There are laws set up using states where an outcome will not be determined through a toss of the dice. This implies Craps games, as we know them, are prohibited. However, clever casino operators have installed Craps games using cards rather than dice. Contrary to popular belief, this is a great opportunity because it provides an advantage to the player that is not available in a typical dice game of Craps.
The game of Craps used cards is played exactly as is Craps with dice. The table layout may be the same (with the possible addition of two colored boxes that determine the shoe to be utilized. Also you can bet on those colored boxes.
The casino uses cards numbered ace through six (1 – 6) rather than dice. They also work with a shuffle machine referred to as a “constant shuffle machine” since they don’t bury cards because they are exposed, instead, they are immediately returned to the shuffle machine (that’s why it’s called constant). Exactly the same cards used to obtain a point on the come out roll may not be open to be drawn again until a fresh shelf is hit, making it disproportionately more likely to throw a seven instead, resulting in a win for the incorrect bettor. Remember that fact – we’ll use it later.
After the point is made, two more cards are dealt to represent another roll of the dice. That continues before point is manufactured or the “shooter” sevens out.
For the purpose of this article, I’m not going into the rules and/or strategies of the overall game of Craps. I’m assuming you know them, and the purpose of this article is to explain differences and similarities of the Craps game used cards as opposed to the dice Craps game.
The short and very sweet difference between your two is this: you will find a very distinct and big advantage to playing Craps with cards if you are a “wrong bettor”. You, the ball player, actually have the advantage on the casino which is not found in any game nor in virtually any dice version of Craps.
Conversely there exists a bigger advantage for the house if you are a “right bettor”.
Is there any question as to how you should play the card version of Craps? The answer is obvious – you must be a wrong bettor. Put aside all objections you ever endured to betting with the house and against the shooter. You are playing Craps to create money – not friends.
Why are the wrong bettors now in a position of positive odds? In other words, why do we players have an edge over the casino? That’s unusual – after all, there are strategies that get the house advantage down towards “0” where the house advantage is small (in dice Craps in addition to in other games), but nowhere anytime has the player actually had the benefit over the house – until now.
Here’s the amazing news:
first, as stated above, the cards that established the idea cannot be used again during a shooter’s attempts to help make the point. This makes a seven a lot more likely to come up before the point, resulting in a win. Dungeons and Dragons Dice Tray , but that’s not the best part…
In a game of Craps used dice, laying odds is the way we obtain the overall odds against winning down to the cheapest (best) number possible. That means we can reduce the house advantage to near zero.
However, in a game of Craps used cards, by knowing when to lay odds against a number and how much to lay against a number, we get the odds down, past zero and right into a very healthy advantage for the ball player. Here are the numbers:
laying odds against a 4 or 10 in a dice Craps game, results in zero advantage to the house (after figuring the don’t pass and or the don’t come – the specific odds supply the advantage to the house: 1.364)
but, laying odds contrary to the 4 or 10 in a card Craps game gets the house advantage at -0.253. Yep – that is a negative number, and thus the advantage goes to the player – absolutely unusual! California casinos like the Viejas in San Diego generously offer 10x odds (up to $1,000 winnings), so you should take full advantage of maximum odds against a 4 and 10.
Laying odds against a 5 or 9 in both games remains at zero – no advantage to the house nor to the ball player. So, lay your “normal” odds against a 5 or 9.
Laying odds against a 6 or 8 in a dice Craps game, results in zero advantage to the house.
But, laying odds contrary to the 6 or 8 in a card Craps game has the house advantage at -0.207. Yep, another advantage for the ball player! Again, in California, lay maximum odds.
So, if the player laid the utmost odds on points of 4, 6, 8, and 10, then your overall player edge between your don’t pass and laying odds would be +0.022%. That’s amazing!