More Dangerous Traps

16 May 2024

By Royal Flushes

CINDY: Yes, blackjack had some traps that would be impossible to avoid if the player played correctly. If the player played incorrectly? Heaven help that player!

ABBY: But all games can have traps. That’s what’s instore for the players. There will be times when it all comes crashing down. There’s little you can do about this except to stop play, emotionally recover, and come back some other time. Traps are to be expected by all players.

CINDY: Now craps has traps. Oh, yes it does. In fact, just normal play at craps can trap many players in a web they can’t get out of. These traps are poor bet selections and too many bets going simultaneously.

ABBY: Too many bad bets too, as most bets at craps are so-so to awful. Make a lot of those and you are asking for losses even if there aren’t losing streaks at times. You could have a table that is doing just fine for Cindy and me and you, unfortunately, are losing your shirt.

CINDY: And most craps players don’t look like Thor so keep your shirt on fellas.

ABBY: First off, only make those tiny few bets that have house edges under 2 percent. And only make one, two or three of such bets. No more. Do not load up on bets at craps because one seven-out can put you in a deep hole that you can’t get out of.

CINDY: Some craps players think if they go from betting good bets and, because they are behind, they will now wager on the crummy ones that have high paybacks. That is a serious trap too many craps players make. Even at decent or good tables, bad betting choices can cream you. Most of the craps losses are self-inflicted by poor betting strategies.

ABBY: Players can go from a possibly winning table to a rotten table without any change in what is actually happening at the table. The bets players make will make all the difference.

CINDY: Craps has high-house-edge bets that go all the way up to the 20 percent mark on some of them, especially those new “branded” ones. You can’t really expect to beat the house making these bets. Maybe a one or two chance here and there of a win but “here and there” won’t carry you a long way.

The game is fast. The faster the game, the better for the casino. More decisions means more money for them.

ABBY: Take this to heart. Only make the good bets. Only make one, two or three of them at once, and do not – ever! – make the crummy bets. You are asking for losses when you make those bets.

CINDY: Craps is an exciting game, perhaps the most exciting game in the casino, but it is layered with traps that can truly put the player against the wall facing a firing squad. Hedge bets, martingale strategies, parlays on winning bets – all of these types of reactions are asking for a clobbering.

ABBY: Like all casino games, craps will have hot streaks; meaning a shooter hitting numbers – your numbers especially. But it will have losing streaks too. A few of the good bets (or just one!) and losing streaks won’t kill you.

CINDY: I love playing craps but in my early career I made all the mistakes I am warning you about.

ABBY: Me too!

CINDY: That’s par for the learning of a game.