How to Achieve an Advantage at Casino Craps By Using Dice Control
by Jerry Patterson
Knowledgeable gamblers have long recognized "The Big 4" – blackjack, poker, sports betting and thoroughbred racing – as the standard games in which an astute player can actually turn the odds in his favor and achieve an advantage over the casino.
But what about craps with its 1.4% house? Can an advantage actually be achieved, the house odds overturned, at the craps table?
To develop an advantage at craps, you must alter the physical phenomena of the game. To do this, you must learn how to control the dice, that is, throw the dice in such a way as to minimize the number of losing sevens being thrown after the point number is established. You achieve an advantage by throwing less than one 7 for every six rolls of the dice after the point has been established.
If you work out the mathematics of dice control, you will find that it only takes one controlled throw every 43 rolls of the dice to eliminate the house edge for the 6 and 8 place bets. That's not much. In other words, if you can average 43 throws during point cycles, with the losing 7 showing seven times, instead of the mathematically expected 42 rolls and seven 7s, that one extra roll eliminates the house edge. From there, you enter the advantage zone.
That's what this article is all about; let's get to it.
Casino craps is an easy game to learn and is the only game where you, the player, can create your own edge over the casino and hold your winning destiny right in your own hands.
If you're not familiar with the rules of play, think of craps this way for the point cycle of the pass line bet: Holding the dice in your hand, you throw them down the table, hit the back wall and they come to rest. If they land on a 7 you lose; if they land on a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, you win if you are betting on those numbers; if they land on 2, 3, 11, 12, you neither win nor lose.
Now, think of the power you would possess if you could throw the dice to avoid the losing 7. That's what dice control is all about -- to set and throw the dice in such a way as to avoid the losing 7 during the point cycle when your objective is to repeat the number you threw on the first roll of this series – called the "come out" roll.
Most of the time hot shooters and hot tables like this occur by chance. But, experienced "rhythm rollers" can create them. And that's what dice control is all about – developing a "rhythm roll" that turns the tables on the casino, swings the advantage to you the shooter, and gives you the means of creating a hot craps table.
But before you take the time to learn this skill, let me show you how to find other crap shooters who possess this skill. In this way you can prove to yourself that dice control works, and, you just make a neat little profit while you're at it.
First you would like to see the shooter set the dice. That is, position the dice with certain numbers showing on the top and the sides. For now, don't worry about what these numbers should be; we'll get to that in the next article. After setting, if the shooter shakes the dice, his throw will probably be random; watch his form carefully and you will know; if the shooter throws the dice with no apparent form, it is obviously a random throw.
You want to see the same release, and you want to see some elevation on the launch – not too much, visualize about 45 degrees and you will have it.
After the launch as the dice come down out of orbit, you want to see the dice landing approximately the same distance before the back wall each time. If the dice are skipping down the table, you are looking at a random throw. Make it a habit of studying the other shooters and you may find one that delivers an advantage.
Would you rather put your money, or increase your bet on a shooter who throws at random, or one with at least a modicum of control? Every crapshooter wants the long hand. This is what it's all about. You have a better chance of realizing this goal with a controlled thrower or rhythm roller. So evaluate the other shooters. Increase your bet if you see some control; decrease your bet if you see random. In your next casino session, make it a point of studying the other shooters. Bet with those that show some control. Lay off or make a table minimum bet on those that throw randomly
Next Month: Another lesson on developing your dice control skills – how to set, grip and throw the dice.
Editor's Note: For more on dice control, pick up a copy of Jerry Patterson's book – Casino Gambling: A Winner's Guide to Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, Baccarat and Casino Poker.
