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Jul

19

2016

When to Take Bets Down in Craps

 When to Take Bets Down in Craps

Craps players have dozens of options with all the different combinations to play. On many multi-roll bets, they also have the option of taking the bet down before a decision is reached.

If you place the 6 for example, and the shooter rolls neither a winner 6 nor a loser 7, the bet stays in action. But if you need to leave or are just feeling unlucky, you can have the bet taken down. The same goes for other place bets, bets on don’t pass and don’t come or the hard ways.

However, if you bet on pass or come and the shooter has rolled the comeout, then the bets have to stay in action until they either win or lose.

Why can’t we take those bets down? Well, if casinos allowed craps players to take down pass line bets whenever we wanted, we’d be stuffing our pockets with profits — at least until the casinos changed the rules, eliminated the games or closed their doors.

On the comeout roll, pass line players have eight ways to win –  the six rolls that total 7 and the two ways to make 11 –  and only four ways to lose – the two rolls that total 3, the one way to make 2 and the one way to make 12. The casinos make their money after a point number is established, when the players become the underdogs. If we could take down our pass bets at will, the smart play would be to bet pass on the comeout, collect our winnings on 7 and 11, accept our losses on 2, 3 or 12, and take down our bets if any other number was rolled, establishing a point. We’d win two-thirds of bets played to a decision.

Obviously, the casinos aren’t going to let that happen. If we want our edge on the comeout roll, we have to accept our place as underdog on subsequent rolls.

Don’t pass/don’t come is different because the casino makes its money on the comeout, and the player becomes the favorite after there’s a point. Naturally, the house will allow the player to take down a bet when the player is the favorite.

One Comment
Posted by Bruce S Venable on

good article. but, after 5 or so rolls, how about taking down all place bets rather than losing with a 7

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