Learn to Play Craps – Tips and Strategies: Load of Crap: Part 1 – an article by William Enslen Jr

I got the idea for this article while writing about dice setting. (If you’ve read the free sample chapter from my eBook on my website, you’ll know what I think about dice setting.) I thought about the ridiculous things (and sometimes downright lies) people say to separate you from your money. I thought about the shysters who spread their misguided and oftentimes flat-out wrong advice for beating the house. Then, I thought about the unfortunate who fall for such bogus claims and advice.

This article gives a small sample of the load of crap (pun intended) from various craps-related websites, followed by brief analyses of the sheer stupidity or dubious nature of their claims. If it weren’t for the sad fact that people actually believe such crap, we’d find it entertaining. Learn from this article. Once and for all, get it through your head that craps is designed for you to lose. No system exists, has ever existed, or will ever exist that will produce long-term gains for the player. The player cannot in any way gain a long-term advantage over the house, and that includes the latest trends in get-rich schemes that focus on dice setting. Don’t be a sucker. Learn to play in reality, not in fantasyland.

I took the following excerpts directly from some of the websites I scanned for 10 minutes after searching for "learn craps." These excerpts are not from blogs, forums, or discussion groups; they’re from sites that sell craps-related products. My analyses and criticisms are based on my opinion and deemed valid until proven otherwise by a qualified and independent body.

Excerpt: "In my humble opinion, the pass line (and come) are the worst bets on the table. I understand about the 1.4% advantage and all, but has anyone actually calculated odds against, after the come out? I found two books a long time ago that stated the average against you, on the pass line after a point is established, is around 34-35%. That is to say, the odds against ‘repeating’ the point before a 7."

Analysis: This excerpt was taken from an article intended to provide tips and strategies or playing craps. In justifying his opinion that the Flat Pass Line and Flat Come bets are the worst bets on the table, the writer removes the come-out roll from the equation. That seems absurd. The house advantage on these two bets is so low because of the player’s 2:1 advantage on the come-out roll. Indeed, the advantage shifts back to the house after the come-out, but that advantage can never shift without first going through the come-out, so trying to disregard it seems ridiculous.

Excerpt: "The only good bet is the place bets—and only for the 2 reasons, one they can be taken down at any time, and second you pick your numbers. The odds are much much much better when you try to throw one number instead of repeating it before a seven, and that is what people don’t understand. What they also don’t understand is that the seven should mathematically come up one out of every six rolls—and that is all rolls, not just box number rolls, but all of them. If someone walked up to a table and threw 2, 3, 12, 11, 2, 3, 11, 12, 2, 3, 11, 2, 12, 12, 2, his odds of throwing a seven are greater then the guy who throws 5, 6, 8, 9. How many times do people at a crap table stand there and not even pay attention."

Analysis: This excerpt is from the same article as the first excerpt. Remember, this author supposedly knows the game and is passing his wisdom to you. Where do I start? The author’s reasoning is based on the silly–and completely false–notion that outcomes of previous rolls influence future rolls. The author apparently believes in the Gambler’s Fallacy. By the believing in the Gambler’s Fallacy, the author proves his ignorance. No matter how many times a player rolls the dice, the odds of a 7 appearing on the next roll never change. So, the player throwing 14 rolls without hitting a 7 has the same odds of rolling a 7 on the next roll as the player who throws only four rolls without hitting a 7. The odds of a 7 appearing on the next roll for both players are exactly the same. Even if you rolled a million times without a 7 appearing, the odds of a 7 appearing on the next roll are exactly the same as if you had rolled only once. Results of previous rolls have no influence whatsoever on the odds of future rolls. The guy in the excerpt wonders, "How many times do people at a crap table stand there and not even pay attention?" I can’t help but laugh and wonder how many screws this guy has loose. The truly sad thing is that people read this guy’s baloney, take it to be true, and then base their bets on it.

Excerpt: "This is a proven professional method, used by experts, that until now has been kept secret from the public. When applied according to the rules presented, it is the most consistent money making craps method you are going to find and can reduce your risk of loss to less than 6%."

Analysis: You can play the Pass Line with Odds (or Don’t Pass with Odds) and give the house an advantage of only about 1%. Lots of craps bets have house advantages much less than 6%, so touting a 6% risk of loss seems silly to me. I chuckled at the statement, "This is a proven professional method, used by experts, that until now has been kept secret from the public." Yeah, okay, sure. LOL (laugh out loud). The following excerpt is taken from the same website.

Excerpt: "—As with any educational or entertainment program, results may vary and [name redacted] and its owners assume no liability for its use or any loss that may result. Purchasers of the [name redacted] are encouraged to rigorously test and personally verify results before wagering on an outcome. All gambling involves risk no matter how good the method might be. Purchasers are advised to use the [name redacted] responsibly, implement a sound money management system, and wager only with funds that will not seriously affect their lifestyle or that of others closely associated with them."

Analysis: Again, I laughed. The website cleverly hooks you with claims of having a "professional" and "most consistent money-making" craps system. It fills you with hopes and dreams of beating the crap out of the casino. Then, after suckering you in, they cover their rear ends by including a disclaimer stating, "—its owners assume no liability for its use or any loss that may result." I suspect that buyers of that bogus system never make it to the bottom of the web page to read the disclaimer. They’re so hyped up on false hope of beating the casino for ga-zillions, they’ve already clicked the "Buy" button before getting anywhere near the disclaimer. If the system is so "professional" and if it truly is the "most consistent money-making craps method," why do they need to cover their rear ends with a disclaimer? Makes you wonder, doesn’t it? Don’t get conned into buying bogus winning systems. Learn to recognize bull manure. Don’t get suckered into believing you can consistently beat the casino over time. You can’t and won’t. Be smart. Play smart. Learn the secret to craps.

The next excerpt is lengthy, but I included it because I’m sure it’ll entertain you as much as it did me.

Excerpt: "Here is a simple craps strategy that takes no skill and only two of the same bets each time you play. The writer of this method has never failed to make at least $200 per hour using this strategy. Now, with this report, you can do the same at any dice table anywhere in the world! This craps strategy has been kept within the inner circle of casino bangers for years – under a mutual gentlemen’s agreement. We tried the [name redacted] on randomized computer print-outs and couldn’t come close to losing through 8000 decisions! (Think how long you would have to stand at the tables for 8000 decisions.) We tried it at several casinos in Atlantic City, Vegas, Reno, and Tahoe. The damned thing just would not lose! With this system you won’t care if the tables are hot or cold—you still win with this super craps strategy! A new shooter can throw three or four or more craps in a row and you win! A new shooter can throw three or four or more sevens in a row and you still win! A new shooter rolls a point, and sevens out on the next roll. Shooter after shooter can do this, and you still win! A shooter can throw 14 passes, or more or less, in a row, and you still win! A bunch of players in a row, can seven out after any amount of numbers, and you still win! Read this report and you’ll find out that there is absolutely no roll of the dice that can hurt you with this system! Want to collect on every roll of the dice? Here is how to do it with four easy bets. Follow this method exactly and you’ll go home a winner everyday!"

Analysis: Woohoo! Is this the Holy Grail, the Fountain of Youth, the mother of all systems that has eluded mankind forever? Woohoo! LOL. Yeah, right. Let me get this straight—no skill required—only need to make two bets at a time—and no matter what happens, I can win $200 per hour? Woohoo! I better hurry up and buy this system before the "casino bangers" put it back in their "inner circle" under lock and key and stop offering it to the paying public. Do I really need to analyze this mumbo-jumbo? Does anyone actually believe this crapola? Sadly, people apparently do, or the website probably wouldn’t exist.

Excerpt: "I’m so positive that I can easily convert you from an inexperienced player into a master player with the skills of a pro that you may try all of my methods risk-free! I personally guarantee these craps systems will work at any casino you play! Take up to a full year to learn, practice, and profit. Just remember, if your average daily winnings don’t add up to several hundred dollars, don’t forget that I will give you a 100% refund. It’s that simple."

Analysis: This is from the same website as the previous excerpt and is typical of the guarantee that comes with many so-called winning craps systems. Read the words carefully. Let’s analyze them. "—you may try all of my methods risk-free." It’s risk-free because the seller offers a full refund, not because the system consistently wins over time. "I personally guarantee these craps systems will work at any casino you play." Of course, they’ll work, but will they win? Anyone can use any crazy system and it’ll "work." The word "work" in this context simply means the system is a legitimate method for playing the game whether you win or lose with it. In the excerpt, if the word "work" were replaced with the word "win," then the seller would be at great risk because no system will consistently win over time. "—don’t forget that I will give you a 100% refund." Remember, the guarantee is that you can get your money back, not that the system will consistently win. The problem with these kinds of guarantees is that many people either simply forget or don’t try to get the refund after losing their shirts, or they try but get delayed so long they get disgusted and give up. The moral is, be skeptical of craps systems that come with guarantees. Ensure you fully understand the guarantee before buying. Focus on whether the craps system is guaranteed to win, or whether you’re guaranteed to get to your money back after you lose your rear end. Note the carefully chosen words and understand their meanings, such as "can" instead of "will." One small word can, and usually will, make a big difference in the meaning of a sentence or an entire paragraph.

Starting to get the picture? Scams are everywhere. Don’t be a sucker. Don’t let your dreams of winning big blind you. Be smart. Play smart. Learn the secret to craps. Read Part 2 of this article for even sillier claims and bigger laughs.

Now you know!

The Author:

Bill Enslen is a reliability engineer who routinely works with statistics. Having played and analyzed the game for 25 years, he has compiled his winning secrets in a new eBook, which you can sample at http://www.learnthesecrettocraps.com/

Learn to Play Craps – Tips and Strategies: a Load of Crap: Part 2 – an article by William Enslen Jr

This is Part 2 of my article about the load of crap (pun intended) some websites try to feed you to separate you from your money. Don’t fall for it. Be smart. Play smart. Let’s continue with more excerpts that are even more ridiculous than those in Part 1.

Excerpt: "Now for the first time, I’ll show you how you can turn $40 into $50,000 in as little as 87 days with a new system of playing and winning at craps! What the casinos hope you will never find out about playing this elusive game, now it’s possible to win 78% of the time. Using my system, you can win about three times out of four (up to 78% of the time, to be more specific). With my strategies, which are really a combination of the systems of the best pros that I’ve gambled with and learned from over the years, you can pick up everything you need to know to win at craps every time you play. You probably already know that craps is hands downs the best casino game based on the odds. What you may not know is that by using my ten-step system, you can actually turn the odds in your favor! That’s right, using my craps strategies, which I’ve detailed in a brand new report called [name redacted] you can actually beat the house!"

Analysis: This claim seems to me to be as ridiculous as those that promise you can learn dice control. If you learn nothing else from reading my website, my free sample chapter, and my articles, you must understand and accept one important fact: the game is designed for you to lose. It’s mathematically impossible for the player to gain an advantage over the house. Say it out loud, slowly, and let it sink into your brain—-it’s mathematically impossible for the player to gain an edge over the house no matter what combination of bets or bet amounts are used. Therefore, the guy’s statement about his system, "—-you can actually turn the odds in your favor," is total crap. Period. If the guy’s system relies on dice control to gain the advantage, then run for the hills as quick as you can because you might get run over by another flood of bull manure. After reading my free sample chapter, you know what I think of dice control and dice setting. The phenomenon called "distribution variance" is what allows players to win in the short-term. Nothing else. No fancy system, no silly dice-setting technique, nothing. Got it? The house always wins in the long-term. No player can beat the house over time. You must understand and accept that fact. The truly knowledgeable player plays for the fun, excitement, and the occasional short-term win, not because of any silly belief that he can actually beat the house consistently over time. You must not yield to your strong desire to win an easy buck. Instead, you must be smart, you must play smart, and you must learn the secret to craps. In the excerpt above, the guy states, "—-you can win about three times out of four (up to 78% of the time, to be more specific)." Then, he proudly states, "—-everything you need to know to win at craps every time you play." This guy can’t even keep his apparent lies straight! In one breath, he says you’ll win three out of four times, and then in his next breath he says you’ll win every time you play. So, which is it? Do you win only 78% of the time that you play or do you win every time you play (i.e., 100%)? LOL (laugh out loud). Remember, don’t be a sucker.

Excerpt: "[Name redacted], the author of [name redacted] system has developed a unique a way to win at the dice table. He is talking about walking away with a handsome win, not breaking the table. The [name redacted] system is a Place bet system designed for a conservative approach to the game of craps. It has an exact play for every roll of the dice. Each and every hit in the [name redacted] system pays you a profit. Each hit puts more money in your pocket. The game of craps was created to make money for the casino. The [name redacted] system makes money for the player. If you’re willing to put in a little bit of time to learn, and apply the rules in a responsible, controlled way you WILL make a profit! You cannot lose in [name redacted]. Order the [name redacted] beginner’s system for $120, delivered by e-mail, or $125 for a printout sent by first class mail."

Analysis: First of all, if this guy gets $120 for his eBook, then I must be charging way too little for mine! LOL. This guy’s system can’t possibly be a consistent long-term winner because he states that it involves Place bets, all of which have built-in house advantages that you can’t overcome no matter what combinations or amounts of Place bets you make. Because it’s a mathematical fact that no combination of bets (including Place bets) can result in a player advantage, the obvious question you should ask is whether this guy is a total idiot or lying through his teeth to rip you off when he states, "You cannot lose—-." I still can’t get over the fact that he gets $120 for his eBook. I wonder how many he’s actually sold. You better hurry up and buy my eBook for a measly $9.95 before I jack up the price to a hundred bucks!

Before reading the next excerpt, ensure your Hip Waders are pulled up as high as they can go. Disclaimer: I cannot be held liable in any way if you drown in this guy’s bull manure. Continue reading at your own risk!

Excerpt: "Earn a living playing craps, can it be done? The answer is yes. To date, all of our students average $1,000 to $3,000 a day playing craps and I can show you how you can join the club. Average $100 to $325 per hour every day you play craps using our [name redacted] craps system/strategy. We guarantee it! Even if you have never played the game of craps before, you can learn our [name redacted] system quickly and easily. In fact, we provide the only effective craps system that is capable of winning long term and it is not complicated at all. Fact: Our craps system is so good, that you will make a bare minimum of $1000 the very first day you use it, or you are entitled to a 100% money back guarantee. Please note, we did not say ‘might be able to make $1000,’ we said ‘every single person who has used our system makes an average of $1000 or $3000 per day, every day that they choose to play.’ Our most advanced players average from $900 to $1500 per hour!"

Analysis: I think this guy’s load of crap is hysterical. Let’s see if I understand it correctly: it’s the only effective system capable of winning long-term, it’s not complicated, you can learn it quickly and easily, it’s guaranteed, the beginner can win up to $3,000 per day every day, and the advanced player can win up $1,500 per hour every day (which equates to $15,000 per 10-hour day). Woohoo! This is a get-rich-quick sucker’s dream come true. It’s easy to learn (no effort or energy needed) and as a beginner you can win up to $3,000 per day every day, which means you can make more than $1,000,000 per year with minimal effort, minimal skill, and minimal knowledge. Well, golly gee wilickers! We better run out and buy this system right now because every hour we wait, we lose $325. No analysis of this excerpt is needed. If it doesn’t seem absurd to you, then you deserve to lose your shirt.

Excerpt: "The preferred grip for you is the one that you feel the most comfortable with, has the least amount of friction and skin on the dice, and that produces the best results for you personally. You will need to practice as much as possible to produce the best results. Before you go to a casino for a session, practice on your practice box, or in the hotel drawer just for a warm up to see how your throw is today, before the session. This will save you a lot of units and help save your bankroll!"

Analysis: This excerpt addresses the wonderful world of dice-setting—-a world, in my opinion, called Fantasyland. One short sentence should be enough for you to realize the bull manure this guy is feeding you. "Before you go to a casino for a session, practice on your practice box, or in the hotel drawer just for a warm up to see how your throw is today, before the session." What? A hotel dresser drawer? Good grief. Even the dumbest moron should realize how stupid that is. A hotel dresser drawer doesn’t have the same bounce characteristics and friction coefficient as a craps table, and a dresser drawer doesn’t have the little pointy rubber pyramids (spikes) on the back wall that a craps table has. So, how could practicing in a three-foot-wide dresser drawer foretell anything about how your toss will be on a 12-foot craps table? In my opinion, this easily rates as one the dumbest statements I’ve ever read. When you read nonsense like that, it should raise a red flag for you to be cautious of the rest of the crap the guy is trying to sell you.

The following are several excerpts combined into one. I found them embedded throughout a well-liked and respected craps-related website. Personally, I don’t know why it’s so respected because, in my opinion, it has no legitimacy. It deals with dice setting. To understand my disdain for the idea of dice setting, please read the free sample chapter of my eBook that’s included on my website.

Excerpts from the dice-setting website: "Craps can be beaten—-. There is only one way to beat craps in the long run and that is through precision shooting and dice control—-. Craps can be beaten by changing the nature of the game from a mathematical and random contest, where the casino has built in the edge for itself, to a physical contest, where the person who shoots the dice can gain the edge by skill—-. Dice control is a physical skill that can be learned by disciplined players who are willing to practice and perfect the techniques we teach them… Our teachers are the greatest dice control specialists in the world, many with books and major publications to their credit, all with years of winning casino experience behind them—-. This craps strategy is called dice control, precision shooting, or rhythmic rolling—-. There are no ‘board certified’ dice controllers yet. Everyone is self-certified; that is to say, you have to take them at their word—-. The [name redacted] board of directors wanted [name redacted] to have the highest standards of excellence in the budding field of dice control. To do this, we set up tough criteria for our instructors and coaches to meet. They had to be skilled shooters and good teachers—-. These criteria have been established to standardize and elevate the teaching of dice control by subjecting our teachers to a rigorous certification process that makes sure they understand, can demonstrate and can effectively teach all the essential areas of our curriculum."

Analysis: For analysis of this claim, and all other claims about the merits of dice control, read the free sample chapter of my eBook on my website. In the sample chapter, I don’t go into detail about the certification of so-called dice-control specialists, so I’ll talk a bit about it here. I must admit, this guy’s website is well-written and I respect the writer, not because I agree with the message, but because I like the writing. The author did a particularly wonderful job dreaming up and explaining the certification process. The idea actually sounds legitimate. However, in my opinion, it’s simply a well-crafted and well-written part of an elaborate scheme to separate you from your money. The author goes into a lengthy excuse for the fact that the certification program for their dice-control instructors was developed, executed, and managed by the same people trying to sell you the product. The sophisticated excuse does a fantastic job of explaining why no independent authority exists that can administer the certification process. I suggest that you think twice about the validity of the explanation. Any certification process not developed, executed, and administered by an independent organization should immediately raise a red flag in your brain. If the certification authority is the same bunch who’s selling the product, it’s like sending the fox to guard the hen house. In my opinion, the reason an independent organization still doesn’t exist after so many years since the idea of dice setting was born is because dice setting can’t be proven to be legitimate over the long-term. (Read the free sample chapter to find out why I feel this way.) In the 30 or 40 years that so-called dice-control specialists have been around, surely some entrepreneur somewhere would have formed an independent organization to test and certify dice setters. However, according to the excerpt, no such independent organization exists. Makes you wonder doesn’t it?

As these excerpts show, the Internet (and many books, magazine articles, and other resources) is crammed full of ridiculous claims designed for one thing—to get your money. If you want to play craps, you must get over your blazing desire to make an easy buck. You must plant yourself in reality. You must learn to play smart. You must accept the fact that no craps system exists that allows you to gain an advantage over the casino. Don’t fall for bogus strategies and wacky dice-setting schemes that claim they can consistently win you tons of money. Be smart. Play smart. Learn the secret to craps. Armed with facts instead of false hope, you’ll be a strong weapon against the casino.

Now you know!

The Author:

Bill Enslen is a reliability engineer who routinely works with statistics. Having played and analyzed the game for 25 years, he has compiled his winning secrets in a new eBook, which you can sample at http://www.learnthesecrettocraps.com/

Learn to Play Casino Craps: the 3-way Craps, Over 7, and Under 7 Bets – an article by William Enslen Jr

Be smart, play smart, learn how to play casino craps the right way!

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." 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.

The Over 7 and Under 7 bets are rare 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.

Now you know! Remember, learn how to play casino craps the right way.

The Author:

Bill Enslen is a reliability engineer who routinely works with statistics. Having played and analyzed casino craps for more than 25 years, he has compiled his winning secrets in a new Ebook, The Secret to Craps: The Right Way to Play. He doesn’t offer false hope or prey on your blazing desire to beat the casino. Instead, he explains the reality of the game and how to optimize your fun without losing your shirt. Without fully understanding the game and the truth behind the numbers, you’re vulnerable to believing bizarre claims that you can consistently beat the casino. The plain truth is that you can’t and won’t. Don’t be a sucker. Be smart, play smart, and learn casino craps the smart way. For more information, and to read a sample chapter about the absurdity of dice control, visit his site at Learn to Play Casino Craps the Right Way.

Learn to Play Craps – Tips and Strategies: Win-loss Limits – by William Enslen Jr

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.

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 Vegas 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 generally 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 in fancy spas, or go shopping, or sight-see, or eat at fancy restaurants, or look at boring water fountains, or ogle half-naked pirates, or do anything else but gamble. So, why quit when I’m ahead? If I quit after a $900 winning session, then what? Sit at the bar drinking beer watching everyone 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 money were my motivation, I wouldn’t have spent $1,200 for two airplane tickets to Vegas, $700 for a hotel room, $500 (maybe more) for food, $500 for my wife’s massages, and $1,000 (probably more) for my wife’s shopping spree. It doesn’t add up. If all I care about is money, I would have saved tons of it by staying home. As long as I’m winning, I’m playing. The only time I stop is after I’ve lost my buy-in money for a particular session. Then, when it’s time to start the next session, I drop another buy-in allotment on the table and start having fun again.

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.

If you don’t want to lose your shirt, you must learn the secret to craps. Don’t fall for bogus winning systems or ridiculous dice-setting claims. Be smart. Play smart. Learn the secret to craps.

Now you know!

About the Author:

Bill Enslen is a reliability engineer who routinely works with statistics. Having played and analyzed the game for 25 years, he has compiled his winning secrets in a new eBook, which you can sample at http://www.learnthesecrettocraps.com/

Learn to Play Craps – Tips and Strategies: Craps Pros and Their Winning Systems – by William Enslen Jr

In my other article, Winning Systems, I address the fact that there’s no such thing as a long-term craps "winning system" for the player. It’s a mathematical fact that a player cannot gain an advantage over the house using any combination of bets or bet amounts. Period. Yet I see book after book and article after article explaining a wide variety of systems that so-called "craps pros" use to consistently beat the house. It irritates me knowing that the gambling world recognizes some of these authors as craps "experts." It irritates me when I read something from a well-respected so-called craps expert who, in reality, spreads false hope instead of fact. It irritates me knowing the Industry acknowledges and flaunts these people as skilled and knowledgeable players. It all boils down to money. False hope and dreams of hitting it big sell books and magazines. The reality that the game is designed for the player to lose doesn’t sell squat. In other words, in the gaming world, B.S. sells and reality doesn’t. One can only conclude that some of these authors either aren’t the experts that Industry acknowledges them to be, or they’re selling manure for an easy buck.

Search the Internet for craps articles and you’ll find tons of them. Some factual, some full of bull. Some by unknown authors, some by well-known Industry leaders who have multi-book titles to their credit and routinely write for magazines and newsletters. Some authors do, indeed, explain game facts honestly and correctly. However, too often, some so-called experts apparently feel no shame in spreading false hope.

For example, I just finished reading a series of articles by a well-known author with several book titles in print and a long list of other writing credits. He talks about using wacky systems to make a profit for almost every bet on the table, even those with high house advantages. The fact is that none of those systems can guarantee the player long-term wins. As explained in my article, Variance, distribution variance is the only thing that allows a player to win in the short-term. Let’s examine one of these so-called winning systems that so-called pros use to make money: Place betting the 6 and 8.

The author’s scheme is to Place bet both the 6 and 8, then wait until one of them hits and turn them both off (i.e., make them not working) because a 7 is more likely to appear before another 6 or 8. If five rolls go by without hitting a 6 or 8 and without hitting a 7, then turn both bets off because the 7 is due to hit. After a 7 appears, then Place bet the 6 and 8 again. The author ends his article by offering false hope that this system will be profitable for the player only if the player has discipline to stick to the method without making any other bets.

Your first clue that the author clearly isn’t the expert that his credentials imply is the reliance on the "Gambler’s Fallacy" (see my article, The Gambler’s Fallacy). This system considers a 7 is "due" to hit if it doesn’t show in five rolls or if a 6 or 8 shows first. We know this is absurd because the odds of any number appearing on the next roll are the same whether the number hasn’t appeared after five rolls or after a million rolls. Since the odds never change, it doesn’t matter how many times you turn off your Place bets. You can leave them on constantly, or turn them off and back on every other roll. It doesn’t matter, the odds never change. Let’s look at the math associated with Place betting the 6 and 8.

Over many rolls, results tend to resemble a perfect distribution. Assuming a perfect distribution over 36 rolls, we expect a 7 to appear six times, a 6 to appear five times, and an 8 to appear five times. Because the odds for any number appearing on the next roll never change, the odds of your Place bets winning and losing are the same whether you leave them on constantly or whether you randomly turn them off and on.

Assume you bet $6 on the 6 and $6 on the 8 for a total of $12. Assuming a perfect distribution, the 6 will appear five times in 36 rolls and you win $35 (5 x $7 = $35). The 8 will appear five times in those 36 rolls and you win $35 (5 x $7 = $35. Therefore, in a 36-roll perfect distribution, you win $70 by Place betting the 6 and 8 for $6 each. (Note: for a $6 Place bet on the 6 or 8, the Place odds are 7:6, which means you win $7 for your $6 bet.)

However, on six out of those 36 rolls, a 7 will appear and you lose $72 ($6 on the 6 and $6 on the 8 = $12; then $12 x 6 = $72).

The negative expectation with this system (i.e., Place betting the 6 and 8 for $6 each) is that you lose an average of $2 for every 36 rolls (i.e., you win $70, but you lose $72).

This is actually a good system, in terms of the player, because of the low house advantages of the Place 6 and 8 bets. However, it’s clear that this system cannot guarantee long-term success. It’s statistically impossible. In other words, despite the author’s claim that this system will prove to be very profitable for you, the statistical fact is that is won’t over the long-term.

So, the question you should ask yourself now is: If this system relies on the false notion of the Gambler’s Fallacy, and if this system is statistically proven to result in a player loss over the long-term, why is this so-called craps expert feeding me such bull manure by saying it will prove to be very profitable for me? I think I know the answer to that question, and I think you do, too. Could the answer have anything to do with selling books and articles?

Remember, be smart. Play smart. Don’t fall for bogus claims of winning systems or wacky dice dice-setting schemes. Learn the secret to craps.

Now you know!

About the Author:

Bill Enslen is a reliability engineer who routinely works with statistics. Having played and analyzed the game for 25 years, he has compiled his winning secrets in a new eBook, which you can sample at http://www.learnthesecrettocraps.com/

Craps Odds – Getting the Best Odds to Win! – by Sacha Tarkovsky

As craps is a game of real chance you need to focus on the bets that give you the best odds in craps to win.

Craps Odds of success with the best bets are surprisingly good and you can play at almost even with the house, making craps odds on best bets, better than those in other games of chance such as roulette and slots.

Let’s look at the bets with the best odds in craps.

To understand the game better, and why Craps Odds on the right bets give you great chance of winning, lets look at the various bets you can make, and what advantage (in percent) they give to the house.

Although there are over 40 bets you can make in Craps, here are the most popular and the odds (advantage) they bring to the house.

SEVEN -16.66%

ELEVEN -16.66%

PLACE BETS – 1.51%.

BUY BETS – 4.76%. Note: Player pays 5% "vigorish" to get true odds on all numbers. Only the 4 and 10 make buy bets are worth it. They reduce the house edge to 4.76%.

HARD WAYS This bet can be made in two ways on 4, 6, 8 and 10. Payoff is 9 to 1 on the 6 or 8 and 7 to 1 on the 4 or 10. The house edge is 9.09% and 11.11%, respectively

PASS LINE – 1.414%

DON’T PASS – 1.402%

COME BETS & DON’T COME Same house percentages of 1.414% and 1.402%, as pass line bets.

THE FIELD – 5.55%.

ANY CRAPS – 11.11%

BIG 6 & 8 – 9.09%

How to get it even.

As each throw of the dice is unique, systems cannot predict anything, especially what will fall on the next throw.

All you will need to know, to play well and win is how to bet with the best Craps Odds bets.

First, you need to know how to bet on the passline and then how to apply Craps Odds.

The passline bet is first made before the new shooter begins his throw. If he throws a 7 or 11, you win with him. If he throws a 2, 3, or 12, you lose with him. But if he throws a 4 or 5 or 6 or 8 or 9 or 10, he achieves a "point" (a number he will roll to make again before he rolls a 7), and here you can apply Craps Odds.

The Odds Bet

As we said, the Odds bet will reduce the house advantage. Here is how it’s done.

After you bet on the passline and the shooter has his point, the house may allow you to make an additional bet known as an Odds bet. You place this bet behind your original passline bet on the table.

If the shooter makes his point, you are paid even money for your passline bet and additionally you are paid the true odds for you odds bet reducing the house advantage. These are:

If the point is 4 or 10 your win is paid 2 to 1.

If the point is 5 or 9 your win is paid 3 to 2.

If the point is 6 or 8 your win is paid 6 to 5.

Some casinos will allow you to take double Crap Odds on your passline bet. For example if you put $50 on the passline, you would be able to place odds bet of $100.

Statistically, the passline bet has a house advantage of 1.41%. When you place an additional odds bet, you bring this way down.

A passline bet with single odds has a house edge of 0.85% and with double odds the edge is further too just 0.61% 4, 5, 6 Times Odds. A player sometimes allowed to take three/ four / five times odds, depending on the point number.

If the point is 4 or 10 you can take 3 times odds

If the point is 5 or 9 you can take 4 times odds.

If the point is 6 or 8 you can take 5 times odds.

Always take odds when you have the opportunity to do so The best bet?

When betting you need to keep the odds of craps bets in your mind and only play the ones with the best chances of success.

For right bettors (those betting with the shooter) are pass and come bets with full odds on both for wrong bettors (those betting with the house) are don’t pass and don’t come with full odds on both.

Focus on the bets with the best craps Odds and you will increase your chances of winning dramatically and keep in mind craps is a fun game to but more fun, when you’re winning!

About the Author:

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