Table Games Craps Success - The Art of Timing

Not a trip report (not even in Nevada), more just about one short round at the crap table.

Yesterday was my friends birthday and both him and I love playing craps. We just happened to be comming back from a weekend outing with a group in wine country and passing one of the largest (if not the) casino's in the state. It got the best of us and we decided we had to stop and play craps to celebrate his birthday.

We are both careful with money but his current situation in his job mean's he needs to be more careful than I do. We both withdraw $200 and I know that if I lose mine, whatever, but he would probably not be very happy to lose his (His girlfriend would probably kill him). I didn't think he would ever actually pull out the second $100 but we pretty much walked past all the slots and b-lined it for the craps tables.

There was only one table going and as we were walking up, like 4 people from the full table were leaving. Apparenlty it was ice cold. Well, we know we have the power to turn it around so we hop on just as the shooter makes a point. We cash in for $100 in reds and put out our $5 pass line bets. Both my friend and I typically place the inside numbers, never place 4 or 10 and do 2x odds. We always start with the minimum bets for those as well.

The guy goes on to hit every number except the point several times. On place bets I will generally press after collecting a bit, my friend never pressed once (nervous about the cash). It worked nicely for me, I was double my buy-in by the time he stopped. I don't think he made a single point though.. lol

Anyway, the guy next to him failed, it was pretty much point, load up the table, 7 out.

Then my turn was up, I made a repeat performance of my predecessor, loaded the table and 7 out.

Dissappointed that I had lost such a chunk of my winnings so fast the dice were passed to the birthday boy. We load up the table again and he goes on to hit all my place bets and they start getting large with my pressing progression. I was back up over double my buy in after he make a couple points and then 7's out. Everyone was pretty happy with all the other numbers he hit. He wasn't betting very aggressively but he still managed to get near double his buy in. The guy next to him proceeds to do just as well as him! It was great! After he 7's out we decided to wander around and play something else, with intent to return.

I noticed the guy next to me was down to about $75 when we joined, he bet aggressively, at one point had 100% of his money on the table. He was probably near the $400 - $500 mark when we took off. Well, this is where the art of timing comes in because we wandered around, got a beer, played some VP and when we were summoned to leave by his girlfriend about 30 minutes later, we walked by the table and that same guy was down to almost nothing with an empty rail and everything on the table.

The art of timing. We arrived just after a cold streak, we stuck around for some winners and then left just before it turned cold. That was quite lucky for us (especially my friend! ) and it's just crazy to think about. There was that 30-45 minute window where we were playing that was just about perfect! Then all the people before us and after us walked away with empty pockets. 15 minutes either way would have made the difference of $40-$50 gone.

By the way, we both joined with $100, he left with $205 and I left with $317. Not the biggest win ever but pretty exciting for a couple of low rollers

 

Nice job!

 

The secret is being able to walk away. Easier said than done. Nice job.

 

Impeccable timing! Wish I had that will power to walk away

 

Yeah, it's always easier to walk away knowing that if I want to go back and play some more in a while, I can do that. If I have the attitude that this is it then I'm leaving the casino, I stick around longer than I should

 

To me,there are very few things in gambling more fun that walking into a hot hand at a craps table.
Several weeks ago at the Borgata in AC I bought in and got the dice right away.I made 1 pass and a couple numbers then sevened out.
The guy next to me shot for 35 min.Hello!!
$10K winner!!!

 

Gambling can be all about timing and you nailed it. Congrats!

 

Totally agree....here is my most recent example

Yesterday walked up to a table and a guy was on a good roll. I waited for him to hit a number and then bought in for $300. He continued to roll for about 10 more minutes, making two points and a bunch of place bets.

Just after he sevened out, a guy walked up next to me and bought in for $500. As is typcial after a hot shooter, the next couple of guys were pretty cold. I had scaled back my bets but the new guy next to me was pretty committed, betting aggressively. Eventually, the dice came to him and he quickly sevened out and left the table with less than $20.

I survived the cold spell and was up a little over $100 when it was my turn to roll. I only made two points and only a few place bet numbers, but I rolled a bunch of sevens and horn bet numbers on my come out rolls. I hit on a $2 yo, and a $20 horn bet (rolled aces!). As a result, I cashed out $575 after my roll for a profit of $275.

Yes, timing is everything.

 

I remember one of our member posters saying "you gotta know how to save your bullets". Unfortunately I can't remember who posted it.

It's a great piece of advice. Thank you, poster, if you are reading this.

The art of timing is easy to understand but very hard to apply during gambling sessions. Many times I find myself getting killed when I should've walked away....

 

I am reading the responses and thank you!

It's a pretty important piece of the puzzle, getting timing correct!

 

Timing is everything....when the table starts to go cold I have the crew cover my chips on the rail and go smoke and bathroom. This sometimes gives enough time for the table to bounce back. Nice job.

 

As only a Don't player, I can also relate. There have been times when I'm at a table for 30 minutes or more without placing a bet, because the table is so hot and the shooter is knocking down point after point. When i'm on a "cold" streak, it's sometimes very hard for me to ease up my betting once those seven's disappear from the dice.

 

The thing about Craps is.....
#1...You have to "let the game come to you."
.
I see so many players "load up" on an ice cold table.
I've never understood this ?
It's as if, they think, "I'll force the game to come to me -
by loading up."
.
#2...Walking away.
Sounds easy enough.
I usually have a set amount (winnings ) in my mind --
if I reach that amount......I walk away.
There's always another crap game.
.
Yes, your timing was great !.....Nice work !...Nice B'day present !

 

Classic!
Great timing for you guys and great shooting!
Happy Birthday to your friend too.

 

I'll disagree a bit.

Any next roll can be the start of a "hot table". Conversely, any seven out - even after a long roll with multiple points set and made - can be the beginning of a "cold table".

In fact, many people believe that after a long, hot roll, the next few shooters will seven-out quickly. So how does this "convential wisdom" square with your argument that a cold table can not turn just as suddenly.

Play the way you want to play that makes you happy. If you want to buy in for $100, put $10 on the pass with full odds and then play all the numbers across - go for it. You might win, you might lose. If you get into trying to outthink the table by laying low and guessing when the next hot roll is going to start, enjoy yourself. I go to a casino to play craps. That means putting my money on the felt and waiting to see what happens.

There is no way you will win unless you have money in play at the table.

 

I'll disagree with your disagreement in one way only. You're absolutely right on every roll being random. But if 3 or 4 people seven out quickly, the energy goes out of the table, and it's less fun. Less fun is a good reason to stop betting...because why gamble if it's not fun?

 

I'll agree "any roll is random".
.
But you know, as well as I do -
when a table is "hot" or when it's "cold".
.
Okay...you didn't like my comment about players
"loading up on a cold table".
I said "I've never understood this".
I didn't say "Don't play that way".
Big difference.

 

This I can agree with. I will take a walk when a table gets un-fun.

 

As I said "play the way you want to play that makes you happy.

Youu did say "yu did not understand" why people load up on a cold table. I tried to tell you why.

 

gotcha !