Craps Journey | Dice Setting, Dice Control, Dice Influence & Betting Strategy

It’s been 12 months since I last played craps at the casino.

Wow how time flies.

Regular listeners will know that I promised myself I wouldn’t gamble at the casino until my house renovations were complete. However it’s Christmas time and work friends wanted to go to casino. So what can I do. Peer pressure got me there today.

I’ve never played roulette before. Never. And my work friends wanted to show me how. So what the heck, I’ll give it go.

Bought in $200 on a $5 table. And the dealer cut me out some blue colour chips. My friends were showing me to bet a street and 6 lines. I wanted to do $5 red and black with target 3 play method. But wouldn’t you know it. $25 min. What a rip. I did it a couple of times and lost $50 in 2 spins. If I wanted to waste my money I’d rather put $25 on the field on the craps table.

What I did find amusing was the hole in the table for the automated chip sorter. The lady dealer was scraping in all the chips at the end of each spin decision. Several players had joined us. And there were chips every where. I had no idea how the dealer was tracking the none coloured chips. At one point I was about to say to the dealer, you need a bigger hole, but caught myself at the last second.

Once I bled down to $100 I pulled the pin. I lasted awhile, but it’s as boring as watching grass grow. I find baccarat to be more stimulating and that’s saying something because I’m like a robot playing baccarat. In fact I can work on my laptop or phone and play the mini bac machines without missing a beat on either work or the game.

My friends lost their money at roulette as well. So it was now time to introduce them to craps. Which was my ultimate plan.

Grabbed my $100 chip from roulettte leftovers and they had just opened the craps table at 2pm. Both sides and all the old regular players from a year ago were there. Crazy. Two of the dealers remembered me. They should I guess I used to go every week. And I’m a courteous player and always nice to them.

Bought in for a further $200.

My friends joined me and we took SR1, SR2, SR3

With 2 virgin shooters on each side I thought my luck would be golden.

The table was very cold. No one could make a point. I noticed this and I shot from the dont’s both times I had the dice and set for the all sevens set. Why buck the trend. Lay double odds each time. Each time won.

On my last hand I wanted to back myself as I was getting my confidence back. I put $10 on the pass and point went to 6. I backed it with $25 odds. Alas five rolls later and 7 out.

For when my friends had the dice. I went $10 pass line. And my friend at SR1 went on the only decent hand of the session. 3 points made and going for his forth. About 17 rolls total. Made some money back on that hand. Was very happy for him.

My friend at SR3 was getting into it and she reached into her purse and before I could say no don’t do that, she throws money on the table mid roll just as the shooter at the other end of table got the dice. Hands in the bowel blocking the end wall, money now on the table stopping the shooter. The regulars were groaning. They could see she was new, the dealers knew she was new. But they appeared to be more upset with me for letting it happen.

Guess what the next roll was. You guessed it. 7 out. Way to make friends and influence people at the craps table. The regulars were not impressed.

It was very nice to introduce new players to craps. Super nice that the craps table is still there. And both sides open. A real treat.

One of my don’t bets didn’t get paid on a seven out. So I got the dealers attention and just motioned to my don’t bet that was still on the table. They paused for a second thinking about it. And just paid it. I was glad I didn’t have to get into It with them or the box.

I pulled the pin at -$180 after 1.5 hours. Slow cuts ground me out. Everyone was in the same boat.

Each year we host a Halloween party and 2019 was no different. This will be the 3rd year since introducing playing craps at the party.

Well the Halloween party was a hit. Had 12 people around the table and a couple in the wings that had to watch as there was no more space left. The 3rd shooter went on a hot roll and hit 4 points and multiple numbers. Rolled for about 45 mins and I called the game before he could seven out. The other players where happy winning but really wanted to throw the dice.

We only did one 1 hour session. I gave everyone $160 and dropped the minimum on the props to $1 with $5 min on everything else.

I was so busy dealing that I didn’t get to take any photos. Or videos. My wife is very disappointed that we don’t have any photos. We were just too busy hosting. I should have got one of the kids to take photos.

The winner this year was $726 and got there with a ballsy all in play on the field for the last roll. Last number was 9. He got lucky and jumped the lead. Next behind him was $500ish. I think next session that time boxed to an hour I’ll have to let the roll continue until it naturally ends. Or I need to look into how craps comps are run and do it that way.

Everyone doubled their money at least and were very happy with themselves.

We have a golden arm award and a overall craps winner. Here’s the leader board so far.

2019 Golden Arm – Matthew, Craps Champ – Darren (reclaimed title)

2018 Golden Arm – Scott, Craps Champ – Madonna

2017 Golden Arm – Steve, Craps Chap – Darren

Next year I’ll have someone on the camera with photos and videos. It’s really fun teaching and watching new players embrace the game.

On another more somber note I need to mention my casino comps.

I got some comps sent to me for October and since I’ve been so busy I couldn’t get to casino to validate them and get them added to my players card.

I thought I’d go to casino today on November 1st and get the comps validated, not to play (since I’m still renovating my house – see previous entries about that). You can validate on any table game or machine. I would do my $1 baccarat target 3 play special, get validated to redeem my comps in 5 mins and leave.

Went to the drink machine to get my free softdrink and my card was denied. I thought that was strange and continued to the bacarrat machines, put my card in and $0 and zero points. WTF is going on. Now I’m worried my card is faulty. So I head to the conceirge desk and they check the card and tell me it’s all correct. I have no comps and no credits and I can’t redeem my comps from October because it’s now November 1.

Needless to say I was exasperated with this and asked what’s going on. Since I’ve been away from the casino for over 6 months with no play they cancelled my comps. I was not aware of this little nugget of wisdom, if I did I would have dropped in to play a game machine for 5 mins to keep them valid.

I had $200 comps to spend and they are now all gone. They expired 2 weeks ago in mid October. I was going to take the wife to dinner and drinks and use the points on room at the newly renovated Gold Coast casino.

I tried to sweet talk them to give them back to me but they said it was not possible. I call BS on that. Anything is possible. But I didn’t labour on it with them because I refuse to be the customer from hell and go off on a rant and abuse the casino staff and ask to see manager and all that. They must have to deal with some people that have lost far more than $200 in casino comps.

On the plus side, while I’ve been away the from casino, I’ve been playing baccarat and blackjack on their casino app (using target 3 play method of course – and winning), and I’ve earned enough points to get 2 x $50 gift cards. So that’s at least 2 dinners and drinks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkpODOo_P5Y

It’s been a long time since I checked in. 10 months in fact. It’s been one massive year for me so far.

I’m still on my craps journey, just not at the casino this year yet.

It’s a self imposed exile. Here’s why.

I’m renovating our old house to turn it into a rental and have promised myself and the wife, no casino until it’s done. This gives me an incentive and reward to go when I’m done.

That was in January this year, and it’s now mid October. The time is getting away from me.

I’d moved my Craps table to our new house. But it’s been in storage in the garage. Since it’s taking so long for me to complete the renovations and be in two places at the same time, I’m now staying at my old house 4 nights a week to try to get the place finished faster.

Since it’s coming up to party time for our family during Oct, Nov, Dec the wife told me to move the craps table back to our old place. Apparently when I host a Craps night we are just too darn loud.

The first craps get together was for my old boys soccer team breakup which happened in September. Here’s a photo of some of guys getting into Craps.

Then the next session after that I’ll host a work colleague Craps game.

It’s quite amusing because the only thing in the house is literally a Craps table, a BBQ and my tools and paints for the renovations.

Then after that I’ll have to move the table back to my new house for our yearly family Halloween Craps get together.

I’ll have to take some videos of my home table with a game in full swing which I throw onto the podcast in November. I’ll let you know when it’s out.

Should make for some interesting viewing.

You can see how I approach teaching the game to newbies and my dreadful dealing skills.

Now as an extra bonus for you. Here’s a time lapse of my craps table assembly. This was my second time setting up this table, and I’m still tweaking the installation.

 

I’ve added wheels onto it so I can move it around the space easier.

I need to add in some more nut inserts to make this faster for next time, between the legs and the table top.

The side rails are bolted to the table top – so it’s very strong.

In the end this took 2 hours, and it would have taken 1 hour if I had of had a second person to help.

On another side note I want you to check out 2 great craps podcasts called

1. Casinos Usa

2. 99% Craps

Search on iTunes for those

and 2 great YouTube channels

1. Bonethrower

2. Colour Up

and one great forum called

Axis Power Craps

Those resources have kept me living vicariously through other people’s craps adventures while I can’t have any of my own.

Consuming all the great content available on these 5 resources alone will give you a very solid craps education and best of all it’s totally free.

I thoroughly recommend and endorse them.

Leave me a comment here or drop me an email at [email protected] with any of your craps questions and I’ll answer them on the podcast.

Casino : Treasury Brisbane

$400 buy in

12ft half table

SL-2

4 players

It was our work Christmas party and rather than just stand around and talk rubbish to each other I thought I’d bring out my A1 sized craps layout that I printed for just betting practice on the kitchen table. You can download a PDF of it from my website.

I have a set of dice and stash of old chips that I keep at work. So I quickly had 6 people now learning how to play craps. And several others looking on. I gave everyone $250 dollars and away we went.

It was a good session and they enjoyed it and started to see why I like it so much.

One guy turned $250 into $2050 playing don’t pass with a couple of ballsy all in moves and a $25 hard ten. Truely great to see.

Once that session was done, I packed my gear and escaped from our work Christmas party around 6pm and quickly got to casino 2 mins later. I’m very fortunate it’s only 200 meters away from where I work. Co-incidence, maybe. But I’ll take it for as long as I’m working there.

It’s been so long since I’ve played craps in the casino I’m surprised I knew where the table was.

Half table was open as per usual. And it was packed with 6 players. Looking at the chip racks which were mixed I knew I’d get a spot soon and the regulars had had their fun and gone.

I headed back to work to pickup my bag. And collect some colleagues that said they were keen to hit the craps table with me.

They had settled into drinking the night away. So I grabbed only one who was keen and left the party. Unfortunately he was already drunk and in no condition to gamble. I should have put him in a taxi and sent him home.

Now you aren’t allowed to take back packs into the casino but women can take in large handbags. I consider that an absolute joke. And total discrimination. But if you want to gamble it’s the house rules are the house rules.

So I had to put our back packs into the lockers for $5 each. I don’t mind the $5 and it’s actually one of the safest locker offerings in the city. With several cameras monitoring the area and all the security guards on the payroll.

On returning to the table there were only 4 players now and I slipped in at SL-2. I stuck my drunk work friend in the hook near the dealer out of the way. He had no idea what was going on, but was just happy to watch the theatre of the game.

It’s been a long time in between casino sessions for me. Nearly 4 months. But I wasn’t nervous at all. I used to get very nervous to the point where I would have trouble throwing. I guess that’s a good thing. And showing my increased time at playing the game is starting to overcome any of the nerves.

I started off playing my hybrid play of target 3 play on the pass line and don’t pass (not at same time) and $66 inside WOTCO with $22 inside pressing twice to $110 inside. Then same bet and regress to $22 inside and it’s press and collect from there. So I effectively play 2 seperate games at the same time.

My toss was a bit ordinary but it just felt so good to be back in the action of the game again that I really didn’t care. I was just focusing on hitting the same landing spot and keeping the dice low and slow and trying not to let them split apart to much.

I had one hand with 5 come out rolls before getting on a point.

I still don’t know how to take advantage of the come out game. I need to learn about world or whirl bet. Which I think is made up of the horn and any seven, but I haven’t practiced it and learnt the payouts so have no frame of reference for it… Yet. Anyone got some pointers for me to try?

Here’s my 5 hands

6,2,5,5,6H

11,7,8,6,10,3,9,9,7

9,9

9,4,5,9

9,5,4,7

6,7

3,2,12,7

3,9,8,11,7

7,8,7

On other shooters I just stuck to my target 3 play and $6 six and eight. You never know when someone will catch a good hand.

We just had our annual Halloween party. And this year I was able to use the full table that I’ve talked about in previous podcasts and posts. Photo is below. Last year was just a makeshift half table. See episode 53 for all about that one and some photos.

With space for up to 10 players I was gearing up for a big craps session. We had quite a few new players from last year. And those that played last year were very keen but needed a refresher course.

I am still trying to work out the best way to get new players quickly into the game without completely confusing them with the myriad of bets that they see in front of them. Thinking back 25 years ago to when I first started playing craps I watched others and slowly picked it up that way. But I’m talking about quick ABCs to get started with little pressure. Perhaps you’ve got some ideas for me. If so let me know.

I’m going to instigate a standing Halloween party craps award. There will be 2. Craps champ with highest bankroll and golden arm with longest roll. I’ll get a little wall mounted award board where I can put up the names and show it off each year.

Another very interesting session followed where there were dark siders and passline players. Trying their luck with both sides trying to beat the game.

Each player had $150 of chips which I purposefully set low. I wanted to see if it would naturally end up with a more conservative betting approach than last year, where I gave them $300 each. It was a very different game to last year.

I was once again humbled that my party goers embraced dark side play on their first craps outing. You just don’t see many dark side players in Brisbane.

I explained the higher probability for rolling a seven over the other numbers each roll, and they just worked it out that dark siding would be a good idea.

That is until one of the players got on a monster roll. Over an hour. Banging out the place numbers. They couldn’t seven out. The prop bet players were left scratching their heads, wondering what was going on. Having lost a fair bit of money. Last year it was a horn number fest and they must have thought that’s a common affair and tried to do it again.

I had to call a time out for a drinks and desert break. Of course none of them know about energy draining events (EDE) and not to break the rhythm of the shooter. But I needed food and another couple of beers.

After the break they continued for a few more rolls and then 7 out. It was at that point I knew we had our golden arm winner for the night. They were very happy with themselves.

Someone asked me how I would have bet that hand. I felt a bit bad because I would have made quite a lot. Compared to what everyone else did. Even with a conservative press schedule, it would have left hundreds on the table.

It was then I realised that what they were missing was the benefit of watching what other more seasoned players do at the table. And picking up ideas of different bets to try and what the outcome of those bets are.

So in future even though I’m not going to shoot while I deal, I think it’s best if I deal and play as well. I can then explain the plays as I make them and the others can then play whatever bets they like.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable night. And I can’t wait to get last years and this years winners up on the wall. Then we’ll do it all again next Halloween.

PS For my fancy dress I called myself the dice doctor (if only) and had my eighties hair style back and dressed in scrubs. Definitely you would not want me operating on you. I looked thoroughly dodgey.

Well once again I have to start off by saying that I’ve been stopped from getting to the Casino over the last few weeks by my daily grind of family and work commitments.

They come first. And I come last. Such is life. I know I’m not the only one. I’ve been told it happens to all of us.

However I have not been idle by any means with my Craps Journey.

I have a few photos to share (see below), as I have spent considerable time to put together my Craps Table which was stuck in storage for nearly a year. So now is as good as any to dedicate a podcast episode for how my table came to be.

I’d been looking for a Craps Table for 2 years as soon as I started my Craps Journey, but being in Australia they are rare – in very short supply, and no one is selling them.

I had been talking with Big Jeff from Big Jeff’s Craps Tables in USA and he was going to help me build a table.

The only downside to that is that I don’t have the space, tools, skills or time to build a great table.

Getting one of Big Jeff’s or any other timber masterpiece sent from America to Australia was going to cost me a fortune (or so I thought)

So I found a vendor in China by using the Alibaba network of manufacturers.

Of course this is a risky venture since you are buying a table from a manufacturer in another country that you only can see photos of what they produce (or supposedly produce).

With a lot of trepidation I was chatting with 2 vendors for over 1 month to pick the one that I thought would do the best job and most importantly deliver the table to me in Australia.

I’m not going to reveal the vendor that I ultimately chose, because as you will see they didn’t meet my expectations.

The table I wanted was an 8ft 2.4m table which was 4ft 1.2m wide. All of the tables they had previously built were only 1m wide, but I wanted it to be as wide as possible. I wanted the table to be portable. And by portable I mean, be able to be broken down and moved from room to room or place to place and put back together again. I have many videos on my how to build a craps table page of people building tables that can break down as needed. So I took ideas from them and put in some of my own and gave the vendor my instructions of what I wanted.

The table cost $950USD which I had to electronic money transfer to China. Now that was a 2 hour visit to the bank to make that happen. Which was like pulling teeth. You’d think I was the first person to try to send money to a bank in China from Australia, I was amazed and frustrated at the same time.

One month ticked away and I was eagerly waiting for some photos of my craps table (aka furniture art) from the vendor.

Finally I was rewarded with photos, and it looked impressive. Very clean job and well constructed. Of course what can you really see from a photo. In this case, it turned out, not the stuff I wanted to see.

I should have asked to see the table disassembled and with a clear showing of how to the table bolts back together again. But I didn’t. I was so caught up in getting the table to me.

The next stage after the build was harder than the actual build itself. The shipping.

What a nightmare doing shipping from another country into Australia. They don’t make it easy at all. And if you have anything that is out of the ordinary / large / made of timber, it’s even harder. For never having any prior shipping import / export experience, I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

First I had to engage an import broker to help me, since I could see I wasn’t going to be able to get this table into the country on my own. The broker provided me with all the forms, and more money was transferred to the broker to get things started. Lots of paper work then ensued to get the broker what they need...

$300 buy in

12ft full table

SL-3.5 (hook)

12 players

I promised myself I’d get to play Craps this week after 3 months off. And play Craps I did. For the grand total of 30mins.

I couldn’t escape from work at 2pm as I’d hoped to see the table get opened. But as I suspected I was getting pestered by folks that can’t seem to do their own jobs, so expect me to assist them with constant hand holding. That’s a gripe for another day.

Anyway I ended up showing up at the casino at 3:55pm and was shocked to see a full table in use with the only available spot in SL-3.5 in the hook. I really detest this spot since it is not only hard to shoot from for me, but I can’t bet my DP cleanly because there is no clear DP box in front of me. I have to put my DP chips in front of someone else. It annoys me and them. Not everyone likes or understands don’t players.

I looked around the table and while I don’t know their names, I have seen them all many times before. Everyone was a regular.

So with the reduction in hours of the table i mentioned in my last post, it’s effectively squeezed the regulars into a smaller window of opportunity.

At least with a table in full swing throughout its open times, the management may not close it permanently.

I’ve never seen a table run so slow. With so many regulars it seemed like everyone (except me) had prop action. The middle looked like a Christmas tree with the baubles on it. Talk about a time suck.

The dice started in the turn near the SR dealer and after a few slow roles, I knew I wouldn’t get the dice today.

I started with my modified Target 3 play on flat bets PL and DP (not at the same time, I’ve discussed this play before) and did some very conservative place bet action of $6 on the six and eight and spread out to the five and nine from there as they hit. Aka one hit can’t miss style.

A wife of a regular was the final shooter for me. And literally you needed to have safety glasses on, for fear of a stray dice hitting you in the eye. I was standing 2ft off the rail and was still concerned for my safety.

She was dangerous with just the force of throw. I had a $10 DP on her and just had to lay $40 on it for odds when the point went to the 10. After a few rolls she hit the ten hard. Sigh. Reminded me of $5bill trip reports.

I made some money back off her on my place bets but I just didn’t have the time to recover in total.

Had to rush back to work. Will try again next Friday. And get back into the weekly craps groove.

Now as a side comment I went to collect my ticket for the special $1millon prize draw the casino is having in August and would you believe it, Craps doesn’t qualify for it. I was upset about that. So they are forcing people to play any other game or electronic machine. But not Craps. That’s a tell tale sign of how much they rate Craps players. Very sad.

Colour in $251 (-$49) in 30 mins.

Well it’s been ages since I’ve got to the craps table. 3 months approximately. I’m getting withdrawal symptoms for sure.

The biggest issue is that my local casino has reduced the craps table hours yet again.

No more craps at lunch time on Friday for me. The table doesn’t open until 2pm now. Which makes it really hard for me to get to the casino during the mid afternoon. They have also closed Sunday totally. So it’s only Friday night and Saturday night now.

I’ve had to console myself with playing baccarat instead. Not much consolation if you ask me. But it’s better than nothing.

What’s a first for me is to participate in a major casino competition. My local casino is having a huge $1million prize draw for August. When you play through the week you get a ticket to go in the weekly draw. I’ve never been the type to go for this sort of marketing competition. But since I’m playing at the casino weekly I figured why not.

I play baccarat and get my ticket each week and go in the draw. Then I go there on Sunday night for the draw and play some more baccarat.

Quick in and out round trip from the house and back again in 1 1/4 hours. How’s that for efficient casino hit and run.

Of course I have had my down swings were I had to leave the casino on at a stage in my negative progression that I would not normally stop at. But I just abort and pick up again from scratch not from where I was up to in the sequence.

I don’t like being at the casino on Sunday evening there are to many people. And I hate sitting next to someone on a row of machines.

Usually when I go the place is next to empty and I can have my pick of any machine I like.

My wife will only go when it’s quiet as well.

Overall I’m still pulling 26% return out of baccarat. I’m aiming to ratchet that up as my bankroll increases. But steady as she goes for now. Don’t want to get greedy. That’s the kiss of death. It doesn’t take much to go backwards and ruin at the good that has accumulated.

Can’t wait to get back to craps again. This Friday I’ll be there at 2pm to watch them open the table. And see just how awful my toss has become.

My home craps table is still in pieces. I’ve spent the last 2 weekends rebuilding it in readiness to join it back together again and make it fully robust and portable at the same time.

Here’s a picture of my home table end rails under some heavy glue action with clamps.

Show notes:

Heavy’s Axis Power Craps forum

Seth Theobeau’s Target 3 Play

(book) Lee Evans – Playing The Empire for Fun and for Profit A Gambler’s Guide to Baccarat