Three tips to make you the perfect craps player
Craps is a very tough game. It is one of the most rewarding of the casino games partly owing to the fact it is tough to master but also because it is different from the other casino games. Roulette you have next to no influence. You can kid yourself that you are doing something but in essence it’s just hoping for a little bit of luck as you place your bets. Poker is a real game of skill that involves a great deal of concentration but also requires you to be able to read and second guess your opponents. Blackjack requires a good slice of luck but allows you and others to gang up against the dealer and almost play as a team with each other at the table.
What make craps so special is that it combines elements of all of these things. It is not just based on luck but it doesn’t require the special concentration that poker does. It is a mixture between a game and a sport. It does need skill but it doesn’t need you to read and learn hundreds of different rules and permutations like a top poker player has to. You can also play it as whole table with people betting on the person rolling the dice and supporting them. Craps is fun to play and fun to watch, there is a reason that Friends featured it in an episode, because it allows for multiple people to participate and enjoy themselves.
What are Craps
Here’s a quick primer on the game. Craps is a dice game that’s all about guessing the outcome of the roll of two dice. It’s played on a special table designed for the game, where players bet on the results of the dice rolls.
- The Come-Out Roll: The game starts with what’s called the “come-out roll.” A player, known as the “shooter,” rolls the dice. If they roll a 7 or 11, everyone who bet on the “pass line” wins. If they roll a 2, 3, or 12, the pass line bets lose. Any other number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) becomes what’s called the “point.”
- Trying to Hit the Point: After setting a point, the shooter keeps rolling the dice. If they roll the point number again before rolling a 7, the pass line bets win. If a 7 comes before the point number, pass line bets lose.
Players can make a variety of bets predicting the outcome of the rolls or a series of rolls. Some bets have better odds than others, but the basic goal is to guess right about how the dice will land. Craps is known for being lively and sociable, with players often cheering each other on.
Learn the best times to bet.
The top craps players know when it is time to bet and when it is time not to. They also know what to bet on. Craps, unlike many other games, has a clear set of odds that change and shift depending on a variety of factors. The best of the best consult craps betting odds so they know what are the best bets to put on. This can help massively with ensuring that they are always reacting when they need to and making the right decisions. Craps can be a game of memory as much as skill or luck. You need to know the odds of each different bet depending on previous dice rolls to be sure you are getting the most out the game that you can.
Stay calm and relax
This might seem obvious but to many players it really isn’t. If you watch that friends episodes you can see that Monica get carried away with a few wins, she stops thinking and that would make it easy to make mistakes. Of course that is just TV but it is clear that in a game where you need to make decisions about what to bet on and when, that becoming carried away or overwhelmed by the noise of the table is the best way to lose money and lose it fast. If you feel overwhelmed then take a break, if you go on a bad streak then take a break and if you aren’t enjoying it take a break. You should be able to stay calm and relax at the table so you can enjoy yourself as much as possible.
Don’t be afraid to change the way you roll.
When you are a kid, and you learn how to roll a die, it seems like there is a natural way to do it and then that becomes the way you roll. It’s not something we ever really consider changing but the way you roll can change the way the dice fall and if you win or lose at craps. Don’t be afraid to try a new style or a new idea of how to roll them. Whether that is how hard or when you realise them it can make a big difference so why not practice different techniques.
The official stance is that dice outcomes are random, and no particular way of rolling can influence the result. The game is designed to ensure fairness and unpredictability, with casinos often implementing rules like requiring the dice to hit the opposite wall of the table to promote randomness. However, a concept known as “dice control” or “precision shooting” has gained attention among some players who believe that by holding and throwing the dice in a consistent manner, one can influence the results to some extent.
Dice control enthusiasts suggest that by setting the dice in a specific configuration and practicing a controlled throw, a shooter can reduce the frequency of sevening out (rolling a seven after establishing a point), thereby extending their turn and potentially influencing the game’s outcome. They focus on factors like the grip, throwing motion, and the dice’s rotation to minimize randomness.
For those interested in exploring dice control, resources range from books like “Golden Touch Dice Control Revolution!” by Frank Scoblete and Dominator, which provides an introduction to the concept and techniques, to various websites and forums dedicated to craps strategies and dice control. Additionally, instructional videos can be found online, offering visual guides on how to hold, set, and throw the dice.
However! Whether or not dice control is effective is a subject of debate. While proponents claim success, skeptics argue that the controlled throw doesn’t significantly deviate from randomness. Casinos typically remain unconcerned about dice control practices, which may indicate the challenge in achieving a consistent advantage through these methods.