Gaming Guru

Ask Larry: Crapless Craps

Dear Larry,

I usually play pass line and three come bets. When the shooter makes his point and I still have bets up, should I call them on or off for the come out roll?

Vince

Hi, Vince,

If you have two or more come bets still up, you should call them on. If you only have one bet up, call it off. You can figure this out precisely by comparing the seven to the odds of the numbers you have left. For example, if you only have a bet on the eight, the odds are 6:5 against you. However if you have both the six and eight, there are 10:6 in your favor. If you have both the four and ten, you have a push (6:6) but I would take a chance and call them on anyway.

Good luck,
Larry

Dear Larry,

What is the offsetting disadvantage in "crapless craps"?

Ethan

Hi, Ethan,

There are a number of disadvantages to crapless craps, the main one being that you can't make a don't pass, don't come, or lay bet. You are also stuck with the point number, and the craps numbers (2, 3, and 12) are very difficult to win. Finally, they rarely give multiple odds. With all this, a regular craps game gives more of an advantage to the player than crapless craps does.

Good luck,
Larry

Are there pros making a living at craps?

Yes, there are. For more information, check out the book The Craps Underground, by Frank Scoblete.

Good luck,
Larry