Craps for Cover

[Coug It]

I'll be in LV sometime soon and will be using a Player's card (I only make it to LV 1-2 times annually). I'll play a bit of VP if things get at all heated.

I'm looking for a little "craps cover" as well but have a minimal understanding of craps (once I get past the come-out role and playing the point, I'm lost). Any tips on relatively safe plays?

Although I have been counting for a year or so, this is my first trip to the big city as a cc. I'm a green chip player who will spread 1-8 (and beyond if I can). Any advice in general for some heat-free play? If I hang out in the swanky joints, will I be flying below the radar?

I plan on playing mostly on the strip with a possible trip to dirty-old downtown (would probably switch to $10-100).

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Felix Rue-de-Guerre]

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong here.

In my ploppy days there was a PC at a casino that commented about my play at several different games. I guess that your recent action comes up in detail when they punch in your card number.

So, when I became a counter and gave up craps and mini-bac et. al., I considered playing those other games for cover.

The first thing I considered was a couple of minimum bets per day at craps, because of the low house edge on the pass line with odds. But if you take odds you are only raising variance, and you are still loosing the same amount of money on the pass line. Your odds are only better when you are forced to bet more.

A pass line bet without odds is -1.41. A bank bet in Baccarat is -1.06, and you don't even need to learn how to play.

So, if you really think you need to make some cover bets. Mini-bac will cost a few cents a day. I personally don't bother with this anymore. I've never had a problem playing blackjack exclusively. I wouldn't imagine it is uncommon for a ploppy to play just one game.

-Felix

 

[learning to count]

Coug I hit the tables hard when I play. Granted I am a low roller red chipper with max bet two hands at 100 or one at 150. I can't see why you need cover. Unless you are having one of those days where you win 90% of your hands. The other thing IMHO is playing a losing carnival game in order to prevent heat is as bad as making sacrifice bets. If the heat is on Leave! I am there to play 21 not carnival games. If you must play then bet the come or dont come at minimum. Or just play the pass or dont pass line at minimum. Please be careful craps is addicting. LTC

 

[SammyBoy]

Cellini Says...

That the casinos are onto advantage players that also play craps for cover, betting pass/dont pass or placing 6 and 8. I say stay away from the craps table as you can lose alot of money really fast.

 

[Running Count]

I'm gonna disagree with these guys...

...because craps is a shitload of fun, and sometimes you don't want to leave a place that you are close to getting comped in (or in my case, waiting for that cocktail waitress to bring your drink) just b/c your shoe went negative or the pit boss was paying attention.

I understand those who play professionally or semi-pro could view craps as simply cutting into their EV, but craps is social, not terrible odds, and can't hurt in covering your BJ advantage play. If you play at the El Cortez (real swanky) its only $1 w/ 10x odds (.14% house edge)! Okay, even if you stay on the strip, craps is still fun and not a huge variance issue if you don't play for too long.

Maybe I'll change my tune when I quit school to go pro , but for now I'm not afraid to wander by the dice tables occasionally.

Cheers,

RC

 

[learning to count]

Re: I'm gonna disagree with these guys...

Your right the craps table can be an exciting loud party and a great time. BUT Craps is a dangerous fast game and it can cut extremely into your EV. For me I can't stand it when the crap table is close to the BJ pit. The yelling and hooting can get rediculous. The only other thing that really gets to me is when a ploppie gets a Snapper and wins $7.50 and starts shrieking like they won mega bucks. Hey I like a good time but sometimes drunk ploppies are obnoxious. Hey if you love craps have at it!!!! May you roll dem bones until you break the bank!

 

[Big Cowboy]

Re: I'm gonna disagree with these guys...

I've usually played on the strip at the big casinos, and I have never gotten any heat. Maybe with the value of play we're betting, I think we fall under the radar especially in 6-deck shoes. I agree that craps can be fun, but I also think it distracts time and money from playing BJ where one does have a better advantage than in shooting dice. Also, if you are going to play craps, the only type of game to play is the $1 minimum and allowance to bet large multiples behind the pass/come lines. I have not seen any of the really big casinos provide those types of rules. On the strip the only place that I've seen provide the good craps rules is CRoyal*. In other words, I try not to get distracted by other games. BJ is more than fun/frustrating enough.