Code Red on these two
blood-donor bets
16 June 2003
By Mark Pilarski
Dear Mark,
On a crap table, there are spaces with a "C" or
"E" in a circle. I know that the "C" is for
craps and the "E" is for eleven. Does betting on
these circles differ from the regular "Any
Craps" bet? Jim E.
Somewhat, Jim, tag along.
With Any Craps (2, 3 or 12), you are betting
that the next roll will be a 2, 3, or 12. Payout
for a win is 7:1; but house edge floats up there
at 11.1%. Players making this wager believe that
their loss on the pass line bet (because of a
craps: 2, 3, or 12) is nullified by the win on
this bet. Yet, these canny players may not
realize that offsetting a loss with a win
doesn't change the steep house edge on an Any
Craps bet.
As for a C & E (Craps-Eleven, which means 2, 3,
11 or 12), the letters C and E represent two
different bets. The C component places a wager
on the "Any Craps" betting area. The E segment
places a wager on the Any 11 bet. The C payout
for a 2, 3 or 12 is 3:1. The E payout for an 11
is 7:1.
While observing a crap game last week, I
overheard the dealer recommend NOT making a C &
E wager to a player. He mouthed, "Fuhgetaboutit,
it's a slow bleed."
The "slow bleed" in gamblingo, Jim, is losing
your bankroll in a slow and consistent manner.
No matter how you bet, you cannot win enough
back to come out even. Aye, Jimbo, you might hit
an occasional C & E or Any Craps, but you will
lose over the long haul.
The dealer was correct in informing the player
that the C & E is a bloodshed bet, but his
warning was too modest. Betting either Any Craps
or a C & E, both with a house edge in double
digits, is more like hemorrhaging.
Dear Mark,
When I play Deuces Wild on my computer, if I
draw two pairs (for example 9's and 4's) the
tutorial on the CD tells me to discard one of
the pairs and draw three. This does not seem to
be a good idea. Could I have your opinion on
this please? Jack C.
Add Yours Truly to the vast coalition of gaming
experts (and I've read 'em all) who will firmly
tell you that holding two pairs is a misguided
move which deviates from perfect basic strategy.
WHY?
The essential thing to remember when playing
Deuces Wild video poker is that the four two's
(deuces) in the deck are not just wild; they're
savage! and can be substituted for any other
card, for any rank, in any suit. So, you never,
ever discard a deuce. Because you have a fair
chance at these four savages to help make up
winning combinations, the lowest payout in
Deuces Wild is for Three-of-a-Kind. Unlike a
Jacks-or-Better machine, two pairs in Deuces
Wild gets you squat.
One of the more notable player errors in Deuces
Wild is the sticky unwillingness to throw away
one of the two pairs. This is an important
strategy, in that you want to make room for
those additional cards which could include a
deuce or two.
So Jack, never keep two pairs in Deuces wild
video. Select one or the other (rank doesn't
matter). Keeping that single pair gives you a
better expected outcome, and 3-of-a-kind, the
minimum scheduled payout, ain't all that bad.
Gambling quote of the week: "Gambling has held
human beings in thrall for millennia. It has
been engaged in everywhere, from the dregs of
society to the most respectable circles." Peter
L Bernstein, Against the Gods
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