Craps Controlled Shooting
Dice Control Guides
- Craps Dice Throwing Tips
- Craps Controlled Shooting Range
- Controlled Dice Throwing
- Craps Dice Control
- Craps Controlled Shooting Targets
- Craps Controlled Shooting Drills
Related Articles:
- Craps dice control is, in essence, controlled shooting at the craps table. Proponents of this strategy believe that shooters can control the outcome of their dice throw by the way they hold and throw the dice. Many players strongly believe in the strategy of craps dice control and its effectiveness.
- Controlled Shooting BY: Attila Ordog Maybe you have heard about the craps strategy called 'controlled shooting'. There are many experts who once laughed at people who thought they had the edge in the game of craps, but are now looking at the validity of the controlled throw (rhythm rolling or dice control/influence).
The Golden Touch™ Craps dice control analysts have isolated eight distinct physical elements for controlled shooting; each one of which must be done with a high level of proficiency for the player to actually gain a real-world casino advantage. The eight elements of Dice Control are as follows.
Dice Control, also known as dice setting or controlled shooting is an advanced form of craps strategy. Some could say it is cheating but technically it is just a type of skill that players can use. It is similar to how players use card counting to gain an advantage in blackjack, except players use dice setting techniques to gain an edge in craps. Dice control takes a lot of skill to do and the casinos have a lot of obstacles to hinder the technique.
Basic tutorial for setting the dice
The whole point of dice control is for a player to consistently roll the number that they want. You are trying to build up a fine skill similar to throwing darts or bowling. It is something that takes a lot of practice in order for it to work perfectly. There are all kinds of different strategies that players can use that involve different methods of holding the dice and which fingers you use.
There is some formality to dice setting that players will need to know before starting. These will just be general guidelines for players to follow. If you become serious about dice setting, you will quickly learn that you may do better by deviating from the general guidelines in order to perfect your setting technique and every player just plays differently and is better and certain strategies than others.
First we will start off with the three main concepts of dice setting:
- Hand and Finger Grip
- Dice Alignment
- Throw and Delivery
Grip and handling the dice
The first thing players should do is learn to do is handle the dice in their hands. Basically, this is a combination of the way you grip your fingers around the dice, known as dice grip and how the dice are aligned in your hand, known as dice stacking. Most dice stacking techniques are dependent on which numbers on the dice are next to each other in your hands. I put two links below to other craps coaching sites so you can look at some visual instructional pictures of how you grip the dice. When I get my camera, I will make some pages here with more techniques. Some of these techniques are told to be illegal!
Some basic tips for proper gripping is to not grab onto them too hard. In fact, many experts say that the results turn out better the less often you are touching the dice. What you want to do is to be able to have good control over how the dice spin, but you want to keep minimum contact with the dice. When you throw the dice, you want them to spin in synchrony with each other. The friction and 'stickiness' of your fingers can disrupt the balance of the dice along the axis that you throw them. So the less your fingers are in contact with the dice and the less pressure that you exert, the more likely the dice will stay in synchronous spin.
Not only do you want to put little pressure on the dice, you want to put equal pressure on each dice. Ideally, you want to 2 body system of dice to throw as if you are throwing a single rectangular block. The goal is to not have that block break into two pieces as you throw. You also do not want empty space between the two dice when you throw, make sure both of them are touching together solidly, but remember not to squeeze them too hard or apply too much pressure. These gripping techniques will improve your strategy greatly.
Alignment of the dice
Once you got your grip down, you will want to align the dice properly with the table and in your hand. You will be standing on one of the long ends of the table where you will throw down the length of the table. This length is known as the fore-aft axis. The narrow portion of the table (the width) is known as the left-right axis. The height of the dice above the surface of the table is known as the vertical axis.
In order to align the dice, you should use the straight lines displayed on the table. These lines usually make up a systematic grid of squares, rectangles and right angles that are already aligned with the sides of the table. You can use these lines as a system of reference when aligning your dice. Typically, players do not need to worry about aligning the dice with the left-right axis, but the fore-aft axis is the most important as well as the vertical axis.
The first thing you want to do is make sure the dice are level and parallel with the surface of the table. In order to do this properly, it is a good idea to practice by lowering the dice to the table to see if they make square contact with the table. If a corner of the dice touches the table before the other sides, then you are doing it wrong. You want the entire combined surface to touch at the same time. To sum it all up, you just want them level with the table! It may take some practice to get it down good.
Delivering the throw of the dice
One of the rules of the casino is that the dice must be thrown far enough to bounce off the opposite wall of the craps table booth. Many times the dealer will make players re-throw the dice if they do not make contact with the wall. In the past, players could just throw the dice onto the table without hitting the wall and land on certain numbers really easily. The requirement of the dice hitting the wall is used to ensure that a larger factor of randomness is applied to dice throws. To make things even tougher, these padded walls usually have triangular pyramid surfaces or bumps along the sides of the craps table. These are designed to produce even more randomness so that the dice bounce off at different angles. Even these tiny peculiar features that many people would never think of will have major purposes and consequences! You want to eliminate this randomness with dice control.
Ideally, you want to minimize how much the dice move after they touch a surface. You also would prefer the dice to stop rolling immediately after they hit the wall and prefer them not bouncing too hard. Again, the goal is throw the dice and have them spin on an axis together, as if they were glued together as a solid piece. Depending on what type of player you are and your technique, you can be pivoting your wrist, fingers, elbow and shoulder. The less complicated the throw, the less problems that can occur.
One thing to remember is that you should throw the dice in a straight line. If you pivot your shoulder when you make a motion, the dice tends to follow a path of an arc. Players can correct for this by rotating the wrists or making corrections with the elbow. A thing to watch for is when you pivot with the elbow. This sometimes looks unnatural and you never want to do something odd that will draw attention from dealers or employees at the casino.
Tips and advice for dice control
As I stated above, you do not want to get caught by dealers. Technically, dice control is not illegal in casinos but they can still throw you out or ask you to stop playing at the craps table. So the general advice is to not get caught or make yourself too obvious!
Probably the best tip I can give is to just throw the dice straight and get them to spin on the same axis as if they were a single solid piece. If you can get this down good, you will become an excellent dice controller and you will have 95% of the job done. Don't worry about trying to get the grips perfectly with the pictures or trying to throw them exactly like the guides say. It doesn't matter how you do it, if you can throw them so they spin together, than that is it, there is no secret way of doing it.
Now for a few smaller tips for when you are practicing. Watch out for your thumb when throwing the dice. One of the leading causes of the dice breaking apart in midair is the thumb getting in the way or touching the dice right after they leave your hands. You want your thumb to lose contact before the fingers.
Another big problem is having sweaty hands and fingers. This causes them to stick to the dice and cause too much friction when they are thrown, which almost always causes them to break apart in the air. To get rid of this problem, you should wipe the perspiration on your fingers off on your clothes right before throwing. Some pros put chalk in their pockets as a way to dry off the fingers and to be used as an antiperspirant. The problem with chalk is this can usually be spotted by the dealers. Alcohol has also been used by players as well. The main goal is to get your fingers dry before throwing.
Something known as a backspin is used as a way to prevent random movement of the dice after they hit the wall. It is also acts as a counter to forward motion. This is actually a very advanced technique but the basics are still simple. If you can throw a backspin while keeping control of the axis of the dice, you should be just fine.
If you are going to try setting the dice and get into dice control, you do not want to get caught. So the advice is to look as natural as possible and not to look guilty and nervous when you start playing or else the dealer is going to pick up on the tells you are giving off. A good tip is to be social and talk to other players in order to get attention off of yourself. Also handle the dice naturally by bouncing and jiggling them around. You do not want to look like you are handling the dice in a systematic and in a 'step by step' textbook fashion. You just need to get so good at it that the whole process is done in a single toss of the dice and no one thinks anything of it.
Finally, the best advice I can give is to practice and practice and then practice some more! You should be doing this at home. First just do some basic stuff like gripping the dice, aligning them level and properly and just throw them on a flat or felt surface. You don't even need to throw them far, just get them to land on the correct numbers that you are trying to throw. Once you can just do this, then start moving up a notch and throw them across the length of a craps table. Eventually you may create or build your own craps table or buy a felt mockup of one to really master it. Then just make your throws like second nature and make it look like it takes no effort and you'll be able to really become an advantage player! The key is to start off basic and simple and practice your way up to become an expert. Remember, a player with good dice control is much harder to catch than card counting, so you could go for years and years without ever worrying about getting caught once you become good enough at it.
If you were curious about craps cheating, you can read our article and learn about cheating at craps. Also learn about fixed dice that can be used to cheat at craps.
Play craps online at Cherry Jackpot.
Most craps players treat rolling the dice as a completely random occurrence. They may wear a lucky shirt or say their prayers beforehand, but they don’t do anything unique when rolling the dice.
However, a small subset of players believe that they can actually control the random craps’ outcomes. They claim that by holding the dice in a certain way and rolling them with a smooth motion, they occasionally manipulate the results.
Dubbed “controlled shooting,” this strategy promises long-term profits through craps. Unfortunately, controlled shooting (also known as dice control) is a complete lie.
I’m going to discuss more on dice control along with why it doesn’t work. I’ll also cover what actually does work when trying to beat this game.
What Is Controlled Shooting?
The first step to controlled shooting begins with gripping the dice in a certain manner (setting). You want to hold the dice in a way that covers up undesirable combinations (usually anything that produces a seven) and exposes the combos that you do want.
Here’s an example on how this works with the “blanket roll” grip:
- Start by placing a pass line bet.
- Wait until a point number has been established.
- Hold the dice with the three’s in a V-shape (hides sevens).
- The goal is to toss the point number before a seven.
- You want a smooth, light roll so that the dice will lightly hit the wall and reduce randomness.
The second step is to ensure that you have some way to practice your toss. You can either rig a craps table in your home or even purchase a regulation-sized table (12×14 feet).
The latter option is expensive and takes up lots of space in a home. Assuming you rig a table that’s close to regulation size, then you can get the same effect.
Finally, you want to practice your toss for at least a couple of hours per day. The goal is to develop a smooth rolling motion that makes the dice kiss off the wall.
The lighter the dice ricochet off the wall, the less chance they have of breaking apart. By reducing the randomness, you supposedly have a better chance of producing desired combinations.
Controlled shooters measure their success through a concept known as Sevens: Rolls Ratio (RSR). This term alludes to the ratio of rolls that produce a seven versus those that don’t.
The odds of rolling a seven combination are one in six (6:1). A controlled shooter seeks to alter this ratio by rolling fewer sevens. You gain an advantage with an RSR of 6.3:1 (a seven once every 6.3 tosses) or higher.
Finally, you must put in the practice to become a better shooter. Experts recommend that you practice your toss at least two to three hours per day. You may need to keep this routine up for months before improving as a shooter.
The Alleged Promise of Dice Control
As with any advantage play method, the goal with dice control is to consistently win profits. Assuming you can toss the dice the same way each time, then you allegedly stand a better chance of winning.
Of course, you won’t successfully control every throw. Instead, you’re merely looking to change the odds once in a while.
Dice control proponents compare this process to an athlete honing their craft. A basketball player, for example, works tirelessly to improve their jump shot.
They’re never going to become so good that they make every single shot. But with more practice, they’ll shoot a higher percentage from the field.
Likewise, a wannabe craps pro doesn’t expect to avoid rolling a seven every time. They just need to roll other numbers consistently enough to overcome the odds and make profits.
This History Channel reenactment (which is completely ridiculous by the way) portrays what happens when a shooter gets hot. On their best nights, they may be able to roll desired numbers quite frequently.
Craps Dice Throwing Tips
Of course, just like an athlete, they’ll also have off-nights. Their goal is to experience enough hot nights to overcome poor performances and make long-term money.
Why Is Controlled Shooting a Fraud?
Dice control sounds amazing in theory. By practicing your toss, you can develop a skill that will bring guaranteed profits.
However, what sounds good in theory doesn’t always play out in practice. Casinos have designed craps to be perfectly random. And they’ve done a good job at accomplishing this goal too.
For starters, the table features pyramid-patterned wall. You’re expected to hit this wall, or at least make a reasonable attempt at doing so, on each toss.
The fact that you’re hurling two tiny plastic cubes across the table at a textured wall seems random enough. But controlled shooting proponents still claim that you can control tosses with some degree of success.
Craps Controlled Shooting Range
The problem, though, is that they can’t prove dice control works. Unlike with card counting, hole carding, or shuffle tracking, nobody has demonstrated that dice control is an undeniable success.
Instead, those saying that it works are the same people selling books and seminars on the subject. They’re not exactly the most impartial sources on the matter.
Perhaps the biggest sign that controlled shooting is a hoax comes from casinos themselves. Gambling establishments make no effort to identify controlled shooters and ban them from the casino.
The casino only cares when controlled shooters take too long to set the dice. Some players take as long as 20 seconds to get their grips. This slows down the game and costs the casino profits.
Other than this situation, though, the house doesn’t care if you roll the dice in a certain manner and win while doing so. They fully realize that dice control is fake and won’t hurt them in the long run.
What You Can Do to Win in Craps Instead?
You’re not going to make regular profits with controlled dice today no matter how long you practice. It’s a fake advantage gambling technique that was made up to sell products.
However, you can improve your odds of beating craps through other means. Here are some tips for winning money with the game.
Make the Right Bets
Craps is one of the absolute best games with regard to the house edge. It features multiple regular bets that have low house advantages.
These wagers include:
- Pass line – 1.41% house edge
- Come – 1.41%
- Don’t pass line – 1.36%
- Don’t come – 1.36%
You can also make Place 6 and Place 8 wagers to enjoy solid odds as well. Both of those prop bets on a carry a 1.52% house edge.
Most casino games feature over a 2% house advantage or higher. Therefore, craps is definitely one of the best games when it comes to the odds.
Back Your Bets With Odds
Again, craps already features several excellent bets. But you can reduce the casino’s edge even further with odds.
A bet on the odds wager refers to bets that don’t have a house edge. Instead, they pay at your true odds of winning.
You must wait until a point number is established before placing one of these wagers. Here are the payouts depending upon the point number that your bet is on.
Pass Line
- 2:1 pay out on point numbers of 4 and 10.
- 3:2 pay out on point numbers of 5 and 9.
- 6:5 pay out on point numbers of 6 and 8.
Don’t Pass Line
- 1:2 pay out for point numbers of 4 and 10.
- 2:3 pay out for point numbers of 5 and 9.
- 5:6 pay out for point numbers of 6 and 8.
Odds are worth a multiple of your pass line or don’t pass line bet. You can take higher odds to lower the house edge further.
Here are the various odds bets along with how much they reduce the house advantage by:
- 1x odds: pass line 0.85%; don’t pass line 0.68%
- 2x odds: pass line 0.61%; don’t pass line 0.46%
- 3x odds: pass line 0.47%; don’t pass line 0.34%
- 5x odds: pass line 0.33%; don’t pass line 0.23%
- 10x odds: pass line 0.18%; don’t pass line 0.12%
- 20x odds: pass line 0.1%; don’t pass line 0.07%
Get Loyalty Rewards
You can collect rewards in online casinos right away after signing up and depositing. The software will automatically track your bets and reward you accordingly.
However, land-based casinos require that you sign up for a player’s club card before collecting loyalty benefits. You can register either online or at the player’s desk.
Comps in real money craps aren’t quite as lucrative as slots rewards, per say. But they do ensure that you pick up freebies on your play, such as cashback, meals, drinks, and more.
Controlled Dice Throwing
Look for Online Craps Bonuses
In addition to offering loyalty rewards, online casinos also feature deposit bonuses. These deals match your deposit by a certain percentage.
Craps Dice Control
Here’s an example:
- A casino offers a 100% match bonus worth up to $500.
- You deposit $200 and qualify for a $200 bonus.
- You can cash out the $200 after meeting terms and conditions.
The terms and conditions are very important in this matter. You need to wager a certain multiple of your bonus (the playthrough) and follow other rules before cashing out.
Furthermore, craps wagers don’t count towards the bonus at every single casino. But as long as craps does qualify, then you should take advantage and earn free money on the side of your play.
Conclusion
There’s no shortcut to beating craps. You can’t just hold the dice in a certain manner and practice your toss to win riches.
Controlled shooting is a bogus strategy that was developed by charlatans who make money off the matter. Therefore, you should completely ignore this so-called advantage play method.
Craps Controlled Shooting Targets
What you can do, though, is take basic steps towards beating craps. Pass line and don’t pass line bets, odds, rewards, and online bonuses all improve your chances of winning.
You may not swing the long-term edge in your favor with these steps. However, you can at least reduce the house advantage by quite a bit and pick up free money.