Strategy #11

The Put Bet – apply this along with other pass line strategies

A New Use For An Old Bet

A "Put" bet is a old, rarely used wager that was made on the pass line after the shooter established his point. For example, say you have no bets and the shooter rolls a six, your favorite number. You can then "put" a bet down on the pass line and take the maximum odds. The reason why more people didn't make this bet is because it was just not profitable for the average Crapshooter!

You miss out on the come-out seven and eleven, where the pass line player has a big advantage in a 2X odds casino. However, in many resorts 5X or 10X (or higher) odds are available, so this bet has come back into vogue. The higher odds being offered more than offset the seven/eleven come out advantage. But what if the only casino near you is a 2X odds casino? You could of course still make a put bet after the come out, but it is still more profitable to make a pass line bet and take advantage of the come out seven/eleven.

Let's say you bet $5 on the pass line. You win with a come out seven, leave $5 up, and end up with a pass line point of six. However, if you knew in advance that the point was going to be a six or eight, you would have bet more, because those are the two most popular point numbers. Also, in a 2X odds casino, you are limited in your odds to 2X your flat bet.

Now, here is a brand new use for the old put bet. Just make a SECOND pass line bet (a "put" bet). Instead of placing it next to your original bet, tell the dealer that you are adding it to your pass line bet. Then take maximum odds. This is perfectly legal in most casinos, but make sure the dealer knows what you are doing, so you get the correct payoff.

As you probably know, the odds on the six (or eight) point are 6:5 so if you have a $5 bet with $10 (2X) odds you get $5 (for the flat portion) plus $12 for the odds portion or a total of $17. If you add just $5 to your flat bet (total $10) most casinos will allow you to take $25 odds (2-1/2X odds) instead of $20, just to make payments easier. So, if the six hits you'll win $10 for your flat bet plus $30 for the odds - a total of $40! Plus, you have the added advantage of a come out seven/eleven, and a minimum flat bet in case the point was other than a six or eight.

Of course you can use this method on other points as well, but the six and eight are the only points that will give you more than 2X odds on a 2X odds table!

Remember to start out with a $5 passline bet and, if the point is a six or eight, make a put bet for $5 and add it to your $5 flat bet. Then, just place $25 in odds behind your $10 bet!

The Put Bet Explained Further

Two Different Pass Lines

When you play craps you can place an actual pass line bet at two different times - BEFORE the point or AFTER the point. Let's look at the advantages for both of these bets.

Many bettors make their regular pass line bets BEFORE the comeout point to take advantage of the 7 plus 11 combination, which will roll 8 times (out of 36 rolls). If the 7 or 11 rolls BEFORE the comeout point, you will win your bet. Unfortunately, if the 2, 3 or 12 rolls, it is a "craps" roll and the pass line bettors will lose. This three number combination rolls only four times (out of 36), compared to 8 times for the seven or eleven.

Therefore, the pass line bettor has an 8:4 or 2:1 advantage BEFORE the come out. The disadvantage is that you can not remove a pass line bet, so if an unfavorable number is chosen, you must keep that number as your point. Alternatively, you can wait until AFTER the point is established before placing your pass line bet, so you can choose which number to bet on. For example, you might only bet on the six or eight, and not on any other point number.

The advantage to waiting and choosing your own point number becomes clear when you are playing at a casino offering 10X or higher odds. In these instances, the higher odds can be more profitable than a regular passline bet. On the other hand, if you are wagering $5 with only single or double odds, your advantage lies with making your pass line bet BEFORE the come out.

As usual, you would make your "flat" bet ($5) and then add your odds bet ($10). Let's look at some examples, played at a 10X odds table. You are a $5 bettor and have a bankroll of only $100. You obviously can not afford to add 10X odds to each bet. If you did, you would not stay in the game for long, as you would only be able to make one $55 ($5 plus $50 odds) bet. So you decide to place your flat bet BEFORE the come out, and add 2X odds. On the other hand, let's say you are a $5 bettor with a $500 bankroll, and want to play very conservatively. Since the six or eight rolls more than any other point, you can wait until AFTER the comeout roll to see if either of these numbers is the point.

Then, just place a $5 pass line bet with $50 odds. With this larger bankroll you can make quite a few bets, and win more money by waiting and betting on the more popular points. Remember, each craps game you play is different, and you should get used to switching strategies. If you have a low bankroll, try betting pass line BEFORE the come out. But if you are offered 10X odds and have a high bankroll, trying waiting until AFTER the point before choosing your bet!

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