Controlling dice? Book makes case

By Mark Lasser

Craps is maybe the most exciting and adrenaline filled game in the casino. Wins and losses can swing pretty wide and there’s likely no louder spot in the casino than the craps table.

The problem with craps has always been a lack of winning strategy. The game delivers a negative expectation for the player that cannot be overcome by strategy like blackjack. It doesn’t have versions that pay over 100 percent – or close enough that with point multipliers it becomes positive like slots or video poker. No one really plays the game to make a living, but it’s fun, so players tolerate the negative expectation as a cost of entertainment.

Recently, several players have put forth the idea that craps can be beaten with controlled throwing of the dice. In the book “Casino Craps: Shoot to Win,” authors Frank Scoblete and his friend who goes by the name Dominator explain that just as a major league pitcher controls a curve ball, dice players can control the outcome of dice rolls despite the instruments casinos deploy to get random outcomes.

What are those instruments? Well, for a roll to be legal the dice have to tumble. They have to have enough momentum that when thrown, they hit the back wall of the table which is covered with little foam pyramids causing the dice to spin in unpredictable ways before landing.

The first half of the book explains the game and gives solid and conservative advice on playing craps to minimize the house edge. They explain the sucker bets on the table and why they should be avoided. There is a section on craps superstitions and on why most hedge bets are not actually hedging a bet, but are increasing the casino’s edge. They also address money management and casino measures to keep the game random and in the house’s favor.

The second half of the book is all about controlled shooting; there’s even a DVD included that has video showing the technique.

I recently had Frank and the Dominator on my radio show and we talked about their methods. They explained that by the way a player stands, grips the dice and throws with controlled force and spin, he can get predictable results. They also sell a class in which they teach the method and explain that controlled shooting requires hours of practice.

I like Frank and the Dominator. They are funny, likeable, colorful characters whom clearly love the game. I want to believe them. I want to be able to beat craps and make enough money to take a bath in hundred dollar bills. I just haven’t been able to convince myself that their methods will work. There’s not sufficient statistical evidence that players can control the dice enough to get them to land the way they want and anecdotal evidence can justify any conclusion.

It would be cool to see Jamie and Adam from Discovery Channel’s “MythBusters” take this on. In case you haven’t seen it, the premise of the show is to prove or dispel theories like this. They could build a robotic arm that has a measured and replicated grip, throw and force, and run a thousand trials to see if they can really have a statistical impact on not rolling sevens.

I just don’t think craps players can ever get enough control over the dice to overcome the tumbling effect. Anyone want to start a campaign to get this on “Mythbusters?” If you think I’m wrong and players can control the dice, let me know what results you’ve had. Despite my skepticism, I do like the book as a craps primer and I don’t think attempts at controlled shooting will do you any harm. You can find the book on line, at many book stores and at www.triumphbooks.com.

Mark B. Lasser is Denver writer and international poker player. He regularly plays in Colorado, Arizona, California, Missouri and Nevada. You can hear him talk about gambling and casinos every Friday at 5 PM on KEZW AM 1430. Readers can send questions and comments to him at ColoradoPokerMark@comcast.net.