So...James Bond doesn't know crap about craps?

[Vegas Vic]

From today's QOD in the Las Vegas Advisor concerning his gaming:

"1971's Diamonds are Forever finds 007 in Las Vegas, shooting craps at Circus Circus (with a not-to-be-recommended, if politely expressed, betting strategy: "I'll take full odds on the ten, 200 on the hardway, the limit on all the numbers, and 250 on the eleven, thank you very much")."

I know very, very little about craps, so my guess is that now when watch the movie and I hear 007 say this, it's more impressive to us movie fans ("Wow! James really knows his way around this game!") than wise?

How do you guys see his strategy?

[redietz]

Damn, I like that title song.

[Rob.Singer]

What are the odds if one of the dice is a 2?

[Alan Mendelson]

If the dice rolled two aces (2) it would have no effect on any of Bond's bets EXCEPT he would lose the $250 on the Eleven which is a one-roll bet.

Actually, his strategy or bets are pretty common for craps players with the exception that he is betting big money.

Here's my analysis of the bets:

"I'll take full odds on the ten," Indeed, the odds on a come bet or if the 10 is the point on the passline is a smart bet because it has no house edge or advantage. On the other hand, it doesn't have a player advantage either. Betting the "odds" doesn't help you win, but if the number hits you will win more and be paid off at "true odds." For those of you who don't play craps, "odds" and "betting odds" and "true odds" are all different terms related to different things.

"200 on the hardway," I suppose he means $200 on the hard ten. Often players who bet the point and bet full odds on the point will also bet the "hard way" if it's an even number. There are two combinations to make the ten: 6,4 (also 4,6) and 5,5 (also 5,5 for our friends from the WOV). The hard ten is a bet that the shooter will roll 5,5. A roll of 6,4 or any 7 and the hard ten bet loses.

"the limit on all the numbers," refers to the box numbers of 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10. Bond already has the 10 so he is asking for the table maximum on the others. I don't know what the table limits were for Circus Circus when the movie was made, but at Caesars Palace now the table limits are $50,000 for each of those numbers. Most players bet at least the inside numbers of 5, 6, 8, 9 because they have the most combinations for hitting. Since the 10 is the point Bond added the mirror image or the flip side of the dice which is the 4. Remember that dice have the mirror image on each face, so the combination of 6, 4 is the flip of 1, 3. A craps superstition is to be the flip side of the dice when a point is established. The flip of the 8 is the 6, the flip of the 9 is the 5. The opposite sides of the dice add up to 7.

"and 250 on the eleven," refers to a one-roll bet that the very next roll of the dice will be 6/5 or 5/6 -- also known as a Yo. I am guessing that if the point of 10 was just established that Bond made the bet on 11 because of the craps superstition that after the point is established the next roll will be an eleven. That is known as the "second roll yo bet."

"thank you very much" Yes you should always be polite to the dealers.

[regnis]

All of the bets other than the odds bet are negative EV bets. Looks to me like he's playing for comps--as soon as the suit walks away he reduces the bets down to minimum.

[Alan Mendelson]

All of the bets other than the odds bet are negative EV bets. Looks to me like he's playing for comps--as soon as the suit walks away he reduces the bets down to minimum.

That's very funny! !

[redietz]

He's trying to impress the babes.

I can see it now. "The name is Singer . . . Rob Singer."