by Larry Edell
If Lay Bets are so good, why isn't everyone using them instead of betting on the don't pass or the don't come?
A lay bet has always held a certain amount of fascination for most Crapshooters, because it is so good that the house makes you pay an extra charge just to use it! You are charged a “vig” of 5% of the winnings whenever you lay the 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10. But if these lay bets are so good, why isn't everyone making them instead of betting on the don't come or the don't pass?
Let's find out!
On the don't side you have the advantage after the come out, so you always have to bet more to get less. The lay bet does offer true odds so if you lay the 4 or 10, you bet $40 to get $20. If you lay the 6 or 8 you bet $30 to get $25, and if you lay the 5 or 9, you bet $30 to get $20. The big advantage of the lay bet, of course, is that you can make it at any time and remove it at any time.
The casino advantage for the lay bet is 2.4% (for the 4 or 10), 3.2% (for the 5 or 9), and 4.1% (for the 6 or 8). This is, of course, higher than the vig on the don't pass or don't come, which is approximately 1.4%. But there is a rarely used method that professional crapshooters use to decrease the vig on the 4 or 10 lay bet to make it much more profitable!
If you want to lay $40 against the 4 or 10, for example, you would pay 5% of the winnings ($20) or $1. However, if you wanted to lay $50 on the 4 or 10 you would win $25, and 5% of $25 is $1.25. Casinos don't deal in change, so most will just round it down so you only have to pay $1. Of course, if you lay $80, you win $40 and 5% of $40 is $2.
But if you lay the 4 (or 10) for $60, you win $30, so the vig is $1.50. Now, it is your job to ask the friendly dealer if you can still only pay $1 vig. And if the casino only charges that vig when you win, this bet becomes even more profitable!
If you want to take this bet one step further, let's look at paying $2 instead of $1 for the vig. This 5% commission switches from $2 (5% of $80 bet and $40 win) to $3 (5% of $120 bet and $60 win). So the midpoint is a $100 bet, a $50 win, and a $2.50 vig. Just ask the friendly dealer if you can lay $100 on the four or ten, and only pay the $2 vig. The best time to lay this high powered bet is center after either the four (or ten) has rolled. You are now betting that the seven will roll before the four (or ten) will roll a second time - a fairly good bet. For insurance, you might try two red chips on the corresponding hard way. This way if by some chance the 4 or 10 does roll, you're partially protected by your hard way hedge bet. If the hard 4 (or 10) rolls, you lose your $100 but win $70, so the only way you can really lose is if the soft number rolls.
Although laying the 4 and 10 is the most advantageous lay bet, you can also lay the five and nine in the same manner. Normally you would lay $30 to get $20 and pay a $1 vig (5% of $20). Ask the friendly dealer if you can lay the five (or nine) for $42, and only pay $1 vig. Your payoff would be $28 and 5% of $28 is $1.40, so if the casino rounds it down to $1, you've got another good deal on your hands!
Remember, you can ask the friendly dealer anytime if you can lay the 4 (or 10) for $60 and only pay $1 vig. You have nothing to lose by giving this a try! So, if you've wondered whether lay bets could be profitable bets - Now you know!
And, as always, good luck at the tables!
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