Is this a new craps bet?

18 May 2019

By Jerry Stickman

From Joe in Peoria:

Out of a clear blue sky the following idea for a new craps play occurred to me (at least it’s new to me):

It’s a one-roll bet that the number you bet on will NOT roll; sort of the inverse of midnight, yo, etc.

I suppose all numbers could be bet on, and the payoffs calculated accordingly. The thing that would make it unpalatable is the need to bet a lot to win a little; I haven’t done the math to set likely wager amounts and appropriate payouts, but if for example you pick 6, you’d probably have to risk about $30 or maybe a bit more in order to win $5 if the 6 does not roll, which of course is most of the time.

The bettor keeps his wager plus the winnings if the number does not roll, and loses it if the number bet on is rolled.

I doubt it would ever play in Peoria, let alone Las Vegas, but hey, maybe there is something new about craps under the sun?

Hi Joe:

I have heard or read of a bet such as this ever being considered for casino play. Even if this idea has been considered I can think of at least a couple of reasons why it would be rejected.

Firstly, this would probably not be a terribly popular bet. As you correctly stated, the player would have to bet a large amount to win a relatively small amount.

While a few people play don’t pass/don’t come, most prefer not laying large odds, risking it to win much less. Most like to win more than they risk in odds. Secondly, if it were popular enough, it would slow down the game.

Every additional bet that needs to be settled adds time and the possibility of mistakes to the game. Combine this with the general feeling that the gambling public would not be terribly interested in making the bet, and one can see why this bet would not become a reality. But who knows? Stranger things have happened.

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

Jerry “Stickman”

Jerry “Stickman” is an expert in craps, blackjack and video poker and advantage slot machine play. He authored the video poker section of "Everything Casino Poker: Get the Edge at Video Poker, Texas Hold'em, Omaha Hi-Lo, and Pai Gow Poker!" You can contact Jerry “Stickman” at stickmanjerry@aol.com