Craps player's dilemma: Lessons lost at bet time
In everything we do, there's a first time. For casino players, that includes the first time you play each game.
Scott is a Midwestern player who has played craps more than once, but every time seems like the first time. He's done his prep work, reading books, following online tutorials, practicing at home. But when comes time to play for money, the brain freezes.
" I'm sure you hear this a lot, but craps doesn't do it for me," he said at the start of a series of emails - the conversation here has been condensed from several exchanges. "I've never really understood the game and I guess I never will.
"On a surface level, I get it. I've read the articles and practiced with friends who are craps players. One dude even has a felt layout to practice on."
I told him that's more prep work than most players put in. I highly recommend learning games before you play for money. That's a big part of why I've been writing about casino games since the early 1990s, to help people be prepared for the ins and outs of the games they'll play.
Sometimes a new game is going to catch your eye and you're going to wing it and learn as you play. When that happens, keep your wagers low. If you like the game enough to return, look up strategies before your next casino visit.
Unfortunately for Scott, the preparation for craps doesn't stick.
"I always come away from reading or practice knowing exactly how everything works. I know how the pass line works, I know how don't pass works, I know how to place and buy, I know how to take and lay odds.