The Casino Answer Man

I usually play craps in Indiana, but while I was in the Joliet area in Illinois recently I stopped at the Empress. I know you say the proposition bets are bad bets, but I love the excitement of the long shots. I noticed a couple of bets there that I have never seen before: the All Day 2 and the All Day 12. Can you tell me if these bets are offered at any other casinos? Also, can you please double-check my math? I have the All Day 2 and All Day 12 at a house edge of 14.3 percent, which would make them better bets than the regular 2 and 12, each at 16.7 percent.

The All Day 2 and All Day 12, which are not offered at other area casinos, are place bets on 2 and 12. If you bet All Day 2, you're betting the shooter will roll a 2 before he rolls the next 7; bet All Day 12 and you're wagering a 12 shows up before a 7.

There are six two-dice combinations that total 7. Only one combination totals 2 and one totals 12. That makes the true odds on either bet 6-1. Winning wagers pay only 5-1, leaving a house edge of 14.29 percent. That's considerably higher than house edges on place bets on 4 or 10 (6.67 percent), 5 or 9 (4.0 percent) and 6 or 8 (1.52 percent).

One-roll propositions on 2 or 12 face a house edge of 13.89 percent if the casino pays 30-to-1, or 16.67 percent if the casino pays 30-for-1. If you chase the long shots, you pay for the privilege with big edges to the house.