Making only ONE bet at craps

[Alan Mendelson]

Several "experts" have suggested making only one bet when you play craps. After all, the reason, craps is a negative expectation game and every bet has a house edge. Even the "odds" bets that don't carry a house edge are linked to a flat bet that does have an edge. Mathematically, you can't win, so just limit your exposure and hope for the best. That's the strategy.

Craps really is a one bet game but there are a lot of side bets that go along with that one bet game.

The one bet is will the shooter makes his point or not make his point. For example, on the come out roll the shooter rolls a 6. The game is now simply this: will the shooter make his 6 before he throws a 7 or not? All of the other bets on the table are "side bets" and not the bet that is the game.

Frequently, during a hot roll when a lot of numbers are hitting, players forget that the goal of the game is to make the point. That is the game. The Firebet which rewards players for making lots of points has brought focus back to the game and to making "points" and not just numbers.

In his latest article our friend and forum member Frank Scoblete wrote about limiting your craps "action" to one bet. He wrote:

Craps players, consider only making one bet per shooter. Every bet you make on a craps table is another game against the house. Bet on three numbers and you are tripling your losing expectation. It is very hard for many craps players to see the sense in this because they are what casinos call “action players.” That is good for the casinos; not so good for the players. “Action” to the casino means a player who is willing to throw a lot of money out there.

I agree with him in a big way, but I am guilty of being an action player. But when I think rationally, I use my one-bet system which is the passline and one side-bet on the Firebet. If the shooter makes four passes with different numbers not only will I make money with my passline bet but I'll get a big bonus with the Firebet.

Several years ago a friend of mine who was a low-limit, low-budget player gave me sound advice about making only one bet. He said just having one bet on the table like the passline gets you in the game and you get to cheer just like all the other players do as good number after good number is rolled. But when that bad number comes (the 7) it doesn't hurt as much.

Not a bad idea.

[regnis]

I as you know am not a proponent of the "one bet" method. If you are only going to make one bet, then why not bet the dark side and make that one number you are playing be the 7. Without getting into the odds, etc., at least we all know the 7 is the most likely number to roll. So if you are only rooting for one number, why not make it the most likely number.

I would rather watch paint dry or read Rob and Arci's barbs than play the dark side or wait for one number. You can sit on the pass line and watch the shooter throw every other number and want to kill yourself. It is gambling and it is, at least for you and me and most of us, entertainment, and I am only entertained if I have more action than one number. Sometimes you win--sometimes you lose--but at least you can have your entertainment value either way if you have more action than the one number.