Dice Control for Craps Players

The subject of dice control in craps is widely debated by experts and amateurs alike. Some people claim it is possible to develop a special throwing technique to alter the outcome of the dice in craps. Other people say that dice control in craps is “crap.”

You would think that it would be easy to either prove or disprove the theory of dice control, but it’s not such a cut and dry issue. The problem with dice control is that it takes thousands and thousands of throws for any element of skill to become apparent.

Dice control experts don’t claim to be able to throw any specific number on demand. All they claim to be able to do is alter the odds of certain numbers landing so that they can gain an advantage in the long run. In the short run it appears completely random, but as they throw thousands of rolls, a winning pattern begins to emerge.

Skeptics of dice control point to the fact that there hasn’t been a single documented case of a dice controller winning at craps over the long run or proving any special ability to manipulate the outcome of the dice. Furthermore, they argue, casinos haven’t yet had to take any steps to combat dice control experts. If it was possible to control the dice to such an extent as to make money, the casinos would have caught on by now.

There have been attempts to document dice controllers but the test results have been largely inconclusive. The studies suggest dice controllers have some sort of affect on the outcome but there were never enough trial runs to prove for sure that dice controllers can have a noticeable affect on the outcome.

Setting the Dice

“Setting the dice” refers to holding the dice in a certain manner in your hand prior to throwing them. One of the most basic patterns for setting the dice in craps is to hold the dice in your hand so that two of the possible losing sevens are facing outwards.

This is done by holding the dice so that the fives are facing upwards and the ones are on the left side. Now if you look on the outsides of the two dice, you’ll find a total of seven points. If you open the dice and look at the two inward-facing sides, you’ll see another seven.

Once the dice are set in that manner, the object is to roll the dice so that there is minimal left-right rotation. If you can keep two of the sevens from appearing in this manner, you will increase your odds of winning. This doesn’t guarantee anything at all – it’s only intended make it slightly less likely to roll a seven.

Another popular manner for setting the dice is called the V-3 set. In the V-3 set, you arrange the dice so that both of the threes are on top and create the letter “V” when viewed from above.

The V-3 set makes it so that you have a six on top, a six on the front, an eight on the bottom, and an eight on the back. There are no sevens showing on the outside of the dice. Once again, this doesn’t guarantee anything but if you become skilled at throwing the dice in the same exact manner every time, you’re more likely to see the same results come up more often than they would on a random basis.

Techniques

Dice controllers attempt to manipulate the outcome of the dice by minimizing rotation and spin of the dice. This is accomplished holding the dice with special grips and using special throwing techniques.

One of the oldest known techniques is called the “Old Army Blanket Roll.” It was used by servicemen during World War II and shortly after back at home. The technique involved setting the dice in a special manner and then sliding them down the table so that they were more likely to land favorably.

Casinos quickly caught on to this trick and they added a rule to their craps games stating that all dice throws must bounce off the back wall of the table. The rubber bumpers at the back of the wall ensure a more random throw (and are a major part of the reason why skeptics think dice control is a myth).

The current method of throwing the dice involves setting them first and then throwing them just hard enough to barely hit the back wall. By minimizing the force with which the dice hit the back wall, you also minimize the randomizing effect the wall has on the dice.

Final Thoughts

The principles behind dice control are simple, but putting them into action is an entirely different matter. It takes hours and hours of practice to perfect your throwing technique, and even then nothing is guaranteed. The key to successful dice control is consistency. In theory, a person who could throw the dice in the same exact manner every time would have non-random results.

» Itching to play craps right now? Head over to BodogCasino.com to play a great flash craps game.