Craps
Tips
1. Taking over or buying player
Don't bets
This is a bet that very few people
know about.It is the only way
to get a mathematical edge at
craps. Often wrong bettors will
place don't pass and/or don't
come bets that wind up on the
six or eight.
For a don't bettor, the most
dangerous part of the game is
trying to get up on the number
since he has to buck the appearance
of the seven and 11 to do so.
But once up on the numbers,
the don't bettor has the best
of it because he is now rooting
for the seven, which has six
chances of appearing in 36 possible
combinations of two six sided
dice.
The six and eight can each
be made five ways. So if you
are up on the don't six, you
have six ways to win (on the
number seven) and five ways
to lose. When the bet is $10
you would win $60, lose $50,
and be ahead by $10 after the
11 decisions (on average). If
you see a don't player about
to take his bet down just say
to the fellow: "Don't!
Here's 10 bucks, you're even!"
He'll take the $10 because that's
what his bet is.
Now the bet is yours and you
have a nice six to five edge!
If the player is betting $15
or more on the don't, you can
even offer to "buy"
the number by giving him $16,
instead of $15. He makes a profit
and so will you (in the long
run). On 11 decisions of $15
you will win $90, lose $75 plus
$11 for buying the bet and come
out ahead by $4.
As the amount on the don't
bet increases, you will still
probably be able to buy the
bet for $1 because the don't
player was willing to take it
back with no gain. Of course,
there will be wild swings even
when you have this slight edge,
but playing an edge is always
better than playing without
an edge.
2. The Oddsman's bet
Many players who make pass line
bets can't afford to take any
odds or full odds behind the
bet once the number is established.
You can place the odds if the
person allows you. The casino
has no edge on the odds and
in the long run your expectation
is to break even. That could
be a lot of casino fun with
no expected cost! One caveat:
Make sure the person behind
whose bet you're taking odds
fully understands what it is
you are doing. You don't want
to win a bet only to have the
man or woman scoop it up and
keep it.
3. Don't pass with odds or
don't come with odds
Always put the least allowed
on the don't pass or don't come
and the most in odds behind
it. The house has a 1.403 percent
edge on the don't pass and don't
come bets, but no edge on the
odds bets.
4. Pass with odds or Come with
odds
The same advice applies to this
bet, which comes in with a 1.414
percent edge on the pass line
and the come but no edge on
the odds portion of the bets.
5. Place the six or eight to
win
In multiples of $6, placing
the six or eight is the only
worthwhile place-to-win bet
on the table as the casino has
a rather reasonable 1.52 percent.
You'll be paid $7 for your $6
bet when the number hits.
6. Place the six or eight to
lose
You place $5 on the table and
say: "Six (or eight) to
lose." If the seven shows,
you win $4. The house edge is
1.82 percent.
7. Lay four or ten
Place $41 on the table and say:
"Lay against the four (or
10)." If you win, you get
$20. The house edge is 2.44
percent.
8. Place the five or nine to
lose
You throw down $8 and place
the five or nine to lose. If
the seven shows you win $5.
The house edge is 2.5percent.
9. Buy the four or ten for
$35 or $39 (paying $1 commission)
Normally the placing of the
four or 10 has a hefty house
edge of 6.67 percent which makes
it one of the worst bets on
the craps table. However, the
casino usually lets you "buy"
the number by paying a $1 commission
if you are betting $20 or $25.
However, the Captain has bought
the four and 10 for $35 paying
that $1 commission, which reduces
the house edge to 2.78 percent,
and he has also has been able
to buy the four for $39 for
the same one dollar commission.
This letter bet reduces the
house edge to 2.5 percent. It
still isn't a good bet but,
it's a heck of a lot better
than just placing it. Of course,
you have to be able to afford
it. Some casinos allow you to
buy the four and only the pay
the commission if it wins. This
is another wonderful way to
reduce the house edge on an
otherwise bad bet.
10. The Field (if it pays triple
on either the 2 or 12)
Usually the Field is not a good
bet to make. But when the 2
or 12 is returning three to
one instead of the usual two
to one, the house edge drops
to a more tolerable 2.78 percent.
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