To Lay or Not to Lay

18 May 2013

By Jerry Stickman

Jerry "Stickman",

Thank you for your previous advice. I have another question for you.

If a point has been establish, like say number 9 and I ask the dealer to lay $10.00 each on the 4 & 10 for a total of $20.00. The shooter's next roll (2nd. roll) is an 8 then the next (3rd. roll) a 6 and finally hits the point of 9.

On the next come out roll a 7 is rolled, do all pass line bets and my lay bets win? I've read that my lay bets are always working, is this correct? What if a 2,3,11 or 12 is rolled, what happens to lay bets?

Thank you,
Lucky

While it varies by casino, Lay bets generally do not work on come out. To be sure, ask the dealer, or simply say “my lay bets work on come out” or “my lay bets are off on come out.” The latter is preferable. If a 2, 3, 11 or 12 is rolled, nothing happens to the lay bets. It is the same as if you had placed the 4 or 10.

Don’t pass and don’t come bets, however, do work on the come out in most casinos. Maybe this is what you were thinking.

Incidentally assuming the lowest denomination for collecting the vig is $1, laying the 4/10 for $10 is a terrible bet. The house edge is 6.67 percent if the vig is collected on wins only and a whopping 33.33 percent if the vig is collected when laying the bet. If you can lay the 4 or 10 for $50 and pay a $1 vig on wins only (winning $24), the house edge drops to 1.33 percent – a decent bet. If the casino where you play collects the vig up front, I would recommend you do not lay the 4/10 as the house edge is too high.

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

Jerry “Stickman”

Jerry “Stickman” is an expert in craps, blackjack and video poker and advantage slot machine play. His new book is “Everything Casino Poker: Get the Edge at Video Poker, Texas Hold’em, Omaha Hi-Lo and Pai Gow Poker” which is available on Amazon.com. Stickman and Frank Scoblete give private lessons in dice control. You can contact Jerry “Stickman” at stickmanjerry@aol.com