What's your Pressing Strategy for Craps?

[a2a3dseddie]

I dabble a bit in craps from time to time. I know of the various bets and I restrict myself to playing just Pass/Come or Don't Pass/Don't Come with full odds. I will usually get up to 3 numbers working, and will sometimes push it to 4. I don't play the hardways or make horn bets.

The thing is, it's a pretty mundane way to play, and when the 7 comes, it usually wipes out several bets all at once unless the numbers have come out in a "good" order.

I've been on maybe 3 tables with what could be considered "hot rolls". In every case, I was betting $25 chips, and started with about $500. At the end of the roll, I had made about $3000. Not much I know, but still a decent profit.

At the end of these rolls, I asked myself why I didn't press my bets and make more money. I know that I could go from a $25 come or passline bet up to $50, but how many points would you like to see made before pressing? Do you like to see your bankroll double first before pressing, or do you automatically start pressing when any point is made?

[Alan Mendelson]

We have different strategies. I am not a come bet player because for come bets (with or without odds) to win the numbers must repeat. The reality is few players ever repeat three come bets working so they are destined to lose money.

I place my bets and after my initial outlay has been won back I start to press with profits.

If my passline bet with odds hits early, then I am "free-rolling" since the passline bet with full odds will cover the money spent on placing the numbers.

So in short, I don't press till my original outlay is won back.

[a2a3dseddie]

I saw a guy once start out playing $160 across after any point was established. I think that works out to $25 per number plus $30 on 6 and 8. The thing was, he never took any of his bets down or accepted any chips from the dealers when a number hit. He just kept parlaying the wins. I think during one roll he actually had 2 numbers pressed up past $500. He did not leave a winner.

[Alan Mendelson]

At a $25 table, all the numbers would be either $130 or $135. What you saw was someone trying to hit a grand slam homerun at craps... continually pressing probably until he had his bets up to $1000 or more each.

You have to be either very rich or a mad man to do that. But yes, it's done. I tried something on a lower-level... I was pressing my bets at a $25 table until each payout was worth a black chip ($100) and to be honest I lost a lot of money attempting that.

This is why I take my wins... put them in my rail... and don't press until my initial outlay is paid back.

[a2a3dseddie]

$130 or $135? If the point was 6 for instance, Wouldn't it be $25 on 4,5,9,10 and $30 on 6 and 8 for $160?

[Alan Mendelson]

If the point is 6 and you are at a $25 table:

4 $25
5 $25
8 $30
9 $25
10 $25

passline $25
with 1X odds $50
with 2X odds $75
with 3X odds $100
with 4X odds $125
with 5X odds $150

It could be $160 across if he does not have a passline bet.

[regnis]

I know my game is not for the faint of heart. I do not pass or come--I place or buy. In Vegas, I don't like come bets because you collect every other rather than every hit on a place or buy bet.

I bet 6 and 8 for 150. I bet 5 and 9 for 175. I buy 4 and 10 for 200. Not every number---depending upon the point I have a sequence of numbers. I try to have 3 numbers--if the roll gets hot I will add the rest.

On 5 and 9, I go same bet then next hit press to 400.

On 6 and 8 I go same bet then press to 300. However, if first hit comes hard, I press immediately to 300.

On 4 and 10, I take same bet then press to 400. But if first hit comes hard, I go right to 500 on that first hit. Pretty much use the same progression all the way up through the roll.

In Illinois and Indiana, we have 100 x odds. Also, we can "put" the bets. A Put bet is essentially a come bet (you get actual odds) but you can leave it up like a place bet. Therefore, you don't suffer the "every other" like a come bet so it is the best of both worlds. I use the same sequence as described above but with put bets instead of place bets.

In some casinos that don't count odds bets for comps, you have to weigh that against the lower payoff for place bets and determine which is most advantageous.

[Alan Mendelson]

Caesars allows "put bets" and I think most casinos do. You rarely see it, however, because most players don't know they can do it. But mathematically it only makes sense to use a put bet when a casino allows big odds such as 10x or 20x or 100x -- otherwise larger place bets work fine.

regnis by "taking" the first win you are paying yourself back first, in essence. And that's the key: paying yourself back first.

But when you say you start pressing right away because the first hit came "hard" I think you are setting yourself up for trouble. I hope it works for you. I personally don't believe that a hard way will lead to another hit as a soft number.

[dannyj]

Regnis, I take it you are on the hardways as your reason for imediately pressing your first hit on even numbers?

When I am shooting I like to place the even numbers and then bet a buck or two on all the hardways, (Alan, I know its a bad bet) then I will alternate same bet, press up one unit. If the first hit came hard I press right away and either parlay the hardway or make it look like 10. When I recoup my initial outlay I alternate same bet - full press, eventually covering the 5 and 9.

I set the dice with the hardway set.

[Alan Mendelson]

I bet hard 6 and 8 when it's the point and I have full odds.

[dannyj]

I have to admit I am like a moth to the flame for the hardways.

Alan, do you press or parlay your hard hits?

[Alan Mendelson]

I am not much of a hardways bettor. If I am at full odds on the point of six or eight I will have one unit on the hard way.

Yes, there were a couple of times over my 20 years of playing craps when I pressed hardways and hit but those are too rare to consider to be significant.

Though I do remember the time I threw 3 hard sixes in a row... and I was not on it. There was another player at the table with $1 on the hard-6 who did not press or parlay and after the third hard six the floorman said to him "that was a $1,000 parlay."

We always have 20/20 vision in the rear view mirror.

[regnis]

If i'm on the even numbers, I will bet 2 of them hard for 50 to start. that allows me to press off the first hit because it covers the increment. Again, my game is not for the faint of heart. But I do everything I can to maximize the win on the rare good rolls. Of course, it is high risk high reward. There are many short sessions.

One other move I have had success with is place the 9 with my last 300. If it hits--press to 720. If that hits--take it all down and go to dinner (or bed, or whatever).

I'm talking short term so I don't care about the odds. In fact, if you are afraid of the odds you shouldn't play craps. You are playing for the short deviation from the odds that constantly occurs short term, and you hope to catch that deviation. otherwise, you can't beat the game.

[Alan Mendelson]

Again, my game is not for the faint of heart. But I do everything I can to maximize the win on the rare good rolls.

You're not kidding it's not for the faint of heart. And when you say "rare good rolls" I believe you because "good rolls" are rare. The average "shooter" throws the dice 5 times:

1. come out roll
2. number
3. number
4. number
5. 7-out

So, unless those numbers are repeaters, when pressing with your wins you are going to get clobbered.

One other move I have had success with is place the 9 with my last 300. If it hits--press to 720. If that hits--take it all down and go to dinner (or bed, or whatever).

And just how many times has this happened with your last $300? It's like Rob Singer hitting a royal after breaking up three queens to hold three to the royal and hitting the royal?

[dannyj]

You are playing for the short deviation from the odds that constantly occurs short term, and you hope to catch that deviation. otherwise, you can't beat the game.

Very true. Like the parlay of the day that i wasnt on last week when i threw 3 consecutive come out 12s.

Reg I'm curious, do you bet like this only on yourself or on any shooter. Do you chart beforehand?

[Alan Mendelson]

Very true. Like the parlay of the day that i wasnt on last week when i threw 3 consecutive come out 12s.

I've told this story before: I was at a craps table at Caesars and there was a player who made 30 consecutive $25 bets on boxcars -- hitting none. Then he quit after the 30 bets. Next it was my turn with the dice, and I threw 12 on the first three come out rolls. The guy stood there with his bottom jaw on the floor.

[a2a3dseddie]

I was on a table once where I had a $10 bet on hard 10. The point was 4. The shooter rolled hard 10 FIVE times before rolling the four. I was happy to bank the $350, but can only dream what parlaying that to the max would have won...

[dannyj]

Wow! I'd have probably quit and never played again.

[dannyj]

I was on a table once where I had a $10 bet on hard 10. The point was 4. The shooter rolled hard 10 FIVE times before rolling the four. I was happy to bank the $350, but can only dream what parlaying that to the max would have won...

Eddie, if I start out at nickel level or higher I ALWAYS press up at least 5. Second hit make it look like 25, then press up a quarter there after.

By my calculation, if you were able to parlay that up without running into a table limit (good luck) and taken it all down after the 5th hit you would have netted $327,680.

[regnis]

Very true. Like the parlay of the day that i wasnt on last week when i threw 3 consecutive come out 12s.

Reg I'm curious, do you bet like this only on yourself or on any shooter. Do you chart beforehand?

Only on myself or someone else who I respect as a shooter. My best friend, who I have played craps with for 30 years, is the worst shooter I've ever seen. I don't even bet $5.00 when he rolls. He finally understands and has stopped throwing the dice.