One of the most frequent questions I get from beginners and friends alike, is do you play the COME bet?
My answer is simple, NO!. Then they ask, why? This section is dedicated to those individuals who want to learn a common sense way of approaching the game of craps when it comes to COME or PLACE betting.
For years my colleges have been writing books that 90% of them advocate one simple basic strategy. That was to make a PASS LINE bet and take full odds, make two COME bets and take full odds. That was it. When you were winning, they suggested you make another COME bet or cover the six or eight if not already covered. For years I played this way.
Back in the early nineties, the world’s greatest self proclaimed gambling writer came up with the “five count.” I tried it. I even wrote about it in my first book. I suggested some refinements to get away from the “Dewy, Don’t” system. While doing my research on the first book I finally woke up to the fact that the come-bet and the place-bet were pretty much alike in pay offs at lower X-odds but there were several interesting observation to be considerd.
I will use Las Vegas Strip X odds 3, 4, 5 for comparison. After the point is established the COME bet and PLACE bet come into play. You bet $5 on the COME. The shooter throws a six and the dealer puts your $5 in the box with the big number six in it. I already have PLACED the six for $30 and collected $35. The shooter then throws another six. You have taken full odds X5, $25 which is a total $30. We both collect $35. Who made the best bet? The PLACE better of course.
When you PLACE bet, you only need one hit to collect. The come better needs two hits to collect. The PLACE better gets 7 to 6 odds, 5 X 7 =$35. The COME better gets 6 to 5 odds, 5 X 6 + $5 = $35. The odds are a wash.
One good point about the COME bet is you have 8 chances in 36 of the shooter throwing a 7 or 11 on the come-out for a winner and only 4 chances in 36 of the losing 2, 3, or 12 coming up.
Another drawback to consider is what occurs on the come-out roll. When that come-out seven pops up and you have two or three come bets established, those bets are working contract bets and are losers to the come-out seven. Triditionally, come-out bet odds are not wotking on a come-out roll (unless you ask the dealer to have them "working"), so the odds portion of your bets are returned to you, but you do lose the flat portion of your original come bets. At this stage, all your bets are down and you have to start setting up come bets all over again.
When you do win a come bet, if you don’t have another bet in the COME area, your bet and winnings are returned to you and your bet is down.
On the other hand your PLACE bets will stand forever until the seven shows. You have the freedom of choosing any box number you want and you can press at any time. You can press the free-odds portion of the come bet at any time until you reach the table maxi for the free odds. Also, many, if not most, casinos will allow you to increase the flat portion of the original come-bet in order toincrease amount of free odds to the next level.
What does all this mean to the dice setter or for that matter the random shooter?
The dice setter will make bets that will enhance his results based on his signature numbers. The random players will get a faster return on their bets. The main concern is to get your original investment back in your chip rack as fast as possible.
This is just a common sense strategy to help the dice setter become a better advantage player by concentrating on his strengths.
Charlie009
