Wrong side bet is fine in craps

QUESTION: In craps betting, I've noticed that it seems like the most consistent winners are the Don't side players laying odds. Not big money, but consistent wins. I'm currently a $5 pass line, odds, place 6 and 8 Come bettor. I'm seriously thinking of going to the Don't side. -- John G.
ANSWER: By all means, if you want to go to the Don't side, do it. There is nothing wrong with being a Wrong bettor.

As a Wrong bettor, you're wagering against the shooter and with the seven. All your bets become Don't pass and Don't come wagers. Yet, right or wrong, and nearly equally, Pass line and Don't pass bettors are making some of the best wagers the casino offers.

Although I appreciate your thoughts about switching, a Don't pass bet is mathematically only a slightly better wager than a Pass line bet, as the house edge is 1.4% versus 1.41%. Because the casino advantage between the two wagers is so minuscule, I've always advocated a Pass line bet, mostly because I enjoy the peer play, where bettors battle the casino together, win or lose.


QUESTION: You recently used the term "selected machines." I play a lot of video poker and would like to know what that term means? -- Bruce F.

ANSWER: "Selected machines" means one thing for slots, another for video poker.

With reel slot machines, some casinos advertise a higher payback percentage -- such as a 98.5% return -- on "selected machines." Typically, that means dollar machines, but the return is usually not posted on the machines themselves. It becomes your responsibility to find them by asking slot employees or their direct supervisor.

With video poker, "selected machines" means pay tables and implies also the use of basic strategy on a decent pay table. With canny machine selection and some video poker prowess, you can reduce the house edge to below 1%.

That's the biggest benefit of video poker: your ability to identify the selected machines by eyeballing the pay tables. When you add the comps and other slot club benefits, it's not hard to break even or better, which rather neatly elevates your chances of winning at video poker.