High Low Craps
Pretty much all craps players understand the perils of the Big 6 and 8. Those giant red numbers, within easy reach, are such a temptation for inexperienced players.
- He isn't betting pass/don't pass or even place bets, but he throws $10 to the stick with things like '$2 hi-low, $3 yo, hard ways for $1 each, high on the 8.' Ok, that's not too bad. But then after he had his hardways, he'd throw $10 and say '$3 ace-deuce, $1 yo, $2 midnight, no wait make my yo $2, and $3 any craps.'
- Low Dice, High Dice This pair of bets are based on the total of the dice in one throw. The 'Low Dice' bet pays 1 to 1 on totals of 3 to 6 and 5 to 1 on a total of 2. The 'High Dice' pays 1 to 1 on totals of 8 to 11 and 5 to 1 on a total of 12.
Caveat bettor! Which we should totally put on a T-shirt.
What those tricky craps layouts don’t point out, however, is there’s another bet on the 6 and 8 that pays more for the very same dice roll. The Big 6 and 8 pay even money ($5 in winnings for a $5 bet), but if you ask the dealer to “place” a 6 or 8, that bet pays $7 for a $6 bet.
The Big 6 and 8 bet has a house edge of 9.09%, and the place 6 and 8 bet has a relatively teensy 1.52% house advantage. Now you know why they’re called “sucker bets.”
A couple of casinos in town have added a new wrinkle to this craps table real estate by swapping out the Big 6 and 8 sucker bet for a less suckery one, the High Dice/Low Dice bet.
We saw this bet at the Cannery casino, but understand it’s also available at the Hard Rock casino.
The low side as we call it is the 16 for 1 payoff (3 & 11) The high side is considered 31 for 1 (2 & 12) Low side = 3 x bet High side = 7 x bet less 1/4 Example: $4 horn bet - 3 or 11 rolls 4 x 3 = 12 (16- 4 = 12) $4 horn bet - 2 or 12 roll 4 x 7 = 28 - 1 = 27. High Low Craps fill in the registration form provided by LV BET which shall at least include the following details: the customer’s identity. You warrant to, provide true, accurate, current and complete information regarding identity during High Low Craps the registration process.
We’re hoping this bet will bump the Big 6 and 8 off craps tables everywhere.
Here’s how it works. It’s a one-roll, self-serve bet (the player can bet it directly, as opposed to asking the dealer to do it).
On the Low Dice side, if a 3, 4, 5 or 6 is rolled, the bet wins and is paid even money (you get $5 for your $5 bet). If a 2 is rolled, the bet is paid 5-to-1 (so, $25 for a $5 bet). If a 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12 is rolled, the bet is lost.
The High Dice bet is the flip side. If an 8, 9, 10 or 11 is rolled, you’re paid even money. If a 12 is rolled, the bet pays 5-to-1. If a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 is rolled, the bet is lost.
It’s a fun little side bet and here’s why. The house edge is 5.55%. To be clear, that makes it a sucker bet, but it’s half the sucker bet a Big 6 and 8 is!
By comparison, the house edge in roulette is 5.26%, so it’s on par with one of the most popular table games in Las Vegas casinos.
Let us know how it goes!
In my video Bellagio Craps, Part 3 of 3, I comment on the All, Tall, and Small bet. This is a breakdown of the ‘All, Tall, and Small’ bet.
THE PARLANCE
This bet is commonly written as the ‘ATS’ bet. First, understand that most gambling writers refer to the All, Tall, Small bet as the ‘ATS’ bet, when mentioned in written form (because it’s easier to write ‘ATS). If you go into a casino, no one calls it the ‘ATS’ bet. I was in Las Vegas this past weekend, and just being the curious cat that I am, I experimented by throwing out three red chips and said ‘A-T-S’ (as in the letters, said phonetically; I didn’t say the word ‘at’ with an ‘s’ at the end). Many dealers and boxmen – when there was a boxman – did know what I was betting. Some did, some didn’t.
In a casino, the bet is known as the ‘features’ bet, or just, ‘All, Tall, Small’. If you watch the video above, it’s mostly called the ‘features’.
If you’re confused, watch my videos and then come back and read the explanation above. Nothing is better for learning than witnessing the actual event.
One more thing. On the layout, the ‘All’ part of the bet is actually written as ‘Make ’em All’, however, no one refers to the All bet as the ‘Make ‘Em All’.
That’s the parlance of the ATS bet, which ironically, in an actual casino is not called the ‘ATS’ bet.
So that I don’t have to constantly write out ‘All, Tall, Small’, I am going to refer to it as the ‘ATS’.
THE MECHANICS OF THE BET AND HOW TO BET IT
On a pair of dice, the only numbers that can be rolled from lowest to highest, are 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11, and 12. The most likely number to roll is the 7, which will roll once in six times. All other numbers have mirror counterparts, as far as their likelihood to roll. The 6 and 8 both have five ways to each roll. The 5 and 9 each have four ways to roll. The 4 and 10 each have 3 ways to roll. The 3 and 11 each have 2 ways to roll. The 2 and 12 each only have one way to roll.
So of the mirrored counterparts, the lower numbers are considered the Small, while the higher numbers are considered the Tall.
The ATS bet is actually three separate bets. It’s not one big bet. Most players bet all three because they fear missing out, but if you want, you can bet any combination of the ‘All’, the ‘Small’, or the ‘Tall’.
High Low Blackjack Betting
The player decides to make an ATS bet. He should then toss in, to either the dealer, the stick or the box (but usually to the dealer) the amount that he wants to bet. The player is not required to make all three bets, although, as stated, the vast majority of players make all three bets. The player then clarifies to the dealer how he wants to split up his bet.
Another way of betting the ATS is throwing in a bet and saying three numbers that add up to the amount thrown in. For example, if you throw in $15 when the bet can be bet (more on that later), and you say ‘five, five, five’, the dealers will know that you are betting $5 on the Small, $5 on the All, and $5 on the Tall. Or throw in $20 and say ‘five, ten, five’. The middle number is always the ‘All’.
As the shooter rolls the numbers, you will see one of the employees covering the number that had just rolled. If the same number rolls again, the repeating number is not relevant. There is no penalty or bonus for rolling a number multiple times. The shooter only needs to roll the number at least once in order to progress the bet towards the win condition.
WHEN YOU CAN BET IT
The ATS bet is always available after a 7 has rolled. Always. (SPOILER WARNING!!!!) Notice in the video above at the 1:54 mark, the shooter rolls a 7 out. At the 2:00 mark, the stickman then leans over and moves the discs off the numbers. He is resetting the ATS bet. Now it can be bet because no numbers are covered.
The reason is that a 7 rolled will cause the bet to lose, thus wiping out the board and starting a new ATS series. Unlike the older FireBet, where the bet could only be made when a new shooter started, the ATS can be made several times with the same shooter, or it can be made in the middle of a shooter’s roll.
Unlike some bets, where the bet is not live on the come out roll, the ATS bet is always live. At the 2:00 mark, you hear the player say, ‘I go back up’. He’s saying that because the 7 winner (on the come out) caused his ATS to lose. The ATS bet is always live, even on the come out roll.
Depending on the casino, the ATS bet can also be made if no one has bet the ATS on any one of the bets, even if numbers have been rolled. For example, let’s say shooter rolls a 2,3,4, requiring the dealer to cover the 2,3 and 4, but no one has made any bets on the ATS. In that case, the house will reset the discs and allow you to bet the ATS because there is no action and no one is affected by your new bet. Some casinos want you to wait until the 7 naturally resets the ATS board, so this rule varies from casino to casino.
If in doubt, just look at the board. If there are no numbers covered by the disc, you can bet it. Alternatively, if there are no bets made on the ATS, then you can probably bet it. Just ask the casino because they may have different procedures in the second scenario.
THE WIN/LOSS CONDITIONS (HOW TO WIN)
Remember that the ATS is comprised of three separate bets. Here is the win condition for each bet…
The All Small bet wins if the player rolls a 2,3,4,5, and 6 before the player rolls a 7. The 7 will cause the Small bet to lose.
The All Tall bet wins if the 8,9,10,11, and 12 roll before the shooter rolls a 7. The 7 will cause the Tall bet to lose.
The All bet (actually written on the felt as ‘Make ’em All’) wins if the player rolls a 2,3,4,5,6,8,9,10,11, and 12 before the shooter rolls a 7. If that list is too long for you to memorize, then have no fear. Just know that it is every number EXCEPT THE 7 (because the 7 always causes you to lose).
THE PAY OFF FOR WINS AND THE HOUSE EDGE
There are two pay tables for the ATS bet. I refer to them personally as the ‘stingy’ and the ‘better’ table.
Stingy pay table:
All pays 150 – 1, resulting in a house edge of 20.61%.
Tall pays 30-1, resulting in a house edge of 18.30%.
Small pays 30-1, resulting in a house edge of 18.30%.
Better pay table:
All pays 175-1, resulting in a house edge of 7.47%.
Tall pays 34-1, resulting in a house edge of 7.76%.
Small pays 34-1, resulting in a house edge of 7.76%.
High Low Craps Bet
The above house edge numbers are from the Wizard of Odds website. If you don’t know about Michael Shackleford, you should know about the man, especially if you want to be a smart gambler.
Almost every Las Vegas casino that offers the ATS bet (and most do), uses the stingier pay table.
Most casinos outside of Las Vegas use the better paytable.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE ATS
Personally, I never bet the ATS when I’m in Las Vegas. 20% house edge is just a hammer to the toes.
I love the ATS bet outside of Las Vegas. Unlike the FireBet of old, the ATS hits on a regular basis. Considering that I’m usually betting only very minuscule amounts on it, it’s a cheap thrill. My record on the ATS was when I hit the All bet, then hit the Small bet again during the same roll. On that roll, I won $20,000+ and won $277 on the ATS bet. It’s a fun bet, and if you’re looking to hit a jackpot, you should bet bigger on the ATS. That’s just not my goal.
The ATS can also be a frustrating bet. Usually, if all three components of the ATS hits, it means that the shooter had a very long roll. But I once had an ATS hit where I actually lost a lot of money because the shooter did not repeat any of his points. Granted, that’s very rare.
I see the ATS bet staying around for a long time. It’s great for the house because it now is a way for the boxman to actually do something, other than watch the game. With the ATS bet, the boxman can watch and mark all the numbers and play for himself.
It’s good for players because it’s a relatively low house edge side bet that hits frequently. I was never a fan of the FireBet, which hits once or twice a year if you’re lucky. The ATS bet can hit several times a day.
Give that ATS bet a try next time you’re at the casino.
High Low Blackjack Counting
Let me know if you have any questions. Leave them in the comment below, and I’ll be happy to answer them.
Good luck at the tables.
Posted in: Casino, Craps, Gambling