Peter Wayner wrote:
Apparently, casinos are now on the lookout for people who are teaming up to play both halves of a bet. One casino kicked out two guys who apparently were betting on pass and don't pass on the craps table. Why were they bothering? Was it laundering? Nope. It turns out that casinos hand out free "comps" based on the amount of betting that you do. This is called being "rated." They notice that you're betting $10 chips and figure that the math shows that you'll probably lose x dollars per hour. Then they give you free room and food to show their appreciation.
Forgive me, but I am skeptical. I worked for a short while as a licensed craps dealer in NJ about 10 years ago. There is no combination of bets on a craps table that will cancell out the house advantage. When I delt, the house welcomed any combination of bets any player wanted to make, let alone worrying about what some confederate on the same table might do. There are strategies for lowering the house advantage. John Scarne describes various betting strategies in his book, "Scarne on Dice," (I think that is the title, it's been a while). One method he described was to make pass line bets, take the full odds, and make "come" bets, and take the full odds on them. Casinos pay true odds on these bets, that is they pay even money on your pass line bet (or come bet), but the true odds on the extra odds bet. So if the shooters point was 4, he would be paid even money on his pass line bet and 2 to 1 on his odds bet. The true odds of rolling a 4 before a 7 is 2 to 1. Thus this is one of the rare bets in the house that is paid the true odds. Note, however, that you had to risk your pass line bet on the come out roll (where 2,3 or 12 loses, but 7 or 11 wins) for at least one roll in order to get the chance to take the odds. You only get to take the odds after a point is established. Scarne mentions, If I remember correctly, that the odds are slightly better (but still in the houses' favor, so I should say"slightly less worse") if you play the don't pass, don't come, and LAY full odds. Wrong betters have to lay the odds. So on the come-out roll, before a point is established, a 2,3 or 12 wins even money on a don't pass bet, a 7 or 11 loses. Once a point is established, say a 4, you must lay 2 to 1 odds for the extra bet. So although the don't pass with full odds method may be slightly less costly over time, you must risk more money per roll. I've seen many players try to hedge their pass line position with a bet on "any 7". Those are the "prop" bets in the center of the table (in front of the dealer with stick). But the odds on these bets are shaved worse than the pass-line bet with full odds. They are one roll bets, and the pay off on rolling a 12 (for example) is 30 to 1. Which sounds great until you realize that the true odds are 35 to 1. The house wants you to make that bet all night. That's why the stick man hawks those bets much like a carnival barker. Any extra bet you make to hedge your pass line bet (or don't pass) is just more money at risk with the percentages in the houses' favor. If they were worried about some confederate canceling your loss by betting on don't pass (which pays when a 7 comes before the point), why would they allow the shooter to play "any 7"? The comps are based on money in play, not on your betting strategy (in craps, anyway), as far as I know. So I would be surprised if the casino was worried about people teaming up to get "free" comps by placing contrary bets. What we WERE warned against is someone trying to past post you on the "don't pass". Once the point is established, a bet on 7 coming before, say a 4 or 10, is a good bet. Many break-in dealers get past posted on the don't pass. A con man will position himself right next to the dealer, just above that portion of the layout where the "don't pass" box is located, and as the dealer responds to a come out roll of 4 or 10 by leaning out to service the layout, the con places checks in the don't pass box and then asks to lay full odds. Regards, Pat Fallon with probably way more information about craps than anyone cared to know. ************************************************************************* * PFallon@MCIMail.com * Current predictions for my future reputation: * * "We're all pawns in * 1. AIDS is not caused by HIV (Duesberg is right)* * the cosmic game of * 2. JFK,RFK,MLK were "hit" by "shadow government"* * chess...but some of * 3. You cannot file an income tax form without * * us are out of all * waiving your 5th amendment rights, therefore * * known lines." * evryone who files does so voluntarily. * *************************************************************************