| Be smart, play smart, learn the right way to play craps! | | | | ahead? If I quit after a $900 winning session, then |
| I've read a lot of my colleagues' books and articles | | | | what? Sit at the bar drinking beer watching everyone |
| and, as best I can remember, they all say that failing to | | | | else have fun at the craps table? No way! Like you, I'm |
| set win/loss limits is one of the worst things you can | | | | a knowledgeable player who understands and |
| do. I disagree--partially. | | | | accepts that I'm likely to lose by the time I check out of |
| I agree with setting loss limits. Divide your vacation time | | | | the hotel, but that's okay with me. It's pointless for me |
| into sessions and set firm loss limits for each session. | | | | to quit after getting $900 ahead. If money were my |
| Without them, you could go broke the first day and | | | | motivation, I wouldn't have spent $1,200 for two |
| have to spend the rest of your Vegas vacation | | | | airplane tickets to Vegas, $700 for a hotel room, $500 |
| watching the fountains and sinking pirate ship 10 times | | | | (maybe more) for food, $500 for my wife's massages, |
| a day. Therefore, disciplined loss limits allow you to | | | | and $1,000 (probably more) for my wife's shopping |
| manage your money so you don't go broke before it's | | | | spree. It doesn't add up. If all I care about is money, I |
| time to go home. | | | | would have saved tons of it by staying home. As long |
| I disagree that you should also always set win limits | | | | as I'm winning, I'm playing. The only time I stop is after |
| ("always" is the key word). Many of my colleagues | | | | I've lost my buy-in money for a particular session. Then, |
| advocate quitting when your winning streak ends. If | | | | when it's time to start the next session, I drop another |
| you're a local and can return to the table day after | | | | buy-in allotment on the table and start having fun again. |
| day without restriction, then perhaps win limits may | | | | However, win limits may be suitable for non-gamblers |
| serve some purpose. But if you're an occasional | | | | who rarely play. Suppose you visit Vegas to attend a |
| gambler who visits Vegas twice a year, I believe that | | | | convention. You've never gambled, you don't know |
| win limits are generally inappropriate. | | | | how to gamble, you think it's a silly waste of money, or |
| Suppose you start your four-day vacation by playing | | | | it just isn't fun for you. Your friend talks you into going |
| your first craps session. Suppose your win/loss goal is | | | | down to the casino to play craps. You don't want to |
| to quit the session if you lose your $100 buy-in or if you | | | | go, but your friend won't take no for an answer, so |
| get $150 ahead. Two minutes after you buy-in, the | | | | you reluctantly say, "Okay, but only for an hour." Your |
| table goes berserk with a blistering hot roll. The shooter | | | | friend has the mojo working in high gear, rolling number |
| throws for almost an hour without a 7-out. You | | | | after number. You don't have a clue what you're doing |
| interrupt your screaming, jumping up and down, hugging, | | | | as you mirror your friend's bets. All you know is that |
| and kissing to count your chips. Holy cow, you're $900 | | | | the dealer keeps giving you green chips and you keep |
| ahead! The shooter finally rolls a 7-out. Now what? | | | | stuffing them in your pocket. The streak finally ends |
| You've won six times your original win goal. Do you | | | | after 20 minutes and you find yourself $300 ahead. |
| quit? If so, how long do you quit? Do you quit | | | | You tell your friend, "I'm taking my money and running." |
| altogether and not play the rest of your trip? If you quit, | | | | Rather than staying for the remainder of the hour that |
| what will you do in the time that you planned to play | | | | you said you'd play, you reached a comfortable win |
| craps? | | | | amount and decided to quit before losing it all. For this |
| That's the dilemma you face if you're only an | | | | type of non gambler, a win limit makes good sense. |
| occasional gambler, which most of us are. Personally, I | | | | If you don't want to lose your shirt, you must learn the |
| keep playing. Why? I came to Vegas to play craps. I | | | | secret to craps. Don't fall for bogus winning systems |
| didn't come to exercise in fancy spas, or go shopping, | | | | or ridiculous dice-setting claims. Be smart. Play smart. |
| or sight-see, or eat at fancy restaurants, or look at | | | | Learn the secret to craps. |
| boring water fountains, or ogle half-naked pirates, or do | | | | Now you know! Remember, learn the right way to |
| anything else but gamble. So, why quit when I'm | | | | play craps. |