Gaming Guru

Ask Frank: Betting the Dark Side

Frank,

I just got my own craps table at home and my friends and I practice and play at home, but there are a few things that I don't know how to pay (since I act as the dealer when we are at home).

I have read several craps sites info on how the pay off works for odds on the dark side but I just don't get it. If the odds on the dark side are 1:2, 2:3 or 5:6, why would anyone ever bet odds? Is the pay off 1:1 otherwise? Am I missing something? I don't understand why betting odds on the dark side would be a good idea, or I don't understand how to do it, and I certainly don't understand how to pay it.

I think I've finally figure out the Lay, Place and Buy bets, but this one has me baffled. I have played a lot of craps in casinos, but rarely the dark side because it took me long enough to figure out the odds on the lighter side.

Thanks in advance,
Ender

Dear Ender:

Betting the dark side of the game just reverses the betting patterns, not the house edge. If you lay odds on the 6 and 8, you must pay off 6 to 5 because you have six chances to win and five chances to lose. Those are the true odds. Same goes for the other point numbers. You lay 3 to 2 on the 5 and 9, and 2 to 1 on the 4 and 10 because those are the true odds of those bets. These bets are break even propositions in the casino just as taking the odds is a break even porposition on the right side. They do not increase the house edge whether taken on the do or laid on the don't.

All the best in and out of the casinos!
Frank Scoblete

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