the point for this game is 5. You take $6 in Odds on the point behind the line. 9. The shooter rolls a 12, which doesn’t matter, so the game continues. 10. The shooter rolls a 7. The game ends. The stickman shouts, “Seven-out!” Because a 7 showed before the point, you lose everything. The dealer takes your $5 Flat bet and your $6 Odds bet. You decide the dice are turning cold, so you change tactics and bet the Don’t Pass. You make a $5 Flat Don’t Pass bet. Because the shooter rolled a 7-out, the dice move clockwise around the table to the next player who wants to shoot. 11. The new shooter starts a new game by rolling a 12 on the come-out. The game ends immediately. For the Don’t Pass, a 12 is a tie. The dealer leaves your $5 chip on the Don’t Pass. The same shooter prepares to make another come-out roll for the next new game.



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12. The shooter rolls a 7 on the come-out. The game ends immediately. For the Don’t Pass on the come-out, 7 is a loser. You lose your $5 Flat Don’t Pass bet. While the shooter prepares to start a new game, you make another $5 Flat Don’t Pass bet. 13. The shooter rolls a 4 on the come-out; therefore, the point for this game is 4. Your gut tells you that the dice are ice cold. A gorgeous woman walks up to watch the game. You fantasize about being James Bond, so you lay a whopping $50 in Odds against the point. Although you’re nervous as hell about making such a big bet, she’s not at all impressed because the loser next to you is also fantasizing and he plopped his entire $500 bankroll on the table. 14. The shooter rolls a 10, which doesn’t matter, so the game continues. (You let out silent sigh of relief that you didn’t lose.) 15. The shooter rolls a 7. The stickman shouts, “Seven-out!” The game ends. But a 7 is good for you because you bet the Don’t Pass! Woohoo! A 7 showed before the point so your Don’t Pass and Odds bets win. You want to jump and scream, but that wouldn’t be cool, so you pretend to be calm. You think, “Just call me Bond, James Bond.” The dealer pays you $5 for the Flat bet (pays even money) and $25 for the Odds bet (pays 1:2, or $25 for a $50 bet). You pick up all your chips--reaching down with two hands because they all won’t fit in just one--and put them in your chip stack with a bit more emphasis trying to get her attention. You think, “Is she looking? Did she see me win all that money? I’m such a stud.” 16. Your wife walks up to the table, puts her arm around you, and asks, “Hi, Honey, you winning?” You look down at your chip stack and realize you’re $30 ahead. Woohoo! This is easy! You can’t wait to make another quick $30. But before you can put down a $5 chip on the Don’t Pass, your wife says, “You hungry?” You reluctantly respond, “Yes, dear.” Your wife takes all your chips and secures them safely in her purse. You walk away dejected wondering if you can get away with eating at a fast-food joint instead of having a long drawn-out dinner with endless conversation that’ll keep you away from the tables for two hours. (“Winner, winner, chicken dinner,” seems to be a universal cheer for drunks at all casinos across the country. The first time I heard it, I took a swig of beer and almost choked from laughing so hard. The shooter made something like her fifth point in a row. The table was on fire and the players were clapping and hollering. Every time the shooter rolled her point, the drunk at the other end of the table jumped up and down screaming, “Winner, winner, chicken dinner!” He didn’t stop. Finally, the boxman told him to calm Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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down. Nobody knew what the heck he was talking about. Maybe now he could afford to buy a bucket of chicken or something. I don’t know, but we all thought it was hilarious. Wherever I go--whether it’s Vegas, Atlantic City, or anywhere in between--I always hear someone yell, “Winner, winner, chicken dinner!” Listen for it the next time you play. Yes, I’m guilty. Even I yelled it once when a shooter was blazing. Oh, well, when a shooter is hot and everyone at the table is winning, no one cares how stupid anyone sounds.) Put Bet A Put bet is a Pass Line bet that you make (or “put” down) after the come-out roll. You typically see it when someone walks up to the table in the middle of a game and wants to play the point number. The player will “put” a bet on the Pass Line after the come-out roll. An Odds bet on the Put bet can then be made, if desired. As we know, a Pass Line bet has a 2:1 advantage before the come-out roll but then has a disadvantage after the come-out. So, with a Put bet, you give up that initial advantage before the come-out roll and immediately accept a disadvantage. That’s what makes a Put bet a bad idea, generally. The only time the Put bet makes sense is when the house allows a lot of Odds and you bet a lot of Odds. In that case, a Put bet on the point number can have a lower house advantage than Placing the point number (we’ll discuss Place bets later). Unless you’re an experienced player and have a big bankroll to put at risk, avoid Put bets. If you walk up to a table and can’t wait for a new game to end, and if you’re in love with the point number and just have to play it, you won’t be giving away much if you simply avoid the Put bet and, instead, Place the point number. Another type of Put bet is adding to a Pass Line bet during a game after you made the normal Pass Line bet. For example, suppose you make a normal Pass Line bet for $5 and you take the maximum Odds allowed, which the placard says are 5x. That means your maximum Odds bet behind a $5 Pass Line bet is $25 (i.e., $5 x 5 = $25). The shooter seems to be on fire, rolling number after number. She rolls every number possible except the point and the dreaded 7. You feel in your gut that she’s going to hit the point, so you want to increase your Odds bet, but you can’t because you’re already at the maximum Odds allowed for your $5 Pass Line bet. To increase your Odds bet, you “put” another $5 chip on your Pass Line bet bringing your total Pass Line bet to $10. Now, with the maximum Odds allowed, which in this example are 5x, you can add another $25 to your Odds bet bringing your total Odds bet to $50 (i.e., $10 x 5 = $50). A Put bet can also be a Come bet made without going through the Come bet’s come-out roll. (Confused? I explain Come bets in the next section.) If a game is already in progress, you can immediately “put” a Come bet with its associated Odds bet. For example, when the stickman controls the dice in the center of the table and you have the dealer’s attention, simply drop the correct amount of chips in the Come area and tell the dealer what you want. Suppose you drop $11 in chips for a Come bet on the 9 with Odds. Simply tell the dealer, “Put me on the Come nine with six dollars in Odds.” The dealer



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moves your chips to the proper spot in the 9 point box and “puts” down a $5 Flat Come bet with $6 in Come Odds. Come Bet Come bets work like Pass Line bets but they’re made after the shooter establishes a point. (You make a Pass Line bet before the shooter establishes a point; whereas, you make a Come bet after the shooter establishes a point.) The Flat Come bet is a self-service bet, which means you make this bet yourself by placing your chip(s) in the Come box directly in front of you (the Come box is clearly marked “COME”). After your Come point is established, the dealer moves your chip(s) from the Come box to the point number box. Like the Pass Line bet, you can take Odds on the Come point. However, the dealer must make the Come Odds bet for you, so you simply drop your Come Odds chip(s) in the Come area and tell the dealer, “Odds on my Come.” The dealer then places your Come Odds chip(s) on top of your Flat Come bet, slightly offset. The slight offset indicates that the top portion of the chip stack is the Odds bet and the bottom portion is the Flat bet. When you place your chip(s) to make a Come bet, the very next roll is treated as the come-out roll for that specific Come bet. The rules for winning, losing, or establishing a point on the come-out roll for a Pass Line bet apply equally to the Come bet. When a Come point is established, the Come point is marked by the Come chip itself (not another puck). The dealer picks up your Come bet chip and positions it inside the Come point number box. After a Come point is established, you can take true odds on that Come point number, just as you can with the Pass Line bet. You can make as many Come bets as you want. In fact, if the shooter is rolling lots of numbers, other than the dreaded 7, you could have as many as seven Come bets working at the same time (i.e., it’s possible to have a Come bet on each of the six point numbers and one in the Come box). See Figure 8-7 for an illustration of where Come bets are positioned on the layout. If you have Come with Odds bets working on the come-out roll of a new game (i.e., the shooter made his point to end the previous game, so the next roll is the come-out roll for the new game), the Odds portions of your Come bets are considered automatically off (i.e., not working and not in play); however, the Flat portions are considered on (i.e., working and in play). If the shooter rolls a 7 on the come-out for a new game, the Flat Come bets lose but you don’t lose the Odds bets. If a 7 shows on the come-out of a new game, the dealer returns the Odds portions of your Come bets to you, and keeps the Flat Come bets. If the shooter rolls a point number for which you have an established Come with Odds bet, only your Flat portion wins because the Odds portion is considered automatically off on the come-out roll of a new game. You can decide to make your Come Odds working on the come-out roll of a new game simply by telling the dealer, “My Come Odds are working on the come-out.” The



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x Si

4 5 $5 $5


n Ni$5

8

e

$5

10

Don’t Pass Bar

ON

Don’t Come Bar

$5 $5

Come $5 Pays Double

2

3

4

9

10

FIELD

Pays Double

11

12

Don’t Pass Bar

B

I

PASS LINE

Come bets with Odds after their Come points were established

8

6G

PASS LINE Stickman Come bet before its Come point is established

Figure 8-7. Locations of Come Bets Assume the point is 6 (see the white “On” puck). Assume you’re in player position #3 (refer to Figure 5-1 for player positions). In this example, you’ve already made three Come bets for which Come points were established (i.e., the 4, 9, and 10). Each bet comprises a $5 Flat Come bet and a $5 Odds bet. The Odds portion is identified by the offset chip on top of the Flat bet chip. In this example, you also have a new Flat Come bet in the Come box. The shooter’s next roll will establish this Come’s point. When the Come point is established, the dealer moves the $5 chip from the Come box to the point box, at which time you can take Odds on the Come point. Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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dealer will then put a small button labeled “ON” on top of your Come Odds bets. Then, if the shooter rolls a 7 on the come-out, you lose both the Flat portions and the Odds portions of your Come bets (because you told the dealer you wanted the Odds in play on the come-out). If the shooter rolls a point number for which you have an established Come with Odds bet, you win both the Flat and Odds portions because you told the dealer your Come Odds are working on the come-out. If you make a new Come bet and the shooter rolls a point number for which you already have an established Come bet, you win the established Come bet and your new Come bet moves into the point box to replace it. For example, suppose you make a $5 Come bet and the shooter rolls a 6. Your Come bet moves to the 6 point box. You then make another $5 Come bet and the very next roll is another 6. You win the first Come bet that was established when the first 6 appeared on the prior roll, so the dealer removes the first Come bet and places it, with your winnings, in the Come box for you to pick up. The dealer then moves your second Come bet into the 6 point box. If your second Come bet is the same amount as your first one, the dealer typically leaves the chips in their place and just pays your winnings. Rather than removing your first Come bet and then replacing it with your second Come bet, the dealer saves time by leaving everything in its place and just paying your winnings, which he places next to your second Come bet chip. This called “off and on.” As the dealer pays your winnings, he says something like, “Off and on for eleven dollars.” Don’t forget to pick up your winnings; otherwise, the dealer thinks you’re adding them to your next Come bet. I know this sounds terribly confusing, so let’s run through a scenario to make Come bets easy to understand. Trust me, it is, indeed, easy! Remember, a Come bet is just like a Pass Line bet but is made after the shooter establishes a point. Think of Come bets as your own personal Pass Line bets independent of the shooter’s point. 1. A new shooter prepares to make a come-out roll for a new game. You make a $5 Flat Pass Line bet. The shooter rolls a 10; therefore, the point for this game is 10. You feel a bit bold, so you take $15 in Odds on the point behind the line. 2. After a point is established, the only numbers that matter for Pass Line bets are 7 and the point number. The shooter rolls a 4. The number 4 doesn’t matter, so the game continues. 3. You think maybe it’s time to make your first-ever Come bet. You bite your lip and think for a moment, “Man, I hope I do this right. I’m going to look really stupid if I do it wrong.” You grab a $5 chip and fiddle with it in your hand. The stickman is ready to push the dice to the shooter for her next roll. “What the hell, let’s do it.” You quickly place the $5 chip in the Come box just as the stickman pushes the dice to the shooter.



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4. The shooter rolls an 11. For your Pass Line bet, an 11 doesn’t matter. For your Come bet, this roll is treated as the come-out roll, so an 11 on the come-out roll for your Come bet wins. The dealer places a $5 chip (pays even money) next to your Come bet chip. Pick up your winnings, but leave the original Come bet chip there because you want to make another Come bet on the next roll. 5. The shooter rolls a 5. For your Pass Line bet, a 5 doesn’t matter. For your Come bet, this roll is treated as the come-out roll, so your Come point is 5. The dealer moves your Come bet chip to the 5 point box. You decide to take $6 in Odds on your Come point, so you place $6 worth of chips in the Come area and tell the dealer, “Six dollar Odds on my Come.” The dealer takes your $6 in chips and places them on top of your $5 Flat Come bet, slightly offset. The offset indicates that the top portion of the chip stack is the Come Odds and the bottom portion is the Flat Come. 6. The shooter rolls a 3. For both the Pass Line bet and the Come bet, a 3 doesn’t matter. The game continues. 7. The shooter rolls an 8. For both the Pass Line bet and the Come bet, an 8 doesn’t matter. The game continues. 8. The shooter rolls a 10 (i.e., her point). The game is over. “Winner, winner, chicken dinner!” The shooter’s point showed before a 7, so the Pass Line with Odds bets win. The dealer pays you $5 for your Flat Pass Line bet (pays even money) and $30 for your Odds bet (pays 2:1, or $30 for your $15 bet). Pick up your winnings and your original Odds bet. Leave your original $5 Flat bet on the Pass Line because a new game is about to start and you want to make another Pass Line bet. For your Come bet, a roll of 10 doesn’t matter, so nothing happens with your Come bet. Because the shooter rolled her point of 10 to end the game, a new game is about to start. For the come-out roll of a new game, only your Flat Come bet is working; your Come Odds bet is automatically off. 9. The same shooter rolls a 7 on the come-out for this new game. 7 is a natural, so the game ends immediately. For the Pass Line on the come-out, 7 is a winner. You win $5 (pays even money), so the dealer places a $5 chip next to your Pass Line bet. Pick up your winnings, but leave your original $5 chip on the Pass Line because a new game is about to start. For your Come bet, a 7 showed before your Come point of 5, so you lose your Come bet. But, since this was the come-out roll for a new game, you lose only the Flat portion of your Come bet. The dealer returns your Come Odds to you by placing



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them in the apron directly in front of you (don’t forget to pick up your chips), and then the dealer takes the Flat Come bet. 10. The same shooter rolls a 6 on the come-out roll for the next new game; therefore, the point for this game is 6. You take $5 in Odds on the point behind the line. You decide to make a Come bet, so you place a $5 chip in the Come box. 11. The shooter rolls an 8. For your Pass Line bet, an 8 doesn’t matter. For your Come bet, 8 becomes your Come point, so the dealer moves your Come bet to the 8 point box. You place another $5 chip in the Come box and tell the dealer, “Five dollar Odds on my Come.” The dealer places your $5 chip on top of your $5 Flat Come bet, slightly offset. 12. The shooter rolls a 12. For both your Pass Line bet and Come bet, a 12 doesn’t matter. The game continues. 13. The shooter rolls an 8. For your Pass Line bet, an 8 doesn’t matter. For your Come bet, the shooter rolled your Come point before a 7, so you win. Woohoo! The dealer removes your Come with Odds bets and places them in the Come box. He then pays your winnings, which are $5 for your Flat Come (pays even money) and $6 for your Come Odds (pays 6:5). Pick up all your winnings and your original Flat Come with Odds bets. Now, since your Come bet won and was removed along with your Come winnings, the only bets you have on the table are the Pass Line with Odds bets. 14. The game continues, and you continue raking in the money. You think, “James Bond ain’t got nothing on me!” Don’t Come Bet Don’t Come bets work just like Don’t Pass bets but they’re made after the shooter establishes a point. (You make a Don’t Pass bet before the shooter establishes a point; whereas, you make a Don’t Come bet after the shooter establishes a point.) The Flat Don’t Come bet is a self-service bet, which means you make this bet yourself by placing your chip(s) in the Don’t Come box (the Don’t Come area is clearly marked “Don’t Come Bar 12”). After the Don’t Come point is established, the dealer moves your Flat Don’t Come chip(s) to the Don’t Come area of the point box. For the Don’t Come Odds bet, the dealer must make this bet, so you simply drop your Don’t Come Odds chip(s) in the Don’t Come box and tell the dealer, “Lay Odds on my Don’t Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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Come.” The dealer then places your Don’t Come Odds chip(s) next to your Flat Don’t Come bet in the Don’t Come portion of the point box, either bridged or heeled. See Figure 8-8 for an illustration of where Don’t Come bets are positioned on the layout. When you make a Don’t Come bet, the very next roll is treated as the come-out roll for that Don’t Come bet. The rules for winning, losing, or establishing a point on the come-out roll for a Don’t Pass bet apply equally to the Don’t Come bet. If a Don’t Come point is established, it is marked not by another puck, but by your Don’t Come chip itself. The dealer picks up your Don’t Come chip and positions it in the Don’t Come point number box. After establishing a Don’t Come point, you can lay Odds against it, just as you did with the Don’t Pass bet. You can make as many Don’t Come bets as you want (i.e., like the Come bet, you can have as many as seven Don’t Come bets working at once). If you have Don’t Come with Odds bets working on the come-out roll of a new game (i.e., the shooter made his point to end the previous game, so the next roll is the come-out roll for the next game), the Odds portion of your Don’t Come bets are considered still on and working (note that this is the opposite of Come bets). Most people choose to leave their Don’t Come Odds working on the come-out roll of a new game. On the come-out of a new game, everyone is typically rooting for a 7 because it’s a winner for the Pass Line. Even if you don’t have a Pass Line bet, you’re also rooting for a 7 on the come-out because it’s a winner for your Don’t Come bet. Like the Don’t Pass bet, you can remove a Don’t Come bet at any time (because after a Don’t Come point is established, you have the advantage, so the house actually wants you to remove it). Sometimes you’ll hear a player say, “No action,” after a Don’t Come point is established. This means the player wants to immediately remove the Don’t Come bet from that point number and leave the bet in the Don’t Come box to make another Don’t Come bet. For example, suppose a player makes a $5 Don’t Come bet and the shooter rolls a 6; thereby, making the player’s Don’t Come point number 6, which is one of the easiest numbers to make (i.e., there are five ways to make a 6). The player might think, “Man, six is an easy number to make and I’d rather wait for a Don’t Come point of four or ten, so I’m going to tell the dealer no action.” The player thinks that, if he waits for a Don’t Come point number of 4 or 10, he has a better chance of winning. As we know, 4 and 10 are the hardest point numbers to make (i.e., each number has only three ways to make it). But the player isn’t thinking with a clear head. Actually, he doesn’t have a clue what he’s doing. Most likely, he’s trying to act as if he’s a craps know-it-all when, in fact, he’s a craps idiot. Why? As with the Don’t Pass, the player has the biggest disadvantage with a Don’t Come bet on the come-out roll. Then, once a Don’t Come point is established, the advantage shifts to the player. Remember, there are always more ways to make a 7 than ways to make any of the point numbers. So, even if the Don’t Come point is 6, the player still has



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ON

x Si

4 5

n Ni

8

e

Don’t Come Bar

10

$5

Come Pays Double

2

3

4

9

10

FIELD

Pays Double

11

12

Don’t Pass Bar

B

I

PASS LINE

This row of boxes is for “Lay” and “Don’t Come” bets.

$5

Don’t Pass Bar

$5

$5 $5

Don’t Come Flat Bet with Odds after its Don’t Come point was established

8

6G

PASS LINE Stickman Don’t Come Flat bet before its Don’t Come point is established

Figure 8-8. Locations of Don’t Come Bets Assume the point is 6 (see the white “On” puck). In this example, you’ve already made one Don’t Come bet for which the Don’t Come point of 5 was established. The bet comprises a $5 Flat Don’t Come bet and a $15 Odds bet (i.e., you bet $15 to win $10). Since the Odds payoff doesn’t equal the Flat payoff, the Odds chips are heeled. Notice that the two $5 chips are heeled on the edge of the bottom $5 chip. In this example, you also have a new Flat Don’t Come bet in the Don’t Come box. The shooter’s next roll will establish this Don’t Come’s point. When the Don’t Come point is established, the dealer moves the $5 chip from the Don’t Come box to the Don’t Come area of the point box, at which time you can Lay Odds. Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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the advantage because there six ways to make a 7 (the Don’t Come wins), and only 5 ways to make a 6 (the Don’t Come loses). Therefore, it makes no sense to “no action” a Don’t Come bet after its come-out roll when you have the advantage. If you “no action” a Don’t Come bet after its come-out roll, you give the advantage back to the house by having to go through another come-out roll. The more times a player takes this “no action” approach, the greater his loss will be over the long run. Therefore, don’t do it. Place Bet A Place bet is a “standing” bet, meaning the bet stays working, or standing, until it wins or loses, or until you remove it. A Place bet can be made on any of the point numbers: 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10. Like the Pass Line bet, a Place bet works against the number 7. After making a Place bet, the only numbers that matter are the Place number and 7; all other numbers are meaningless. After making a Place bet, each subsequent roll can produce one of three outcomes: 1) a 7 shows and your Place bet loses, 2) the Place number shows and your Place bet wins, or 3) any other number shows and nothing happens to your Place bet (i.e., all others number have no affect on your Place bet). Place bets don’t pay off according to true odds. Instead, the house gets its advantage by paying them off at less than true odds (i.e., they screw the player by not paying their fair share when the player wins). Table 8-2 shows how Place odds compare to true odds. Table 8-2. Place Odds versus True Odds NUMBER

PLACE ODDS

4 and 10

9:5

5 and 9 6 and 8

7:5 (or 14:10) 7:6 (or 35:30)

TRUE ODDS 2:1 (or 10:5) 3:2 (or 15:10) 6:5 (or 36:30)

As you can see, the Place odds aren’t quite as good as true odds. The house screws the player to make money by paying less than true odds. For a winning $5 bet on the 4 or 10, the Place odds pay only $9, but the true odds say we should be paid $10. For a winning $10 bet on the 5 or 9, the Place odds pay only $14, but the true odds say we should be paid $15. And for a winning $30 bet on the 6 or 8, the Place odds pay only $35, but the true odds say we should be paid $36. You think, “How much do I put down to make a Place bet?” As always, the bet amount depends on the odds. The Place odds for the 4 and 10 are 9:5, and the Place odds for the 5 and 9 are 7:5. Therefore, Place bets for the 4, 5, 9, and 10 should be in multiples of $5. For example, a Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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winning $10 Place bet on the 4 gets you $18. A winning $15 Place bet on the 9 gets you $21. Don’t let the math scare you! Since these bets are in multiples of $5, simply divide your bet by 5 and then multiply by the winning odds to determine your winning amount. So, for your $10 Place bet on the 4 (which has Place odds of 9:5), $10 divided by 5 = $2, and $2 x 9 = $18. For your $15 Place bet on the 9 (which has Place odds of 7:5), $15 divided by 5 = $3, and $3 x 7 = $21. The Place odds for the 6 and 8 are 7:6, which means the bet should be in multiples of $6. For example, a winning $12 Place bet on the 6 gets you $14. A winning $30 Place bet on the 8 gets you $35. Do the math. For your $30 Place bet on the 8 (which has Place odds of 7:6), $30 divided by 6 = $5, and $5 x 7 = $35. Memorize the Place odds now. Take a minute to do it now. Know the difference between Place odds and true odds. Learn it so you don’t have to think about it. Remember, you don’t want to look like a newbie fumbling around with how much to put down for each Place number. (James Bond never asked the dealer, “Um, excuse me, how much is the six?”) However, if you have trouble remembering the Place odds the first time you play, don’t be afraid to ask the dealer how much to drop. It’ll be as easy as pie after 15 minutes at the table. If you’re like me, you’ll search out and play a table with a $3 minimum bet instead of the typical $5 or $10 minimum. Suppose you find a $3 table (a few are still left in the middle of the Vegas Strip). Since the minimum bet is only $3, you can make $3 Place bets, but you don’t get the full Place odds. The payoff odds for a $3 Place bet on the 6 or 8 are 1:1, or even money. For the 5 or 9, it’s 4:3 (i.e., your $3 bet wins $4). For the 4 or 10, it’s 5:3 (i.e., your $3 bet wins $5). For a $3 Place bet, you get a little less than full Place odds because the lowest chip denomination at the craps table that casinos allow is generally $1, so they can’t pay you a fraction of a dollar (i.e., cents). For example, suppose you make a $3 Place bet on the 5. The full Place odds are 7:5, but the reduced payoff odds for a $3 bet are only 4:3. Why? Because it gives the casino another excuse to stick it to the player! The roulette table has chips for 25 cents or 50 cents, so why can’t the craps table have chip denominations less than $1? That’s right. They screw you again! The full Place odds are 7:5, which means for a $3 Place bet on the 5, we divide $3 by 5 = 60 cents, and then multiply 60 cents by 7 = $4.20. So, for a $3 Place bet on the 5 or 9 with full Place odds of 7:5, we expect to be paid $4.20 when we win. The craps table doesn’t have 20-cent chips, so the casino rounds down to $4. Let’s look at a $3 Place bet on the 4 or 10. The full Place odds are 9:5, which means we divide $3 by 5 = 60 cents, and then multiply 60 cents by 9 = $5.40. So, for a $3 Place bet on the 4 or 10 with full Place odds of 9:5, we expect to win $5.40, but the casino rounds down to $5. (Notice how the casino rounds down instead of up.) The player isn’t giving up much by making $3 Place bets, so if you have a limited bankroll, these bets are fun and give you more action than just Pass Line bets. The point is, be aware that you get



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a little less than full Place odds and increase the house advantage when you make $3 Place bets. As you’ve seen, full Place odds aren’t as good as true odds. That’s how the house maintains its advantage. Remember, the house is in business to make money, not to gamble. Over time, the house wins because when you lose, you pay the true odds; but when you win, the house pays you less than true odds. So, by paying less than their fair share when you win, the house can’t help but come out a winner over the long haul. Let’s look closer at how the house screws the player. Let’s look at the number 4. As we learned earlier, the true odds for making a 4 compared to a 7 are 1:2 (i.e., three ways to make a 4 compared to six ways to make a 7, which is 3:6, which reduces down to 1:2). Therefore, since the number 7 is twice as easy to make as a 4, we expect to get paid twice as much as our bet when we win. For example, if we bet $5 on the 4 to hit before the 7, we expect to get $10 when we win (i.e., $5 x 2 = $10). However, for a Place bet on the 4, the payoff odds are only 9:5. This is close to 2:1, but not quite. Therefore, if we make a $5 Place bet on the 4 and win, the house pays us only $9. When the house loses, they don’t pay the true odds; they pay only $9 instead of $10 and keep that extra dollar. You think, “For my $5 bet, I win $9, so I don’t care if they screw me out of that extra $1. It’s only a buck.” Okay, but think of it this way. That’s only one Place bet made by one player during one game. Imagine keeping that extra dollar when other people at the table make that same bet, multiplied by the number of tables in action, multiplied by the number of hours in a day, multiplied by the number of days in a month, and so on. It’s easy to see how the house rakes in the money over the long haul. You can make or remove Place bets at any time during a game. You can also make them while the puck is OFF (before a new come-out roll), but typically, dealers prefer that you wait until a point is established and then make your Place bets. Occasionally, you see a player try to make a Place bet while the puck is OFF by asking, “Can you Place the six for me now, please, so I don’t forget after the come-out?” The dealer usually obliges (as he should; after all, you’re the customer), but sometimes a dealer in a bad mood will ask the player to wait until a point is established. Dealers who ask you to wait to make a Place bet until after a point is established do so because they’re lazy. Suppose you Place the 6 before the come-out and the dealer moves your chip into the 6 point box. The shooter then rolls a 6 for the point. The dealer moves the ON puck into the 6 point box, and then has to ask, “Sir, what do you want to do with your six?” Since your Pass Line bet covers the 6 (because 6 is now the point), you likely don’t want it covered again by your Place bet. The dealer then has to move your Place 6 to whatever other number you want, or return it to you if you decide to take it down. You think, “Gee, wow, that sure is a lot of extra work for the dealer.” You’re right, it’s no effort at all, but it’s amazing how many dealers--even good ones--don’t like moving your Place bets around because you couldn’t wait until after the point was established to make them.



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You can make as many Place bets as you want, up to a maximum of six (i.e., the 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10), including the point. Yes, you can Place the point. For example, suppose you walk up to a table and see an ON puck in the 6 point box (i.e., a game is in progress and the shooter’s point is 6). Suppose you love the number 6 and you want immediate action, but you don’t want to make a Put bet so you decide to Place the shooter’s point. To do this, place your chips centered directly on the bottom line of the Pass Line (i.e., the line that separates the Pass Line from the apron). See Figure 8-9 for an illustration of how to Place the point by putting your chip on the back line of the Pass Line. As long as you center your chips on that line, the dealer knows it’s a Place bet on the shooter’s point instead of Put bet in the Pass Line. If you don’t want to make your Place bet this way, simply drop your chips in the Come box and tell the dealer, “Place the point, please.” The dealer then moves your chips to the point box. The dealer positions all Place bets (except when you Place the shooter’s point yourself), so you have to put your chips on the table and tell the dealer what you want. Then, the dealer puts them in the proper position in the point box for the number you want to Place. To an untrained eye, players’ chips appear to be scattered all over the point boxes. To the contrary, it’s well organized. Each player position has a corresponding chip position for each point box. See Figure 8-9 for an illustration of where the dealer positions players’ Place bets according to the players’ table positions. Note: the same is true for Lay bets, Come bets, and Don’t Come bets. For all bets in and around the point boxes, players’ chip locations correspond to their positions at the table. The following Do’s and Don’ts describe how to make a Place bet. --DO remember not to make any bets when the stickman is about to push the dice to the shooter for the next roll. Instead, do it while the stickman controls the dice in the middle of the table. --DO wait until you have the dealer’s attention before putting your chips on the table. If the dealer is busy paying or arranging other bets, don’t put any chips on the table until you have his attention. Except for self-service bets, never put chips on the table without the dealer knowing they’re yours. --DON’T throw or toss your Place-bet chips on the table because they might bounce and roll into the point boxes, which may be filled with other people’s Place bets, Come bets, or other bets. If your chips mess up the dealer’s neatly arranged chips in the point boxes, you’ll likely get a less-than-pleasant look and he’ll tell you not to do it again. --DO put your chips in the Come box and tell the dealer what you want, such as, “Place the eight, please.” Saying “please” is always a nice touch. Some dealers have specific spots where they prefer you to put your chips, depending on your position at the table. For example, if you stand next to the dealer, he may prefer you to put your chips in the apron directly in front of you instead of in the Come box. If you put your Place-bet chips in the Come box and the dealer doesn’t say anything, then you should assume that’s where he wants you to put your chips for subsequent Place bets. Otherwise, he says something like, “Sir, please put your chips here in the apron.” Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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4 5

Place bets go in these boxes

1

2 3 4

$5 $5

ne i N

8 $5

$1 $1

$1

$5

10

Don’t Come Bar

$5

$5

Come Pays Double

2

3

4

9

10

FIELD

Pays Double

11

12

B

I

6G

Don’t Pass Bar PASS LINE Player Position #1

Player Position #2

$5

= $5 Place bet

$1

= $6 Place bet ($5 chip on bottom, $1 on top)

8

Player Position #3

Player Position #4

$5

Player Position #7

x Si

ON

$1

$1

Player Position #6

$5

6 5

PASS LINE

7

Don’t Pass Bar

8

Player Position #8

Numbers in circles correspond to player-position numbers

5 er n # y a io Pl osit P

Figure 8-9. Locations of Place Bets (in the Point Box and on the Pass Line) Circles in the 4 point box show where Place bets go in all point boxes for each player position. In this example, assume the point is 4 (see the white “On” puck). The following Place bets are in action on the layout: Player #1 has Place bets on the 9 and 10. Player #2 has Place bets on 6 and 8. Player #3 has Place bets on the 5 and 8. Player #4 has Place bets on the 5 and 10. Player #5 has Place bets on the 5, 6, and 8. Player #6 has: None (there are no chips in the #6 position in any of the point boxes). Player #7 has a Place bet on the 9. Player #8 has a Place bet on the 4 (the point). Notice how a Place bet on the point (in this case, the 4) is positioned on the back line of the Pass Line in front of Player #8.



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After your Place bet wins, you can choose to take it down (i.e., remove it) or leave it up (i.e., working) and hope to hit your Place number again before a 7 shows. If you leave your Place bet up, you win every time the shooter rolls that Place number, but lose when a 7 shows. You can also increase or decrease the size of your Place bet at any time. If you win, be prepared to tell the dealer what you want to do. The method for paying off winning bets may appear at first to be entirely random, but it’s not. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. The dealer pays off bets and players according to a strict sequence. He pays all Pass Line bets first, then Come bets, and then all Place bets. The player next to the stickman is always paid first (player position #1), and then the payoffs go around the table to the player standing next to the dealer (player position #8). For example, suppose three players each have a Come bet and a Place bet on the number 5. Player #1 stands next to the stickman, player #2 stands at the end of the table along the corner, and player #3 stands next to the dealer. The shooter rolls a 5 and everyone jumps for joy. The dealer pays player #1’s Come bet, player #2’s Come bet, and player’s #3 Come bet, then player #1’s Place bet, player #2’s Place bet, and finally player #3’s Place bet. So, be aware of when your bets will be paid. As the dealer pays bets in front of you and it’s almost your turn to be paid, lean a little into the dealer and tell him what you want to do, such as, “Same bet,” or “Press it,” or “Take my five down.” That way, the dealer can execute the payoffs quickly and under control. Avoid screaming at the dealer the instant a number shows and you win. The dealer must strictly adhere to the payoff sequence, so when he gets around to paying you, he might forget what you screamed to him. Some dealers are taught if a player doesn’t say anything, the silence indicates that she wants to make the same bet (i.e., “same bet” means she wants the dealer to pay her winnings, and keep the same Place bet up and working). To ensure the dealer knows exactly what I want, I always say, “Same bet, please.” Some dealers are sensitive (why, I don’t know) and respond, “Sir, if you just don’t say anything, I’ll know you want the same bet.” I usually politely reply with something like, “Most dealers aren’t as good as you, so I’m in the habit of saying same bet.” That way, I can continue saying, “Same bet, please,” without overly irritating the dealer. As noted, you can make, remove, increase, or decrease a Place bet at any time. You have two options for removing a Place bet: take it down or turn it off. When “taking down” a Place bet, you remove it completely from the table. The dealer removes your Place-bet chips from the point box and puts them in the apron in front of you. (Don’t forget to pick them up and put them in your chip stack.) Use this approach when you no longer want action on a particular number for the rest of the game. When “turning off” a Place bet, you turn it off (i.e., make it not working) temporarily with the intent to turn it back on after one or more rolls. Instead of removing your chips, the dealer places an OFF button on top of them. The button tells the boxman and the camera that your Place bet isn’t working for subsequent rolls. The dealer leaves Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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the OFF button on your chips until you tell him you want the bet working again. This approach saves the dealer from having to remove and replace chips for players who like to turn their Place bets off and on a lot. If you have a Place bet working and the shooter makes her point to end the game, your Place bet is automatically off on the come-out roll for the next new game. Your Place bet is then automatically turned back on after a new point is established. However, you can call your Place bet on at any time, even on the come-out roll. Simply tell the dealer, “My five is working on the come-out.” The dealer then places an ON button on top of your Place bet to show the boxman and camera that your bet is working on the come-out. After a point is established, the dealer removes the ON button since the bet is automatically understood to be on (i.e., working) after the come-out. Depending on the point, Place numbers are considered either “inside” or “outside.” Generally, for Place bets, the 4, 5, 9, and 10 are considered outside numbers; while the 5, 6, 8, and 9 are considered inside numbers. You think, “What? He just said the 5 and 9 are considered outside, and then he said they’re considered inside. He’s nuts!” The 5 and 9 may, indeed, be considered inside and outside, depending on the circumstances. For example, suppose the point is 4 and you want Place bets on the 5, 6, 8, and 9. Simply put $22 in the Come box and tell the dealer, “Twenty-two dollars inside, please.” The dealer knows that you want $5 on the 5, $5 on the 9, $6 on the 6, and $6 on the 8. Another example, suppose the point is 5 and you want to make Place bets on the 4, 9, and 10. Simply put $15 in the Come box and say, “Fifteen dollars outside, please.” The dealer knows that you want $5 each on the 4, 9, and 10. If you’re uncomfortable with this inside and outside stuff, simply put down your chips and say, “Place the four, five, nine, and ten,” instead of, “Twenty dollars outside.” Remember though, you want to sound like James Bond and impress that gorgeous babe standing next to you. It sounds cooler using the lingo. Think you’re ready to hang with James Bond? Let’s see. Suppose you make a Pass Line bet and the point is 6. You then drop some chips in the Come box and tell the dealer, “Sixteen dollars inside, please.” What bets are you telling the dealer you want to make? Wow, that’s right! Very good! Since the point is 6 and you have a Pass Line bet, you don’t want to make an additional Place bet on the number 6. So, in this case, “$16 inside,” means you want Place bets for $5 on the 5, $6 on the 8, and $5 on the 9. Let’s do one more to see if you’re truly worthy of hanging with James Bond. Suppose you decide not to make a Pass Line bet on the next game. Instead, you decide to make Place bets, so you drop some chips and say, “Thirty-two across, please.” What does “$32 across” mean? Absolutely correct! Move over, James Bond, this reader is a natural! The dealer knows you want Place bets on all the numbers, even the point, for $5 on the 4, $5 on the 5, $6 on the 6, $6 on the 8, $5 on the 9, and $5 on the 10. (That all adds up to $32.) Let’s run through a scenario to make Place bets easy to understand. In this example, assume the table minimum bet is $5 and the maximum odds allowed are 10x. Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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1. A new shooter prepares to make a come-out roll for a new game. You make a $5 Flat Pass Line bet. The shooter rolls a 10; therefore, the point for this game is 10. You feel cocky, so you take a whopping $20 in Odds on the point behind the line. 2. After a point is established, the only numbers that matter for Pass Line bets are 7 and the point number. The shooter rolls a 4. The number 4 doesn’t matter, so the game continues. 3. You think, “Man, I want some more action. I’m going to try some Place bets.” When you have the dealer’s attention, you drop a $5 chip in the Come box and say, “Place the nine, please.” The dealer moves your chip to the 9 point box. 4. The shooter rolls an 11. For both your Pass Line bet and Place bet, an 11 doesn’t matter. The game continues. 5. The table is packed and you stand shoulder-to-shoulder between two gorgeous women (or men). You think, “I’m going to show these babes just how good I am.” With the dealer’s attention, you drop $17 in chips in the Come box and say, “Give me the rest of the inside numbers, please.” Since you already have a Place bet on the 9, the dealer takes your chips and knows you want $5 on the 5, $6 on the 6, and $6 on the 8. You now have Place bets on the 5, 6, 8, and 9. 6. The shooter rolls a 6. Your Place bet on the 6 wins. Just as it’s your turn to be paid, you tell the dealer, “Same bet, please.” The dealer pays your winnings by placing $7 in chips in the apron directly in front of you. Pick up your winnings. Your Place bet on the 6 is still up and working. 7. The shooter rolls a 12. For your Pass Line bet and all your Place bets, a 12 doesn’t matter. The game continues. 8. The shooter rolls another 6. Wow! The 6 is getting hot! Your Place bet wins again. This time, just as it’s your turn to be paid, you tell the dealer, “Press it.” The dealer knows you want to double your Place bet on the 6. He counts out your $7 in winnings, and then puts $6 of it on your original Place bet on the 6, and he puts the remaining $1 in the apron directly in front of you. Pick up the $1. Now, your Place bet on the 6 is up to $12. Things are getting a bit more interesting, so you pay more attention Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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to the game and less attention to the babe next to you in her halter top rubbing against you shoulder-to-shoulder. 9. The shooter rolls a 9. Your Place bet on the 9 wins. Just as it’s your turn to be paid, you tell the dealer, “Same bet, please.” The dealer puts $7 in chips in the apron directly in front of you. Pick up your winnings. 10. The shooter rolls a 10. “Winner, winner, steak dinner!” You high-five everybody at that end of the table. The shooter rolled his point, so the game ends. The dealer pays you $5 for your Flat Pass Line bet and $40 for your Odds bet. Pick up all your chips. You’re excited because you got one of those pretty green $25 chips as part of your winnings. The dealer turns the puck OFF and puts it on the side of the table. 11. A new game is about to start. Since this is the come-out roll for a new game, all of your Place bets are automatically considered off. You make a $5 Flat Pass Line bet. The shooter rolls a 7. The game ends immediately. For your Flat Pass Line bet, a 7 on the come-out is a winner, so the dealer puts a $5 chip next to your Flat Pass Line bet. Pick up your $5 in winnings. For all of your Place bets, the 7 doesn’t matter because your Place bets are automatically off on the come-out roll for a new game. 12. A new game is about to start. Your Place bets are still considered off because this is the come-out roll for a new game. The shooter rolls a 9; therefore, the point for this game is 9. You feel the table is getting hot, so you take $30 in Odds on the point behind the line. Since your Place bets were off on the come-out, you don’t win your Place bet on the 9 when the shooter rolled 9 as the new point. You still have a Place bet on the 9, so the dealer asks, “Sir, what would you like to do with your nine?” You now already have the 9 covered by your Pass Line with Odds bets since 9 is the new point, so you don’t want to cover it again with a Place bet. Most players either take the Place bet down or move it to another number. In this example, since you feel the table is getting hot, you decide to move it to a Place bet on the 4. Now, you have five numbers working for you: Place bets on the 4, 5, 6, and 8; and the Pass Line with Odds bets on the point of 9. 13. The shooter rolls another 6. Woohoo! Your Place bet on the 6 wins again (remember, your bet is up to $12). Just as it’s your turn to be paid, you tell the dealer, “Same bet, please.” The dealer pays your winnings by placing $14 in chips in the apron directly in front of you. Pick up your winnings. Your Place bet on the 6 is still up and working.



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14. The shooter rolls a 9. “Winner, winner, lobster dinner!” You high-five everybody at that end of the table and the girl in the halter top gives you a big hug. The shooter rolled his point, so the game ends. The dealer pays you $5 for your Flat Pass Line bet and $45 for your Odds bet. While picking up all your chips, you shout, “Yeah, baby, I love these green chips!” The dealer turns the puck OFF and puts it on the side of the table. 15. A new game is about to start. You make a $5 Flat Pass Line bet. The table is on fire, so you decide to keep your Place bets working on the come-out roll. Normally, Place bets are considered off on the come-out, but you want them working because the shooter is rolling lots of numbers. You tell the dealer, “I want all my Place bets working on the come-out.” The dealer puts an ON button on one of your Place bets to indicate that they’re all on and working on the come-out. The hot babe says, “Sure you want to do that? We’re rooting for a seven on the come-out, so if you keep your Place bets working and a seven shows, you’ll lose all your Place bets.” You think, “Shut up and play your own game,” but you politely say, “The table is getting hot, so I’m going for it.” 16. The shooter rolls a 7 on the come-out. The game ends immediately. For your Flat Pass Line bet, a 7 on the come-out is a winner, so the dealer puts a $5 chip next to your Flat Pass Line bet. Pick up your $5 in winnings (leave your $5 Flat Pass Line bet there for the next game). Since you kept your Place bets on and working on the come-out, they all lose because a 7 showed. The dealer removes and keeps all your Place bets. The girl looks at you with an I-told-you-so look. 17. A new game is about to start. The shooter rolls a 4 on the come-out; therefore, the point for this game is 4. You feel the table is still hot, so you take $30 in Odds on the point behind the line. You also drop $12 in chips in the Come box and tell the dealer, “Give me the six and eight, please.” The dealer takes your chips and puts $6 on the 6 and $6 on the 8. The shooter rolls and a die flies off the table. “No roll!” Uh, oh, this is bad luck. Every time you’ve seen a die fly off the table, a 7 shows on the next roll. You tell the dealer, “My Place bets are off.” The dealer puts an OFF button on top of one of your Place bets to indicate they’re both off. You also decide to pick up your Odds bet because you fear that dreaded 7 will show after a no-roll. (Remember, you can remove your Odds bet at any time, but can’t remove your Flat Pass Line bet.) 18. The shooter rolls a 12. Whew! It wasn’t a 7. This must mean the table is still hot, so you put back your $30 in Odds behind the line, and you tell the dealer, “My Place bets are back on.” The dealer removes the OFF button from your Place bet indicating that both your Place 6 and Place 8 bets are back on and working.



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19. The shooter rolls a 4. The shooter made his point so the game ends. You jump up and down shouting, “Yeah, baby, that’s what I’m talking about! Give me some more of those pretty green chips!” Buy Bet All aspects of the Buy bet are the same as the Place bet except: 1) A Buy bet pays off at true odds, 2) You have to pay a tax, or a vigorish, to get the true odds, and 3) A Buy bet is positioned on the layout differently. Everything else about the Buy bet is the same as the Place bet. As we’re so painfully aware by now, the casino is in business to make money, so they’re not going to give you true odds for nothing (except, of course, the free true Odds bet that you can add to your Pass Line bet--they’re “free” because you don’t have to pay a vigorish). So, how does the casino make money if they pay off a Buy bet at true odds (i.e., true odds means there’s no built-in house advantage)? Ready to get screwed again? They tax you! You believe that? A tax! You have to pay for the privilege of getting true odds. This tax is called a “vigorish” or “vig.” Remember John Winn from the Introduction (he invented the modern craps layout)? His version of the game allowed gambling halls to offer more player-friendly bets in return for a 5% charge. The worst the gambling halls could do was break even on true odds bets, but they still made money because of the added 5% tax. The added charge brought in so much money that they soon referred to it as giving vigor to their profits; hence, the term “vigorish.” The vig today remains at 5%. Buy bets on the 4 and 10 are always better than Placing the 4 and 10. Buy bets on the 5 and 9 may be better than Placing the 5 and 9, depending on when you pay the vig. However, Place bets on the 6 and 8 are always better than Buying the 6 and 8. What makes the Buy bet on the 4 and 10 better than a Place bet on the 4 and 10? Suppose you make a $10 Place bet on the 4 where the Place odds are 9:5, which means you win $18 for your $10 bet ($10 divided by 5 = $2, multiplied by 9 = $18). Now, instead of a Place bet, suppose you make a $10 Buy bet and pay a $1 vig for the privilege of getting true odds, which are 2:1. For a $10 Buy bet on the 4, you win $20 but have to pay the $1 vig, which results in a net payoff of $19. Comparing results of the two bets, the winning Place bet nets you $18; whereas, the winning Buy bet nets you $19. The Buy bet gets better as your bet amount increases. For example, suppose you make a $25 Place bet on the 10, which means you win $45 for your $25 bet (Place odds are 9:5). Now, suppose you make a $25 Buy bet and pay a $1 vig for the privilege of getting true odds, which are 2:1. For a $25 Buy bet on the 10, you win $50 but have to pay the $1 vig, which results in a net payoff of $49. Comparing results of the two bets, the winning $25 Place bet nets you $45; whereas, the winning $25 Buy bet nets you $49.



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Notice in the example for the $25 Buy bet that the vig is only $1. The 5% vig for a $25 Buy bet actually works out to be $1.25, but the casino typically doesn’t have chips valued at less than $1, so the vig is rounded down. Generally, vigs with a fraction of 50 cents or less are rounded down, while vigs with a fraction greater than 50 cents are rounded up. Therefore, for example, a $50 Buy bet has only a $2 vig even though 5% of $50 is $2.50. But some casinos won’t let you get away with too much of their profit. Suppose you make two separate $50 Buy bets at the same time (e.g., you drop $100 in the Come box and tell the dealer, “Buy the four and ten for fifty dollars each.”) Instead of rounding down the vig for each bet and charging a total vig of $4 (i.e., $2 for each $50 bet), the casino may charge you the full $5 vig (i.e., $2.50 for each $50 Buy bet). Most casinos don’t charge the vig until after you win the bet. However, some casinos require you to pay the vig up front at the time you make the bet. For example, for a $10 Buy bet on the 4 with an up-front vig, you must put down $11 when you make the bet (i.e., $10 for your bet and $1 for the vig). If the shooter rolls a 7, you lose $11. However, to attract customers, most casinos require the vig after you win the bet. For example, for a $10 Buy bet on the 4 with an after-win vig, you put down only the $10. Then, if you win, the dealer pays you $19 (i.e., $20 for the win minus $1 for the vig). Paying the vig after a win lowers the house advantage, which makes the Buy bet even better. My experience is that, if a player has a choice of casinos to play, then vigs are generally paid after a win. If a casino is the only game in town, then vigs are generally paid up front. The reason is simple--competition. If you have a choice of casinos, you can walk out and go to the casino next door. However, if the casino is the only game in town, they have you by the balls, so they can get away with charging the vig up front. Their philosophy is, “If you don’t like it, don’t play--but we know you’ll play even if you don’t like it.” Some casinos have minimums for their Buy bets. For example, you may not be able to buy the 4 or 10 for less than $20 or $25; they won’t allow a $10 Buy bet. I usually put $10 in the Come box and say, “Buy the four, please.” If they don’t allow it, the dealer says, “Sir, your Buy bet has to be at least twenty dollars.” So, I usually tell him to Place it for $10. If I later want to increase the Place bet to $20, I drop $10 in the Come box and say, “Bump up my four to twenty dollars and Buy it.” (Note that I changed the bet from a Place bet to a Buy bet to get the better odds and lower house advantage.) If a dealer tells me they don’t allow $10 Buy bets, I sometimes like being smartalecky by asking, “Why not?” Their responses are often interesting, and sometimes downright lies. It’s amazing how many times a dealer tries to B.S. you by saying, “Buying the four or ten doesn’t get you anything unless you bet at least twenty-five dollars, so it’s best to Place it if you only want to bet ten dollars.” What kind of nonsense is that? We proved earlier that Buying the 4 or 10 for as little as $10 with an after-win vig is to the player’s advantage. When a dealer tries to pass off that kind of B.S., I immediately dislike him, stop all casual chat with him, and stop tipping. If he says, “Sir,



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I’m sorry, it’s a house rule,” or “Sir, I don’t know,” then I respect his honesty and continue chatting with him about last night’s football game. To make a Buy bet, drop your chips in the Come box and tell the dealer the number you want to buy. The dealer then moves your chips to the point box in a position that corresponds to your table position (in a manner similar to Place bets) and puts a BUY button on top. The button tells the boxman and camera that you’re Buying the number instead of Placing it. See Figure 8-10 for an illustration of Buy bet positions. To help the inexperienced player, some dealers automatically Buy the bet instead of Placing it when it’s to the player’s advantage. For example, suppose the guy next to you makes a $25 Place bet on the 10. Being the observant player that you are, you notice the dealer move the $25 chip into the 10 point box and put a BUY button on it. The guy next to you doesn’t have a clue that the dealer potentially made him an extra $4 if the bet wins (i.e., a winning $25 Buy bet nets $49; whereas, a winning $25 Place bet nets only $45). As noted earlier, the Buy bet is best made on the 4 or 10. However, it can also be advantageous for the 5 and 9 if the casino allows paying the vig after a win instead of up front. For example, suppose you make a $50 Place bet on the 5 where the Place odds are 7:5, which means you win $70 for your $50 bet ($50 divided by 5 = $10, multiplied by 7 = $70). Now, instead of a Place bet, suppose you make a $50 Buy bet and pay a $2 vig for the privilege of getting true odds, which are 3:2. For a $50 Buy bet on the 5, you win $75 ($50 divided by 2 = $25, multiplied by 3 = $75), but you have to pay the $2 vig, which results in a net payoff of $73. Comparing results of the two bets, the winning $50 Place bet nets you $70; whereas, the winning $50 Buy bet nets you $73. If the casino requires an up-front vig, Placing the 5 or 9 is better than Buying them because the house advantage is lower (i.e., 4.00% for Placing the 5 or 9 versus 4.76% for Buying them with an up-front vig). The Buy bet isn’t smart for the 6 and 8. You should always Place the 6 and 8 instead of Buying them. Let’s do the math. As we know, Place bets on the 6 or 8 must be in multiples of $6 to get the full Place odds of 7:6; and Buy bets on the 6 or 8 must be in multiples of $5 to get the full true odds. Therefore, suppose you make a $96 Place bet on the 6 and win, which means you win $112 ($96 divided by 6 = $16, multiplied by 7 = $112). Now, instead of a Place bet, suppose you make a $95 Buy bet and, when you win, pay a $5 vig for the privilege of getting true odds. For a $95 Buy bet on the 6, you win $114 ($95 divided by 5 = $19, multiplied by 6 = $114), but you have to pay the $5 vig, which results in a net payoff of $109. Comparing results of the two bets, the winning $96 Place bet nets you $112; whereas, the winning $95 Buy bet nets you $109. So, for the 6 and 8, a Place bet is better than a Buy bet. As we’ll learn in the next chapter, the house advantage for Place bets on the 6 and 8 is lower than Buy bets on the 6 and 8, regardless of whether you pay the vig up front or after a win. Again, the Buy bet is the same as a Place bet, except for the payoff odds and the vig. Therefore, you can make, remove, increase, or decrease Buy bets at any time. If you Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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8

N

BUY

10

BUY

Come Pays Double

3

2

4

9

10

FIELD

Pays Double

11

12

B

I

6G

Don’t Pass Bar PASS LINE Player Position #1

BUY

Enlarged =

Player Position #2

8

Player Position #3

Player Position #4

Player Position #7

2 3 4

x Si

BUY

e in

Player Position #6

BUY

PASS LINE

1

4 5

6 5

Don’t Pass Bar

7

Buy bets go inside the point boxes

8

Don’t Come Bar

Player Position #8

Numbers in circles correspond to player-position numbers

r n #5 e ay io Pl osit P

BUY = $50 Buy bet with a BUY button on top $50

Figure 8-10. Locations of Buy Bets Circles in the 4 point box show where Buy bets go in all point boxes for each player position. In this example, notice the “Buy” button on top of your chips to designate them as Buy bets. Notice how the Buy bet locations correspond to player positions. In this example, the following Buy bets are in action on the layout: Player # 1 has a Buy bet on the 10. Player #3 has a Buy bet on the 5. Player #7 has a Buy bet on the 5. Player #8 has a Buy bet on the 10. Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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paid the vig up front and later decide to remove your bet, the vig is also returned to you. Like Place bets, Buy bets are considered off on the come-out roll of a new game unless you tell the dealer you want them on and working. Lay Bet The Lay bet is for the 7 against your chosen number (i.e., the 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) and the payoff is according to true odds. It’s the opposite of the Buy bet, much like the Don’t Pass is the opposite of the Pass line. For example, if you Lay the 4, you hope a 7 shows before the 4; whereas, if you Buy the 4, you hope a 4 shows before the 7. Let’s quickly review true odds. The Lay bet pays off according to true odds, which are: 1:2 for the 4 and 10, 2:3 for the 5 and 9, and 5:6 for the 6 and 8. For example, the payoff odds for Laying the 10 are 1:2, which means you have to bet more money than you win. For every two dollars you bet, you win one dollar. It’s like the Don’t Pass where you have the advantage over the house because there are six ways to make a 7 and only three ways to make a 10. Therefore, you have to put up your fair share, which is twice the amount you hope to win. So, if your $20 Lay bet on the 10 wins, you win $10. The Lay bet has the same vig as the Buy bet, but it’s based on the win amount, not the bet amount. For example, suppose you Lay the 4 for $100. The true payoff odds are 1:2, which means your winning $100 Lay bet pays $50. The vig is based on the $50 winnings, not the $100 bet. So, the vig is $2 ($50 x 5% = $2.50, which is rounded down to $2), instead of $5 ($100 x 5% = $5). Lay bets are often called “No” bets. For example, suppose you play for three hours and not a single 5 shows. You decide you’re in a weird, anomalous blip of the distribution where the number 5 just isn’t going to show no matter what the craps gods do. You want to take advantage of that anomaly so you drop $75 in the Come box and tell the dealer, “Give me a No five, please.” The dealer moves your chips to the 5 point box and puts a LAY button on top. (Lay bets are positioned in the same locations as Don’t Come with Odds bets, as noted in Figure 8-8.) Sure enough, the 5 doesn’t show and the shooter rolls a 7-out. Your $75 Lay bet wins $50 (i.e., the true odds are 2:3, so $75 divided by 3 = $25, multiplied by 2 = $50). You must also pay the 5% vig on your winnings. To make it easier for himself, the dealer will likely give you two $25 chips for your winnings and say, “Drop me two dollars, please,” rather than count out $48 in chips. In this case, you simply drop two $1 chips in the Come box and then pick up your two $25 chips. Unlike Buy bets, Lay bets are kept on and working on the come-out roll of a new game. However, you can always turn them off and on whenever you want. Typically, players leave their Lay bets on and working for the come-out roll because they have the advantage over the house (i.e., there are always more ways to make a 7 than any of the point numbers). Another reason--a silly reason, but a reason nonetheless--is because everyone is typically rooting for a 7 on the come-out (most people play the Pass Line, so a 7 on the come-out is a winner for them). With all that positive mojo at the table, a 7 is bound to show, so leave your Lay bets working for the come-out roll of a new game.



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Seriously, you should leave your Lay bets working on the come-out not because of table mojo, but because you have the advantage over the house. Like Buy bets, you can make, remove, increase, or decrease Lay bets at any time. Hardway Bets A Hardway bet is a standing bet that you can make, remove, increase, or decrease at any time. You bet that a hardway number will show as a pair before any other combination of that number, and before a 7 shows. A Hardway bet can be made only on the numbers 4, 6, 8, and 10. For a Hardway bet, each roll can produce three possible outcomes: 1) The hardway number is rolled and the bet wins, 2) The “easyway” number or a 7 is rolled and the bet loses, 3) Any other number is rolled and the bet neither wins nor loses (i.e., it “stands” until it wins or loses, or until you remove it). What’s a “hardway” versus an “easyway?” As noted, Hardway bets are made on the 4, 6, 8, and 10. Let’s look at the 10. By now, you know without thinking that there are three ways to make a 10. We know from Table 1-1 that the three two-dice combinations for making a 10 are: DIE #1 6 4 5

DIE #2 4 6 5

RESULT 10 10 10

Looking at the table above, which combination of numbers do you think is considered the “hardway” for making a 10? Way to go! You’re right again! The 5-5 combination is considered the “Hard 10.” Therefore, your Hard 10 bet stands until a 5-5 is rolled (you win), a 7 is rolled (you lose), or an Easy 10 (i.e., 4-6 or 6-4) is rolled (you lose). Now, let’s quickly look at the 4, 6, and 8. There are three ways to make a 4, and the dice combinations are: DIE #1 1 3 2

DIE #2 3 1 2

RESULT 4 4 4

WHAT’S IT CALLED? Easy 4 Easy 4 Hard 4

The Hard 4 bet wins if a 2-2 shows before a 7, 1-3, or 3-1. There are five ways to make a 6, and the dice combinations are:



DIE #1 1 5 2 4 3

DIE #2 5 1 4 2 3

RESULT 6 6 6 6 6

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WHAT’S IT CALLED? Easy 6 Easy 6 Easy 6 Easy 6 Hard 6

The Hard 6 bet wins if a 3-3 shows before a 7, 1-5, 5-1, 2-4, or 4-2. There are five ways to make an 8, and the dice combinations are: DIE #1 2 6 3 5 4

DIE #2 6 2 5 3 4

RESULT 8 8 8 8 8

WHAT’S IT CALLED? Easy 8 Easy 8 Easy 8 Easy 8 Hard 8

The Hard 8 bet wins if a 4-4 shows before a 7, 2-6, 6-2, 3-5, or 5-3. Although the 2 and 12 are even numbers and both are made by quasi-hardway combinations (i.e., the 2 is made by 1-1, and the 12 is made by 6-6), there’s no Hardway bet for them because neither has an easyway combination. The table minimum bet doesn’t apply to Hardway bets. Instead, the minimum is whatever the lowest-denomination chip is in play for that table, which is usually $1. The payoff for the Hard 4 and Hard 10 is 7:1; whereas, the payoff for the Hard 6 and Hard 8 is 9:1. The Hard 6 and 8 each have four easyways to lose. The Hard 4 and 10 each have only two easyways to lose. Therefore, with more ways to lose, the Hard 6 and 8 have a higher payoff than the Hard 4 and 10. Some casinos try to trick the inexperienced player into thinking they have higher Hardway payoffs than their competition by offering odds written on the table layout as “8 for 1” and “10 for 1.” At first glance, this does appear to be a bit better than 7:1 and 9:1. However, look at it closely and you’ll see that it’s 8 “for” 1, instead of 8 ”to” 1. “8 for 1” means they pay you $8 but they keep your $1 bet. 7:1 means they pay you $7 and you keep your $1 bet. Therefore, “8 for 1” is the same as 7:1, and “10 for 1” is the same as 9:1. If I’m somewhere with lots of casinos such as Vegas, and unless it’s a $3 table with high maximum free odds (e.g., at least 10x), I turn around, walk out, and go to



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the casino next door. It bugs me to see a casino try to trick players into thinking it offers better odds than its competition. So, to hell with them, I go somewhere else. You can call Hardway bets on or off at any time. This usually occurs after the shooter makes a point. Players typically play the Pass Line, so after a game ends, they make another Pass Line bet. They root for a 7 on the come-out roll, but although a 7 on the come-out is a winner for the Pass Line, it’s a loser for the working Hardway bets. Therefore, players tend to call their Hardways off for the come-out roll so they can root for a 7 without worrying about losing their Hardways. The dealer then puts an OFF button on their Hardways. After the shooter makes a point, players call their Hardways back on and working. The dealer then removes the OFF button. You must be aware of the casino’s policy for whether Hardway bets are on or off for the come-out roll. There doesn’t seem to be consistency among casinos. Ask the dealer, “Are the Hardways automatically off?” Or simply listen to the stickman before the come-out roll, who says something like, “Hardways work unless you call them off.” If you don’t want a conflict in what to root for (i.e., rooting for a 7 on the come-out conflicts with your working Hardways), then simply call your Hardways off on the come-out and then call them back on after the shooter makes a point. Hardways are located in the center of the table and typically controlled by the stickman, so don’t try to put down or pick up any of these bets yourself. When you have the stickman’s attention, gently toss your chips to an open area near the center of the table and say, “Hard four, please.” Sometimes, the stickman catches your chips in mid-air. Sometimes, he lets them fall to the table and then picks them up. When you gently toss your chips, try not to hit other people’s chips on the table because they could fly everywhere and then the game is delayed while the stickman figures out where they all go. After a while, you become incredibly accurate with your toss. I can stand at the end of the table and toss a $1 chip to land in whichever Hardway box I want to bet. Oddly, other players are impressed with that worthless skill. The stickman then places your chips inside the Hardway box in a position that corresponds to your table position (in a manner similar to Place bets). Let’s look at a scenario to ensure you understand Hardway bets. 1. A new shooter prepares to make a come-out roll for a new game. You make a $5 Flat Pass Line bet. The shooter rolls a 5; therefore, the point for this game is 5. You take $6 in Odds on the point behind the line. 2. The shooter rolls a 4. The number 4 doesn’t matter, so the game continues.



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3. Your gut tells you the Hard 8 is going to hit. When you get the stickman’s attention, you toss a $1 chip near the center of the table and say, “Hard eight, please.” The stickman picks up your chip and places it the proper spot in the Hard 8 box. 4. The shooter rolls an 8 with the dice combination of 5-3. The stickman says, “Eight easy, easy eight, the Hard eight is down.” You lose your Hard 8 bet because an Easy 8 showed before the Hard 8. Your gut still says a Hard 8 is going to hit, so you toss another $1 chip to the center of the table and say, “Give me that Hard eight again, please.” The dealer moves your chip to the Hard 8 box. 5. The shooter rolls a 10. The number 10 doesn’t matter, so the game continues. 6. The shooter rolls a 5. “Winner, winner, chicken dinner!” The shooter rolled his point, so the game ends. The dealer pays you $5 for your Flat Pass Line bet and $9 for your Odds bet. Pick up all your chips. The number 5 doesn’t matter for your Hard 8 bet, so it remains on the table. 7. A new game is about to start with a come-out roll. The stickman says, “Same hot shooter coming out. Hardways work unless you call them off.” You make a $5 Flat Pass Line bet, and then tell the stickman, “My Hard eight is off.” The stickman puts an OFF button on top of your Hard 8 chip. 8. The shooter rolls a 7. The game ends immediately. For your Flat Pass Line bet, a 7 on the come-out is a winner, so the dealer puts a $5 chip next to your Pass Line bet. Pick up your $5 in winnings. For your Hard 8 bet, a 7 doesn’t matter because you called your Hard 8 off and not working. So, even though the shooter rolled a 7, you don’t lose your Hard 8 bet. For the come-out roll of the next new game, your Hard 8 is still off. 9. On the come-out roll for the next new game, the shooter rolls a 6; therefore, the point for this game is 6. You take $5 in Odds on the point behind the line. Now that a point is established, you want your Hard 8 working again, so you tell the stickman, “Turn my Hard eight back on, please.” The stickman removes the OFF button from your Hard 8 chip. 10. The shooter rolls an 8 with the dice combination of 4-4. The stickman says, “Eight hard, eight the hard way.” Woohoo! You knew that Hard 8 was going to hit. Great call! The 8 doesn’t matter for your Pass Line with Odds bets, but your Hard 8 bet Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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wins because of the 4-4 dice combination. After the dealer pays everyone else’s Place bets, the stickman points with his mop (i.e., stick) to your position at the table and tells the dealer, “Nine dollars.” The dealer counts out $9 and puts it in the apron directly in front of you. Pick up your winnings. Your $1 Hard 8 chip stays on the table and continues working. 11. The shooter rolls a 12. The number 12 doesn’t matter, so the game continues. 12. The shooter rolls a 7. Oh, rats! The shooter rolled a 7-out, so you lose your Pass Line with Odds bets. The dealer picks up all your Pass Line with Odds chips. Because a 7 showed before a Hard 8, your Hard 8 loses. The stickman picks up your Hard 8 chip. Big 6 and Big 8 Bets The Big 6 and Big 8 bets are identical to the Place 6 and Place 8 bets except for their payoff and location on the table layout. Most casinos don’t offer these bets because most people don’t play. (Most people don’t play them because they’re “bad” bets. Why? We’ll discuss “good” versus “bad” bets in a later chapter.) If offered, these bets are in the self-service area, just above the Pass Line at the corner where the Pass Line bends. You can’t miss them because they’re labeled in big, red letters “Big 6” and “Big 8.” Unlike Placing the 6 or 8 where the dealer moves your chips into the 6 or 8 point box, you make these bets yourself by placing your chips directly into the Big 6 or Big 8 box. The Big 6 or Big 8 is an even-money bet, or 1:1. You can bet any amount as long as it’s within the table minimum and maximum. One-Roll Bets One-roll bets are different from the standing bets we’ve discussed so far in that their outcome is determined by only one roll (i.e., they win or lose on one roll). If the number you bet shows on that one roll, you win. If it doesn’t, you lose. Because their outcome is determined after one roll, their payoffs aren’t based on the number 7 but, instead, on the total number of dice combinations (i.e., 36). You can make one-roll bets at any time (before the come-out, after the come-out, or anytime in between). The most common one-roll bets are: Field; Any Seven; Any Craps; C&E; Horn; Whirl; Two, Three, Eleven, and Twelve; Hop; Over 7; and Under 7. Field Bet The Field bet is a one-roll bet that wins if a 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12 shows on the next roll. It loses if a 5, 6, 7, or 8 shows. Some (not many) casinos switch the 5 and 9, Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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making the 5 a winner and the 9 a loser. Since the 5 and 9 have the same numbers of ways to make them (i.e., four ways), the odds for the Field bet don’t change if the casino switches the 5 and 9. The Field is a self-service bet, which means you put down and pick up your chips in the Field box without the dealer’s help. The box is located between the Don’t Pass and Come areas, and is clearly labeled “Field.” If you can’t remember which numbers win and lose, don’t worry, they’re also labeled in the Field box in big, bold font. The Field pays even money (1:1) if a 3, 4, 9, 10, or 11 shows. It pays double (2:1) or triple (3:1) if a 2 or 12 shows, depending on the casino. Some casinos pay double on both the 2 and 12. Some pay double on one number and triple on the other. And a rare few pay triple on both the 2 and 12. It’s easy to know the casino’s payoffs because the 2 and 12 are circled on the table layout and have either “Pays Double” or “Pays Triple” written above the number. Any Seven Bet Any Seven (sometimes called “Big Red”) is a one-roll bet that wins if a 7 shows and loses if any other number shows. The minimum bet amount is the value of the lowest-denomination chip in play at the table, usually $1. The payoff is 4:1, so you can bet any amount to get the full payoff odds. The Any Seven box is located in the center of the table and typically controlled by the stickman, so keep your hands off and don’t try to put down or pick up this bet yourself. When you have the stickman’s attention, gently toss your chip to an open area near the center of the table and say, “Any Seven, please.” Remember, aim for an empty spot so when your chip lands on the table, it doesn’t knock other people’s chips all over the place. Any Craps Bet The Any Craps bet is a one-roll bet that wins if a craps (i.e., 2, 3, or 12) shows on the next roll, and loses if any other number shows. The minimum bet amount is the value of the lowest-denomination chip in play, usually $1. The payoff is 7:1, so you can bet any amount to get the full payoff odds. The Any Craps box is located in the center of the table and typically controlled by the stickman, so keep your hands off. When you have the stickman’s attention, gently toss your chips to an open area near the center of the table and say, “Any Craps, please.” Aim for an empty spot so your chip doesn’t mess up other chips on the table. Depending on the casino, the layout may have a box in the proposition area (i.e., center of the table) labeled “Any Craps,” or 16 small circles next to the proposition area, each containing the letter “C,” or both. The dealer places your Any Craps bet either in the box or in one of the little “C” circles. You think, “Why are there 16 little Any Craps circles but only one Any Craps box?” Good question, but like everything else in craps, Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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the answer is easy. The Any Craps box is big enough to hold all bets if everyone at the table makes the bet at the same time, but the little “C” circles are only big enough to hold one bet. Eight players can play on each side of the table. So, there are eight circles for eight players on each side of the table. If the casino’s layout uses little circles instead of an Any Craps box, the dealer places your Any Craps bet in the little circle that corresponds to your table position. The Any Craps bet is sometimes called “Crap Check” when it’s used to hedge the Flat Pass Line bet. For example, if a player makes a Flat $10 Pass Line bet, he might toss in a $1 chip for a Crap Check to “protect” the Pass Line bet on the come-out roll. On the come-out, if the shooter rolls a craps, the player loses his $10 Flat Pass Line bet, but wins $7 for his Crap Check. 3-Way Craps Bet 3-Way Craps is like Any Craps in that it’s a one-roll bet that wins if a 2, 3, or 12 appears and loses with any other number. However, it’s actually three separate one-roll bets disguised as one: a bet on the 2, a bet on the 3, and a bet on the 12. Therefore, your 3-Way Craps bet amount should be divisible by three. For example, if you make a $6 3-Way Craps bet, the dealer puts $2 on the 2, $2 on the 3, and $2 on the 12. The minimum bet amount for each of the three numbers (i.e., 2, 3, and 12) is the value of the lowest-denomination chip in play at the table, usually $1. So, since your bet amount should be divisible by three, the smallest 3-Way Craps bet you can make is $3. The 3-Way Craps bet is controlled by the stickman, so keep your hands off. The 2, 3, and 12 boxes are clearly marked in the proposition area. When you have the stickman’s attention, gently toss your chips to an open area near the center of the table and say, “Three-way Craps, please.” Remember, aim for an empty spot on the table so your chips don’t mess up other chips on the table. If a 2 shows, the payoff is 30:1; and your 3 and 12 lose. If a 12 shows, the payoff is 30:1; and your 2 and 3 lose. If a 3 shows, the payoff is 15:1; and your 2 and 12 lose. Note that there are two ways to make a 3 (i.e., 1-2 and 2-1) and only one make to make a 2 (i.e., 1-1) or 12 (i.e., 6-6). Therefore, the payoff for the 3 is half the payoff for the 2 or 12. C&E Bet C&E (“Craps and Eleven”) is a one-roll bet combining Any Craps with the number 11. On the layout, each little “C” circle has a little “E” circle adjacent to it (“E” stands for Eleven). Since the dealer controls the C&E bet (keep your hands off), he puts half your chips in the Any Craps circle (the “C” circle) and half in the Eleven circle (the “E” circle). If a 2, 3, or 12 shows on the next roll, the payoff is 7:1; and your 11 loses. If an 11 shows, the payoff is 15:1; and your Any Craps loses.



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If you make a C&E bet that can’t be divided into two whole numbers, the dealer straddles the “C” and “E” circles with your chips (see Figure 8-11). Be careful making C&E bets that don’t result in whole numbers after being split. If you win and the resulting payoff includes a fraction of a dollar, the casino can’t pay you that fraction, so they keep it for themselves. An example of where a fractional bet results in a whole number payoff is the $5 C&E. The dealer can’t split your $5 chip into whole-dollar halves ($5 divided by 2 = $2.50; the casino doesn’t have 50-cent chips), so he straddles the “C” and “E” circles with your $5 chip. If an 11 shows on the next roll, the payoff is 15:1 so you win $37.50 (i.e., 15 x $2.50 = $37.50), and you lose $2.50 for the Any Craps portion of your C&E bet; therefore, your net win is $35, which is a whole number that the dealer can pay in full. If a 2, 3, or 12 shows (i.e., Any Craps), the payoff is 7:1 so you win $17.50 (i.e., 7 x $2.50 = $17.50), and you lose $2.50 for the Eleven portion of your C&E bet; therefore, your net win is $15, which is a whole number. C&E bets that don’t result in whole numbers after being split can be confusing, so it’s best to simply toss the dealer an even-numbered amount of chips to avoid dealing with fractions of dollars. Horn Bet The Horn bet is a one-roll bet combining the numbers 2, 3, 11, and 12. Yes, it sounds like a C&E bet, but there’s a subtle difference. The Horn bet is actually four separate bets on the 2, 3, 11, and 12; therefore, your bet amount should be divisible by four. Like the 3-Way Craps bet, when you win a Horn bet, you win on the number that shows and lose the other three bets. If a 2 shows, the payoff is 30:1; and your 3, 11, and 12 lose. If a 12 shows, the payoff is 30:1; and your 2, 3, and 11 lose. If a 3 shows, the payoff is 15:1; and your 2, 11, and 12 lose. If an 11 slows, the payoff is 15:1; and your 2, 3, and 12 lose. The boxes for the 2, 3, 11, and 12 are clearly marked in the proposition area. Since the dealer controls the Horn bet, he puts one fourth of your chips in each of the 2, 3, 11, and 12 boxes. (Some layouts include a box for the Horn bet.) Be careful making Horn bets that don’t result in whole numbers after being split (i.e., when the dealer divides your chips into four equal amounts). If you win and the resulting payoff includes a fraction of a dollar, the casino can’t pay you that fraction, so they keep it for themselves. Many players are lazy and don’t like counting out four $1 chips, which are also hard to toss to the middle of table without making a mess. They’d rather toss a single $5 chip, and say something like, “Horn high twelve.” The dealer makes four non-fractional bets and puts the leftovers on the number called. For example, for a $5 “Horn High 12,” the dealer changes the $5 chip into five $1 chips, and then puts $1 on each of the 2, 3, 11, and 12. He then adds the remaining $1 to the 12; thereby, making the 12 a $2 bet (i.e., “higher” than the other three bets). Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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HARDWAYS

E

C

C

E

C

E

C

9 to 1

9 to 1

E

C $5 E 7 to 1

E

C

E

7 to 1

C

C

E

C

E

C

E

C

E

Side Section Layout

E

C

E

C

4 to 1

ANY SEVEN 4 to 1

30 to 1

E E

C C

15 to 1

7 to 1

HORN

30 to 1

15 to 1

ANY CRAPS

7 to 1

C

E

Side Section Layout

ONE ROLL BETS

Your $5 C&E Bet Figure 8-11. Straddling the C&E Bet In this example, you toss a $5 chip to the stickman and say, “C&E, please.” The dealer can’t divide your $5 chip into two equal whole-number amounts, so he straddles the “C” and “E” circles with your chip (i.e., the “C” and “E” circles that correspond to your position at the table). Straddling indicates that half your bet is applied to the “C” (Any Craps) and half your bet is applied to the “E” (Eleven).



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Let’s see if you’re paying attention. Suppose the guy next to you tosses two $5 chips to the stickman and shouts, “Horn high three.” What bets does the player want and for how much? Wow, incredible! You’re amazing! See, I told you this is easy. The dealer puts $2 on the 2, 3, 11, and 12; then, he adds the remaining $2 to the 3. Therefore, the 2, 11, and 12 are $2 bets; and the 3 is a $4 bet. Whirl Bet The Whirl bet is sometimes called a “World” bet. The Whirl bet is a one-roll bet combining the Horn bet with the Any Seven. The Whirl bet is actually five separate bets on the 2, 3, 11, 12, and 7; therefore, your bet amount should be divisible by five. The Whirl bet wins if a 2, 3, 11, 12, or 7 shows, and loses if any other number shows. If a 2 shows, the payoff is 30:1; and your 3, 11, 12, and 7 lose. If a 12 shows, the payoff is 30:1; and your 2, 3, 11, and 7 lose. If a 3 shows, the payoff is 15:1; and your 2, 11, 12, and 7 lose. If an 11 shows, the payoff is 15:1; and your 2, 3, 12, and 7 lose. If a 7 shows, the payoff is 4:1; and your 2, 3, 11, and 12 lose. Depending on the layout, the Whirl bet may or may not have its own box in the center of the table. For layouts that don’t, the dealer typically divides your chips into five equal amounts and places them in the 2, 3, 11, 12, and Any Seven boxes. Be careful making Whirl bets that don’t result in whole numbers after dividing your total bet by 5. If you win and the resulting payoff includes a fraction of a dollar, the casino can’t pay you that fraction, so they keep it for themselves. Unless you’re good at math and can calculate in your head whether fractional bets will result in a whole-number payoff, it’s best to simply toss the dealer an amount divisible by five to avoid the potential for dealing with cents. Two, Three, Eleven, and Twelve Bets These are individual one-roll bets on each individual number. Note that, if you make all four of these bets at the same time, it’s called a Horn bet. The layout has a box in the center section for each of the four numbers. You can bet on one of these numbers or any combination of them. For example, suppose the player next to you tosses a $5 chip to the center of the table and shouts, “Gimme snake eyes and boxcars, high on the boxcars.” What bets, and for how much, does he want? Wow! I thought I’d trick you with that question, but you answered it correctly! You’re right; he wants $2 on the 2 and $3 on the 12. If anything other than 2 or 12 shows on the next roll, both bets lose. The 2 is often called “snake eyes.” The 3 is called “ace deuce.” The 12 is called “boxcars.” The 11 is called “yo” or “yo-leven.” When an 11 shows, the stickman typically calls “yo” (or occasionally “yo-leven”) to differentiate it from a “seven.” Since “eleven” sounds like “seven,” the stickman calls “yo” to avoid confusion among the players.



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Hop Bets The Hop bet is a one-roll bet on a specific dice combination, such as 6-2, 5-1, 3-4, 5-5, etc. For example, if you toss a $1 chip to the center of the table and politely say, “Hopping two-four, please,” the next roll must show a 2-4 or 4-2 combination to win. If any other combination shows, you lose. Hop bets are hardly ever shown on the layout and few players make them because of the high house advantage or because they simply don’t know they exist. Most Hop bets have two ways to win, such as Hop 3-6, which wins if the resulting dice combination is 6-3 or 3-6. Others have only one way to win, such as 4-4. The payoff for Hop bets with two ways to win is 15:1. The payoff for Hop bets with only one way to win is 30:1. The Hopping 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, and 5-5 are called “Hopping Hardways.” The difference between a Hopping Hardway and a regular Hardway--other than the payoff--is that the Hopping Hardway is a one-roll bet and either wins or loses on the next roll; whereas, the regular Hardway is a standing bet that doesn’t lose until either an Easyway or 7 shows. Suppose you toss $1 to the center of the table and say, “Hop the twelve, please.” What do you think the dealer does with your chip? I don’t believe it! I can’t get any trick questions past you! The dealer puts your chip in the 12 box. The 12 is a one-roll bet that has its own box in the center of the table. If you find a layout that includes boxes for Hop bets, you won’t see boxes for a Hop 2, Hop 3, Hop 11, and Hop 12 because those numbers already have their own separate boxes. Therefore, the 2, 3, 11, and 12 aren’t called Hop bets. If you want a one-roll bet on the 2, 3, 11, or 12, simply toss your chip(s) to the center of the table and say, for example, “Give me snake eyes, please.” Over 7 and Under 7 Bets The Over 7 and Under 7 bets are uncommon one-roll bets that you probably won’t see unless you play in a lot of different casinos. The Over 7 bet wins if an 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12 shows on the next roll; and loses if any other number shows, including 7. The Under 7 bet wins if a 6, 5, 4, 3, or 2 shows on the next roll; and loses if any other number shows, including 7. The payoff for both bets is 1:1, or even money.


The Secret to Craps: The Right Way to Play Chapter 9: Good Bet or Bad Bet?

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Chapter 9 Good Bet or Bad Bet? Sadly, in terms of affecting a craps decision, there’s no such thing as a skilled player. However, there are, indeed, knowledgeable and ignorant players. Although you can’t affect craps decisions, your amount of knowledge can play a big factor in whether you lose a lot quickly or lose a little slowly, or maybe even occasionally win. Let’s not kid ourselves. As we know, casinos are in business to make money, not gamble. How do you think they pay for those multi-billion dollar mega-resorts? The player is the gambler, not the casino. The casino has their built-in house advantage, so over time, they know they’ll rake in the money. Knowing the house advantage for each craps bet does more for your bankroll and playing enjoyment than anything else. Based on house advantages, some bets are considered good (relatively low house advantage) and others are considered bad (relatively high house advantage). Playing the good and avoiding the bad is a prerequisite to the secret of craps. Remember, “More knowledge is more money.” You must accept the fact that craps is a negative expectation game because of the built-in house advantage. “Negative expectation” means the game will result in you eventually losing all of your money. You may experience shorts periods of winning, but over time, you’re guaranteed to lose. Let’s review what we learned in Chapter 1 about “house advantage” by using the familiar example of a coin flip. For each flip, you have a 50/50 chance of the coin showing heads and a 50/50 chance of showing tails. A 50/50 payoff means you expect true 1:1 odds (i.e., if you bet $1 and win, you win $1). As we know, the casino doesn’t offer true odds on any craps bet except free Odds on the point. The casino is in business to make money so it has to have an edge to make a profit. It gets its edge by offering odds that are less than true (sometimes called “casino odds”). In the coin-flip example, for each $1 bet that you lose, you lose $1. However, for each $1 bet that you win, the house doesn’t pay you $1. Instead, it may pay only $0.96. It’s easy to see that you’re playing a negative expectation game and, over time, you’ll go broke. How long will it take you to go broke playing craps? That depends on whether you make bets with high or low house advantages. Of course, your bet amount is a big factor, but let’s focus on good versus bad bets. For example, if you make only Big 6 bets that have a 9% house advantage, you can expect to lose an average of $0.90 for every $10 bet. If you make only Pass Line bets that have a 1.4% house advantage, you can expect to lose an average of about $0.14 for every $10 bet. Of the two, which do you think is the “good” bet and “bad” bet in terms of the player? I don’t know about you, but I’d rather lose an average of only 14 cents per bet than an average of 90 cents per bet. Wouldn’t Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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you? That’s why it’s so important to play good bets and avoid bad ones. Obviously, if you consistently play bad bets (relatively high house advantages), you’ll go broke a lot faster than if you play good ones (relatively low house advantages). How is house advantage calculated? You think, “Good grief, do I have to do a bunch of math to figure all this stuff out?” Relax. Let’s just do one example so you have the basic understanding. After the example, I provide a table that contains house advantages for all bets. Let’s consider the basic Pass Line bet. As we know, it pays even money when you win, but there are more ways to lose than win so the house is screwing us by giving us casino odds instead of true odds. Let’s do the math and calculate the house advantage. You probably don’t like dealing with fractions as much as I, so let’s first determine how many rolls we need to achieve winners and losers using whole numbers (i.e., no fractions). Remember, the Pass Line bet wins on the come-out with a 7 or 11, and loses on the come-out with a 2, 3, or 12. If a point is established, the Pass Line bet wins if the shooter makes the point, and loses if a 7 shows. To get whole-number results so we don’t have to deal with fractions in Table 9-1, it takes 55 rounds of 36 rolls, or 1,980 rolls (55 x 36 = 1,980). The following table shows the results of 1,980 rolls for a perfect distribution. Table 9-1. Pass Line Winners and Losers after 1,980 Rolls NUMBER ROLLED 7 11 2,3,12 4 5 6 8 9 10

# of TIMES ROLLED (OUT OF 1980 ROLLS) 330 110 220 165 220 275 275 220 165

# of WINNING ROLLS 330 110 0 55 88 125 125 88 55

# of LOSING ROLLS 0 0 220 110 132 150 150 132 110

TOTAL

1980

976

1004

For a basic understanding, let’s look at how we derive the numbers in the above table. Row #1 (the number 7): This row is for a 7 showing on the come-out roll. There are six ways out of 36 possible dice combinations to make a 7; therefore, 6 / 36 = 0.1666. 0.1666 x 1980 = 330. Therefore, a winning 7 on the come-out shows 330 times out of 1,980 rolls. Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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Row #2 (the number 11): This row is for an 11 showing on the come-out roll. There are two ways to make an 11; therefore, 2 / 36 = 0.0555 x 1980 = 110. Therefore, a winning 11 on the come-out shows 110 times out of 1,980 rolls. Row #3 (the numbers 2, 3, and 12): This row is for a craps showing on the come-out roll. There are four ways to make a 2, 3, or 12; therefore, 4 / 36 = 0.1111 x 1980 = 220. Therefore, a losing craps on the come-out shows 220 times out of 1,980 rolls. Row #4 (the number 4): This row is for winning and losing a Pass Line bet when the point is 4. There are three ways to make a 4; therefore, 3 / 36 = 0.0833 x 1980 = 165. When the point is 4, the true odds indicate there’s a 2:1 chance the shooter will 7-out. In other words, for every three rolls when the point is 4, the shooter will 7-out twice and hit the point once. Therefore, 165 / 3 = 55. Considering the 2:1 true odds when the point is 4, the shooter wins by hitting the point 55 times (i.e., 1 x 55 = 55), and loses with a 7-out 110 times (i.e., 2 x 55 = 110). 55 + 110 = 165. Row #5 (the number 5): This row is for winning and losing a Pass Line bet when the point is 5. There are four ways to make a 5; therefore, 4 / 36 = 0.1111 x 1980 = 220. When the point is 5, the true odds indicate there’s a 3:2 chance the shooter will 7-out. In other words, for every five rolls when the point is 5, the shooter will 7-out three times and hit the point twice. Therefore, 220 / 5 = 44. Considering the 3:2 true odds when the point is 5, the shooter wins by hitting the point 88 times (2 x 44 = 88), and loses with a 7-out 132 times (i.e., 3 x 44 = 132). 88 + 132 = 220. Row #6 (the number 6): This row is for winning and losing a Pass Line bet when the point is 6. There are five ways to make a 6; therefore, 5 / 36 = 0.1388 x 1980 = 275. When the point is 6, the true odds indicate there’s a 6:5 chance the shooter will 7-out. In other words, for every eleven rolls when the point is 6, the shooter will 7-out six times and hit the point five times. Therefore, 275 / 11 = 25. Considering the 6:5 true odds, when the point is 6, the shooter wins by hitting the point 125 times (5 x 25 = 125), and loses with a 7-out 150 times (i.e., 6 x 25 = 150). 125 + 150 = 275. Rows 7, 8, and 9 (for the numbers 8, 9, and 10): These rows are identical to their paired numbers (i.e., from Chapter 1, we know that 8 pairs with 6, 9 pairs with 5, and 10 pairs with 4). Therefore, from the table above, for an even-money Pass Line bet after 1,980 rolls in a perfect distribution, the player wins 976 times while the house wins 1,004 times (976 + 1,004 = 1,980). However, the Pass Line is an even-money bet and for a true evenmoney bet, we expect to win and lose an equal number of times (i.e., 990 wins and 990 losses; 990 + 990 = 1,980). Since the house has 28 more ways to win than the player (i.e., from the table above, 1004 - 976 = 28), we calculate the house advantage as 28 / 1980 = 0.01414, which is 1.4% expressed as a percentage. Therefore, the even-money Pass Line bet has a 1.4% house advantage over the player because the house pays only even-money casino odds instead of true odds.



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The house advantage is calculated similarly for all other bets. Results are summarized in Table 9-2, sorted from lowest-to-highest house advantage. “Good” means the bet is safe or a bet that you want to make because of the relatively low house advantage. “Maybe” means think twice about making the bet. “Bad” means you shouldn’t make the bet because of the relatively high house advantage. In the table below, all house advantages are rounded to two decimal places, and “HA” stands for House Advantage. Table 9-2. House Advantage for All Craps Bets BET Don’t Pass, Don’t Come (with single Odds) Pass Line, Come (with single Odds) Don’t Pass, Don’t Come Pass Line, Come Place 6 or 8 Buy 4 or 10 (pay vig on win) Lay 4 or 10 (pay vig on win) Buy 5 or 9 (pay vig on win) Lay 5 or 9 (pay vig on win) Buy 6 or 8 (pay vig on win) Lay 6 or 8 (pay vig on win) Lay 4 or 10 (pay vig up front) Field (triple for 12 or 2) Lay 5 or 9 (pay vig up front) Lay 6 or 8 (pay vig up front) Place 5 or 9

TRUE ODDS

CASINO ODDS

HA (%)

GOOD/BAD

1.03:1

1:1

0.69

Good

1.03:1

1:1

0.85

Good

1.03:1

1:1

1.40

Good

1.03:1 6:5

1:1 7:6

1.41 1.52

Good Good

2:1

2:1

1.64

Good

1:2

1:2

1.64

Good

3:2

3:2

1.96

Good

2:3

2:3

1.96

Good

6:5

6:5

2.22

Maybe

5:6

5:6

2.22

Maybe

1:2

1:2

2.44

Maybe

20:19

1:1 2:1 for 2 3:1 for 12

2.78

Maybe

2:3

2:3

3.23

Maybe

5:6

5:6

4.00

Maybe

3:2

7:5

4.00

Maybe



BET Buy 4 or 10 (pay vig up front) Buy 5 or 9 (pay vig up front) Buy 6 or 8 (pay vig up front)

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TRUE ODDS

CASINO ODDS

HA (%)

GOOD/BAD

2:1

2:1

4.76

Bad

3:2

3:2

4.76

Bad

6:5

6:5

4.76

Bad

5.55

Bad

6.67 9.09 9.09 11:10 11.10 11.10 11.10 11.10 12.50 13.33 13.89 13.89 16.67 16.67

Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad

Field (double for 2 and 12)

10:9

Place 4 or 10 Big 6 or Big 8 Hard 6 or Hard 8 Any Craps 3 or 11 C&E Hard 4 or Hard 10 Hop two ways Horn Whirl (World) 2 or 12 Hop one way Any 7 Over 7 or Under 7

2:1 6:5 10:1 8:1 17:1 15:3 8:1 17:1 20:4 10:5 35:1 35:1 5:1 21:15

1:1 2:1 for 2 and 12 9:5 1:1 9:1 7:1 15:1 13:3 7:1 15:1 17:4 8:5 30:1 30:1 4:1 1:1

It’s important to remember that whether a bet is deemed “good” or “bad” is based on many rolls over time. In the relatively short blip of time that you stand at the craps table on any particular day, you may experience a hiccup in the normal distribution where even the worst bets hit one right after the other. For example, suppose you walk up to the table and play your usual conservative game of only Pass Line with Odds. The table is cold as ice at that specific moment and 10 shooters in a row 7-out. The whole time you’re losing on the Pass Line, the drunken idiot next to you keeps hitting his $5 Field bet. In fact, he hits it 20 times in a row, of which eight hits were the 2 or 12 that paid double! You think, “Man, this guy is a genius. I need to start playing the Field.” You surrender to your emotion and drop a $5 chip in the Field. Sure enough, as soon as you bet it, the next roll is a 7 and the Field loses. That guy who continually plays the Field has certainly paid, or will pay, a big price for his short-lived wins. Too bad his temporary winning streak occurred while you were Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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at the table to see it. Too bad you allowed his dumb luck to entice you into joining the Dark Side. You can be sure that time is against him and he’ll most certainly lose. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but certainly over the next few days. Resist the Dark Side! Stick to what you know is right. Otherwise, you’ll soon be walking the Vegas Strip with your empty pockets turned inside out, looking for your wife to beg her for more money. Give yourself the best chance of winning by making bets with the lowest house advantage. Pass Line with Odds To reiterate, any bet that consistently hits at any specific moment can be considered the “best” bet at that particular time. However, the Pass Line with Odds (or Don’t Pass with Odds) is the best bet available over time, in terms of house advantage. Note in the table above that the Flat Pass Line bet has a 1.41% house advantage while the Pass Line with Single Odds has a much lower 0.85% house advantage (that’s less than 1%). I know what you’re thinking! I’m impressed that you observed this and wondered about it. You think, “Suppose you and I are at the table together. If I make only Flat Pass Line bets with no Odds, and you make the same Flat Pass Line bets but with single Odds, how can the house advantage for your bets be lower than my bets? It doesn’t make sense because the Odds bet is supposed to have neither a house nor player advantage over time. Therefore, won’t we be losing the same amount of money over time on the Flat bet?” Technically, yes. You’re starting to think like a craps player. That’s good! Over time and on average, both of us will lose 1.4 cents for each dollar we bet on the Flat Pass Line because of the built-in 1.41% house advantage. However, with my Single Odds bet in addition to my Flat bet, I’m betting more money without taking any additional risk. Remember, over time and on average, the Odds bet has neither a house nor player advantage. Therefore, although I have more money in play than you, I’m taking the same amount of risk as you. That means, by taking Odds, I lose a smaller percentage of my bankroll than you. The larger the Odds bet, the smaller the house advantage becomes. You can never eliminate the house advantage because of the Flat bet (you can’t make an Odds bet without first making a Flat bet), but you can chip away at it. Therefore, if you’re fortunate enough to have a big bankroll, you should always make the minimum Flat Pass Line bet allowed (or Flat Don’t Pass) with the maximum Odds allowed. For example, suppose you’re at a $5 table that allows 100x Odds. If you have a hefty bankroll, you should bet $5 on the Pass Line and take $500 in Odds. Or, if you prefer, bet $5 on the Don’t Pass and lay $1,000 in Odds. But who has that kind of money? Certainly not me and probably not you. Then what? If you don’t have that kind of bankroll (because your wife, like mine, won’t give you more than $100 for gambling every two or three hours), then you should search out the lowest table minimum and make at least double Odds bets (i.e., 2x Odds).



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If you’re on the Vegas Strip, take 20 minutes to visit several casinos in the immediate area and play at the one that offers the lowest table minimum and highest Odds allowed. Better yet, email or call the casinos before you even get to Vegas so you know exactly where to go as soon as you dump your suitcase in the room. If you play at my favorite Vegas Strip casino that still has $3 tables with 100x Odds, consider dropping $3 on the Pass Line with $10 in Odds if the point is 4, 5, 9, or 10; or $12 in Odds if the point is 6 or 8. This approach allows you to minimize your Flat bet and maximize your Odds bet, while keeping your limited bankroll under control. (Reminder: This approach is only the prerequisite to playing craps the right way. The secret is still yet to come!) Field You must know the Field’s house advantages before making this bet. The house edge is different depending on whether the 2 and 12 pay double, or one of them pays triple, or both pay triple. Suppose you play at a casino that offers 2:1 (double) for both the 2 and 12, which is what you’ll find in most casinos. In this case, the Field is a lousy bet. Regardless of what other players at the table tell you, and regardless of what you read in online articles, and regardless of anything you hear or read from any other source, the Field bet with 2:1 odds for the 2 and 12 is a bad bet. Say it out loud, “The Field that pays double for the 2 and 12 is a lousy bet.” In this case, the Field has a big 5.5% house advantage. But most people don’t realize that and, time after time, you see them plopping their chips down on the Field. What makes the Field so attractive to those brain-dead robots that keep playing it? The Field is easy to see on the layout, the letters and numbers are big and pretty, it’s easy to drop your money (you don’t have to reach far), and you can do it yourself without bothering the dealer--it just looks and feels like a nice bet. However, the beautiful thing about this bet (from the casino’s viewpoint) is that it gives the illusion that there are more ways to win than lose. The Field wins if a 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12 shows, which means there are seven different numbers that can win. The field loses if a 5, 6, 7, or 8 shows, which means there are only four different numbers that can lose. Certainly, seven winning numbers compared to only four losing numbers is a great deal for the player. Right? Wrong! That’s entirely the wrong way to view it. You must consider the number of ways to make each of those numbers, not the numbers themselves. Let’s do the math.



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For the winning numbers: WAYS TO MAKE IT 2 1 3 2 4 3 9 4 10 3 11 2 12 1 Total ways to win

NUMBER

CUMULATIVE WAYS TO WIN 1 3 6 10 13 15 16 16

As you can see, there are 16 ways to win a Field bet. For the losing numbers: WAYS TO MAKE IT 5 4 6 5 7 6 8 5 Total ways to lose

NUMBER

CUMULATIVE WAYS TO LOSE 4 9 15 20 20

As you can see, there are 20 ways to lose a Field bet. Therefore, with 36 possible combinations for a two-dice roll, the Field bet has 16 ways to win and 20 ways to lose (in terms of the player). Because all the numbers except 2 and 12 pay even money (i.e., 1:1), you basically get even money for a bet that has more ways for you to lose than win. Even with the 2 and 12 paying double, the house edge is still about 5.5%. If you can find a table that pays double for the 2 and triple for the 12, then the house edge is reduced to only about 2.8%. This configuration makes the Field bet more attractive to the player. Note that it doesn’t matter which number pays triple (i.e., the 2 or 12) because both only have one way to make them (i.e., the odds don’t change regardless of whether the casino offers triple for the 2 or the 12).



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If you’re really lucky to find a table that offers triple for both the 2 and 12, then the Field is a dream come true. When the Field pays triple for both the 2 and 12, the bet becomes a zero expectation bet, which means the house has no advantage. That’s right, no house advantage. But don’t get too excited. As we know, the house isn’t in business to gamble; it’s in business to make money. So, you only find a Field that pays triple for both the 2 and 12 in special cases where the casino is trying to attract new customers, such as running a short-lived promotion. Most casinos never offer it for any reason. Remember, they’re in business to make money, not gamble. You’re the gambler, not the casino. When you see the Field offering double for the 2 and 12, avoid it. No matter how much money the guy next to you is winning on the Field, don’t do it. No matter how many times the guy says, “Man, you need to get on that Field,” don’t do it. If you a develop a habit for playing the Field where the 2 and 12 pay double, you’re going to lose big time over the long haul. Don’t allow yourself the opportunity to develop a habit of betting the Field. Just don’t do it. Big 6 and Big 8 The Big 6 or Big 8 is an even-money bet, or 1:1. Therefore, you can bet any amount as long as it’s at least the table minimum. Based on what we now know about true odds and casino odds, is this a good bet? You’re right again! It’s not a good bet-most of the time. In fact, most of the time, it’s a stupid bet and shows that the player doesn’t have a clue what he’s doing. Let’s do the math. Suppose you make a $6 bet on the Big 6. Like a Place bet, you hope a 6 shows before a 7. We know there are more ways to make a 7 and lose than ways to make a 6 and win, so we expect compensation (i.e., odds) for taking that added risk. If we expect odds for a bet on the 6 against the 7, why would we accept even money when we don’t have to? We shouldn’t. Suppose your $6 Big 6 bet wins. You win $6 because it’s an even-money bet. However, if you Place the 6 for $6 and win, you win $7 (7:6 odds). It’s clear that, for $6 action on the 6, it’s better to win $7 on a Place bet than only $6 on a Big 6 bet. Now, suppose you make an $18 Big 6 bet and win. You win $18 (even money). However, if you Place the 6 for $18, you win $21 (7:6 odds). Obviously, as your Big 6/8 bet amount increases, the winning amount you give up by making Big 6/8 bets instead of Place bets also increases. Therefore, the Big 6/8 are generally stupid bets and you should avoid them--most of the time. Suppose you get off work and have an hour to kill, so you stop at your favorite local casino to play some craps and drink a couple free beers (players generally drink for free while gambling). You walk up to a $3 table, drop $20, and say, “All ones, please.” For a $3 table, the minimum Big 6/8 bet is only $3. If you have a limited bankroll (as in this example), although you must accept a whopping 9% house advantage, it’s easier to stomach that whopper when you know and understand you’re there for a few minutes of fun and free beer, not to win.



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Remember, never make a Big 6/8 bet for more than $3. Instead, if you want more than $3 action on the 6 or 8, always Place it to take advantage of the 7:6 Place odds. Buy and Lay Bets The Buy bet (and its cousin, the Lay) may be considered “good” or “bad” depending on whether you pay the vig up front or after a win. Let’s look at Buying the 4 or 10. The house advantage is a reasonable 1.64% if you pay the vig after a win, but jumps to an unreasonable 4.76% if you pay it up front. Note that, although Buying the 4 or 10 with an up-front vig has a 4.76% house advantage, it’s still better than Placing the 4 or 10, which has a 6.67% house advantage. Suppose we Buy the 4 for $100. For Buy bets, we must pay a 5% tax, or vigorish, for the privilege of getting true odds. Suppose we have to pay the vig up front, which means we pay the 5% vig at the time we make the bet. So, you drop a $100 chip in the Come box and tell the dealer, “Buy the four, please.” The dealer responds, “Drop me another nickel for the vig.” You then drop a $5 chip as payment to get true odds. Suppose the shooter rolls a 7-out on the next roll. You lose your $100 Buy bet, so your total loss for that bet is $105 (i.e., $100 for the bet and $5 for the up-front vig). Now, suppose we Buy the 4 for $100 but we don’t have to pay the vig unless we win. So, you drop a $100 chip and tell the dealer to Buy the 4. The shooter then rolls a 7-out and you lose your Buy bet. Since you didn’t win, you don’t have to pay a vig, which means your total loss for this bet is $100. If the shooter rolls a 4 before a 7, your Buy bet wins and the dealer pays you $200 (i.e., 2:1 true odds), but then asks you to drop a $5 chip for the 5% vig. It’s clear that paying the vig up front greatly increases the house advantage. Therefore, I suggest that, if you’re in a town with several casinos, find one that requires the vig after a win. Personally, if I have a choice of where to play and a casino makes me pay the vig up front, I immediately turn around, walk out, and go to the casino next door. But if that casino is the only game in town, you must suck it up and accept the fact that they’re screwing you to the max. All Other Bets It’s easy to see whether the other bets are good or bad by simply using Table 9-2 to compare their true odds to casino odds. I categorize “good” bets as having a 2% or less house advantage, “maybe” bets as having a 2-to-4% house edge, and “bad” bets as having a house edge greater than 4%. Hedge Bets “Hedging” is making one bet to “protect” another. You’ll frequently see players make a $5 (or $10) Pass Line bet and then hedge it with a $1 Any Craps bet. If the shooter rolls anything but a craps on the come-out roll, the Any Craps bet loses (but it’s only $1, so it’s not too painful). If the shooter rolls a craps on the come-out, the $5 Pass Line loses, but the $1 Any Craps wins. The casino odds for Any Craps is 7:1, so the



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player wins $7. The player believes that the $1 Any Craps bet “protects” the $5 Pass Line bet from losing on the come-out roll. Another less-common hedge bet is using a $1 Hard 6 or 8 to help protect the player’s Don’t Pass with Odds. For example, suppose you make a $5 Don’t Pass bet, the point is 8, and you then lay $12 in Odds against the point. You then make a $2 Hard 8 bet to essentially take away one of the ways you can lose the Don’t Pass. If the shooter makes her point by rolling 8 the Hardway (i.e., 4-4), your Don’t Pass with Odds lose. However, in this example, the shooter made her point by rolling 8 the Hardway, so your $2 Hard 8 bet wins. Casino odds for the Hard 8 are 9:1, so you win $18. Therefore, your $17 Don’t Pass with Odds bets lose but you’re “protected” because your Hard 8 bet wins $18. The bad news about this hedge bet is that, if the shooter makes her point the easy way (i.e., 62, 2-6, 5-3, or 3-5), then you lose both your Don’t Pass and Hard 8 bets. Hedging sounds fairly smart, right? In the short-term, maybe. In the long-term, definitely not. If you hit a 20-minute stretch of time where the distribution goes crazy and every other roll produces a 2, 3, or 12, then maybe a $1 Any Craps is a good hedge to protect your Pass Line bet. Maybe. If it works and you win a few Any Craps bets, then the table will think you’re a genius. But in the long-term, you’ll lose. The crazy variance in the distribution that shows a 2, 3, or 12 every other roll won’t last long. Therefore, if you consistently hedge your bets, you’ll lose over time. Why? Remember, for the player, craps is a negative expectation game. Everything on the table (except the true odds bet) is a negative for the player. No possible combination of negative-expectation bets exists that yields a positive expectation. In other words, you can’t mix two or more negative-expectation bets into something that’s in your favor. It’s important to understand that concept. Using a bad bet (e.g., Any Craps, Hardway) to hedge a good bet (e.g., Pass Line, Don’t Pass) only makes the good bet worse. If you can’t control the urge to use hedges, then do it carefully. You think, “What difference does it make? It’s only a buck. A measly buck is worth it to protect my $5 Pass Line.” That kind of thinking will take you straight to the poor house. Those measly $1 chips quickly add up over a few hours of play. Before you know it, you’ve pissed away $50 on hedge bets and you’re scratching your head wondering where your money went.


The Secret to Craps: The Right Way to Play Chapter 10: The Secret to Craps

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Chapter 10 The Secret to Craps If the casino has such an advantage, why on Earth does anyone play the game? My guess is that most people don’t have a clue they’re playing a losing game. Others are so arrogant they think they can outplay the casino and turn a negative expectation into a positive, even over the long-term. Others know they’ll lose, but play anyway for fun and excitement. As a knowledgeable player, why should you even bother playing a game you know will beat you? As a knowledgeable player, is there any hope you can walk away a winner, at least once in a while, even though you’re at a statistical disadvantage? Craps is a game of numbers and statistics, with the house having a built-in advantage. Since craps is based on statistics, let’s find a way to use statistics to our advantage. You’ll never beat the casino over the long haul, but you can, indeed, beat it in the moments of time when the distribution hiccups and things go your way. Let’s talk about “variance,” which is the average squared deviation of each number from the mean of a data set. Huh? Don’t worry; we don’t need a Harvard math degree to understand this. It’s a measure of how spread out the data is. Let’s consider the coin-flip example we discussed earlier. Suppose we flip a coin 10,000 times. We expect heads to appear about 5,000 times and tails to appear about 5,000 times. Suppose we bet $1 on heads for each flip. If these are even-money bets, we expect to break even--or close to it--after those 10,000 flips. As illustrated earlier in the coin-flip example, the house doesn’t give us even money when they lose. Instead of paying us $1 for each loss, suppose they pay us only $0.96. With this built-in house advantage, our negative expectation is to lose about $200 after 10,000 flips. Here’s the math. If we expect about 5,000 heads and about 5,000 tails to appear, then we expect to lose 5000 x $1 = $5000; and win 5000 x $0.96 = $4800. $5000 - $4800 = $200. Now, of those 10,000 flips, suppose we focus on only 30 of them, and we continue betting on heads. Of those 30 flips, we might see heads 25 times and tails only 5 times. This data fluctuation shows that, for a limited number of flips over a short period of time, we can get lucky and experience Nirvana where things go our way. I call it a “Nirvana hiccup” in the distribution that causes a relatively high variance. In this example of only 30 flips, we win $24 for the 25 heads (i.e., 25 x $0.96 = $24), and lose $5 for the 5 tails (i.e., 5 x $1 = $5), which gives us a net win of $19. This short-term variance temporarily removes the long-term negative expectation, which means there are, indeed, times when we can walk away a winner. Although you’ll lose in the long-term, there are times when you’ll win because of variance. Suppose you take a three-day vacation in Vegas once a year and play four Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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one-hour craps sessions each day (i.e., a total of 12 hours for the trip). You could conceivably get extremely lucky and hit that Nirvana hiccup during each session, and then go home a big winner. In that case, you go home thinking you’re a genius, a craps god, invincible, a world-class gambling stud. Yeah, sure, okay. I don’t recommend quitting your day job. Now, suppose you’re a Vegas local who plays an hour every day after work. In this case, it’s clear that whatever few Nirvana hiccups you experience will be properly adjusted over time such that you’ll lose your shirt in the long-term. Therefore, the infrequent craps player can, indeed, consistently win if she’s lucky enough to hit those Nirvana hiccups. However, the frequent long-term player has no chance of coming out a winner at the end of his craps life. The secret. Have you figured it out yet? The Secret to Craps The secret to craps is being at the table when those Nirvana hiccups occur and then taking full advantage of them. Easier said than done. How do you time it just right to be there when those hiccups hit? You think, “It’s impossible to know when the dice are going to show a high variance in the player’s favor. Your secret is as much B.S. as the guy trying to sell me a seminar on dice setting.” Wait a second; give me a chance to explain. You’re right; you never know when a Nirvana hiccup will occur. That’s why you must manage your money to endure the losses so you’re at the table when heaven appears. You think, “Oh, great, here comes yet another twist on the money-management theory.” Well, sort of. The difference between what you’ve probably read in other material and what you’ll read here is that I offer more than simply, “Set win and loss limits, and don’t lose all your money in one session.” Unless you’re an experienced craps player, that’s useless advice without an explanation of how to do it in a way that maximizes your fun and minimizes your losses. So, the secret to craps isn’t simply the terse statement, “...be at the table for the Nirvana hiccups.” The secret also includes a detailed explanation of a proven method that combines smart play (allowing you to survive long enough to be there when Nirvana finally occurs) with lots of fun and excitement. After countless hours of play and trying every system out there, I know that the approach I use is the optimal mix of smart play, money management, and betting action that gives you the best chance of surviving to be around for the once-in-a-blue-moon hot roll. Remember, part of the equation is “betting action.” Without that variable, craps is just another boring game that you’ll eventually lose. Technically, the smartest thing you can do at a craps table is play only Pass/Don’t Pass with Odds because that allows you to play with the lowest house advantage. However, do you know how boring that is? A shooter may roll number after number,



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never hitting the point or a 7. You stand there, lean on the rail, ready to fall asleep waiting for something to happen. What kind of fun is that? So, betting action is an important part of the equation. Let’s be honest; you’re not going to make a living playing craps. You go to Vegas for fun and excitement. If you go expecting to hit it big, you’re a fool. Without enough betting action, you greatly minimize that fun and excitement, which defeats the whole reason for going on vacation to Vegas in the first place. The trick is to find the optimal mix of smart play, money management, and betting action that gives you best chance of surviving at the table and the most fun and excitement. You think, “Your secret isn’t much of a secret. Seems kind of obvious to me.” I agree that it does, indeed, seem terribly obvious. But apparently it isn’t. In fact, I know it isn’t. Sadly, few people understand this concept. I’ve seen it many times (and so will you after a few hours of playing time). A player walks up to the table, gets $200 in chips, and then says, “Sixty-four across including the point. Give me a Horn High Yo and all the Hardways for a nickel each.” (That is, he Places the 4, 5, 9, and 10 each for $10; he Places the 6 and 8 each for $12; he wants a $4 Horn with $2 on the 11; and he wants the Hard 4, 6, 8, and 10 each for $5.) Wow! This guy sounds cool. He must really know what he’s doing. The babe who was flirting with you now shifts her attention to the cool guy. The guy then says, “Okay, boys, I feel lucky tonight. Come on, shooter, make me some money.” The shooter flashes a quick smile, picks up the dice, and rolls a 7. Game over. The guy just lost half his buy-in. Fifteen minutes later, he loses the rest of his money and leaves the table disgusted with everyone for being such lousy shooters. His losses weren’t his fault; they never are. It’s always the lousy shooters’ fault. The babe rolls her eyes at the loser, and then picks up where she left off with you. They keep coming, arriving full of vigor and enthusiasm. Less than 30 minutes later, they leave miserable and disgusted. One after the other, they keep coming and going. All the while, you’re planted firmly in your spot at the end of the table next to the dealer. By now, you know all the dealers’ names. You know their favorite sports teams, their wives’ and girlfriends’ names, and their golf handicaps. You’re a rock, there to stay. You can’t be a rock if you play off-the-cuff willy-nilly making stupid bets. That’s what most people do. They either try to impress everybody with big bets and a bunch of craps lingo, or they don’t know anything about the game and simply imitate other losers. Remember the James Bond movie where he walks up to the craps table and spews out all kinds of craps jargon? He sounds so slick, but he makes just about every bad bet possible; then he gets lucky and wins. That’s Hollywood, not reality. If you play like that, you’ll lose in a heartbeat. So, what’s the secret? What’s the right way to play that’s smart yet provides lots of fun and excitement?



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The Optimal Approach for Fun and Survival I think I’ve tried every system ever recorded on paper, parchment, animal skin, or on the Internet, including several that I dreamed up myself. The approach I’m about to describe has consistently proven to lose me less money over longer periods of time than anything else I’ve tried. Note that I said, “...lose less over longer periods of time.” I won’t spread sunshine up your ass by saying you can quit your job and win millions using this approach. The fact is that no system is a guaranteed winner. If anyone says they have a winning system, then he’s full of crap and you should immediately tune him out. I’ll talk more about systems in a later chapter. It’s critical for you to understand that craps is a losing game for the player over the long haul. The secret is to lose as little as possible while waiting for the Nirvana hiccup, but to maximize your fun and excitement. A cardinal rule that you must never break is that you must never gamble with more than you can afford to lose. If you lose all your gambling money before it’s time to go home, you must always have the discipline to avoid the ATM machine. If you lose your entire allotment for a particular playing session, you must never “dig” into your wallet to steal a few dollars from the next session’s allotment. You must have discipline. You must never surrender to temptation. At appropriate times throughout this chapter, I’ll repeat that rule for emphasis. 1. Attitude If you gamble, chances are you’ll lose. No ifs, ands, or buts. You must understand and accept that fact. How do you think the Vegas casinos paid for all their fancy stuff? Of course! By taking money from all the millions of losers who flock to Vegas each year. You must treat craps as just another form of entertainment. Instead of paying $200 for a nice dinner and show, you pay $200 for a few hours of fun and excitement at the craps table. If you get lucky and walk away with some of your $200 still in your pocket, then that’s icing on the cake. You must never walk up to a craps table expecting to win. You can be positive, have discipline, play smart, and hope to win, but you must not expect to win. No matter how hard you hope, you must always keep in the back of mind that the game is designed for you to lose. Don’t take it so seriously that it’s no longer fun. If you happen to walk away having won a few bucks, then your vacation was that much sweeter. I don’t believe in all the psycho-babble mumbo-jumbo about how positive expectations can affect the outcome of your play. None of that mojo is going to make the dice land any differently than how they want to land. Yes, it’s important to maintain discipline, play smart, and be positive, but you must remain in reality. Reality is that the game is designed to beat you, no matter how hard you wish or expect to win. Any mind meld that you hope to make with the dice through positive mojo isn’t going to help. The



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reason for maintaining a positive attitude isn’t to affect the outcome of your play; it’s to help ensure you have fun. Have discipline, play smart, and most importantly have fun. Otherwise, you’ll ruin your vacation by getting mad because you couldn’t beat a game that you were never supposed to beat. 2. Plan Let’s assume you’re an average Joe (or Jane) who makes an average salary and you’re going to Vegas for a four-night gambling vacation (no kids, no sight-seeing, minimal shopping). Try to plan your trip to get some idea of how long you’d like to spend playing craps. Your plan doesn’t have to be firmly set in concrete, but you need some idea of how much gambling you’ll do to get some idea of how much money you’ll need. For example, suppose you arrive at noon on Sunday and depart at 7:00am on Thursday. Your plan might look something like in Table 10-1. (Note that activities can be done with or without your spouse!) Your plan can be more or less detailed, but the point is that you must do some level of planning. Table 10-1. Basic Vegas Vacation Plan DAY and TIME Sunday, 2:00-4:00pm Sunday, 4:00-5:00pm Sunday, 5:00-7:00pm Sunday, 7:00-11:00pm Sunday, 11:00pm-1:00am Monday, 10:00am-Noon Monday, Noon-1:00pm Monday, 1:00-4:00pm Monday, 4:00-5:00pm Monday, 5:00-7:00pm Monday, 7:00-10:00pm Monday, 10:00pm-1:00am Tuesday, 10:00am-Noon Tuesday, Noon-1:00pm Tuesday, 1:00-4:00pm Tuesday, 4:00-5:00pm Tuesday, 5:00-7:00pm Tuesday, 7:00-9:00pm Tuesday, late night Wednesday, Noon-2:00pm Wednesday, 2:00-5:00pm Wednesday, 5:00-7:00pm

ACTIVITY Craps Slots Dinner Poker Slots Craps Lunch Poker Craps Dinner Go to a Show Craps Craps Lunch Poker Slots Dinner Craps Dancing (w/spouse) Craps Shopping (w/spouse) Dinner



DAY and TIME Wednesday, 7:00-10:00pm Wednesday, 10:00pm-2:00am Thursday, 5:30am

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ACTIVITY Poker Craps Go to Airport

It’s emphasized that this plan is highly flexible and will change because of many influences, such as whether you win or lose during a particular gambling session. Remember, this is simply a starting point that allows you to estimate how much gambling money you should bring. If you don’t have the discipline to make such a plan, then you have no chance of maintaining the discipline necessary to be a successful craps player. (In terms of craps, “success” is measured by how little you lose and how much fun you have; not by how much you win.) 3. Budget Using your plan, estimate the amount of gambling money you need. This estimate must be based on the table limits you plan to play. I prefer to play at $3 tables, but oftentimes you won’t find anything less than $5 minimums. Most Vegas Strip casinos have $5 and $10 minimums, but a few $3 tables are still around. Also, Downtown Fremont Street still has a few. Don’t forget the off-Strip casinos, too; several of which have $3 tables that offer good odds. Let’s assume you do your homework--as a good craps player would do--and decide to play at my favorite Vegas Strip casino that has $3 tables. Good choice! It’s not the fanciest place in town, but it’s on the Strip, it’s comfortable, the dealers are friendly, and most importantly it has $3 tables that offer the highest odds in town. (By the way, if you’re a novice craps player, it’s better to learn on a $3 table than a $5 table because it’s easier to stomach a $3 mistake than a $5 mistake.) A rule of thumb that I always use is to buy-in for $100 per two-hour-or-less session. If a session is planned for more than two hours, then I add $50 for each additional hour. I’ve found that this amount is large enough to endure a few cold streaks, yet small enough so my total craps play for the trip doesn’t cost me a fortune. Using this rule of thumb, let’s create Table 10-2 with a new column to identify how much craps money I need for each session. We’ll focus on only the craps sessions, but when you do your planning, don’t forget to estimate how much to bring for whatever other games you want to play.



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Table 10-2. Amount of Gambling Money to Bring DAY and TIME ACTIVITY Sunday, 2:00-4:00pm Craps Sunday, 4:00-5:00pm Slots Sunday, 5:00-7:00pm Dinner Sunday, 7:00-11:00pm Poker Sunday, 11:00pm-1:00am Slots Monday, 10:00am-Noon Craps Monday, Noon-1:00pm Lunch Monday, 1:00-4:00pm Poker Monday, 4:00-5:00pm Craps Monday, 5:00-7:00pm Dinner Monday, 7:00-10:00pm Go to a Show Monday, 10:00pm-1:00am Craps Tuesday, 10:00am-Noon Craps Tuesday, Noon-1:00pm Lunch Tuesday, 1:00-4:00pm Poker Tuesday, 4:00-5:00pm Slots Tuesday, 5:00-7:00pm Dinner Tuesday, 7:00-9:00pm Craps Tuesday, late night Go Dancing Wednesday, Noon-2:00pm Craps Wednesday, 2:00-5:00pm Shopping Wednesday, 5:00-7:00pm Dinner Wednesday, 7:00-10:00pm Poker Wednesday, 10:00pm-2:00am Craps Thursday, 5:30am Go to Airport Total for craps for the entire trip =

$ NEEDED $100

$100

$100

$150 $100

$100 $100

$200 $950

It adds up fast! For this trip, based on the frequency I plan to play (i.e., eight sessions) and the table limits I plan to play (i.e., at a $3 table), I must bring at least $950 for craps (this is for craps only, and doesn’t include money for any other gambling). If that’s how much time you plan to play, then that’s how much money you should bring. You should not assume you’ll win or break even in an early session to sustain your play in a subsequent session. Instead, you should assume that you’ll lose your entire allotment for each session. Yes, that’s right. For purposes of determining how much money to bring for craps, you must assume you’ll lose everything. This ensures you don’t go broke before it’s time to go home. For example, suppose you plan to play eight twohour sessions, and instead of bringing $800 (i.e., 8 sessions x $100 per session = $800), Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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you bring only $400. What happens if your first four sessions are ice cold and you lose everything? What are you going to do the rest of your time in Vegas? There’s nothing worse than being broke in Vegas. Trust me, it sucks walking the Strip with empty pockets. Remember: You must never gamble with more than you can afford to lose. If you lose all your gambling money before it’s time to go home, you must always have the discipline to avoid the ATM machine. You probably won’t lose your entire allotment for each session, but for planning purposes, you should always assume you will. For example, you might lose $50 after session #1, lose $15 after session #2, win $25 after session #3, lose $90 after session #4, win $80 after session #5, etc. What should you do with the leftover money after each session, if there is any? Your first option is to lock it up in your wallet and not touch it for the remainder of your trip. You can even consider any leftover money as winnings. For example, suppose your first session results in a $75 loss, which means you cash out for $25. Put that $25 away and consider it a win! Look at it this way. You paid $100 for that morning’s fun and entertainment, but then you got a $25 rebate at the end. It’s like you won $25. (Well, as I said, this is one way to stay positive and enjoy your vacation.) Your other option is to apply the leftover money to subsequent sessions. Although you always play smart and maintain your discipline and positive attitude, you decide that you’re on vacation and you don’t care if you lose everything. For example, suppose your second session results in only a $10 loss, which means you cash out for $90. You can divide that $90 among your remaining sessions however you want. Blow it all on the next session and buy-in for $190 instead of just $100. Or divide it equally among all remaining sessions. It’s up to you. Do it however you think will result in the most fun. 4. Bet, Be Patient, and Enjoy Finally, we get to the heart of this whole book. You think, “How do you bet to minimize your losses so you can be around to win big during a Nirvana hiccup, while at the same time have enough betting action to make it fun?” To reiterate, after trying lots of different systems, I’ve found that the following approach allows me to lose less money over longer periods of time, which gives me a better chance of being at the table when a hot roll appears. The object is not to win every session. That won’t happen, so don’t expect it. Instead, the object is to minimize your losses for each session while waiting for the hot roll, and to enjoy it, have fun with it. Then, when that incredible hot roll does come, it’ll likely make up for all your losses. For example, suppose you play four sessions for a total loss of $200. After your afternoon stroll up and down the Strip with your wife, you start your next session. Still a rock. Still maintaining your discipline, smart play, and positive attitude. After two hours,



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you’re down to the last $30 of your buy-in. It’s getting close to dinner time. Your wife walks up and puts her arm around you. “How’s it going, Honey?” she asks. Like that knucklehead Clark Griswold in the movie Vegas Vacation, you respond, “I’m about even.” The shooter rolls another 7-out. Good grief. “Ready for dinner?” she asks. “Yeah, just one more shooter, then we’ll go.” The shooter rolls and establishes 4 as the point. You turn to your wife and say, “This won’t take long. The way things have been going, no way he’ll make a four.” She smiles. You catch her glancing down at your pitiful chip stack. Her smile turns to a frown. The shooter rolls a 4. Woohoo! The first point made in a half an hour. You collect your winnings. The shooter is on fire hitting point after point, rolling number after number. Your bets are pressed up so high you’ve gone beyond those pathetic red ($5) and green ($25) chips. The dealer is using black ($100) chips for your bets. Woohoo! This is heaven, baby! Everyone’s screaming, laughing, clapping, and jumping up and down. You catch your wife glancing down at your chip stack again, this time with a big smile. Finally, the shooter rolls a 7-out. Game over. You count your chips and realize that you won $550. Woohoo! That makes up for your earlier losses and will probably make up for subsequent losses you’ll incur during the remainder of your trip. At this rate, you might break even for your whole four-day vacation. Woohoo! After coloring up, you try to sneak the black chips into your pocket before your wife realizes what’s going on. Too late. “Great job, Honey!” she says. “Now we can go to that fancy restaurant up the street. You can get a ribeye and I might try the salmon.” Good grief. There goes a quick $250 on food, wine, and tip. Oh, well, at least your wife will be happy. That’s the scenario you should hope for. You’ll probably lose a few hundred dollars over several sessions, but if you can hang around long enough for a hot roll, the winnings from that one roll might make up for all your losses. You think, “Enough already. Just tell me how to do it!” Okay, relax! I’ll briefly explain my approach and then illustrate it in a scenario. Assume I play at a $3 table and my buy-in is $100. Ready? Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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Step 1: Make a $3 Pass Line bet and take double Odds. This keeps the house advantage well under 1% (i.e., 0.6%), which means the house barely has an edge on you. Step 2a (if the point is 4, 5, 9, or 10): After the point is established, Place both the 6 and 8 for $6 each. Now, three different numbers are winners for you so root for the point, the 6, or the 8 to hit. The Place bets add extra betting action that greatly increases your fun and excitement. Notice that these two initial Place bets are on the two numbers that have the lowest house advantage for Place bets, and they have the greatest numbers of ways to make them (i.e., five ways to make the 6, and five ways to make the 8; therefore, 10 ways out of 36 for you to hit one of those Place bets). This puts $21 in play for this game (i.e., $3 Pass Line with $6 in Odds and two $6 Place bets), which means you have to lose five games without hitting anything before losing your entire $100 allotment for this session. That’s unlikely. Possible, but unlikely. Step 2b (if the point is 6 or 8): If the point is 6, then Place the 8 for $6. If the point is 8, then Place the 6 for $6. This puts a total of $14 in play (i.e., $3 Pass Line with $5 in Odds, and a $6 Place bet). Don’t make any other bets. Be patient and wait for your numbers to hit. Notice that you make good, smart bets that have some of the lowest house advantages. Also, your Place bets increase your action, so each roll is more fun and exciting than if you had made only Pass Line with Odds bets. If the shooter rolls the point, pick up your Pass Line winnings and then make another $3 Pass Line bet. Leave your Place bets on the table (remember, they’re automatically off on the come-out roll of a new game). Step 3: The first time any of your Place bets hit, put the winnings in your chip stack (i.e., don’t press or increase the Place bet). Step 4: As your Place bets continue hitting, use the winnings to Place the remaining inside numbers until you have them all covered either with the Pass Line or Place bets. (The inside numbers are 5, 6, 8, and 9.) For example, if the point is 6, your Pass Line bet covers the 6 and your Place bet that you made in Step 2b covers the 8; therefore, as your Place bet hits, cover the remaining inside numbers, which are 5 and 9. This intermediate objective is to cover the inside numbers with the Pass Line and/or Place bets. This won’t occur often because, most of the time, the shooter rolls a 7-out before you cover all the inside numbers. If the shooter makes the point, leave all your Place bets on the table and continue with Step 4 after a new point is established. Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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Again, you won’t get this far very often. Be patient and disciplined. Get to know the dealers or your playing partners. Have fun. Step 5: After all the inside number are covered, it’s time to take profit. The next time one of your Place bets hit, put the winnings in your chip stack. Step 6: As your Place bets continue hitting, use the winnings to cover the 4 and 10 with Place bets. Your second objective is to cover all the numbers (i.e., 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10) with the Pass Line and Place bets. This occurs only a few times during your entire two-hour session, so don’t expect to see it every other game. Now, it starts to get really exciting. Stop talking to the hot hooker next to you. Now’s not the time to fantasize. Besides, your wife may come in at any moment. (Wives a mile away can smell when their husbands are about to make major moolah.) Step 7: As your Place bets continue hitting, alternate between taking the winnings and pressing the bet. I call this my “press mode.” I tell the dealer, “We’re in press mode now, baby!” By now, the hot babe next to me spilling out of her halter top is invisible. All my attention is focused on the game. “Press” means to double the bet. For example, suppose your $6 Place bet on the 8 hits. Tell the dealer, “Press it.” Because the casino odds for a Place 8 are 7:6, your $6 bet wins $7. The dealer puts a $1 chip in the apron in front of you and puts the remaining $6 on your Place 8 to double it to $12. Pick up the $1 chip and put it in your chip stack. Notice that the dealer maintains your Place 8 bet at a multiple of $6 so you’ll continue getting the full casino odds of 7:6. For example, now if your $12 Place 8 hits, you win $14. As long as the shooter rolls numbers, keep alternating between pressing and taking profit. Both the size of your chip stack and the size of your Place bets will grow. As your Place 4, 5, 9, and 10 grow to the appropriate amounts, don’t forget to change them from Place bets to Buy bets. For example, if your $5 Place 4 wins and it’s time to press it up to $10, tell the dealer, “Buy the four, please.” The dealer splits your $9 winnings by putting $4 in the apron in front of you, and the remaining $5 on your Place 4, which brings the total amount on your 4 up to $10. He moves your chips from the Place position in the point box to the Buy position, and puts a BUY button on top of them. Now, if the number 4 hits again, you win $19 (i.e., $20 for the 2:1 bet, minus a $1 vig) instead of only $18 if it had remained a Place bet. Remember, some casinos won’t let you Buy the 4 and 10 for less than $20. In that case, simply press your Place bet until you get it to $20 and then Buy it.



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If it’s a true hot roll, you’ll soon have green and black chips in your chip stack, and your Place/Buy bets will be pressed up to $50, $75, and even $100 each. Think of that! Every time your $100 Buy 4 hits, you win $200 (minus a $5 vig). Woohoo! Settle down. Don’t get too excited. This doesn’t happen very often during the relatively short time that you’re at the table. As noted earlier, you’ll probably lose most sessions. If you’re lucky enough to get to Press Mode in Step 7, the shooter usually then rolls a 7-out and you lose everything. When that happens, you have to start over at Step 1. Occasionally, there’s a roll where you press some Place bets a few times before a 7-out. Those are the times that help replenish your chip stack for the next several losing rolls. You think, “If you can’t tell when a good roll is coming, why not just bet $3 on the Pass Line with $50 in Odds, and Place the 6 and 8 for $24 each. Then, if they hit a couple of times, you make $50, $75, or even $100 dollars.” That sounds exactly like my brother. He has no patience at all. I hate it when he says, “Just put fifty dollars in Odds so we can get out of here. If we win, we win big. If we lose, we can go do something else.” I respond, “Go do what? I’ve seen that damn sinking ship a hundred times! Shut up and let me play my own game!” The obvious danger is that, after putting $100 in play in one game, the shooter can immediately roll a 7-out and you lose your entire allotment for that session. In less than a minute, you lose $100. Now what? Reminder: You must never gamble with more than you can afford to lose. If you lose your entire allotment for a particular playing session, you must never “dig” into your wallet to steal a few dollars from the next session’s allotment. Using my brother’s philosophy, you could win or lose a lot quickly. If you’re willing to take that chance, and if you have something else to do for a couple hours if you lose, then go for it. But you’ve defeated your purpose for going to Vegas. You went to have fun gambling. If you lose all your money literally in one minute, you’re stuck in Vegas with empty pockets and nothing to do but watch the water fountains and volcano. They get really old after seeing them five or six times. The smart, disciplined approach allows you to lose less over a longer period of time, while still having enough betting action to keep it fun. It allows you to be at the table longer; thereby, increasing your chance of hitting the Nirvana hiccup. Let’s look at a hot-roll scenario so everything about this approach is clear. Remember, if the shooter rolls a 7-out, you lose your bets and must start over at Step 1 in the process. 1. A new game is about to start. Make a $3 Pass Line bet. The shooter rolls a 5, so the point is 5.



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2. Take double Odds on the point, which in this case is $6. Then, put $12 in the Come box and tell the dealer, “Place the six and eight, please.” Remember, the Place odds for the 6 and 8 are 7:6, which means your bets should be in $6 multiples. The dealer splits your $12 and puts $6 on the 6, and $6 on the 8. 3. The shooter immediately rolls a 5 to make her point. Game over. You clap, cheer, and say, “What took you so long, shooter?” The dealer pays you $3 for your Flat Pass Line bet and $9 for your Odds bet. Pick up all your winnings, but leave $3 on the Pass Line for the next new game. Notice that your Place bets on the 6 and 8 remain on the table and are automatically “off” on the come-out for the next new game. 4. The shooter rolls a 6, so the point is 6. Take $5 in Odds on the point. Note that the point is now 6, which is already covered by your Place 6 bet. You don’t want that number covered twice, so move your Place 6 bet to either the 5 or 9. Tell the dealer, “Move my six to the five, please.” The dealer picks up your $6 Place 6 bet and moves $5 of it to the 5 and returns $1 to you by placing a $1 chip on the apron. Pick up that $1 chip and put it in your chip stack. (Remember, the Place odds for the 5 and 9 are 7:5, so the bet should be in $5 multiples.) Your Place 8 bet that was automatically “off” on the come-out is now automatically back “on.” Now, you have three numbers covered: the 6 is covered by your Pass Line bet, and the 5 and 8 are covered by Place bets. 5. The shooter rolls a 10, which means nothing to you. The shooter rolls a 12, which means nothing to you. You blow off a little excitement by saying, “Come on, six or eight. Come on, baby!” The shooter rolls a 2, which means nothing to you. 6. The shooter rolls a 5. You hit your first Place bet. Your Place 5 wins $7. Take the profit when your first Place bet hits, so tell the dealer, “Same bet, please.” The dealer puts $7 in the apron in front of you. Pick up your winnings and put them in your chip stack. 7. The shooter rolls an 8. Your Place 8 wins $7. Cover the remaining inside numbers with Place bets, so tell the dealer, “Place the nine, please.” The dealer splits your winnings and puts $5 in the 9 box, and then puts $2 in the apron in front of you. Pick up the $2 and put it in your chip stack. Now, you have all the inside numbers covered: the 6 is covered by your Pass Line bet; and the 5, 8, and 9 are covered by Place bets. Your adrenalin is pumping. You forget about your wicked hangover. You magically feel



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fantastic. “This is the one I’ve been waiting for, I can feel it. Come on, shooter, give me some numbers!” 8. The shooter rolls a 9. Your Place 9 wins $7. Pick up your winnings and put them in your chip stack. 9. The shooter rolls an 11, which means nothing to you. 10. The shooter rolls a 6 to make her point. Game over. Woohoo! “Winner, winner, chicken dinner!” The dealer pays you $3 for your Flat bet and $6 for your Odds bet. Pick up all your winnings, but leave $3 on the Pass Line for the next new game. Notice that your Place 5, 8, and 9 bets remain on the table and are automatically “off” on the come-out roll for the next new game. 11. The shooter rolls a 7 on the come-out. Game over. For the Pass Line on the come-out, 7 is a winner. The dealer pays you $3 for your $3 Flat bet. Pick up your winnings, but leave $3 on the Pass Line for the next new game. Notice that you don’t lose your Place bets because they were automatically “off” on the come-out. The shooter prepares to make the come-out roll for a new game. 12. The shooter rolls a 4, so the point is 4. Take $6 in Odds on the point. You have four numbers covered: the 4 is covered by the Pass Line bet; and the 5, 8, and 9 are covered by the Place bets. Your Place bets are now automatically back “on.” 13. The shooter rolls an 8. Your Place 8 wins $7. Since you don’t have the 6 covered, tell the dealer, “Place the six, please.” The dealer puts $6 on the 6, and puts $1 in the apron in front of you. Pick up your $1 and put it in your chip stack. Now, you have the 4 covered by your Pass line bet, and the 5, 6, 8, and 9 covered by Place bets. 14. The shooter rolls another 8. Your Place 8 wins $7 again. Tell the dealer, “Place the ten, please.” The dealer put $5 on the 10, and puts $2 in the apron in front of you. Pick up your $2 and put it in your chip stack. Now, you have all the numbers covered: the 4 is covered by your Pass Line bet; and the 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10 are covered by Place bets. Holy moly! Is this it? Is this the one? You try to look cool and under control by calmly telling the dealer, “We’re in press mode now, baby.”



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15. The shooter rolls a 3, which means nothing to you. Good grief. With all those numbers covered, you have 24 ways out of 36 to hit a winner, but the shooter rolls a 3. Good grief. 16. The shooter rolls a 4 to make her point. Woohoo! The dealer pays you $3 for your Flat bet and $12 for your Odds bet. Pick up all your winnings, but leave $3 on the Pass Line for the next new game. Your Place bets remain on the table and are automatically “off” on the come-out for the next new game. 17. The shooter rolls a 9 for a new point. Increase your Odds bet. Since you’re playing at my favorite casino that allows 100x Odds, you have a long way to go before worrying about whether you’re allowed to take a certain amount of Odds. You decide to bet big and go 5x Odds, so you take $14 in Odds on the point. (Five times your $3 Flat Pass Line bet is $15, but remember, the Odds bet for a point of 9 should be an even number, so you take $14 in Odds instead of $15.) Notice that the 4 is now uncovered because it was the point for the last game, and you have the 9 covered twice (i.e., covered by your Place 9 and your new Pass Line with Odds). Simply tell the dealer, “Move my nine to the four, please,” and the dealer moves your Place 9 to the 4. Now, you’re back to having all the numbers covered: the 9 is covered by your Pass Line bet; and the 4, 5, 6, 8, and 10 are covered by Place bets. 18. The shooter rolls a 4. Your Place 4 wins $9. Consider your increased Odds bet on the point a “press” (i.e., you bumped it up from 2x to 5x), so with this win on the Place 4, it’s time to take profit. Tell the dealer, “Same bet, please.” The dealer puts $9 in the apron in front of you, and you pick it up and put it in your chip stack. 19. The shooter rolls another 4. Man, the 4 is getting hot! You feel this is definitely a hot roll in the making, so instead of simply pressing the 4, you drop $1 in the Come box and tell the dealer, “Buy the four and ten, please.” Huh? What just happened? First, remember that you’re at my favorite casino and they let you Buy the 4 or 10 for $10, unlike other casinos that have a $20 or $25 minimum for Buying them. Secondly, you’re too impatient to build up the 4 and 10 one at a time, so you decide to press both of them at the same time. Your Place 4 wins $9, so instead of pressing the 4 from $5 up to $10 and putting the remaining $4 in your chip stack, you give the dealer $1, which he then adds to your $9 winnings for a total of $10. Then, the dealer splits the $10 and adds $5 to the 4, and $5 to the 10. Now, you have $10 on both the 4 and 10. The dealer moves your chips from the Place position into the Buy position and puts BUY buttons on them.



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Now, all your bets look like: the 9 is covered by the Pass Line; the 5, 6, and 8 are covered by Place bets; and the 4 and 10 are covered by Buy bets. You no longer care about looking cool and collected. You scream, “Come on, give me a four, give me a ten! Roll some numbers, shooter!” 20. The shooter rolls a 5. Your Place 5 wins $7. “That’s okay. It’s not a four or ten, but I’ll take it.” Time to take profit, so tell the dealer, “Same bet, please.” The dealer puts $7 in the apron in front of you. Pick it up and put it in your chip stack. 21. The shooter rolls a 2, which means nothing to you. 22. The shooter rolls a 4. Oh, my goodness! “Yeah, baby, I love that four!” Time to press. Tell the dealer, “Make it a quarter, please.” Huh? What did you say? “Quarter” means $25. Your $10 Buy 4 has a net win of $19 (i.e., $20 for the 2:1 odds, minus a $1 vig). The dealer takes $15 of your $19 winnings and increases your Buy 4 from $10 to $25, and then puts the remaining $4 of your winnings in the apron in front of you, which you pick up. You scream, “Give me another four! Four, four, four!” 23. The shooter rolls a 3, which doesn’t matter. The shooter rolls another 3, which doesn’t matter. “Stupid three. We don’t want no more three’s. Four, four, four!” 24. The shooter rolls a 6. Your Place 6 wins $7. Time to take profit. Tell the dealer, “Same bet,” then pick up your winnings and put them in your chip stack. “Four, four, four!” 25. The shooter rolls an 8. Your Place 8 wins $7. Time to press. Tell the dealer, “Press it.” The dealer uses your winnings to double your Place 8 from $6 up to $12, and gives you the remaining $1, which you pick up. 26. The shooter rolls a 4. “Four! Yeah, baby! Winner, winner, shrimp dinner!” Your $25 Buy 4 wins a net of $49 (i.e., $50 for the 2:1 Buy bet, minus a $1 vig). Since this is your first winning big bet, even if it happens to be time to press instead of taking profit, I suggest taking the profit to significantly replenish your chip stack. Tell the dealer, “Same bet.” The dealer puts two $25 chips in the apron in front of you and says, “Drop me a dollar, sir.” Drop a $1 chip in the Come box to pay the $1 vig, and then pick up your two $25 chips. Those green chips look so pretty in your chip stack. Just don’t let your wife see them. Let’s get back to business, the game is still on. “Four, four, four!” Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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I’ll end the scenario here. From this point forward, simply alternate pressing your bets and taking profit. If it’s a scorching-hot roll, your Place and Buy bets will eventually turn into black chips. As the shooter makes a bunch of points, keep increasing the Odds bet on the point. The Odds bet should be an average of all your Place/Buy bets. For example, if your Place and Buy bets look like $25, $10, $18, $12, and $25, then make your Odds bet in the range of $15 to $20. When the shooter finally rolls a 7-out, you lose everything. If your Place and Buy bets have green and black chips on them, it stings when you lose it all. But glance at your chip stack and notice how much you won. The only way to win big is to alternate pressing your bets--unless, of course, you put all your money on one bet for one game. We already discussed why that isn’t a smart play if you’re on a four-day Vegas gambling vacation with a limited bankroll. For every hot roll you encounter, it always ends in disappointment because of the high-dollar Place and Buy bets you lose. That’s just the way it is. Accept it. Every time--I mean every single time--my brother and I play craps and we eventually lose a hot roll, he whines, “Dammit, I knew I should have taken my bets down. I just knew it!” No matter how many times I tell him how stupid his thinking is, he doesn’t listen. No one knows when a hot roll will end. But no one knows when a hot roll will continue either. Suppose my brother takes all his Place bets down after accumulating $28 of profit, or he reduces his high-dollar bets all the way down to $5 or $6. Suppose the shooter then rolls a 7-out. He gloats over his god-like omniscience and teases me about how his chip stack is bigger than mine because he was smart to take down or reduced his bets. But suppose the hot roll continues. Each time my $30 Place bets and $50 Buy bets hit, I win green chips. Then, when the 7-out finally shows, it’s true that I lose a lot on the Place and Buy bets, but my chip stack has red and green chips in it, whereas my brother’s chip stack has pitiful red and white ones. Which colors do you prefer, red and green, or red and white? The bottom line is that I had much more fun and excitement with my $30 and $50 bets than he had with his measly $5 and $6 bets. Remember, you’re there to have fun. 5. Adjust to a Cold Table Sometimes, the table goes ice cold where points and numbers just don’t hit. The distribution takes a crazy turn, but instead of turning in the player’s favor, it turns in the house’s favor. Let’s look again at the coin-flip example. If we bet on heads again, the distribution variance could just as easily favor tails. Those 30 flips could result in 25 tails and only 5 heads, which means we lose big time. A cold table is easy to recognize. It’s empty, quiet, and the few people still playing look depressed. Nothing a player does results in a win. Eight shooters in a row establish a point and then immediately throw a losing 7-out without rolling any numbers.



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If you stubbornly make a stand and try to fight a cold table, you’ll lose your entire allotment in just a few minutes. You think, “That’s silly because the table can change from cold to hot at any time.” You’re right, but even though each roll has a random outcome, you’ll soon realize that trends do, indeed, occur. We’ve already discussed one type of trend--the hot roll. The ice cold table is simply a trend in the opposite direction. If you don’t believe cold streaks occur, then you also can’t believe in hot streaks. And if you can’t believe in hot streaks, you might as well throw this book away and never play craps. Unless you adapt, playing a cold table is a miserable experience. You walk away a loser vowing to never play craps again. But it doesn’t have to be like that. People insist on fighting a cold table. Why? Beats me. My only guess is that they’re stubborn or stupid, or probably both (hey, I call ‘em as I see ‘em). People either beat their chests determined to stand and fight or they leave the table altogether rather than switch gears to play the cold table to their advantage. It’s truly an amazing phenomenon. People are so stubborn or stupid that they just won’t adapt. Without going into volumes of statistical theory, the fact is that cold streaks appear just as hot streaks do. The key is simply to recognize them and adapt. For example, suppose you walk up to a table with only three people playing. It’s the only table with open spots (the other two tables are packed and people are standing on the sides waiting to play). You ask the dealer, “How’s the table?” He says it’s colder than hell (I guess that means it’s fairly cold). The other players are playing the Pass Line, so you decide to try it, too. Two quick 7-outs in a row. The other players cuss and moan. The dealers mumble to each other, “It hasn’t been this cold since yesterday.” Why continue fighting the obvious cold trend and continue losing? You have three options: 1) Stay, beat your chest, fight, and lose, 2) Leave and find another table, or 3) Stay and adapt. I never choose option 1. Sometimes, I leave, but I like my favorite $3 table so I’d rather stay. I usually choose option 3. Indeed, no one on Earth can ever know how the dice will fall (assuming legal dice are used). But, again, trends do occur. They just do. Once you experience a few of them, you’ll understand and be able to recognize them. You think, “Assuming I accept the idea that recognizable trends occur, how do I win on a cold table?” Answer: Simply adapt. Bet with the number 7 instead of against it. Always keep the Don’t Pass bet in your hip pocket as a weapon against the house when the dice are landing in house’s favor. You think, “This doesn’t make sense. By the time I recognize a cold streak, it’ll be over.” That can, indeed, happen. But that’s why you slow down and become a stronger rock. During a cold streak, don’t think about winning big. Don’t even think about winning at all. Your objective is to ride out the cold streak and get back on track playing the Pass Line and pressing Place bets. As you gain experience in recognizing trends and reversals, you’ll find yourself not only successfully riding out the cold streaks, but you’ll consistently come out of them a few bucks ahead. Remember, you’re a rock. Let the other suckers at the table pay for the casino’s new theater showroom and boxing hall. Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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If you’re uncomfortable switching gears to play a cold table, you can either stand your ground and fight using the Pass Line, or leave to find another table. It’s your choice. If you stand and fight by playing the Pass Line, you must freely accept your losses if the cold streak depletes your chip stack. Here’s my method that has demonstrated time and again to be my best weapon against a cold table. Step 1: Don’t think of them as “dreaded cold streaks.” They’re facts of life, as are hot streaks. Play cold streaks to your advantage. You might even begin to like them because of the money you can make. So, when a cold streak strikes, don’t get pissed and depressed as most other players do. Stay focused, stay smart, and keep having fun. Step 2: Use the low $3 table minimum and high allowable Odds (e.g., 10x or 100x) as weapons against the casino. This is a key reason why I play at my favorite Vegas casino. It’s one of the few Strip casinos that have $3 table minimums and high maximum Odds. When a cold streak hits, simply switch gears. Play the Don’t Pass and lay at least 2x Odds against the point. It’s that simple. Make a $3 Don’t Pass bet. At a $3 table, never put down more than $3 on the Don’t Pass. Your objective is to get past the 7 and 11 on the come-out (i.e., 7 and 11 on the come-out roll are losers for the Don’t Pass). After the shooter establishes a point, lay at least 2x Odds against the point. I suggest laying 4x Odds (which is well within our playing limits thanks to the minimum $3 Flat bet) because laying 4x Odds makes the house advantage a meager 0.3%. However, if you’re stuck at a $5 table, laying 2x odds keeps you within your playing limits and increases the house edge to only about 0.5%. So, you’re not giving up much by playing a $5 table and laying 2x Odds. Step 3: If a shooter makes a point, don’t immediately switch back to the Pass Line. I suggest continue playing the Don’t Pass. I’ve found that, a lot of times during a cold streak, the shooter rolls a 7-out on the next game and the cold streak continues. However, if the shooter makes a second point, then I slow down by not making any further bets on this shooter (I wait for him to 7-out). If he makes a couple of points and rolls a lot of numbers before the 7-out, I may switch back to the Pass Line for the next shooter. It’s a gut feeling. Sometimes, I guess correctly and the distribution begins to correct itself (i.e., the dice start heating up). Sometimes, I guess flat-out wrong and the cold streak continues with the next five shooters rolling 7-outs. When the table is ice cold, you definitely know it. Shooter after shooter rolls a 7-out within two or three rolls of establishing a point. The challenge is to know when the cold streak starts to melt. An indication that thawing has started is when a shooter makes a couple of points, or several shooters roll lots of numbers before a 7-out. It’s simply a



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gut feeling. You’ll guess wrong as often as you guess right. But you can afford to guess wrong a few times because of all the money you won on those eight straight 7-outs while the table was still bitter cold. You’ll eventually feel comfortable that the distribution has corrected itself, at which time you can then switch gears back to the Pass Line and Place bets. By changing gears to this Don’t Pass method when the table is clearly cold, you have two powerful things going for you: 1) The table is freezing, so the shooter is likely to 7-out resulting in a win for your Don’t Pass, and 2) Playing the Don’t Pass with Odds is the absolute best bet you can possibly make on the craps table, in terms of house advantage. By laying 4x Odds against the point, you lower the house advantage to less than half of one percent (i.e., about 0.3%). It’s almost an even-money game! You want a $3 table minimum because, if you play at a $5 table, your Flat Don’t Pass with 4x Odds bets would be almost half your allotment for that one game. For example, suppose you play at a $5 table in the middle of a cold streak. After your $5 Flat Don’t Pass bet, the shooter rolls 5 as the point. To lay 4x Odds, you have to lay $30 to win $20. Remember, with the Don’t Pass, you have the advantage over the house after the come-out roll so when you lay Odds, you have to lay the bigger amount to win the smaller amount. The $5 Flat bet plus the $30 Odds bet equals $35, which is almost half of your $100 buy-in. However, at a $3 table, 4x Odds for the Don’t Pass against a point of 5 is only $18 (i.e., lay $18 to win $12). So, the $3 Flat bet plus the $18 Odds bet equals $21, which is less than 25% of your buy-in. In other words, at a $3 table laying 4x Odds, you don’t risk a significant portion of your buy-in on one game. You think, “If this is the best bet on the craps table, why can’t I play this method all the time?” Excellent question! You can. At 4x Odds, the Don’t Pass has a house advantage of only about 0.3% (that’s one-third of one percent), which is about as close to even-money as you can get. You’re wise to play this method all the time. But you sacrifice one important variable of the equation--fun and excitement. Never forget that your four-day Vegas vacation is focused on having fun gambling. If you don’t maximize your fun, you may not get everything that you intended from your vacation. Playing only the Don’t Pass gets boring quickly. Remember, with 4x Odds, it’s essentially an even-money game, which means you lose some, then win some, then lose some, then win some. It’s a constant up and down struggle where neither the house nor the player wins big on average. Additionally, by far, most players play the Pass Line and, therefore, alienate the Don’t Pass player. While everyone else cheers, laughs, talks, jokes, and high-fives, you stand there leaning on the rail alone. If that’s what you look for in a vacation, then by all means, play the Don’t Pass and lay 4x Odds. You think, “You tell me to maximize my fun and tell me to switch to the Don’t Pass on a cold table, but then you tell me how boring the Don’t Pass is. If I’m supposed to switch to the Don’t Pass for a cold table, aren’t you contradicting yourself?” Not



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really. Occasionally adapting to a cold table isn’t the same as always playing the Don’t Pass. Ice cold tables are about as frequent as hot tables, so you won’t play the Don’t Pass very often. Most of the time, the table is “choppy,” which means it goes back and forth from making a point to a 7-out. With a choppy table, you see short-lived lukewarm streaks and cool streaks. Playing the Pass Line with Place bets allows you to continually experience the full range of emotions. One game, you’ll lose immediately and wonder why you waste your money. The next game, the shooter rolls lots of numbers that allows you to press your Place bets and replenish your chip stack. You continually cuss and moan with your playing partners one minute, and then cheer and laugh the next. It’s that full range of emotion that makes the game so much fun. The low emotions when you lose make the high emotions when you win so sweet and exciting. When you adapt to a cold streak, playing the Don’t Pass can be fun, too. It feels good to win the Don’t Pass six times in a row because shooter after shooter rolls a 7-out. It feels good to know you’re a rock, to know you have the sense to adapt, to know you can win when everyone else insists on fighting a losing battle. You get some kind of perverted pleasure out of watching everyone at the table look at you in disgust because you switched to the winning Dark Side while they stubbornly continue beating their chests and losing. Then, when the cold streak is over, you switch back to the Pass Line and everyone is magically your friend again. 6. Don’t Toss in the Towel Over your craps-playing life, you’ll likely have more losing sessions than winning ones. Accept it. Your session losses will vary from $1 to your entire allotment. Accept it. Suppose, after two hours, the dice have whittled your chip stack down to $20. You haven’t seen a hot roll in ages. Although losing is as much a part of the game as winning, you can’t help but feel lousy. You wonder why you even bothered coming to Vegas in the first place. You were a rock for two hours, but it didn’t work. You want to win so badly that you lose control of your common sense. You’re down to your last $20 for the session and you have no fight left. Stop! You must never capitulate, never surrender, never think, “This sucks, I’m going to put the rest on the Hard 4 and, if I lose, then I’ll leave. But if I win, I’ll be right back where I started.” That’s the dumbest thing you can do at the end of a losing session. If you insist on giving your money away, please send it to your favorite charity. Don’t give it to the casino. Occasionally, you’ll win one of those idiotic bets, but don’t think you’ll win enough over time to conquer your losses. If you can’t accept losing, you have no business gambling. If you can’t stomach losing a particular session, then quit that session and cash out. Don’t piss your money away on a terrible bet hoping to hit it big and get your money back all at once.



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If it’s an awful session and you lose a lot quickly, then accept defeat and cash out with the $10, $15, or $20 that you have left. Take that remaining $20, go have a beer in the lounge, listen to the band. Put it in a nickel video poker machine and maybe hit a 1,000-coin jackpot for $50. Put it in your pocket, find your wife, and spend some time with her. Don’t relent. Do something besides piss your money away on a losing proposition bet. Don’t toss in the towel. Reminder: If you lose your entire allotment for a particular playing session, you must never “dig” into your wallet to steal a few dollars from the next session’s allotment.


The Secret to Craps: The Right Way to Play Chapter 11: Winning Systems (Hogwash!)

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Chapter 11 Winning Systems (Hogwash!) If anyone says or writes that he has a consistently winning craps system, he’s either lying to swindle you or too stupid to know better. No consistently winning craps system exists, has ever existed, or will ever exist. Understand? None. Don’t ever let anyone persuade you otherwise. As noted earlier, the trick is to find the optimal mix of smart play, money management, and betting action that gives you the best chance of surviving at the table, and the most fun and excitement. The approach, or system, I described earlier has consistently proven to lose me less money over longer periods of time than anything else I’ve tried. Note that I never claim the system itself makes you a winner. Statistical variance makes you a winner, not the system. I’m confident that my approach loses less money on average over time, while maximizing your fun, than any other system you’ll find in any book, magazine, or on the Internet. Most systems spread false hope. They hardly ever change as they go from book to book and article to article. Authors often prey on your greed, your hope for an easy score. As with everything else that offers people a quick buck, these shysters take from the stupid and give to themselves. Their “winning” systems focus on beating the house consistently, which we’ve proven can’t be done over time. How many of you are experienced craps players and tried these systems at some point in your playing life? Be honest. How many of you went to Vegas with high hopes of winning thousands using your new-found, sure-fire, “winning” system that cost you $85? And, after playing your wonderful “winning” system, how many of you returned home a loser? Be honest. We all lost, including me. After many losing sessions of stubbornly pounding my head against the wall, it finally dawned on me that the long-term objective is not to beat the house, but to minimize your losses and maximize your fun. You shouldn’t play craps expecting to win over time. If you do have a winning session or short-term winning streak, consider yourself lucky for experiencing a variance that favored you at that particular time. If a consistently “winning” system ever did exist, the casinos would have gone belly up years ago. Well, not really. Instead, of going belly up, the instant some genius figured out a winning combination of bets, the casinos would have changed the rules to bring the advantage back to them. All craps systems are simply combinations of bets supplemented with wacky betting schemes. Most sound impressive, scientific, and feasible. Some are simple, some complex. The fact is, no matter what bets you combine and betting patterns you apply, you can’t overcome the house advantage. No hedge-bet method (i.e., combination of bet types and bet amounts) will ever change the negative expectation to result in a player Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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advantage. The best you can hope for is to minimize the house advantage and maximize your fun, which we’ve already discussed at length. You think, “This is depressing! Why do people play this game?” The ignorant and arrogant players truly believe they can either beat the house or they possess some kind of supernatural mojo that affects the dice. However, the knowledgeable player plays for one basic reason--it’s so much fun. The knowledgeable player knows he’s supposed to lose over time. This acknowledgement allows the player to enjoy the game without worrying about winning. If he loses a session, it’s paid entertainment. If he wins a session, he knows he’ll probably lose it during a future session. The interaction with people, the range of emotion, and the thrill of the hot roll are what bring the knowledgeable player back again and again. What Is a System? A craps “system” is nothing more than a process that guides you in what bets to make, how much to bet, and when to make them. (Webster defines “system” as an orderly pattern or arrangement.) If you bet a $5 Big 6 on left-handed shooters wearing green shorts and then bet a $10 Big 8 on right-handed shooters in wheelchairs, that’s a system. If that peculiar system happens to result in you winning $100 after 20 minutes, then you’ll walk away convinced it’s the greatest winning system ever devised. (You might even try to sell it on the Internet for the unbelievably low price of only $39.99, plus $12 for shipping and handling.) But never forget, it’s not the system that makes you a winner, it’s the distribution variance at any particular instant in time. No matter how bizarre your system may seem, if it meets your needs, then it isn’t bizarre. For example, suppose you lose $500 per hour playing that Big 6/8 system, but suppose you get oodles of satisfaction from making those bets. For you, putting your chips in the Big 6/8 boxes is better than honeymoon sex. In this example, your satisfaction may be worth $500 an hour to you. If it is, then your Big 6/8 system is quite the opposite of bizarre. Therefore, whether a system is good or bad depends entirely on the needs of the player using it. Whatever system you use, always understand that it will never produce a house advantage lower than the simple Don’t Pass with maximum Odds. No system is a guaranteed long-term winner for the player. I thought about describing a few of the more common so-called “winning” systems, but quickly decided against it. They don’t work over the long haul, so what’s the point? You can find many variants of progression systems, regression systems, and tons of other really bizarre systems on the Internet. They’re all worth about the same--nothing. If you’re curious, then by all means browse. If you’re vulnerable to persuasion by claims of easy fortune, I suggest giving your spouse the credit card before clicking the search button. As noted in an earlier chapter, if you simply want to minimize the house advantage, then play the Don’t Pass and lay as much Odds as you can comfortably afford. Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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It’s that simple. Don’t make any other bets (e.g., Place bets, Come bets, etc.) because the more bets you make, the more you increase the house advantage. I can’t stress enough that there’s no way to hedge any combination of bet types or bet amounts that give you a better chance of winning than simply playing only the Don’t Pass with as much Odds as you can afford. The problem is that playing only the Don’t Pass gets very boring very quickly. If you want to optimize your game (i.e., make smart bets while maximizing your fun and excitement), then you should consider playing my method described earlier. And remember, even if you play only the Don’t Pass, you’re still going to lose over time. The latest trend in concocting craps systems seems to include using dice setters. More and more people are learning that no system based solely on a specific combination of bets is a guaranteed winner. To keep their profits going, the scammers cleverly adjusted their systems to using a betting scheme that focuses on dice setters. In an earlier chapter, we talked in detail about how ridiculous dice setting is. So, don’t fall for this latest trend. These new systems that rely on dice setters can’t guarantee a penny more of long-term winnings than any other system ever developed or yet to be developed. By the way, some clever shysters offer to give you their new system for free, and then entice you to pay hundreds of dollars to teach you how to set dice yourself. I must admit, it’s ingenious. Instead of paying $89 for the system, they give you the system for free and then persuade you to pay $500 for a seminar on dice setting. Very clever, indeed. Don’t fall for it. You think, “My friend Leroy bought one of those systems and came home from Vegas a $500 winner. He swears by it.” This reminds me of my old stock-broker friend. Long ago when I was single (seems like forever ago), my roommate in Washington, DC, was a junior stock broker with one of the big names. As a junior broker, his task included cold-calling and cold-mailing. One night, he invited his office buddies over for a card game. It wasn’t long before they all were mocking their clients by telling stories of how they ripped them off. They joked about persuading sweet old ladies into buying a stock and then laughing as they watched it drop like a brick. I interrupted their merriment and asked, “How do you guys make money if all your clients go broke?” My friend responded, “It’s a crap shoot.” To illustrate their game, suppose a broker uses a fancy company-generated chart to throw a dart and pick a stock that might perform well in the near future. It’s just a guess; he doesn’t know anything more about stocks than the old lady he’s allegedly helping. Suppose for every 100 cold-calls, the broker gets 10 investors, of which nine lose their shirts. The broker gets lucky and the stock for client #10 takes off like a rocket. The other nine losers think the broker is an idiot, but client #10 thinks he’s a genius. Client #10 is a client for life. The broker repeats the cycle and out of another 100 coldcalls, he gets lucky with another one client. Slowly, the broker builds up his client base, not because he’s a genius, but because he got lucky with one out of every 100 cold-calls. The situation with your friend, Leroy, is similar. For every 100 buyers of that bogus winning craps system, there’s probably one or two who get lucky and win the first Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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time they use it. That’s Leroy. He got lucky and happened to hit the distribution variance just right and walked away a winner. He thinks the system is a gold mine. He thinks the $85 price tag was well worth it. However, I’ll bet you this week’s pay check that Leroy eventually, over time, is a loser. Wanna bet? Leroy’s system (for which he paid $85 plus shipping and handling) is no more a winner than someone else’s weird system of betting the Field when the shooter has blond hair and yellow teeth. Eventually, a blond-haired, yellow-toothed shooter will get hot and that weird system will win in the short-term. Remember, it’s not the system that makes you a winner; it’s the distribution variance. Any system, no matter how ridiculous, can be a short-term winner. However, all systems are eventual losers. Should Your System Include Win/Loss Limits? I’ve read a lot of my colleagues’ books and articles and, as best I can remember, they all say that failing to set win/loss limits is one of the worst things you can do. I disagree--partially. Obviously, based on my approach described earlier, I agree with setting loss limits. Divide your vacation time into sessions and set firm loss limits for each session. Without them, you could go broke the first day and have to spend the rest of your vacation watching the fountains and sinking pirate ship 10 times a day. Therefore, disciplined loss limits allow you to manage your money so you don’t go broke before it’s time to go home. I disagree that you should also always set win limits (“always” is the key word). Many of my colleagues advocate quitting when your winning streak ends. If you’re a local and can return to the table day after day without restriction, then perhaps win limits may serve some purpose. But if you’re an occasional gambler who visits Vegas twice a year, I believe that win limits are inappropriate. Suppose you start your four-day vacation by playing your first craps session. Suppose your win/loss goal is to quit the session if you lose your $100 buy-in or if you get $150 ahead. Two minutes after you buy-in, the table goes berserk with a blistering hot roll. The shooter throws for almost an hour without a 7-out. You interrupt your screaming, jumping up and down, hugging, and kissing to count your chips. Holy cow, you’re $900 ahead! The shooter finally rolls a 7-out. Now what? You’ve won six times your original win goal. Do you quit? If so, how long do you quit? Do you quit altogether and not play the rest of your trip? If you quit, what will you do in the time that you planned to play craps? That’s the dilemma you face if you’re only an occasional gambler, which most of us are. Personally, I keep playing. Why? I came to Vegas to play craps. I didn’t come to exercise, or go shopping, or sight-see, or eat at fancy restaurants, or ogle half-naked pirates, or do anything else but gamble. So, why would I quit when I’m ahead? If I quit after a $900 winning session, then what? Sit at the bar drinking beer watching everyone Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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else have fun at the craps table? No way! Like you, I’m a knowledgeable player who understands and accepts that I’m likely to lose by the time I check out of the hotel, but that’s okay with me. It’s pointless for me to quit after getting $900 ahead. If I simply wanted to make money, I wouldn’t have spent $1,200 for two airplane tickets, $500 for a hotel room, $500 (maybe more) for food, $200 for my wife’s massage, and $300 (probably more) for my wife’s shopping spree just to make $900 in craps. It doesn’t add up. If money were my motivation, I would have saved $1,800 simply by staying home. However, win limits may be suitable for non-gamblers who rarely play. Suppose you visit Vegas to attend a convention. You’ve never gambled, you don’t know how to gamble, you think it’s a silly waste of money, or it just isn’t fun for you. Your friend talks you into going down to the casino to play craps. You don’t want to go, but your friend won’t take no for an answer, so you reluctantly say, “Okay, but only for an hour.” Your friend has the mojo working in high gear, rolling number after number. You don’t have a clue what you’re doing as you mirror your friend’s bets. All you know is that the dealer keeps giving you green chips and you keep stuffing them in your pocket. The streak finally ends after 20 minutes and you find yourself $300 ahead. You tell your friend, “I’m taking my money and running.” Rather than staying for the remainder of the hour that you said you’d play, you reached a comfortable win amount and decided to quit before losing it all. For this type of non-gambler, a win limit makes good sense. The Gambler’s Fallacy The “gambler’s fallacy” is the false belief that fixed odds increase or decrease depending on recent occurrences. Let’s use the coin-flip example again to illustrate this concept. Assuming we use a fair coin and a fair flip, we expect a 50% chance that heads will appear and a 50% chance that tails will appear. Those odds are fixed and will never change. Suppose heads appears five times in a row. If you think tails has a better chance of appearing on the next flip because it hasn’t shown for the last five flips (i.e., you think tails is “due”), then you’ve fallen for the gambler’s fallacy. You must understand that results of previous flips have no influence on the outcome of future flips. In craps, the dice have no memory. They don’t remember how they landed on the last roll. They don’t care if they haven’t shown a 7 in the last 50 rolls. The odds of any number showing remain constant and are never influenced by what occurred previously. Have you seen the big tote board by a roulette wheel showing the results of the last 10 or 15 rolls? It not only shows the recent numbers that hit, but also the colors (i.e., red or black). Almost every roulette wheel in every casino on the planet has a tote board. What purpose does that thing serve for either the player or the casino? It doesn’t serve the player any purpose other to sucker him into making a bet that he wouldn’t otherwise make. It serves the casino’s ultimate purpose of taking advantage of the gambler’s fallacy and getting more bets in play. The more bets in play, the more money the casino makes.



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Suppose a husband and wife stroll through the casino on their way to dinner with no intention of stopping to gamble. They approach the table-games area and see on a particular roulette wheel’s tote board that the color red appeared on the last six rolls. The guy points to the wheel and says, “Look, dear, black is due for that wheel. Let’s try it!” The tote board just did its job. It suckered the guy into making a bet that he wouldn’t have made had he not known that red appeared six times in a row. Yeah, sure, black is “due” all right. Wrong! The little ball doesn’t know it landed on red the last six times. It only knows that both red and black have an equal chance of appearing on the next roll. It doesn’t influence itself to land on any particular number or color because of past occurrences. You think, “So, what does this have to do with your craps system and how you play?” Maybe nothing, maybe plenty. Suppose your system tells you to Lay the 4 for $50 only after the number 4 hits three times in a row. Your system is based on the belief, if the number 4 shows three times in a row, then chances are that a 7 will appear before another 4. Is this a good, smart bet? Is this simple system good or bad? Yes, it’s definitely a good bet, and this system is an acceptable way to play if you don’t mind getting bored to death. You think, “Huh? You’re either nuts or full of crap! You just finished saying the dice have no memory, and future outcomes aren’t influenced by previous ones. Therefore, how can that be a good, smart bet?” Calm down, let me explain. In this example, you make a bet only after the number 4 has appeared three times in a row. You’re a knowledgeable player, a disciplined rock, one who sticks to your system and doesn’t allow emotion to cause you to deviate. Making a Lay 4 bet under those specific conditions doesn’t make your odds of winning or losing any different that another person making a Lay 4 bet every time a new game starts, or at any other random times. Regardless of when or under what circumstances you make the bet doesn’t change the odds. The Lay 4 bet with a vig after a win always has a 1.64% house advantage. It doesn’t matter whether you make the bet only after the number 4 has appeared three times in a row, or only when the shooter takes a swig of beer, or only when there’s a full moon. The odds never change. However, although the Lay 4 bet with a vig after a win is considered a good bet because of its low house advantage, it’s possible to regard it as bad under certain circumstances. Let’s look at another example. Suppose your system doesn’t include the Lay 4 bet. Under no circumstances does it tell you to make a Lay 4 bet. Suppose the number 4 appears eight times in a row. The hot babe next to you falling out of her halter top says, “There’s no way the four will hit again. We should bet against it. What do you think?” You respond, “No thanks, I’ll stick to my system. It’s been good to me so far.” She wiggles a bit and says, “Oh, come on, I don’t want to be the only one hoping for a seven.” Her jiggling causes you to lose focus, so you say, “Maybe you’re right. Another four can’t possibly hit again. Let’s go for it!” Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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This is a situation where a good bet can be a bad thing. The key is that you allowed yourself to risk more money than you had originally planned because of the gambler’s fallacy (and partly because you couldn’t say no to the bimbo next to you). Remember, the more bets you make, the more the casino wins. So, adding more bets to your plan--even though they may be considered good because of their low house advantages--can be hazardous to your bankroll. Let’s revisit the example of the couple strolling through the casino. Suppose the couple were in their hotel room before going down to dinner. As the guy brushes his hair, he says to his wife, “Is it okay if we stop at the roulette wheel so I can make a quick fivedollar bet to win some tip money?” His wife responds, “Sure, but we have reservations and we can’t be late.” They stroll through the casino and approach the roulette wheel. The guy sees that red has appeared six times in a row and, as a result, decides to bet $5 on black. Under these circumstances, using the tote board to influence his bet is harmless. Regardless of what bet he makes (black, red, even, odd, etc.), the house still has a 5.25% advantage. The guy came to the table intending to make a $5 bet, so the results displayed on the tote board weren’t the trigger that influenced his decision to make the bet. You think, “You just spent five minutes telling me how stupid people are for betting based on the gambler’s fallacy, but your system of changing gears for a cold table is also based on historical results. The historical results that indicate a cold table cause you to change your bets. Does that make you an idiot, too?” I won’t argue whether I’m an idiot (my wife constantly tells me I am). However, there’s a difference between changing gears to play a cold table and adding to your bet pattern because of historical results. When switching gears to play the Don’t Pass on a cold table, you actually decrease your number of bets to only one (i.e., the Don’t Pass with Odds), rather than adding to an established bet pattern. In other words, you don’t put more money at risk. Also, switching to the Don’t Pass is actually smart. Remember, the Don’t Pass with 4x Odds brings the house advantage down to about one-third of one percent--can’t get much better than that. The key difference to remember is that simply switching gears to play only the Don’t Pass on a cold table doesn’t put more of your money at risk. When simply switching to the Don’t Pass, the gambler’s fallacy doesn’t trigger you to put more money at risk than you intended. The moral is, don’t let the gambler’s fallacy cause you to make bets that you normally wouldn’t. If you still believe that previous results influence future results and-here’s the important part--if this belief causes you to risk more money than you intended, then you’re playing a dangerous game. Play smart. Be a rock. Don’t fall for the gambler’s fallacy. Don’t let it cause you to put more money at risk than you had planned or that you can afford to lose.


The Secret to Craps: The Right Way to Play Chapter 12: Tokes and What They Can Do for You

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Chapter 12 Tokes and What They Can Do for You You should tip dealers, especially when they’re helpful. In the casino business, a “toke” is a tip. Dealers call tippers “George” or “live,” and non-tippers “stiffs.” Dealers typically work for minimum wage plus tips. I compare them to restaurant servers because they provide a service and they rely on tips for their livelihood. The service that dealers provide is properly handling your bets and winnings, answering questions about the game, being courteous and friendly, and just making your craps play more enjoyable. Craps dealers typically share tips instead of keeping what they get. This makes your job of tipping a bit trickier. Ideally, you want to maximize tips for good dealers and minimize tips for bad ones (the same way you tip good restaurant servers more than bad ones). In terms of craps dealers, “good” versus “bad” isn’t necessarily a measure of skill. Instead, if a dealer is friendly, respectful, attentive, and funny, I won’t reproach him for being slow (he may be slow because, for example, he’s new on the job). I’d much rather be in a slow game with fun dealers than a fast game with dealers who are mannequins when they aren’t handling chips. This reminds me of one of the most fun times I ever had playing craps. Once again, I went to my favorite Strip casino to play at their sit-down table, which requires only one person acting as dealer, stickman, and boxman because of its limited size and number of players. As noted in an earlier chapter, the place isn’t fancy and the dealers aren’t hot babes (or guys) whose arms are a blur when they deal. Instead, the dealer was a fat guy with a heavy Boston accent. Sweat beaded on his forehead. His bowtie worked itself perpendicular to the floor instead of parallel to it, and his cummerbund was around his chest (it kept popping up from around his belly). I thought, “This guy must be a comedian at night and here moonlighting as a craps dealer in the morning.” He had a joke for everything, but they were never offensive to anyone at the table. The problem was, he moved slower than dirt--and that’s slow! But he was so helpful, courteous, and funny that I didn’t care if it took him 20 minutes to pay me when my bets hit. I left the table two hours later and, because the guy was so much fun, I didn’t care that I walked away a $30 loser. He was slow as dirt, but he was a great dealer. If craps dealers share tips, how do ensure yours goes to the good ones? You can’t. If I’m disappointed in a dealer’s service, I ensure his colleagues know I’m disappointed. When the bad one takes a break and a good one replaces him, I politely tell the good one something like, “I don’t know if Fred is having a bad day or what, but he’s been downright mean to the newbie on the hook.” The dealer knows I’ve been tipping well and he usually gets the hint that Fred ought to lighten up if they want me to continue tipping. Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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Because dealers’ income depends on player tips, the good one won’t hesitate to insist the one lousy dealer get his act together. The good one knows, if I stop tipping, maybe others will, too. If you’re losing during a particular session, it’s not the dealers’ fault, so don’t blame them. It’s not easy to tip while losing, but you shouldn’t base your tipping on your gambling success (or failure). When losing, if you can’t keep the same tipping pace as when you’re winning, simply slow down, but don’t stop it altogether. Always remember that you give tips for good service, not for your success at the table. For whatever reason, most craps players don’t tip at all. I don’t know if it’s because of avarice, stinginess, or just plain ignorance. Usually, you’re the only one tipping. Although not good for the dealers, that’s great for you. It means you get all the dealers’ attention and reap all the rewards. Do I Get Anything from Tipping? Absolutely, positively, undeniably yes! (Is that clear enough?) Dealers treat tippers better than stiffs, so they help make your overall experience more enjoyable. That’s why you’re there--to have fun. If you tip, dealers tend to be more polite to you. They’re more likely to talk about last night’s game, or where to get a juicy steak for $5.99, or if the hot waitress you’ve been eyeing has a boyfriend. Dealers tend to let you get away with many little things that alone aren’t important, but when combined make a big difference in your playing experience. For example, a dealer may request a stiff to strictly adhere to the casino’s policy of where to put his Place-bet chips on the layout. However, that same dealer may allow a steady tipper to put her Place-bet chips on the layout wherever she wants (except, of courts, in the point boxes--no one but the dealer can move chips in and out of the point boxes). One Vegas morning on the way to my favorite Strip casino, I popped a couple pieces of gum. I got to the table, bought-in for my usual $100, and soon found myself in the middle of a hot roll with all the numbers pressed up to at least $50 each. Each time a number hit, I got paid in green chips (that feels so good!). I also had a Hard 4 and Hard 10 working for the crew. Whenever I got paid, I tossed in $4 and I told the stickman, “Press our Hard four and ten.” After several rolls, the crew’s Hardway bets were pressed up to $12 each. Then, the shooter rolled a Hard 4. Woohoo! The dealers got paid $84. The shooter continued rolling number after number and I continued pressing the crew’s Hardway bets. I screamed, “Any number! Four, four, four! Give me a six or an eight! I’ll take a five or nine, too!” One time, I screamed so suddenly and loudly, my gum almost shot out of my mouth. I barely caught it on the corner of my lip and had to use my finger to shove it back into my mouth. The dealer saw the whole thing and laughed. I didn’t care how stupid I looked because now I was getting paid in black chips. I leaned to the dealer and said, “I hope you don’t mind if it accidentally flies onto the table.” The dealer smiled again and said, “Sir, you can spit it anywhere you want. I’ll just pick it up



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and wipe it off for you.” Do you think he would have responded that way had I not made bets for the crew? There’s another benefit you get from tipping--money! That’s right; you get paid for your generosity. You think, “Huh? What the heck are you talking about?” In all my years of playing craps, never once did a dealer make a mistake in my favor when I didn’t tip. Sure, plenty of mistakes were made in the casino’s favor, and I like to think that I caught most of them, but I’m sure a few got by me. However, when I tipped, I noticed a curious trend--dealers consistently goofed in my favor. To verify my hypothesis, one day I intentionally played for two hours without giving any tips. For this “non-tipping” experiment, I made a variety of bets to see if certain ones got botched more than others. My bets included the Pass line with Odds, Place bets, and $1 proposition bets such as the Hardways. Sometimes, I didn’t play the Pass Line but then included the point in my Place bets (e.g., if the point was 6, I Placed all the inside numbers including the 6). Sure enough, I corrected the dealer twice about paying my Place bets on the point. After he took the Don’t Pass losers and paid all the Pass Line winners, he stood waiting for the stickman to push the dice to the shooter for the next roll. I said politely, “Same bet, please,” as a reminder to pay my Place bet on the point. He put my winnings in the apron and didn’t say a word. That happened twice in two hours with two different dealers. Another mistake that seemed to occur more frequently than it should was with my Hardway bets. Several times in the two-hour session, a Hardway hit but they tried to pay off the wrong player. I said politely, “That’s my Hard four, please.” The chips mysteriously creped out of position inside the Hard 4 box and the stickman didn’t properly replace them. So, when the Hard 4 hit, they thought it was another player’s bet. The dealer paid me only after the other player said it wasn’t his bet. This sloppiness occurred several times with different stickmen. Later, I came back to the same table (but with a different crew); this time, giving a tip every 15 minutes regardless of whether I was winning or losing. For this “tipping” experiment, I made the same variety of bets to see if any would get overpaid more than others. Every quarter-hour, I tossed a measly $1 chip to the stickman and said in a firm voice so the entire crew could hear, “Hard ten for the crew, please.” That is, I made a Hard 10 bet for the dealers. If it hit, the dealers would get the $7 winnings. Over the twohour period, I tossed in a $1 chip eight times. Something intriguing happened. It didn’t matter how little I bet for the dealers or that none of them hit. The simple gesture of tossing a dollar on the table for the crew was all it took. I was overpaid three times in that two-hour session. One time, instead of getting $12 for a winning $10 Odds bet, I found an extra red chip in the payoff pile. Another time, a different dealer paid my winning $10 Place bet with an extra red chip. Of the three overpayments, the boxman caught only one of them (I had to toss back the overpaid red chip). Incidentally, none of Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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my own $1 Hardway bets inexplicably crept out of position as they did during my previous “non-tipping” experiment. Coincidence? For that two-hour period, I paid out $8 in tips (i.e., eight $1 bets on the Hard 10 for the crew), but got $10 in overpayments (excluding the overpayment I had to give back), for a net gain of $2. In other words, I made money by giving away money! Don’t get too excited. These “mistakes” don’t happen all the time with every dealer, but they do happen often enough to generally offset the money you give away for tips. For example, one red-chip overpayment makes up for an hour of tipping. I know what you’re thinking and my answer is, “No!” Did I give back the overpayments? Heck no! If you feel compelled, then by all means toss the overpayment on the table and say, “Uh, excuse me, you gave me too much on that last bet.” Firstly, the dealer probably won’t like it because you called the boxman’s attention to his mistake. Secondly, the other players will probably laugh and call you a fool. In my opinion, there are times that test your integrity and require honesty, and there are times when you should keep your mouth shut. In these situations, I always shut my mouth. When Should I Tip the Dealers? You have two basic choices for when to tip: at the end of your session or during your session. To make a tip at the end of your session, simply color up and toss your tip in the center of the table and say, “For the crew, thanks guys.” Obviously, the best method is to tip during your session, or “as-you-go,” because the dealers will befriend you early, resulting in more fun for you and the potential for the dealer to make “mistakes” in your favor. I found that a good time to make your first tip is within the first five minutes. I typically toss $4 to the center of the table and say, “Two-way Hard ten.” That is, a $2 Hard 10 bet for both the crew and me. It’s amazing how that measly $4 investment gets the crew’s attention and gratitude. I typically toss in a $1 tip every 20 minutes whether I’m winning or losing, which equates to $3 per hour. That’s about what I spend in beer tips. (In most casinos across the country, drinks are free when gambling, but you should give the waitress at least a $1 tip per drink request.) But, as you’ll see in the next paragraph, I increase my tip amount considerably during a hot roll. My philosophy is that everybody wins on a hot roll, even the dealers. How Should I Tip the Dealers? You have two basic choices for how to tip: directly (i.e., a “hand-in”) or by making a bet for the crew. To make a hand-in tip, simply toss in your chip(s) and say, “For the crew.” One of the dealers picks it up, announces to the boxman that you gave the tip, and then places it in the dealers’ tip box or on the side of the table. (The dealer informs the boxman so the boxman doesn’t think the dealer is sneaking casino money into



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the tip box.) Then, to acknowledge your kindness, the entire crew says, “Thank you, sir, we appreciate it.” I prefer to tip by making bets for the crew because it tends to get the crew more into the game, which makes it more fun for me. For example, during a hot roll, dealers often get as excited as the players when they have several bets on the table. When those dealer Hardways get pressed up to $50 each, you can bet the dealers’ juices are flowing. For example, if all 16 players at the table continually add to a crew’s Hardway bet during a hot roll, it doesn’t take long for it to get to $50. At that level, the dealers sometimes scream as loudly as the players. Remember, tips are rewards for good service. If you’re unfortunate to get a dealer who’s hung over and mad because his girlfriend just dumped him, you shouldn’t tip anything just for the sake of tipping. Dealers have told me that they prefer Pass Line and Place bets over proposition bets, but I stick with the Hardways out of habit. They’d rather have a good chance of winning a little than a poor chance of winning a lot. For example, the true odds of hitting a Hard 4 are only 8:1 (i.e., true odds, not casino odds), which means the dealers expect to hit only one out of nine Hard 4 bets. The true odds of hitting a Place 6 bet are 6:5, which means they expect to hit this bet almost every other time. If you make a Pass Line bet for the crew, put their chip next to yours on the Pass Line and tell the dealer, “This one’s for you.” If you win, be careful not to pick up the dealer’s winnings. I’ve seen players so excited about winning that they inadvertently pick up the crew’s chips, too. The dealer usually says politely, “Sir, I thought we had a bet going for the dealers.” The player realizes his mistake, tries to cover up his embarrassment, and replaces the dealer’s chips on the table. To reiterate, about every 20 minutes, I make a $1 Hardway bet for the crew only if the service is good. As a hot roll develops, I increase my dealer’s Hardway bet. The following scenario illustrates my tipping approach, where the chips go, and what happens if the dealer’s Hardway bet hits. 1. A hot roll develops and I have all numbers covered with either the Pass Line or Place bets. Assume the point is 9. The dealer service is good and I haven’t given a tip in about 20 minutes, so I’m due. 2. The shooter rolls a 4. My $5 Place 4 wins $9. I put $7 in my chip stack, then I toss $2 to the center of the table and say, “Two-way Hard ten, please.” 3. The stickman says, “Dealers are up on the Hard ten. Thank you very much for the bet, sir.” He places a $1 chip in the Hard 10 box in the appropriate spot that



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distinguishes my bet from other players’. He puts the other $1 chip in the center of the Hard 10 box to identify it as a dealer bet. 4. The shooter rolls a 5. My $5 Place 5 wins $7. Time to press, so I tell the dealer, “Press it.” The dealer takes $5 from my winnings and increases my Place 5 to $10, and then puts the remaining $2 in the apron in front of me. I don’t want to be bothered with a couple of measly $1 chips (what a terrible attitude!), so I toss them to the stickman and say, “Press our Two-way Hard ten.” The stickman announces to the crew, “Yes, sir, pressure on the Two-way is a bet.” He puts a $1 chip on top of our original bets. Now, we both have a $2 Hard 10 working. 5. The shooter rolls a 9 to make her point. While the dealer pays all the Pass Line winners, the stickman asks me, “Sir, are we off or on?” I respond, “We’re both off on the come-out.” The dealer places an OFF button on my Hard 10 bet, which indicates that the dealer’s Hard 10 is also off. The shooter rolls a 5 on the come-out, so the new point is 5. 6. I already have the 5 covered with a $10 Place bet, so I tell the dealer, “Move my five to the nine, please.” Once again, I have all numbers covered by either the Pass Line or Place bets. Since I called off my Hard 10 on the come-out, I have to tell the dealer to turn it back on, “We’re back on.” The dealer removes the OFF button from my Hard 10 bet. 7. The shooter rolls a 6. My $6 Place 6 wins $7. The dealer puts $7 in the apron in front of me. I pick it up and put it in my chip stack, then toss another $2 to the stickman and say, “Bump our Two-way.” The dealer increases of our Hard 10 bets by $1, which brings them to $3 each. 8. The shooter rolls a 10 the hardway. Woohoo! My $5 Place 10 wins $9. The dealer pays Pass Line bets first, then Come bets, then Place bets, and proposition bets last. It’s time to press, so when the dealer is ready to pay off my Place bet, I tell him, “Buy it for ten dollars.” The dealer takes $5 from my winnings and adds it to my Place 10 bet, moves my chips to the Buy section of the point box, and then puts a BUY button on them. He puts the remaining $4 in the apron in front of me. I pick it up and put it in my chip stack. After the dealer pays off everyone else’s Place bets, the stickman points with his stick to my spot on the layout (i.e., directly in front of me) and says, “Twenty-one dollars for the Hard ten.” The dealer puts $21 in the apron in front of me. I pick it up and put it



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in my chip stack. Note that, although the stickman controls proposition bets, only the dealer pays off winning bets to the players. The stickman then says, “And the dealers get twenty-one dollars plus three dollars, and we’re down. Thank you, sir, very much for that wonderful bet.” The dealer puts $24 in the Come area so the boxman can verify it, and then the dealer puts the chips in the tip box or in the section of the table designated for dealer tips. Note that, in most casinos, when a dealer bet wins, the bet is done and comes down. In this example, that’s where the $24 comes from: the $3 bet plus the $21 in winnings. The stickman again says, “Dealers are down on the Hard ten,” usually as a reminder to the player that they no longer have a bet working. They hope the player will “put them back up” with another bet. I always do, but the amount depends on how much the bet was pressed before it hit. For example, if it hit at $3, I toss in another $3 Hard 10 bet for the dealers. However, if it hit at $15, I certainly don’t toss in another $15. Instead, I might start them with a $5 bet and continue pressing it as my Place bets continue hitting. 9. I continue pressing the Two-way Hardway as my Place bets continue hitting. As I press and grow my Place bets, I also increase the amount that I press the Two-way Hardway. For example, if my Place bets are so hefty that the payoff is in green and black chips, I sometimes press the Two-way Hardway $5 each by tossing in two red chips. Sometimes, I make a second Two-way Hardway bet (e.g., maybe a Two-way Hard 4 in addition to the Two-way Hard 10). When I’m winning, I tend to get a little loose with my tips. I might give away $50 in dealer bets on a sizzling hot roll. That’s okay because, when I get to the point of pressing dealer bets to that level, my chip stack is full of black chips.


The Secret to Craps: The Right Way to Play Chapter 13: Watch Your Bets and Payoffs

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Chapter 13 Watch Your Bets and Payoffs Most dealers are good in terms of skill, speed, and personality; however, they’re human and make mistakes. You must get in the habit of paying attention to your chips on the table. Watch Your Bets As noted in an earlier chapter, ensure you have the dealer’s attention before putting your chips down for a non-self-service bet (i.e., a bet that the dealer makes for you, such as Place, Buy, Lay, and proposition bets). When it’s crowded with lots of action, patiently wait for the dealer to finish paying off winners and positioning other bets before putting your money down. Ideally, know what you want to do in advance and then be the first to act. Suppose a new game is about to start and you plan to Place the 6 and 8 if the point is 4, 5, 9, or 10; or Place the 5 and 9 if the point is 6 or 8. Get your chips ready in your hand before the shooter picks up the dice. For this example, you need $12 ready in your hand (i.e., $12 to Place the 6 and 8, or $10 to Place the 5 and 9). Be prepared so when the shooter rolls a point, you immediately put the correct amount in the Come box and tell the dealer what numbers to Place. Then, watch the dealer place your chips. Ensure he puts them on the rights numbers and in the correct positions in the point boxes. After your Place bets are properly positioned, it’s time to make your Odds bet (assuming you bet the Pass Line). Now, watch all the slow, disorganized losers fumble with their chips trying to decide what to do. If the dealer doesn’t immediately pick up and reposition your chips, wait a moment until you can grab his attention, lean in and point to your chips, and tell him again what you want. This is not the time to be shy. Ensure the dealer knows they’re your chips and what you want him to do with them; otherwise, he may leave your chips in the Come box thinking you made a Come bet. Sometimes, the dealer says, “Yes, sir, I heard you.” When that happens, simply remain polite and say something positive, “Sorry, I don’t know how you guys keep track of everything.” For Place and Come bets, learn to identify your bets on the layout. Your position at the table determines where the dealer positions your chips on the layout. If you’re a novice, before you play your first game, stop at a dead table (i.e., an open table with only few people playing) and ask an idle dealer to explain how she positions chips for Place bets. For example, suppose you walk through the casino and see the craps tables ahead. They’re all $10 minimums. No way can you afford playing these tables, but before you head for your favorite $3 table, take a minute to ask for help. Of the three active tables, one has only two players and they’re both at the same end. Therefore, the dealer at the Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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other end is idle. Simply approach her and ask, “Can you please explain where you put Place bets so you know whose bets are whose?” Don’t be afraid! The dealers are there to help players, especially newbies. They won’t yell or laugh at you. Instead, they’ll be happy to show you how Place-bet chips are positioned sequentially inside the point box corresponding to the sequential positioning of players around the table. The same technique is used to position Come bets, Hardway bets, and others. Easy as pie. Now, you’re ready to head for your favorite $3 table. Every few seconds, glance at your Place bets to ensure they’re still in the correct positions within the point boxes. Occasionally (not often), you’ll find that your bet has mysteriously moved. If your bets aren’t in their proper positions, don’t be afraid to tell the dealer which bets are yours. He should get the hint and then reposition them correctly. Knowing your bet positions also helps keep track of what bets you have on the table. Sometimes, you forget what bets you made (I forget all the time!). Instead of sheepishly saying to the dealer, “Hey, Joe, I can’t remember if I have any numbers out there,” simply scan the layout for chips in your positions. If the dealer doesn’t see you make a Come bet, he usually asks whose chip it is. Simply say, “That’s my Come.” For all subsequent Come bets, put your chips in the same position in the Come box. If the dealer doesn’t see you make those subsequent bets, he assumes they’re yours because they’re always in the same spot. If he doesn’t ask and then positions a bet incorrectly in the point box, don’t be afraid to tell him it’s your Come bet. He should get the hint and reposition it properly. Watch Your Payoffs If your end of the table isn’t full, a new dealer coming off break may incorrectly “read” the layout and pay bets incorrectly. For example, suppose your end of the table has five players. Yours is the only Place 6 bet on the layout. The shooter then rolls a 6. The dealer has a good idea of whose Place bet it is by its position in the point box, so he puts the $7 payoff in the apron directly in front of the player next to you. Immediately tell the dealer, “That’s my six.” He moves the $7 to the apron directly in front of you and says, “Sorry, sir.” You must never be afraid to talk to the dealer. If you’re wrong or say something stupid, the dealer will politely correct you, at which time you politely respond, “I’m sorry, I’m still trying to figure out this crazy game.” When your Pass Line with Odds bets win, don’t be in a hurry to pick up your chips. First, wait for the dealer to finish paying other players next to you (i.e., don’t immediately reach down to grab your chips). The dealer typically leans over using two hands to pay the Pass Line (a stack of red chips in one hand, a stack of white in another). He doesn’t need your impatient hands and arms in his way while he’s paying other players.



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Watch your chips as the dealer pays your Pass Line. Does he pay the correct amount? Sometimes (not often) a chip sticks to the bottom of one of his stacks, which results in you getting shorted. Most of the time, the dealer catches it and makes the correct payoff; however, the “sticky chip” error does occasionally occur. If you inform the dealer while your chips are still on the table, it’s easy to for him to acknowledge the error and fix it. If you pick up your chips and then notice the error, it’s much more difficult to convince the dealer and boxman that you got shorted. Occasionally, you might want to Place the point (i.e., make a Place bet on the number that’s the point). Suppose you approach a table with a game in progress where the point is 8. You want immediate action and, because 8 is your lucky number, you put down $6 and tell the dealer, “Place the point, please.” Instead of positioning your chips on the back line of the Pass Line (indicating a Place bet on the point), the dealer moves your chips to the point box like a normal Place bet. Pay particular attention if the shooter then makes the point. After the dealer pays the Pass Line, he may forget and not notice that you have a Place bet on the point and, therefore, not pay you (not all dealers are always sharp and alert). Simply lean over and politely say, “Same bet,” or “Press it,” depending on what you want. He’ll get the hint and realize he missed paying your Place bet on the point. Sometimes, the dealer overpays, which is another reason for watching carefully as the dealer pays your Pass Line. For me, this seems to occur most frequently when I tip. If you see an extra red chip in your pile and the dealer doesn’t pick it up before paying the next player, I suggest reaching down and grabbing it as soon as possible before the boxman catches the error. In this case, I’m not too concerned with interrupting the dealer’s rhythm of paying other players (but I still try to avoid getting in his way). My goal is to get my chips before anyone notices the error. You think, “You’re a dishonest crook!” (Is there such a thing as an honest crook?) You’ll eventually face this predicament, especially if you tip. Do you keep the overpayment or do you give it back? I like to think my integrity is intact even after I keep an overpayment. If someone drops a five-dollar-bill, I pick it up and return it instead of putting it in my pocket. If a clerk gives me too much change at the store, I return it. I don’t even cheat on my taxes. But when it comes to overpayments at the craps table, I’m the exact opposite. I can’t get that extra chip in my pocket fast enough. Before you condemn me to hell, think about this. Your overpayment likely occurs when you tip, which means the overpayment is likely a “thank you” from the dealers. Your dilemma is whether to keep the chip or return it. If you return it, you basically put the dealer on report to the boxman for making a mistake that could have cost the casino. Although management understands mistakes happen, it won’t matter much when it’s time for the dealer’s performance review. Your honesty could embarrass the dealer (i.e., call his mistake to the boxman’s attention). Your honesty might even cost the dealer a 50-cent raise at his next performance review. Therefore, I suggest keeping the overpayment and keeping your mouth shut. I doubt you’ll go to hell for it.


The Secret to Craps: The Right Way to Play Chapter 14: Ettiquette and Superstitions

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Chapter 14 Etiquette and Superstitions Unfortunately, a craps table is usually full of superstitious people. If you do or say something against their silly beliefs, they sometimes give you dirty looks or verbally abuse you. To help avoid embarrassment, ridicule, and possible vocal confrontations with these people, learn their superstitions and practice craps etiquette. I know it’s foolish to play along with people’s idiotic superstitions, but you’ll have much more fun at the table if you do. Remember, fun is why we play the game; not to win money. Don’t forget to be nice to the dealers. Don’t annoy them by throwing chips at them, knocking over their chip stacks, or blaming them for your losses. If you piss off the dealers, how can you maximize your fun? Besides, it just isn’t nice. Your friendly attitude will be infectious, soon making the whole table more fun. (Sounds like a good time for another group hug and round of Kumbaya.) Regardless of what so-called “dice doctors” and “craps kings” write on their websites, there’s no such thing as a “sane” craps superstition. One superstition isn’t more or less sound than another. They’re all the same--silly. But you must heed them or the idiots at the table who actually believe in them can make your time at the table miserable. Respecting many of the idiots’ superstitions has matured into traditional protocol at the craps table. Therefore, I blended superstitions and etiquette into one long list (no particular order or distinction). It seems like a lot to remember, but as you gain experience, it becomes easy as counting 1-2-3. • Know the rules. Understand the game before you start playing. Although the dealer’s job is to be friendly and helpful, if you walk up to a crowded table and ask a ga-zillion questions about the game, you’ll likely annoy everyone at the table, including the dealers. When the table is crowded, they don’t have time to teach you the game from scratch. If you’re a beginner, take what you learn from this book to an empty table where the dealers have more time to help you. Find a casino that offers free craps lessons, which are a great way to review the game basics and get a feel for how things work at a live table. • Don’t curse a player if he violates one of your nutty superstitions. You only make yourself look ridiculous by accusing another player of causing a losing number to appear. Your losses are no one’s fault but yours. • A 7 will appear on the next roll if the dice leave the table. When a die leaves the table, everyone shouts at once, “Same dice!” It’s considered bad luck if the dice change during a good roll. The boxman typically interrupts the game until a player or someone in



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the pit recovers the lost die and gives it to the boxman. The boxman puts it back in play if it passes his inspection. • A 7 will appear if the dice hit someone’s hand when thrown. Players frequently shout, “Watch your hands!” when other players are late making bets. Know what bets you want and make them while the stickman controls the dice. When he pushes them to the shooter, it’s too late for you to bet, so don’t reach down into the table area. When the shooter rolls in your direction (i.e., the shooter is on the opposite end of the table rolling the dice toward you), don’t let your hands hang over the edge of the railing (the dice can bounce up and hit them). If the dice hit any part of your body and then land on a 7, the whole table blames you for the losing roll. • A 7 will appear if a player says “seven” during a game in progress. Don’t say the word “seven.” Instead, refer to it as “the devil” or “the S word.” Remember, never say the “S” word because the dice might hear you! • It’s bad luck if the stickman pushes the dice to the shooter with a 7 face up. Most stickmen flip the dice to a number other than 7 before pushing them to the shooter. Some stickmen flip the dice to match the point number. For example, if the point is 9, the dealer flips the dice to any combination of 9 and then pushes them to the shooter. If a die rolls while the stickman pushes them, he may retrieve them, flip them again to the point number, and then push them to the shooter. • A 7 will appear if the dice hit a high chip stack. Don’t aim for a chip stack at the opposite end of the table. Don’t aim for it because it’s bad luck, but rather because the dealer has to fix the mess you make by scattering chips everywhere. • A 7 will appear if a normally strong shooter throws a weak roll. Suppose a shooter has a consistently good roll (i.e., a toss where the dice miss the chips on the table, miss the mirror, bounce once, hit the back wall, and stay on the table). Suppose that shooter changes his style or accidentally hits his finger on the table before letting go of the dice, causing one die to tumble pathetically across the table, barely making it to the back wall. You can almost hear everyone at the table gasp as they watch that feeble attempt at a roll result in a losing 7. Be consistent with your shooting style and try to avoid the accidental weak roll. If you flub a roll and it results in a losing 7, the idiots will curse you for it. • First-time female players are lucky and will make lots of points and roll lots of numbers. A woman player new to the table who hasn’t rolled yet is called a “female virgin.” Players tend to bet more when a female virgin is about to shoot. • Male virgins (i.e., first-time male shooters new to the table) are bad luck. Players tend to slow down or stop betting altogether when a male virgin is about to shoot. • A 7 will appear if the dice hit new money on the table. It’s bad luck if a new player buys-in just as the shooter rolls and the dice hit the money. If you’re new to the table, don’t buy-in until the stickman controls the dice in the middle of the table.



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• It’s bad luck to be the first player at a new table, or the only player at a table. The dice are cold and need warming up. Maybe if you blow on them or rub them vigorously, they’ll warm up faster. The dice like to feel warm and toasty before hitting your point for you. • It’s bad luck to speak to or touch the shooter during a hot roll. Your unlucky mojo might transfer to the shooter. It’s also bad luck to enter the shooter’s space during a hot roll. Your unlucky spirit may pop the shooter’s lucky aura bubble. • Don’t Pass bettors increase the chance of a 7-out. A Don’t Pass bettor’s negative telekinetic mojo persuades the dice to show the number 7. As more players bet the Don’t Pass, the negative mojo intensifies. • Don’t forget your manners, even when losing. Dealers respect and appreciate polite players. “Please” and “thank you” truly go a long way. • Don’t get mad at a dealer if he makes a mistake. Politely inform him of it. If he refuses to acknowledge it, politely explain the situation to the boxman. If the boxman supports the dealer, and if you’re sure a mistake was made, politely insist that someone review the videotape. If the bet is small, the boxman may concede rather than go through the trouble of viewing the tape. If you know you’re right, don’t let them bully you. • Don’t criticize or deride a weak dealer (i.e., a dealer who’s slow with chips or slow calculating winning amounts). It’s just rude. • Don’t ridicule players who make stupid bets. If you absolutely must impart your wisdom by acting the role of Master as he’s enlightening Grasshopper Kwai Chang Caine, then explain to poor Grasshopper why the odds for certain bets give him a better advantage over the house. Have some class; don’t tell him he’s stupid in front of others. It’s okay to think that the guy is the dumbest born loser that ever walked the planet, but don’t say it aloud. • Don’t root aloud for a 7 if you bet the Don’t Pass. Most players play the Pass Line and get downright pissed at those who play the Don’t Pass. Even if you remain quiet and motionless, you still get dirty looks. If you scream, “Give me a seven!” before the shooter rolls, you might start a fight. If you scream, “Yeah, baby, I love that seven!” after a 7-out, you might start a riot. •

Roll the dice as described in detail in an earlier chapter of this book.

•

Don’t throw your bets at the dealers or stickman, especially proposition bets.

• Don’t let your cigarette ashes drop onto the layout. Contrary to your selfish inconsiderate thinking, the table isn’t a gigantic ash tray. Lean back from the table and then suck away. When not sucking it, put it in the ash tray on the shelf; don’t hold it between your fingers. • Don’t blow your cigarette smoke toward the layout, dealers, or other players. Turn your head up or turn completely around and then blow. Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


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• Don’t smoke cigars at the table. They stink much worse than cigarettes. No one thinks you’re cool by sucking on a nasty cigar. Show some courtesy for the other players and dealers. • Don’t spill your drink on the layout. Keep your drink on the shelf below the rail. Step or lean back from the table when you take a swig. •

Don’t try to hand anything, especially your buy-in money, directly to the dealer.

• Don’t constantly complain about everything. No one is at fault or to blame for your losses except you. Your childish whining ruins everyone else’s fun. •

Don’t forget to tip the dealers and waitresses.

• Don’t take your superstitions, your losses, or yourself so seriously that you spoil your vacation.


The Secret to Craps: The Right Way to Play Chapter 15: Wash Your Hands

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Chapter 15 Wash Your Hands I’m still not quite sure why, but I felt compelled to include this brief chapter. Casino chips are filthy! Disgustingly filthy. In terms of carrying disease germs, they’re worse than money. The next time you’re in a casino, take a few minutes to observe how everyday people handle chips. Within minutes, you’ll understand why this chapter is important even though it has little to do with craps. The old guy to your left sniffles every other second. Suddenly, he inhales so hard you think he’s sucking out his own brains. He pulls out a handkerchief and blows his nose like a fog horn. You can’t help wondering if he’s used that hanky the past three days without washing it. You know it’s probably soaking wet with two-day-old snot. After wiping his nose, mouth, and cheeks, he folds it neatly and jams it back into his pocket. Then, he reaches down and starts fiddling with his chips. You think, “Good grief, I hope I don’t win those chips.” The girl across the table from you coughs and hocks a loogey, but she courteously covers her mouth. (Thank you, we appreciate that.) With the same hand she hacked on, and without even wiping it on the side of her jeans, she grabs a few chips and drops them in the Come box. You think, “Good grief, I hope I don’t win those chips.” The young guy at the end of the table, drunk as a skunk, picks his nose with his finger buried two knuckles deep. He yanks out his finger, but you’re too far away to notice if he got anything. (Does it really matter whether he was successful?) He then reaches for his chips to make another Pass Line bet. You think, “Good grief, I hope I don’t win those chips.” Two guys next to the nose picker return from the bathroom. You know what that means, right? According to studies performed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only about two-thirds of American adults wash their hands after using the bathroom. (Women wash significantly more often than men.) So, you figure one of these guys probably didn’t wash his hands after touching himself and the toilet (assuming he flushed). They both grab a few chips and put them on the Pass Line. You think, “Good grief, I hope I don’t win those chips.” The guy on the right of you gets a glob of mustard on his cheek while stuffing half his hot dog down his throat. Of course, he doesn’t have a napkin, so he wipes it off using his finger. Then, he sucks and licks his finger clean. Sure enough, without wiping his hand on his pants or shirt, he grabs some chips and tosses them to the stickman. You think, “Good grief, I hope I don’t win those chips.”



149

And then there’s the familiar urban legend about the old geezer who craps in his diaper (pun intended). (I’ll pass this story along to you as it was passed to me. True or not, it clearly makes the point.) The geezer is either too senile, too addicted to the game, or too something to go change himself. Instead, he simply reaches down to adjust, scratch, or whatever he does down there. Then, he fumbles with his chips and finally gets several in his hand. By now, you’re so sickened, you leave without coloring up. You walk away thinking about the old geezer, “Must be a sign from the craps gods that the table has gone to shit.” (Pun intended.) The moral of all this is simple: wash your hands every chance you get. Wash them properly. I always use a bathroom break as a chance to perform a two-minute surgical scrub before returning to the table. After cashing out at the cage, I do another surgical scrub. Additionally, while playing, I resist touching my face. I don’t rub my eyes, I don’t scratch my nose, and I definitely don’t eat at the craps table. When taking a swing of beer, I grab the bottle near the bottom. You think, “This is a craps book, so why are you talking about personal hygiene?” It’s simple...to save your vacation. If you handle lots of chips over a long period of time and fail to wash your hands, the odds are greatly increased that you’ll wake up the next morning with a sore throat or diarrhea. Who wants that during your long-awaited Vegas vacation? Washing your hands reduces the odds of you getting sick. If more people are conscious of their own hygiene and wash their hands, the odds of others getting sick are also reduced. The CDC tells us that failure to adequately wash hands is a major cause of infectious diseases. The CDC says, “The most important thing you can do to keep from getting sick is to wash your hands.” Hand washing can prevent common diseases like colds and diarrhea, and more serious diseases like hepatitis A and meningitis. In one study, children who washed their hands four times a day missed 51% fewer school days because of stomach ailments and 24% fewer days due to respiratory illness (e.g., colds) than those who washed less. It’s clear that the simple act of washing hands can significantly reduce the odds of getting sick. So, please, do yourself a favor--wash your hands. Your vacation may depend on it. How to Wash Hands Wash your hands vigorously for about 15 seconds by scrubbing with soapy water. Soap combined with the friction from the rubbing action is what kills germs. Washing for less than 15 seconds doesn’t remove enough germs. Simply wetting your hands does nothing to remove germs. You don’t fool anyone by running water over your hands for a couple of seconds, so why bother? You can’t possibly be in such a hurry to get back to the craps table that you can’t spend a measly 15 seconds to wash properly. Germs get underneath fingernails, so rub the tips of your fingers on your soapy palm. Don’t forget to wash the backs of your hands, too. Copyright © 2006 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. By ordering, you agree to hold the author harmless for any and all liability for any loss or losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of this book.


150

Rinse your hands well and completely dry them. Don’t touch anything on your way back to the craps table. The most common way to catch a cold is to rub your nose or eyes after your hands are contaminated. For example, suppose the old guy with a handkerchief blows his nose, wipes it, stuffs the hanky into his pocket, and then puts a chip on the Pass Line. He contaminated his hand by touching the hanky after blowing into it. He contaminated the chip when he picked it up and put it on the Pass Line. Suppose the shooter throws a 7-out, so the dealer then collects all the chips on the Pass Line. Suppose you win a bet during the next game and the dealer pays you with the contaminated chip. When you pick it up, your hand is now contaminated. You rub your itchy eye with your contaminated hand, and now you’re infected. Tomorrow morning, you wake up with a sore throat and your vacation is ruined. Casino chips are filthy, so wash your hands every chance you get.


The Secret to Craps: The Right Way to Play Chapter 16: Craps Lingo

151

Chapter 16 Craps Lingo Huh? What did he say? What does that mean? As a novice standing by the table watching, too nervous to jump in, you give up trying to understand this wacky game. Your Chinese language class in college was easier to understand than all this craps jargon. So, you take your $100 and piss it away in a slot machine. Twenty minutes later, you stare at the machine thinking, “That was stupid. Why am I so afraid to play?” It shouldn’t be like that. Craps is so easy and so much fun. Trust me; you don’t have to be a brain surgeon or math professor to play. Don’t let your fear of the unknown keep you away. You don’t have to speak craps fluently to play. You just need to know a few words and phrases, which we’ve already covered throughout this book. As you play, your command of the language will develop quickly. Use this chapter to familiarize yourself with the lingo. Don’t waste time trying to memorize every term before deciding to play. Remember, if you don’t understand something, just ask the dealer for help.

TERM

DEFINITION

Aces

Two one’s. Snake eyes or eyeballs.

Action

Bets that are in play or live. Also, how busy a table is.

Any Craps

A bet that the next roll will be a 2, 3, or 12.

Any Seven

A bet that the next roll will be a 7.

Apron

The outer edge of the table layout. The plain, unmarked area closest to the player.

At Risk

Cheques (money) that are in play or live.

Australian Yo

The number 3. When a 3 shows, the opposite number (i.e., the number on the bottom of the dice) is 11, which is “down under.” On dice, 1 is opposite the 6, 2 is opposite the 5, and 3 is opposite the 4. So, when a 1-2 shows, the opposite side (i.e., the bottom of the dice, “down under”) is 6-5.

Back Line

The Don’t Pass line.

Back Wall

The inside end of the table against which the shooter must roll the dice for the roll to be considered valid.

Bank

All the casino’s cheque stacks on the table in front of the boxman.



TERM

152

DEFINITION

Barber Pole

A stack of cheques with a variety of denominations mixed together. Cheques should be stacked with higher-denominations on the bottom and lower-denominations on top.

Big Eight

An even-money bet that an 8 will appear before a 7.

Big Red

A bet that the next roll will be a 7 (same as Any Seven).

Big Six

An even-money bet that a 6 will appear before a 7.

Black

$100 cheques.

Bones

The dice.

Bowl

The plastic, wood, or metal bowl the stickman uses to hold unused dice.

Box Number

The numbers 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10 that can become a point on the come-out roll. All other numbers (i.e., 2, 3, 7, 11, and 12) are called naturals because they result in a decision on the come-out roll. Also, called point number.

Boxcars

The number 12. A bet that the next roll will be a 12. Also called midnight.

Boxman

The person supervising the game who sits between the two dealers and across from the stickman.

Boys, the

The dealers.

Broke Money

Money the casino gives a broke person for transportation home.

Brooklyn Forest

Two three’s. A Hard 6.

Buffalo

A bet on all of the Hardways and the Any Seven.

Buffalo Yo

A bet on all of the Hardways and the number 11.

Bump

An extra break for a dealer because the shift is overstaffed relative to the number of tables/games in play.

Buy

A bet and paying a 5% vigorish (or tax) for the privilege of getting true odds that a number will show before a 7.

C And E (C&E)

Craps and Eleven. A bet that the next roll will be a 2, 3, 12, or 11.

Cage

The cashier. Where you exchange cheques for cash after you leave a game.

Capped Dice

Crooked dice.

Casino Odds

The payoff odds that the casino pays when a player wins. Less than true odds; thereby, creating a house advantage.

Change Only

What the dealer or player says when cash is dropped on the table as a buy-in.

Charting

A player keeping track of roll results using either paper and pencil or the player’s cheques.

Cheques

Chips with a denomination printed on them.

Chips

Chips without a denomination printed on them.

Choppy

When the table goes back and forth from making a point to a 7-out.



TERM

153

DEFINITION

Cold Table

When shooters aren’t making points.

Color In, Color Coming In

From the casino’s viewpoint, when a player exchanges lowdenomination cheques for high-denomination cheques. Typically just before a player leaves the game so the casino knows how much was won or lost, or so the player doesn’t have to carry a lot of lowdenomination chips to the cage.

Color Out, Color Going Out

From the player’s viewpoint, when a player exchanges lowdenomination cheques for high-denomination cheques. Typically just before a player leaves the game so the casino knows how much was won or lost, or so the player doesn’t have to carry a lot of lowdenomination chips to the cage.

Come

A bet that’s the same as a Pass Line bet except made after a point is established.

Come-out Roll

The first roll of a new game.

Comp

Short for complimentary. Free stuff the casino gives the players for their gambling action (e.g., drinks, show tickets, food vouchers, room discounts).

Crap Out

Rolling a 2, 3, or 12 on the come-out roll.

Crapless Craps

A rare layout variant where all numbers, except 7, can be rolled as the point. If a 2, 3, 12, or 11 is rolled on the come-out, it becomes the point.

Craps

The numbers 2, 3, 12.

Craps Is A Game Of Skill Not Strength

What the stickman might say if the shooter throws the dice too hard.

Dead

No players at a table.

Dealer

The person responsible for all bets on his side of the table.

Decision

A roll that ends the game. If a natural is rolled on the come-out, an immediate decision is made. After a point is established, a decision is made by rolling either the point number again or a 7.

Dice Are In The Middle

When the stickman moves the dice to the center of the table after each roll. This is when players should make their bets.

Die In The Wood, Roll No Good

What the stickman might say when a die bounces and lands in the wooden chip rack on the rail.

Dime

Two $5 cheques.

Don’t Come

A bet the same as a Don’t Pass bet except made after a point is established.

Don’t Pass

A bet that the shooter will not make the point.

Double Odds

A free odds or true odds bet that is twice as large as the Flat Pass Line or Flat Don’t Pass bet.

Down Behind

What the dealer says when a Don’t bet loses.

E.T.

A bet that the next roll will be an 11 or 12.



TERM

154

DEFINITION

Easyway

The number 4, 6, 8, or 10 rolled where the dice have different numbers. For example, an Easy 8 is 6-2, 2-6, 5-3, and 3-5.

Eighter From Decatur

The number 8.

Eye In The Sky

The video cameras on the ceiling. Surveillance of the game.

Eyeballs

Two one’s. Snake eyes or aces.

Field

A bet that the next roll will be a 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12. Sometimes the 5 is included and the 9 excluded.

Fifty-yard Line

The middle of the table.

Fill

When the casino’s bank (cheque stack) on the table is replenished.

Flat Bet

The even-money Pass Line or Don’t Pass bet.

Garden

The field.

George

A player who tips the dealers.

Green

$25 cheques.

Green Light

When the dealers have permission to hustle tips, or the pit crew isn’t watching so dealers can hustle tips.

Hand-in

A tip given directly to the dealers instead of being bet for them.

Hardway

A bet on the 4, 6, 8, or 10 that wins if the dice show identical numbers before a 7 or an Easyway. For example, a Hard 4 wins if the dice show 2-2.

Hedge

Making one bet to protect another bet.

Hi-Lo

A bet that the next roll will be a 2 or 12.

Hi-Lo-Yo

A bet that the next roll will be a 2, 12, or 11.

Hit A Brick

When a die hits a stack of chips and doesn’t hit the back wall.

Hook

Player positions at the table near the corner of each end.

Hop

A bet that the next roll will be a specific combination of numbers.

Horn

A bet that the next roll will be a 2, 3, 11, or 12.

Horn High

A Horn bet with equal amounts on three numbers and a greater amount on the fourth number. For example, a $5 Horn High Yo has $1 on the 2, 3, and 12; and $2 on the 11. A $10 Horn High Boxcars has $2 on the 2, 3, and 11; and $4 on the 12.

Hot Table

Shooters are making points and rolling lots of numbers.

I Can’t Read Her She’s In The Cedar


Inside Numbers

The numbers 6 and 8; sometimes the numbers 5, 6, 8, and 9.

Insurance

Hedging one bet with another.

Jam Up

A game is slowed or interrupted because of sloppy dealing.

Jammer

A weak dealer who spills his stack of cheques or sloppily places player’s cheques.



TERM

155

DEFINITION

Jesse James

The number 9. Jesse was shot by a .45. (The 4-5 dice combination is a 9.)

Juice

A vigorish.

Lady’s Delight

A Hard 10.

Lammer

A small plastic marker, or button, placed on top of player’s bets to indicate whether they’re “on” or “off.”

Lay

A bet and paying a 5% vigorish (or tax) for the privilege of getting true odds that a 7 will show before a number.

Laying Odds

Adding a true Odds bet against the point on the Don’t Pass.

Layout

The table design and markings for all bets.

Lid

The plastic top that covers and protects the house’s chip stack on the table when the table is not in use.

Lights Out

What the stickman might say to remind dealers to move the puck to the “off” (black) position.

Line

The Pass Line.

Little Joe

Two two’s. A Hard 4.

Live

Cash or bets that are in action or in play. Also, a George.

Long And Strong

What the stickman might say to tell the shooter to get the dice to the back wall.

Marker

The puck that marks the point.

Midnight

The number twelve. Also called boxcars.

Money Plays

What the dealer might say when a player makes a bet by dropping money on the table and calling out the bet.

Monster Roll

A hot roll that lasts a long time on which players make lots of money.

Mop

The stick the stickman uses to move the dice. Also called the whip.

Natural

The numbers 2, 3, 7, 11, and 12 that result in an immediate decision on the come-out roll.

Nickel

$5 cheques.

Nina From Pasadena

The number 9.

No Bet

What the dealer says if a player makes an invalid bet after the dice are pushed to the shooter or after the dice are in the air. The bet is invalid because it’s too late.

No Roll

What the stickman says for an invalid roll (e.g., the dice don’t hit the back wall or a die flies off the table).

Number In The Lumber


Off

A player’s bet is not live, not working, or not in action.

OJ

The dice combination 3-2. (OJ’s jersey number was 32.)



TERM

156

DEFINITION

On

A player’s bet is live, working, or in action.

One On The Rail

What the dealer might say to the boxman when a die that left the table has been returned and placed in the rail next to the boxman ready for his inspection.

One-eyed Chicken In The Weeds

The dice combination 1-4.

Outside Numbers

The numbers 4, 5, 9, and 10; sometimes only the numbers 4 and 10.

Ozzie And Harriet

Two four’s. A Hard 8.

Parlay

Keep all your winnings in action by adding all the winnings of a particular bet to that original bet.

Pass Line

A bet that the shooter will make the point.

Past Posting

Making a bet after the dice have stopped rolling.

Penny

$1 cheques.

Penny Any

A $1 Any Craps bet.

Pips

The dots on a die.

Pit

The area around which all tables are situated. Where the floor people monitor the tables and employees.

Place

A bet that a specific number (i.e., 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) will appear before a 7.

Player Card

A casino club card issued to a player that the player uses while gambling so the casino can track the player’s play for comp and other business purposes.

Player Position

Each player’s position at the table. Typically a maximum of eight players per side. Positions are sequenced 1 through 8 starting at the stickman and moving around the rail to the dealer.

Point

The number that appears on the come-out roll, either a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10. For a Pass Line bet, the shooter wins by rolling that same number again before a 7.

Point Box

The boxes for the numbers 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10 in or around which Place bets, Come bets, Don’t Come bets, Buy bets, and Lay bets are positioned.

Point Number

A box number.

Press

Double the bet.

Pressure

To press a bet.

Proposition Bet

A one-roll bet typically identified in the layout on the center of the table.

Puck

The plastic disk the dealers use to mark the point. The white side reads “on,” the black side reads “off.”

Purple

$500 cheques.

Quarter

A $25 cheque.



TERM

157

DEFINITION

Rack

The grooved rail around the edge of the table where players hold their cheques.

Red Light

Dealers aren’t allowed to hustle tips.

Rhythmic Roller

A dice setter.

Right Bettor

A player who bets with the dice (i.e., that the shooter will make a point before a 7). A Pass Line bettor.

Self-service

Bets on the layout that the player makes himself without the dealer’s help (e.g., Pass Line, Field, Come).

Seven Out

When the shooter rolls a 7 after a point has been established to end the game.

Shooter

The player who rolls the dice.

Shooter On The Dark Side

A shooter betting the Don’t Pass.

Single Odds

A free Odds or true Odds bet equal to the Flat Pass Line or Flat Don’t Pass bet.

Skinny

The same as Big Red or Any Seven.

Sleeper

A bet that continues to parlay up because the player has left the table.

Slow Bleed

A player losing his bankroll slowly but steadily.

Snake Eyes

Eyeballs or aces.

Square Pair

Two four’s. A Hard 8.

Stacks

Cheque stacks that the dealers use to pay off winning bets.

Stickperson

The dealer who uses the mop (stick) and calls the action.

Stiff

A player who doesn’t tip the dealers.

Still Up

What the dealer might say to remind a player that a bet is still live.

Stroker

A player who hustles bets at the table or makes it difficult for the dealers to work the table.

Studio 54

The number 9.

Sweat The Money

When floor people get nervous because the players are winning big.

Table Sign

A placard on each side of the table defining the table minimum bet, maximum bet, and maximum odds allowed.

Taking Odds

Adding a true Odds bet on the point behind the Pass Line.

Tapping In

When a dealer comes off break and returns to the table, he “taps” the dealer that he’s replacing.

Tidy The Bowl

When the stickman aligns the extra dice in the bowl into a neat row.

Too Tall To Call

What the dealer might say when a die lands on top of the casino’s cheque stack or in the rack.

Toke

A tip for the dealer.



TERM

158

DEFINITION

Towel

A player temporary leaving the table (e.g., going to eat or to the bathroom) may request that a cloth be placed over his cheques in the rack to protect them until he returns. This holds the player’s position at the table and prevents a new player from taking that position.

True Odds

The mathematically correct odds of a number appearing compared to another number.

Tub

A small one-dealer craps table usually in small casinos. Also called a mini-craps table.

Turn The Dice

When the stickman flips the dice with the mop (stick) to avoid pushing them to the shooter with a particular number showing.

Two-way

A bet for the player and the dealers. For example, a $2 Two-way Hard 4 bet is a $1 Hard 4 for the player and a $1 Hard 4 for the dealers.

Vigorish

A 5% tax, or commission, the player pays the house for the privilege of getting true odds. Also called a vig.

Wall

The back wall.

We Need To Feed The Chickens Not Kill Them

What the stickman might say if the shooter throws the dice too hard.

Weaki Weaki

A roll that doesn’t hit the back wall (Hawaiian).

Whip

The mop (stick).

Whirl

A bet in multiples of $5 that the next roll will be a 2, 3, 7, 11, or 12. For each $5 bet, $1 is put on each of the five numbers. Also called a World bet.

Working

A player’s bet is on, live, or in play.

World

A Whirl bet.

Wrong Bettor

A player who bets against the dice (i.e., that the shooter will roll a 7 before the point number). A Don’t Pass bettor.

Yellow

A $1,000 cheque.

Yellow Light

When dealers should be careful about hustling tips because floor people may be watching.

Yo

The number 11.

Yo-leven

The number 11. Same as Yo. The stickman says “yo” to distinguish “eleven” from “seven” so the players don’t misunderstand the stickman’s call.


The Secret to Craps: The Right Way to Play

The Right Way to Sing

My Right to Play (Debating Play)

Basketball the right way

To Play the King

To Play the Fool

To Play the Fool

To Play the Fool

Play to the end

The right to life

To Play the Fool

Play to the End

To Play the Fool

To Play the Fool

To Play the King

The right to property

Play To The End

The Way to Will

The Way To Trade

The Way to Yesterday

The Way to Yesterday

The way to Jerusalem

The Way to Will

The Way to Peace

The Way to Glory

The Way to Wealth

The Way to Yesterday

The Secret to Lying

The Secret to Seduction

The Secret to Seduction

The Secret to Seduction

The Secret to Craps: The Right Way to Play

The Right Way to Sing

My Right to Play (Debating Play)

Basketball the right way

To Play the King

To Play the Fool

To Play the Fool

To Play the Fool

Play to the end

The right to life

To Play the Fool

Play to the End

To Play the Fool

To Play the Fool

To Play the King

The right to property

Play To The End

The Way to Will

The Way To Trade

The Way to Yesterday

The Way to Yesterday

The way to Jerusalem

The Way to Will

The Way to Peace

The Way to Glory

The Way to Wealth

The Way to Yesterday

The Secret to Lying

The Secret to Seduction

The Secret to Seduction

The Secret to Seduction

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