Craps is one of the most exciting Casino games around as it is high in Player involvement. You will regularly hear yelling and shouting at one of the tables in a land-based casino. It is played on a purpose-built table using two dice.
A number may be a winner when making one type of bet, while the same number may be a loser when making a different bet. Regardless, the game boils down to understanding the relationship among the numbers, particularly how the number 7 relates to all the other numbers. As craps uses two standard six-sided dice, it is important to first understand there are a total of 36 possible dice rolls. From this, some numbers have a statistically higher chance of landing because they have more combinations on the dice roll. For example, there are exactly six ways to roll a seven: 1 and 6. Here’s a rundown of all the various bets in craps (A) Pass Line. This is the basic bet that most players make, and it’s actually one of the bestbets on the layout, with a house edge of only 1.41%.Ifyou want an easy game then you can simply stick to this bet and ignore all the otherbets. And smarts craps players ignore most of the table, anyway. This post explains in detail for beginners what they need to know about placing bets on the craps table. The Basics of the Craps Table. In casinos, craps is played at a table, usually one covered in green felt. The bets available are labeled on the felt.
Like most Casino games, you play against the House (Casino) as opposed to other players and as there are lots of different betting options you can bet on when guessing what numbers will come up when the dice are rolled, there is plenty of choices to make too.
In this article we discuss how to play craps giving you a break down of craps rules and everything you need to win at the game. This is part 1 of a two part article. After learning the basics of craps rules, the second part is about more advanced strategies and tips.
Craps rules can be more difficult than in other casino games, but once learned this can be a very social and enjoyable game with some terrific betting odds.
Players need to guess the outcome of 2 standard, 6-sided dice being rolled and what the total of the 2 dice will be.
The game is played with a set of two perfectly balanced dice with each die having six white dots numbered 1 through 6. There is an equal chance of each number being rolled.
Number | Combination | Ways To Roll |
---|---|---|
2 | 1-1 | One |
3 | 1-2, 2-1 | Two |
4 | 1-3, 3-1, 2-2 | Three |
5 | 1-4, 4-1, 2-3, 3-2 | Four |
6 | 1-5, 5-1, 2-4, 4-2, 3-3 | Five |
7 | 1-6, 6-1, 2-5, 5-2, 3-4, 4-3 | Six |
8 | 2-6, 6-2, 3-5, 5-3, 4-4 | Five |
9 | 3-6, 6-3, 4-5, 5-4 | Four |
10 | 4-6, 6-4, 5-5 | Three |
11 | 5-6, 6-5 | Two |
12 | 6-6 | One |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
1 | Snake Eyes | Loose Deuce | Easy Four | Fever Five | Easy Six | Natural |
2 | Loose Deuce | Hard Four | Fever Five | Easy Six | Natural | Easy Eight |
3 | Easy Four | Fever Five | Hard Six | Natural | Easy Eight | Nina |
4 | Fever Five | Easy Six | Natural | Hard Eight | Nina | Easy Ten |
5 | Easy Six | Natural | Easy Eight | Nina | Hard Ten | Yo |
6 | Natural | Easy Eight | Nina | Easy Ten | Yo | Boxcars |
Set your budget – As a general rule, you need enough for 50 bets when playing table games.
Choose your table – All will have a minimum and maximum amount you can place on all different bets, choose one where each of your favourites is no more than one-fiftieth of your budget. i.e. if you have a bankroll of $/€/£200, you should be looking at betting no more than $/€/£4 per time
Find a space at the table – Unlike many Casino games, players always stand and do not have a specific area where they place bets – there are many different types of bets that all players can use. This is irrelevant when playing online.
Decide how much you would like to change up and play with – You will be given chips, the sizes of which depend on how much you change up and the limits of the tables.
To begin, the Shooter (one of the Players) needs to bet at least the table minimum on either the Pass Line or the Don’t Pass Line
The game is played in Rounds, with the right to roll the dice by each player moving clockwise around the table at the end of each round. A player may choose not to roll but can continue to bet.
Once all players have made their desired bets, the Round begins. Each round has two phases: Come Out and Point. To start a round, the shooter makes one or more Come Out rolls.
Payouts are sometimes made after each roll, and sometimes made after several rolls; see the individual Bet descriptions for details.
We will delve more into the table layout features below in the Placing Bets section. On the Craps table there are two Dealers, a Stickman, and a Boxman.
The Stickman uses a long flexible stick to push the dice around the table, gathering the dice after rolls and pushing them to the player.
The Boxman is the person in charge of the game and has final decision-making authority.
The Dealers cash chips and ensure that bets are placed on the table correctly.
Out of 990 decisions at the craps table, you can expect to lose 14 decisions more than you win.
As with any Casino game, there will invariably be swings, both large and small, either way when it comes to winning or losing. In the relatively short time you will be playing, there will be fluctuations in this house edge, so at times things will be going in your favor.
You can place bets at any time, the best time to start doing this is when a new Shooter starts. The first thing he needs to do is Establish a Point.
If a Shooter rolls a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 on his/her first roll, all other bets below can be made.
If a 2, 3 or 12 are rolled, all Players will win they are Come Out bets and the Shooter will continue rolling to establish a new Point.
If a 7 or 11 are rolled, all Players will lose their Come Out bets and a new Shooter will be designated.
When it is your turn to throw the dice, you must determine whether to bet the Pass line or the Don’t Pass line. Most Shooters, as well as most of the other players at the table, will bet the Pass line, as it is the basic bet in Craps.
The Pass line bet is an even-money bet that wins if you either roll a total of 7 or 11 on the Come-Out roll or if you throw a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 on the Come-Out roll and repeat that number before you roll a 7. The Pass line bet loses if the Come-Out roll is a 2, 3, or 12 (known as “craps”) or when a 7 is rolled before the established Point Number is repeated.
A Pass Line bet can be made at any time during a Shooter’s roll, even after he has established a Point. However, a bet placed on the Pass Line after a Point has been established is a very poor bet, since you have missed the opportunity to win on the Come-Out roll when the shooter throws a 7 or an 11. The only way you can now win is if the shooter repeats his point before he Sevens-Out.
A Come bet is identical to a Pass line bet, with one exception: A Come bet may be made on every throw of the dice once the Shooter has established a Point. A Come bet is made by placing the number of chips you wish to wager in the designated Come area of the table.
Once you place a Come bet, the very next roll of the dice becomes the Come-out roll for that bet. Therefore, if the Shooter rolls a 7, you will win even though Pass line betters will lose. If an 11 is rolled, you will win while the Line bets will not be affected. However, should one of the Craps numbers come up (2, 3 or 12) you will lose, but the Line bets will be unaffected.
If the Shooter throws one of the Box numbers on the first roll of the dice after you’ve made a Come bet, this number becomes an established Point for your Come bet. To win this bet, your Come point must be repeated before a 7 is rolled.
Once a Point has been established for your Come bet, the Dealer will move the chips you have bet to the corresponding numbered box on the layout to await a decision for that Point. When you win a Come bet, the Dealer will pay you off by placing your original bet, along with your winnings, in the Come section of the layout. If you do not immediately retrieve your chips, they will be in action on the next roll of the dice as a new Come bet (this is collected for you automatically when playing online).
We know that a Pass line bet is simply a wager that the Shooter will win. But you also can bet that the shooter will fail to make a pass and thus lose.
The Don’t Pass line bet wins when the Shooter throws a Craps of 2 or 3, but not 12, on the Come-Out roll, or when he rolls a 7 before repeating his established Point number. This bet loses when the Come-Out roll is a 7 or 11, or when the Shooter repeats his Point number before rolling a 7.
The Don’t Pass line bet is the exact opposite of a pass line with one exception: Although a roll of 12 on the Come out loses for Pass line betters, it is not a winning number for Don’t Pass betters. It is a stand-off and neither wins nor loses. This is because if Don’t Pass betters were permitted to win in this situation, they would have an advantage over the house. So by barring (disallowing) the number 12 on the Come-Out roll, the casinos retain a small edge. Some casinos bar the number 2, but the effect is exactly the same.
Unlike a Pass line bet, a Don’t Pass bet can be removed after a Point number has been established on the Come-Out roll. Once a Point is established you have an advantage over the house, thus the casino has no objections to your taking down the bet. Of course, you should never do this. After going up against an 8 to 3 house edge on the Come-Out roll, you will have an overall average advantage of 18.8% after a Point has been established.
When the Shooter establishes a Point number on the Come-Out roll, players who have made Don’t Pass line bets are permitted to Lay the Odds. In the same way, Don’t Come bets are the exact opposite of Come bets (with the exception of a 12 is rolled on the Come bet), the Laying the Odds bet is the exact opposite of an Odds bet (which no exceptions).
Correct payoffs for Lay Odds bets are as follows:
Points 4 and 10 pay 1-to-2
Points 5 and 9 pay 2-to-3
Points 6 and 8 pay 5-to 6
Don’t Come bets can be placed on every throw of the dice after a Point has been established. After you have placed a Don’t Come bet, the very next throw of the dice becomes the Come-Out roll for that bet. If the Shooter rolls a Craps number of 2 or 3, you will win while Don’t Pass line betters will not be affected. If a 7 is rolled, you will lose and bets on the Don’t Pass will win. You also will lose if an 11 is thrown, although this number will not have a bearing on Don’t Pass bets. A roll of 12 is a stand-off.
A Place bet can be made on any of the Point numbers (4,5,6,8,9,10) at any time during a game and is simply a bet that one of these numbers will be rolled before the Shooter throws a 7. You cannot Take the Odds on Place bets.
Place bets on the 6 and 8 are paid off at 7-to-6 on correct odds of 6-to-5, which gives the casino an advantage of 1.51% on these numbers. To ensure that you receive the full 7-to-6 payoff on the 6 and 8, you must make your bet in multiples of six, such as $6, $12, $18, and so forth (this isn’t the case when playing online)
Place bets on the 5 and 9 carry a house advantage of 4%, and Place bets on 4 and 10 carry a house advantage of 6.6%.
This is a bet on the next number to be rolled. There are seven numbers inside the field area that if rolled, will result in a win. The numbers are 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 and 12. If you make a wager in the field and any of the above numbers show on the next roll you will win. In many Casinos and some online sites, you win double or even treble your bet if a 2 or a 12 are rolled.
These bets can be made at any time and, they are all one roll bets.
Any Craps: Wins if a 2, 3 or 12 is thrown. Payoff 7:1
Any Seven: Wins if a 7 is rolled. Payoff 4:1
Eleven: Wins if a 11 is thrown. Payoff 15:1
Ace Duece: Wins if a 3 is rolled. Payoff 15:1
: it acts as the bets on 2, 3, 11 and 12 all at once. Wins if one of these numbers is rolled. The payoff is determined according to the number rolled. The other three bets are lost.
This is a bet on a specific double coming out on the next roll. For example, if a player is putting money on the hard 6 the player is betting that the shooter will roll a 3,3. You can only bet on 2:2, 3:3, 4:4 or 5:5, and you are betting on a specific double to appear and not covering all of them.
The best craps bets are the following:
When the Shooter establishes a Point on the Come-Out roll, any player who has made a Pass line bet is allowed to “take the Odds.” A single Odds bet is an additional bet, up to the amount of your original bet, that the Point number will be repeated before a 7 is rolled.
*Important* The “Odds Bet” is the best one you can make in the game because the house has no built-in advantage.
The Odds bet not only hasn’t any house edge associated with it, but also has no official designated space on the table. Therefore, to take the Odds, you must place the appropriate amount of chips behind your Pass line bet in the open area of the Craps layout (this is also the same when playing online).
The correct payoff for Odds bets varies from Point number to Point number, depending on the odds of a 7 being rolled before a particular point is repeated. Correct odds payoffs are as follows:
Points 4 and 10 pay 2-to-1
Points 5 and 9 pay 3-to-2
Points 6 and 8 pay 6-to-5
Bet | True Odds | Payout | House Edge |
---|---|---|---|
Pass Line/Come Bet | 251 to 244 | 1 to 1 | 1.414 |
Don’t Pass/Don’t Come Bet | 976 to 949 | 1 to 1 | 1.402 |
Pass Line Odds/Come Bet Odds/Buy Bets (5% commission) | |||
Numbers 4 or 10 | 2 to 1 | 2 to 1 | 4.76 |
Numbers 5 or 9 | 3 to 2 | 3 to 2 | 4.76 |
Numbers 6 or 8 | 6 to 5 | 6 to 5 | 4.76 |
Don’t Pass Odds/Don’t Come Bet Odds/Lay Bets (5% commission) | |||
Numbers 4 or 10 | 1 to 2 | 1 to 2 | 2.44 |
Numbers 5 or 9 | 2 to 3 | 2 to 3 | 3.23 |
Numbers 6 or 8 | 5 to 6 | 5 to 6 | 4.0 |
Field Bets | |||
3, 4, 9, 10, 11 | 18 to 7 | 1 to 1 | 5.5 |
2, 12 | 18 to 1 | 2 to 1 | 5.5 |
Place Bets | |||
Numbers 4 or 10 | 2 to 1 | 9 to 5 | 6.7 |
Numbers 5 or 9 | 3 to 2 | 7 to 5 | 4.0 |
Numbers 6 or 8 | 6 to 5 | 7 to 6 | 1.52 |
Hardways | |||
6 or 8 | 10 to 1 | 9 to 1 | 9.09 |
4 or 10 | 8 to 1 | 7 to 1 | 11.1 |
One Roll Bets | |||
Any 7 | 5 to 1 | 4 to 1 | 16.9 |
Any craps | 8 to 1 | 7 to 1 | 11.1 |
2 craps or 12 craps | 35 to 1 | 30 to 1 | 13.9 |
3 craps or 11 | 17 to 1 | 15 to 1 | 11.1 |
Horn Bet (3 or 11) | 9 to 1 | 3.75 to 1 | |
Horn Bet (2 or 12) | 18 to 1 | 7.5 to 1 | |
Big 6 or 8 | 3.6 to 1 | 1 to 1 | 9.09 |
You can find a bet summary here.
Continue to Part II – Advanced Craps Strategy & Tips
Related Articles:
Play Craps for Real Money
For this exercise you will need a pair of casino dice. Used casino dice are available at most casino gift shops. You can also order new casino-quality dice on-line from a number of sources, including www.axispowercraps.com. Purchase several sticks (a set of five matching dice) in different colors to use when practicing your precision shooting.
Orient the dice in front of you as shown in graphic 2.1.
Graphic 2.1 – All Sevens Pre-Set
This is one of the most powerful pre-sets for the come out roll. It is called the All Sevens Set because the seven shows on all faces of the dice. It is also known as the 1-6/1-6 Axial set. This designation is derived from the numbers that appear on the left and right side or lateral faces of the dice. Another name for this set is the 4-2/3-5 set because the left die has the 4 up and the 2 facing the shooter and the right die has the 3 up and the 5 facing the shooter. Confusing? Just pick a term you can remember easily and go for it. The “All Sevens Set” will do fine.
Imagine you have your dice in this pre-set and there is a steel rod or axle running them as shown in Graphic 2.1. The axle runs through the center of the one-spots and prevents the dice from tumbling any way but forward and backward. If you could toss dice like this in the casino, what would be the results?
Graphic 2.1 – Forward Axial Rotation
With the axial model of dice control the number of possible combinations of the dice is reduced from thirty-six to sixteen. With 100% axis control there are only four faces that can come up on each die when rolled on axis. Additionally, under this model you would never hear the stick person call two, three, or twelve craps. Why? Because there are no ones or sixes showing when the dice are rolled on the All Sevens pre-set. The one and six are taken out of the equation, and without them you can’t roll a Craps.
Now take a moment to count the number of combinations of the dice that add up to seven when using this set. If you come up with four, you are absolutely correct. When rolled on axis the All Sevens Pre-Set yields a natural winner 25% of the time – with NO craps losers. That’s a powerful first step toward playing craps with a positive expectation.
Compare that to the random roll in which eight of the thirty-six combinations of the dice are naturals that add up to seven or eleven. Naturals will appear only 22% of the time. Net out the four combinations that result in come-out losers – the two, three, and twelve craps – and the percentage drops to 14%. So pre-setting to the All-Sevens and rolling on axis can equate to about an 11% advantage over a random Come-Out roll. And that goes a long way toward making craps a positive expectation game.
Here is the distribution of numbers that will appear when the All Sevens Pre-Set is rolled on axis:
Table 2-1 – All Sevens Pre-Set Number Distribution
By the way, the All Sevens pre-set contains ALL of the hardway numbers – a favorite and notoriously bad wager made by many precision dice shooters. Hardway numbers roll 6.25% of the time when the dice stay on axis. Compare that to the 2.8% performance random rollers experience and you’ll understand why these high vig bets are popular with some dice setters. In fact, often these players will arrange the dice on the 6-1/6-1 axis so that they are pre-set to the hardways. For example, they might set the 5-5 Hard Ten facing up. The hard four would be face down on the table. The hard eight and hard six would be facing up and down table, respectively. The axis numbers remain the same – 6-1/6-1. The hardway pre-set is simply another permutation of the All Sevens Axial Pre-Set. They are both part of the same “family” of pre-sets. Here’s what it looks like:
Graphic 2.2 – Hardway Set
Now let’s compare the All Sevens pre-set to another popular arrangement of the dice – The V-3 Hard Six set, also known as the 16/25 Axial pre-set. Some players refer to it as the 3-2/3-6 set, reading the top and front faces of the left die, then the right die. Here’s how it looks:
Graphic 2.3 – V-3 Hard Six Set
This is one of the most powerful pre-sets for use after the come out roll. Like the All Sevens pre-set, when rolled on axis there are only sixteen possible combinations of the dice instead of the random thirty-six. But unlike the All Sevens set, only two of these combinations add up to seven – the 3-4 and the 4-3. In other words, when rolled on axis the seven will only appear 12.5% of the time. Compare that to the random roller, who sees the seven on 16.7% of his rolls, and the potential power of this arrangement becomes abundantly clear.
Let’s examine the distribution of the remaining numbers utilizing this pre-set:
Table 2.4 – V-3 Hard Six Pre-Set Number Distribution
Look at the number of combinations that add up to six and eight. There are three ways to make each of these numbers, compared to two combinations that add up to seven. So the axis adjusted odds are 3-2 in favor of the six and eight, and the five and nine are even money. But since the five and nine place bets are paid off at 7-5, these wagers carry a positive expectation as well.
Like the All Sevens pre-set, the V-3 Hard Six has many permutations. While most players prefer to arrange the dice with the hard six on the top faces, some prefer to have the eleven facing up and the hard six and hard eight facing up and down table. Others will rotate one 180° on axis – presenting the eleven on the top faces, but arranging the dice so the 3-4 and 4-3 face up and down table. This variation is popular with many precision shooters on the come out roll. While these variations can be powerful and effective tools for the experienced precision shooter, initially we recommend that the beginner stick with the specific arrangements pictured in this book.
We’ve just looked at the two most powerful pre-sets available to precision shooters. As you can see, using the correct pre-set at the correct time and adjusting your bets accordingly clearly puts the precision shooter in command of the game. Now that you grasp the concept, let’s take a look at all six of the basic axial pre-sets. Remember, there are many variants of each of these sets, but for now let’s stick with these:
Graphic 2.5 – Dice Pre-Sets
The pre-sets shown on the top row are all seven-rich arrangements. They are the Straight Sixes, the Parallel Sixes, and the All-Sevens sets. When rolled on axis, each of these arrangements contains four combinations of numbers that add up to seven. For that reason they are often used when the shooter wants to toss sevens. Conversely, the pre-sets shown on the bottom row are point rich sets. There are only two combinations of numbers that add up to seven when these arrangements are rolled on axis, making these arrangements popular with controlled shooters once the point is established. When tossed on-axis each set has its own particular strengths and weaknesses.
Since we have already covered the All Sevens and the V-3 pre-set arrangements, let’s take a look at the number distribution tables for the other four basic dice sets. First on the list is the Straight Sixes – or the 34/34 Axial pre-set.
Table 2.6 – Straight Sixes Pre-Set Number Distribution
At first glance this looks like an excellent pre-set for the come out roll. There are four ways to win with the seven and two ways to win with the eleven. But further scrutiny reveals four ways to lose on the come out as well – the 2, 3, and 12. There is also a possibility of establishing the four or ten as the point – both difficult numbers to hit with any pre-set.
So who would use this set? While we don’t recommend the wager, this dice set arrangement is quite popular among players who bet the Horn or World prop bets on the come out roll. A skilled precision shooter might bet $25 on the pass line along with a $25 World bet. If he throws the seven he wins $25 and the World bet is a push, or tie. If he throws the eleven he wins $25 for his pass line bet and an additional $75 for the World Bet. The three-craps also pays $75, though the shooter would lose his $25 pass line bet. Should the shooter be skilled enough to toss a two or twelve his World bet will pay $150, less the losing $25 pass line bet. Since the housed advantage on the proposition bets is so high, this is not a strategy a true advantage player would use. On the other hand, it can provide an element of fun for casual dice setters who play primarily for the entertainment value of the game.
Another wager you might see used in combination with this dice set arrangement is a Lay bet against the five and/or nine. Look at the chart once again. When tossed on-axis there are no fives or nines on this set. A $31 No Five bet would kick off a net $19 win if the shooter managed to toss a seven on the come out.
Next up is the Parallel Sixes, or 52-52 Axial pre-set. Here’s how the number distribution table shapes up for that arrangement:
Table 2.7 – Parallel Sixes Pre-Set Number Distribution
Looking at the numbers, it is plain that this pre-set leaves a lot to be desired. Yes, there are four ways to win with the seven, but there are also two losers – the two and twelve. Since there are four combinations that add up to seven, the smart precision shooter would not use this set once the point is established. Or would he?
You’ve probably heard the old story about how children are conditioned to “follow the rules” and “color inside the lines” when they are young – and how that can stifle creativity. To understand how to use this preset, you have to get outside the lines for a moment.
Remember that “No Five” bet we talked about a minute ago? Well, you could take it one step farther. Not all precision shooters shoot from the pass line. Some prefer to play the don’t pass. Should such a player end up with a don’t pass bet on a point of six or eight he might well switch to the Parallel Sixes pre-set. Why? There is only one combination of numbers that adds up to six or eight with this pre-set arrangement.
Now go a step further and look at the number distribution in relation to the other bets on the layout. See anything of interest? The Field Bet – a wager most smart players have learned to avoid – can be a winner with this pre-set. The Field is a winner on the 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, and 12. There are eight combinations of the dice that add up to those points in the Parallel Sixes pre-set – compared with eight combinations that lose in the field. Even odds, right? But since the payoff is doubled on the 2 and 12 – and tripled on one or the other of those numbers in some casinos, that brings the total number of single unit wins to 10 or 11, depending on the layout – versus eight one-unit losers.
To take it to another level, a precision shooter who never learned to color inside the lines might go so far as to play the Don’t Pass line while utilizing this pre-set and bet the Field at the same time. It’s not a play we would recommend, but it works for some players.
We’ve already looked at the All Sevens set and its variant, the Hardway set, at the beginning of this chapter. Again, this is the most powerful pre-set for the come out roll and should be given strong consideration. The odds are good that the six or eight will be established as the point with this pre-set. A common strategy is to combine pass line play with all the hardways working on the come out. For example, by betting $10 on the pass line plus $2 each on all of the hardways – the player will still be guaranteed a small win if the seven is rolled. But if one of the hardways turns up, he picks up a quick fourteen to eighteen bonus dollars. Again, remember that proposition bets carry a huge housed edge you have to overcome with your toss. Most players will do well to avoid them.
Now let’s look at the point-dominant pre-sets. These are the sets skilled players generally gravitate toward after a point is established. They are the Crossed Sixes, the Mini-V Hard Four, and the V-3 Hard Six arrangements. First on the list is the Crossed Sixes – or the 3-4 / 5-2 Axial pre-set. Remember, some dice setters refer to this as the 6-2/6-3 set, reading the dice from left to right. This set is extremely popular with precision rollers who enjoy playing all the numbers. A look at the distribution chart reveals why.
Table 2.8 – Crossed Sixes Pre-Set Numbers Distribution
When the dice are tossed on-axis using the Crossed Sixes pre-set the shooter has an axis adjusted odds advantage over the casino on all of the inside numbers. Ordinarily place betting the five and nine, which carries a 4% house edge, is not recommended. But placing the five and nine can be profitable with this arrangement. The frequent occurrence of Horn numbers on this axis prompts many recreational precision shooters to play the World or Horn bets on the come out roll with this pre-set. Others prefer to play the High-Low bet – the two and the twelve – on every roll. Can you profit from it? It depends on your skill level. On average, one of these numbers will show for every eight rolls of the dice. The winning wager pays 30-1.
The only Place Bet numbers that do not carry an on-axis advantage for the skilled shooter utilizing the Crossed Sixes pre-set are the 3, 4, 10, and 11. But on particularly long rolls these numbers will often appear in streaks. For that reason, many precision shooters play an up-and-out strategy. They press their inside bets to a pre-determined level, then add the four and the ten out of subsequent payoffs.
The next point-rich dice pre-set arrangement is the Mini-V Hard 4, or the 34/61 Axial pre-set, also called by some the 2-1 2-3 set. Next to the V-3, this is the most popular point-cycle pre-set arrangement among precision shooters. Why? Because it can yield powerful results on the outside numbers. A quick look at table 2.9 will tell you why:
Table 2.9 – Mini-V Hard 4 Pre-Set Number Distribution
By switching from the Crossed Sixes to the Mini-V the savvy precision shooter gives up the two and twelve in exchange for an advantage on the four and ten. In fact, the axis adjusted odds favor the precision shooter on all of the point numbers. For that reason, precision shooters often place all the inside numbers and buy the four and ten when using this pre-set. When playing in casinos that collect the commission after the win on Buy bets this is the most powerful pre-set arrangement you can use.
We’ve already looked at the V-3 Hard Six pre-set. In most instances is the preferred pre-set arrangement for experienced shooters. The precision shooter has an advantage over the casino on all the inside numbers. The fact that the six and eight are low vig bets to begin with means there is very little house edge to overcome – even with an off-axis roll. And, for recreational precision shooters this pre-set also offers ample opportunities to play the hard six and eight – often profitably.
Let’s take one more look at all of the pre-sets and the numbers distribution. These six dice arrangements are the cornerstone of precision shooting. Eventually you will commit the various sets and their application to memory. If you need help remembering, feel free to print a copy of Table 2.7 for your personal use.
Table 2.7 – Dice Pre-Set Number Distribution Chart
Each of the basic axial pre-sets has its own particular strengths and weaknesses. Master them all, then explore the various permutations each presents. The rewards for intelligent play will follow.
Copyright © by Axis Power Craps All Right Reserved.
Published on: 2005-07-03 (8157 reads)