Final Progressions for 2020

26 December 2020

By Jerry Stickman

[Many gambling pundits advocate betting progressions as a method to increase winnings – or conversely to reduce losses. This advice holds for the game of craps if the shooter is a controlled shooter. This means the shooter can reduce the occurrence of 7’s or increase the occurrence of other point numbers from random.

Against a random shooter, there is no betting method that will improve the lot of the gambler at a craps table. The gambler will lose as the math dictates.

This is the fourth in a series of four articles directed at the true advantage players of the game of craps. Those who through dice control can gain an advantage against the casino.]

So far, we have looked at several different strategies designed to put more money on the table so the shooter can win more money at the table. We looked at the very simple, yet very powerful up-a-unit progression. We also looked at variations of betting that alternately pulled the profits into the rack and pressed bets. We finally looked at a progression that consistently added half the amount of the current bet on each win.

All of these progressions minimize risk but also provide a powerful method to maximize your profits in an easy to manage way.

This article explores one final progression – actually a progression/regression. The 6/8 progression/regression has been around for a long time. Controlled throwers who become proficient at the 3V set – the set that has 6’s and 8’s all the way around – will tend to hit more 6’s and 8’s than the random shooter. To capitalize on this ability, the 6/8 progression/regression strategy was developed.

In this betting scheme, the 6 and 8 are both placed for the player’s betting unit. After one hit of either the 6 or 8, both the 6 and 8 are increased to 1.5 times the original bet. The next time a 6 or 8 hits, the profit is safely captured in the rack. On the third hit of a 6 or 8, both the 6 and 8 are increased to 2.5 times the original bet. The fourth time a 6 or 8 hits, the profit is moved to the chip rack. On the fifth hit, the 6 and 8 are increased to 4 times the original bet.

The sixth time the 6 or 8 hits completes the progression. The profits are collected and the 6 and 8 are regressed back to the original amount. Once you have regressed your bets, you will have won a tidy sum. The progression then starts all over again.

A more aggressive version of the 6/8 progression-regression was also developed. This version starts with the second level of 1.5 times your betting unit and completes the series in five hits rather than six, collecting a bit more in the process.

Here are lists of actual amounts for the up-a-minimum-unit, standard 6/8 progression/regression, and the aggressive 6/8 progression/regression for comparison:


Up-a-Minimum-Unit:

Number of Hits, Amount Bet, Win, Accumulated Win
0 - $12, -- , -$12
1 - $12, $8, -$4
2 - $18, $15, $11 *** Profit Point ***
3 - $24, $22, $33
4 - $30, $29, $62
5 - $36, $36, $98
6 - $42, $43, $141
7 - $48, $50, $191
8 - $54, $57, $248
9 - $60, $64, $312
10 - $66, $71, $383
11 - $72, $78, $461
12 - $78, $85, $546



Standard 6/8 Progression/Regression:

No. of Hits, Amt. Bet, Amt. Won, Give Amt., Collect Amt., Accumulated Win
0 - $12, -- , $24, -- , -$24
1 - $18, $14, -- , $2, -$22
2 - $18, $21, -- , $21, -$1
3 - $30, $21, $3, -- , -$4
4 - $30, $35, -- , $35, $31 *** Profit Point ***
5 - $48, $35, $1, -- , $30
6 - $12, $56, -- , $128, $158
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
7 - $18, $14, -- , $2, $160
8 - $18, $21, -- , $21, $181
9 - $30, $21, $3, -- , $178
10 - $30, $35, -- , $35, $213
11 - $48, $35, $1, -- , $212
12 - $12, $56, -- , $128, $340




Aggressive 6/8 Progression/Regression:

No. of Hits, Amt. Bet, Amt. Won, Give Amt., Collect Amt., Accumulated Win
0 - $18, -- , $36, -- , -$36
1 - $30, $21, $3, -- , -$39
2 - $30, $35, -- , $35, -$4
3 - $48, $35, $1, -- , -$5
4 - $48, $56, -- , $56, $51 *** Profit Point ***
5 - $18, $56, -- , $116, $167
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
6 - $30, $21, $3, -- , $164
7 - $30, $35, -- , $35, $199
8 - $48, $35, $1, -- , $198
9 - $48, $56, -- , $56, $254
10 - $18, $56, -- , $116, $370
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
11 - $30, $21, $3, -- , $367
12 - $30, $35, -- , $35, $402


Notice with the up-a-minimum-unit strategy there is a profit after the second hit.
With the 6/8 progression-regression you are actually losing money until the fourth hit on the standard strategy and the fifth hit on the aggressive strategy. However, since a hit on the 6 or 8 counts, you are likely to get more hits than on any one number using the up-a-unit strategy.

With the 6/8 strategy you are investing a lot of your up-front wins to finance a big win a little later on. It also requires only six total hits of the 6 and 8 for the big win.

On a very long roll, the up-a-minimum-unit strategy outperforms both the standard and the aggressive versions of the 6/8 progression/regression strategies. In fact, except for six or seven hits on the standard and five, six, or seven hits on the aggressive 6/8 progression/regression, the up-minimum-unit progression out performs both of them.

This article has reviewed the simple and powerful up-a-minimum-unit, and 6/8 progression-regression strategies. The first strategy is extremely simple to execute. Simply tell the dealer to press your bet by $6 each time the number 6 or 8 hits and $5 each time other box numbers hit. There is no thinking involved. There is little distraction which allows the shooter to stay in the zone and concentrate on the primary goal of hitting numbers.

Both of the 6/8 progression/regression strategies provide a substantial win on the sixth or fifth hit depending on whether it is the standard or aggressive version, respectively. This certainly provides an emotional high when accomplished and is the main reason for using one of these strategies.

Unfortunately, both the standard and aggressive versions of the 6/8 progression/regression strategies require a moderate amount of thinking each time a 6 or 8 hits. This dramatically increases the likelihood of a break in concentration.

The key to long rolls for a dice controller is concentration. Without it, the roller is little better than a random shooter.

You can choose any strategy you like when betting your money at the craps table. However, the less exciting but much steadier (as well as easier to navigate) up-a-minimum-unit strategy wins more in the long run. Isn’t that really the goal when playing the game of craps?

Well, that is all for this time. But remember, you get what you focus on, so focus on what you want.

May all your wins be swift and large, and your losses be slow and small.

Jerry “Stickman”

Jerry “Stickman” is an expert in craps, blackjack and video poker and advantage slot machine play. He is a regular contributor to top gaming magazines. You can contact Jerry “Stickman” at stickmanjerry@aol.com