Play the Craps Game—the Right Way

AuthorHouse

Contents

Preface..............................................................................viiPart I: The Tracking Numbers Method..................................................xviiChapter 1: Strategy and Planning.....................................................1Chapter 2: The Five Main Methods.....................................................15Chapter 3: The Ultimate Form for Tracking Numbers....................................26Chapter 4: Getting Good Data and Playing Well........................................29Chapter 5: The Game of Chance—Probability Outcomes.............................36Chapter 6: Exit Plan.................................................................48Part II: Craps and the Casino........................................................51Chapter 7: History of Craps..........................................................53Chapter 8: Kinds of Craps Tables in Different Casinos................................55Chapter 9: The State of the Strip....................................................62Chapter 10: Casino Security Systems and Monitoring Systems...........................64Chapter 11: Special Offers and Promotions............................................71Part III: Play to Win................................................................73Chapter 12: Facing the Challenge with the Hope of Final Conquest.....................75Chapter 13: Dice Setting and Dice Control............................................79Chapter 14: Rules to Follow..........................................................87Chapter 15: The Final Game Plan......................................................92

Chapter One

Your ultimate plan is to play until you win some money. Do not plan to win big at any given time. "Be happy and be merry" is your main motto. Play only if you use my system, keeping track all the point numbers and recording them correctly, and know exact numbers for when each number appears and how many of those numbers have not yet appeared. Keep accurate accounting record because that's your blood and butter. Make sure to concentrate on those point numbers not yet come out; they will come out later. You will be rewarded later on if you take my method into account.

In this chapter you will learn how to design your game plan. When you arrive at a craps table for the very first time, you may ask yourself the following questions: Do I want to play the normal way, or do I want to play the opposite game (Don't Come or Don't Pass)? Do I just play the field bets? Do I play the horn bets? Do I play all the hard numbers bets? Do I play the pass line, the place bets, or a combination of any other bets together?

Whichever you choose, you are planning and that is good. I suggest that you observe the first few throws to see whether or not the shooter can make a point number. After that, you can make your next move. There are many correct methods to choose from, but each method has a limitation. This is the only casino game in the world that you can play both good or bad hands at the same time. Once you have decided which way is best for you, you must learn how to concentrate, how to bet, and when to bet heavy and employ my methods correctly.

There are six point numbers: 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10. They are located just in front of each dealer on both ends of the table. When the first or a new shooter comes in, he must throw a point number (7 or 11) the very first time. If the shooter throws a point number, then he must try to make that point number—roll his point number again—before he throws a 7. If he throws a 7, he loses, and almost every bet on the table loses, too.

You can bet on these point numbers at any time, but the proper way, in a good or normal condition table, is to bet on the pass line the very first time. When a shooter throws a point number and you play a pass line, you should always play with the maximum casino-allowed odds. This odd is in your favor because the casino will pay you with extra money or bonus when you win. This is the only added advantage you will get when you first play with the pass line. For example, when a point number 5 or 9 is established, you can place the maximum allowed odds just behind the pass line bet.

In Harrah's Casino and Hotel at Las Vegas, the maximum odd is four times of your pass line amount. If you are betting just $5 in the pass line, and the point number is 5, for example, you can place a $20 chip behind the pass line. If the shooter throws a 5 on the next throw, you win. Your return would be as follows: $5 for the pass line amount, and $30 for the odds you place, for a total of $35. From this play, you would gain an extra $10 because you play with maximum odds. This is your only casino advantage, by taking advantage of casino-allowed odds, because a $2 odd will get back $3. You must also place maximum allowed odds when you play the come out bet, when the point number is established.

Even when you play the pass line bet or the come out bet, the casino still has a 5 percent advantage over your bets. If you decide to play any other way besides these two methods, your chance of winning is much less. You may only have a 45 percent chance of winning by employing different ways than what I have mentioned here. No matter what your bets are the first time or second time, the house has an added advantage over you. Play smart and employ my methods at all times. Perhaps you should consider playing both 6 and 8 at all times, two bets at a time, and you can outperform a 7 because you have a ten-to-six advantage. But, in this situation, you will lose more if the 7 comes before your two point numbers.

When you win some money, you should at least take back all of your initial investments before you continue to play. After the full return of all your capital, you can afford to gamble the profit you have made thus far. After a winning hand, you should ask the dealers to "Take down all my bets." At that time, your total bets will be returned or given back to you. You could continue to play the same game or wait for the next hand. Avoid playing the field bets even if you see there are seven large numbers on that field, which you think would give you a winning hand. In fact, if you play the field bets, the house has a 20 percent advantage over you.

After researching all your options, your best bets are limited to the following: pass line or come out line, with maximum allowed odds in the back. Next in line are the place bets and then the no pass or no come bets, with maximum lays on each. Avoid all other bets if possible. In chapter 5, you can see how you stand against the house in various situations. Do not gamble with risky bets—make every bet count. You are here to win some spare money and walk away quickly once you have won a small profit. Do not stay very long at any table.

Another area of consideration is to determine how much capital you need to start the game, and how much capital you can afford to lose without any hardship to your pocket book. You must play with spare money sitting in your drawer at home and earning no interest, money you are ready to give away without any difficulty. Please remember, do not gamble on your monthly payroll check or your normal living expenses. Also, you must maintain a large sum of liquid cash on hand at all times to take care of emergency use. You must think in terms of losing this money and giving it to the house, and you still have enough money left over for your next game, and for your food and drinks, and to go back home? This planning is very crucial because for certain reasons, if you did lose this money, you will still be able to play the same game for the duration of the trip. Some people are not so lucky because they spend more than they can afford and end up with little or no money left for the remainder of the trip. You do not want to copy their bad planning and habits. You are different and plan wisely.

You should also set up your short-term and long-term gambling goals. Stay away from an impulsive gambling attitude. Control your emotions and keep calm at all times; don't blame on yourself if you lose some money because it happens to everyone.

When to Play

Playing craps requires careful planning. Many craps players are not paying special attention when they play this game. They think that this is a simple and easy money-making game, so they do not care how and where they throw the dice. They just walk in any craps table, start with just $20, and immediately place their bets in a proper box without knowing what has taken place before they arrive. This is a common error, and you do not want to do that. You play with caution and patience because you are different, and you want to spend your hard-earned dollars in a prudent way.

When you play this game, you play with patience, caution, and tolerance. You play only with your bonus money, your spare money. Do not play with your mortgage payment, utilities money, or retirement account. Your goal is to win some and walk away as quick as you can. Do not wait for the other players if they still remain after a very hot hand table. Walk away, take a break, and drink some water, or go to see a movie and come back much later. Do not go back to the same old table again; go to some other table and observe before playing there.

Be careful in selecting the right table before you play. Do not just go to any table and start playing. You should pay attention to all kinds of conditions. For example, you should avoid a table with lots of distractions, where people are drinking and talking aloud and do not pay attention to what they are doing. Also, avoid a table where more people are leaving than coming. Do not go to a table where people complain that it is the coldest table in the world. Look for positives: Do the players have long strings of chips in front of them? Do they look happy? Are they all shouting for the shooter to make a certain number? If this is the case, you should play at that table if you can.

As you learn to keep tabs on the number of shooters who made point numbers versus the number of shooters who made no point numbers, you will get some ideas as how good a table you have and where to go from here. If you have more good shooters (those who make point numbers) than bad shooters (those who made no point numbers), then you have a reasonably good table. Under this condition, you can afford to play heavy and plan to exit the game as soon as the tide is turning. For example, if you witness three or four consecutive shooters who can make point numbers consistently, then it is okay to play heavy. The opposite is also true: when you encounter a table in which four different shooters have not made a point number, the fifth shooter will likely not make a point number. In this situation you should wait or play the don't pass line instead.

If you keep a full accounting of point numbers, you will have a much better opportunity to win than playing randomly. Also, if you pay attention and track your numbers correctly, you will gain a great deal of confidence in playing this game. Perhaps you my even play heavy on those numbers not yet come out. For instance, point number 6 has been thrown thirty times, and yet point number 8 came out just fifteen times. You would confidently say, "I would have a much better chance of winning if I were to bet on 8 than number 6 due to the number of times each number has thrown or been already recorded."

You may also say that these two numbers are similar in nature and also act as a pair, because both have the same number of ways for the dice to come out with that number. This is so because these two numbers tend to come very close, in the number of throws, if you were to keep tabs of these numbers over a prolonged period of time. Eventually these two point numbers cancel each other—that is, no one number is greater than the others. It is also true to the other pairs of numbers—say, 4 or 10, 5 or 9—because they also act as companions, and the outcome for each pair is the same.

Remember through all of this that the good hands must also equal the bad hands. The number of shooters who make point number is almost equivalent to the number of shooters who do not make point number. For instance, a good shooter shoots three point numbers, and then come three bad shooters who make no point number. This is called the dead even throw. I have seldom witnessed this event during two or three hours of continuous playing. However, I have seen that there are slightly more shooters who make point numbers than shooters who do not make any point numbers. So watch out for these kinds of activities. You can win under this condition.

It is believed by using a mathematical model, this so-called x number of good throws must equal the total number of bad throws over a three-hour period using a random throwing method. But if you play in a table in which shooters are setting their dice and controlling the force of their throws, then you will gain a slight edge over the house. A controlled throwing method normally tends to give the shooter a better winning chance than one using a randomly throwing method. In chapter 13 you will learn to recognize dice control methods.

When you go to a table, watch for a while to see if you can spot some veteran shooters. This table should be yours. Pay full attention to what you are doing at that table, and you should maintain a happy attitude. You should first play with a small amount and see which way the tide is turning. After a few plays or a few shooter shooters, you should have a reasonably good idea of what to expect this table to do for you. Remember, you must keep track of the first four hands in any given table to see whether or not you should stay in that table. To stay, you must have won two of the four hands; otherwise, you should be playing at another table. If you find that there is a pattern, such as the first three shooters can make several pass points or point numbers, then you have a decent table and should pay full attention and play well. On the other hand, if you find that not a single shooter can make one point number, you'd better play don't pass or don't come, or you can just walk away and save your money.

Different Ways to Play

Craps is quite complex, yet it has many advantages over other table games and slot machine games. For example, by placing on the pass line or come line with maximum odds, and the don't pass or don't come line bets, also with maximum lays, the house only has a very slight edge over you, 0.15 percent, which is almost dead even. Craps bets are the highest return on your investment than any other casino table game.

There are many ways to begin playing the game; certain ways will yield more, and others will yield less in return. You must place your bet before the shooter starts to throw the dices or the stickman will declare there are no bets. When the shooter throws either a 7 or 11, and you place your money in the pass line, you win. This is also called the two ways win. But you also have a three ways chance to lose if the shooter throws a 2, 3, or 12. If the shooter throws a point number, such as 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10, and then the shooter rolls a 7 on the next throw before a point number, it is called a seven out, and you lose. This includes all the bets on that table, no matter what. The come out roll is the same as the first throw, and the shooter must make a point number or a no number. If she makes a point number in a come out roll, then the dealer will place the on-off sticker on that number, which is called the point box number. This on-off box is also called the puck. The point box number stays on the table until the shooter either throws the point number again or makes a seven out. Then the punk will return to the dealer, and the off position will show on top. This means that the table will now begin a new game, and you must place your bets before the player shoots a number or begins to throw the dice.

In your first hand or at the beginning of a new shooter, you can bet on the pass line or don't pass line, horn bets (2, 3, 11, and 12), field bets (2, 3, 4, 9, l0, 11, 12), hard numbers (4, 6, 8, 10), big red, big 6 or 8, any 7s, don't pass line, the world bet, and a place bet. If 7 is the first roll number, other than a horn number (2, 3, 11, and 12), you will lose on the following bets: don't pass, horn bets, field bets, hard numbers, big 6 or 8, and place bet, if they are working. The people who have the following numbers will win for that roll: pass line, big red, and world bet. If you put just $5 in the pass line, that is what you will get back. The $5 bet for the big red would get $20, and the world bet would break even. But if that shooter makes no 7 on the first roll or throws a horn numbers, then he would make a point number, such as 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10.

For our purpose, let's say that shooter throws a 6 as a come out point number; then the shooter must make that point number before a 7 comes. Let us assume that you have a pass line bet of $10, and then you place a maximum-allowed odds, say 5 × $10 = $50, as your odds, a total investment of $60. And let us assume that the shooter does throw a 6 before a 7, after few throws. Then you would be rewarded in the amount of the $10 return for your pass line bet, plus $60 for your odd bets, for a total of $70, because the $5 odds will give you $6 in return, or 20 percent profit, This is also your advantage over the house.

If you have $50 odds, this will give you a return of $60. A $60 investment would turn that into $70 for you, a $10 profit, which is 16.6 percent return. You get the same return for the number 8 because 6 and 8 are identical in nature or so-called pair numbers, and will yield the same in return. Therefore it is true for numbers 4 and 10, and 5 and 9, because they are the similar pairs, and we sometimes call them brother and sister; that is the reason for the yield of having the same return for both pair numbers.

If the shooter throws a number, other than horn numbers or 7, then he makes a point number on the first throw; that number is called the point number. If he throws a 7 before the point number, then we call that a seven out, and everyone loses other than the player who bet on the don't pass line.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from Play the Craps Game—the Right Wayby Wallace Chin Copyright © 2012 by Wallace Chin. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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