Playing craps with signifcant other

Recently my better half has taken to learning craps, and has played along side me for a while when she has come along. Here's the issue though...since the entire bankroll for both of us is "our" money, all coming from the same place, I'm thinking I need a new betting strategy.

With us both betting PL+odds, together we are in effect doubling the bets I would usually make on my own. When/if we play other games together, such as B/J, we often will cancel each other out, with one winning making up for the other losing. But with craps PL, we are all in the same boat and are either going to win big or lose big. Since the min bets are often $10, combined we are playing $20 P/L bets + odds. This is a little rich for my taste...fortunately the two times we've played was a win and then a wash.

Does anyone else have this situation? Any recommendations so that we can both play together, have some fun, and not get our bankroll decimated by a bad streak? DP is stupid, because we would entirely cancel each other out. Maybe I should let her play PL while I hold back and make Come bets. Or maybe just do place betting?

My friends and I often pool our money when we hit a table that's a little too rich for our blood. One will make pass line bets, the other places 6&8. If we do come bets, we make sure to alternate. The person making the bet determines the size and odds, and there's some pride in winning more than the other guy (or losing less) even though the money is split back up after all is done.

Hope that works for you.

You can also just play as a team, have one person betting and the other watching. Then you just split your winnings. I think that's the easiest way, so you don't need to alter how you play at all.

My wife doesn't play craps, but I've seen other couples and the solution is simple.

Just play is as if you're one person with one bankroll, but with each of you getting a chance to shoot per round.

I.E. If she is to your right, when the dice come your way, put the PL bet in front of her and let her shoot. After she's done, put the PL bet in front of you.

Your place / come bets might be positioned in either spot, but don't double your bets, and absolutely don't play a "different" bet like the DP simply because she's on the line!

If part of your playing is for enjoyment, you might also look at what enjoyment is garnered from the play.

Wow that sentence didn't seem to make much sense. And I wrote it.

When my girlfriend and I play craps, she has less of a tolerance for losing money, but also is capable of enjoying herself making the barest minimum of bets. Thus she generally will play the pass line, with 1x or 2x odds, and occasionally throw in a field bet ("on a whim) or a hardway bet. But, most of the time, she's playing very minimal money and enjoying herself.

On the other hand, I can handle the swings in variance without cringing, and also like more action. So, when she's playing, I go ahead and let her make the PL bets, while I tend to make come bets with odds after a point is established.

Good advice. I'll note that we both enjoy making bets througout, though she really only plays PL with the occasional field bet. I think we'd both get bored just playing one PL bet for both of us, plus at a crowded table, casinos won't let you take up a spot if you aren't playing.

I'm kind of leaning towards playing Come bets with odds. I suppose in some manner this hedges bets and possibly reduces variances, since a seven-out could both lose and win for us....

Guess that leads to another question...does PL follwed with Come, give more or less variance than PL + placing 6/8?

One time I was standing next to an attractive woman and we were both playing the passline and winning. Then her husband showed up. Turned out he had been playing DP at the next table and things were not going well for him. So for them it was not exactly the same as playing together, but at least the pass and DP bets wouldn't always cancel each other out.

Mrs. Dice has not taken to the game to much ... yet. She actually took a turn as the shooter on our last trip to Vegas, but felt bad because it was a short roll and we lost money. For the two of us, I think we each had a passline bet with odds and I made a few come bets. I'm hoping she'll shoot a few more times on our next trip this July and get to taste the thrill of a long, winning roll.

This thread has some good advice!!

Quote: konceptum

...On the other hand, I can handle the swings in variance without cringing, and also like more action. So, when she's playing, I go ahead and let her make the PL bets, while I tend to make come bets with odds after a point is established.

My wife and I play Craps side-by-side at the same table. We both play the PL, but occasionally we play a different amount in odds. I also add in a few Come bets after the point is established, plus I usually bet $1 on the line for the dealers. Just having an extra come bet on one side can cause your bankroll to be much larger, or much smaller, than a PL bettor.

At one point, I tried switching it up. She would play the PL, then after a point was established, I would play a few Don't Come bets. This way, I wasn't directly betting directly against my wife, and our bets didn't cancel each other out. She won't let me do this any more, as a bad run of luck on the DC drained my half of the bankroll too quickly. She says she's not superstitious, but...

We thought about having one of us play the PL, and the other putting down the odds wager... but it's more fun to have a bet all to yourself. Even if both of you play the exact same way, at least you're both enjoying yourselves.

Quote: ruascott

Does anyone else have this situation? Any recommendations so that we can both play together, have some fun, and not get our bankroll decimated by a bad streak? DP is stupid, because we would entirely cancel each other out. Maybe I should let her play PL while I hold back and make Come bets. Or maybe just do place betting?

I recommend taking your bankroll and dividing it in half. So let's say you normally start out with $200. Well you give her $100 and you take $100. You'll also need to half your normal starting bet. I'd also reduce your odds as well to lower the variance in your bankroll. Nothing wrong with 1X odds as part of your betting strategy. In doing so, you will essentially be betting the same amount if you were playing alone. The only difference is you now have the company of your significant other. Find a low min table and work off that min. Also make sure you instruct her accordingly as to your betting scheme so she won't go betting half her bankroll on a Yo-11.

Alternatively, if she's determined to maintain her current bet level, you should not be betting on the exact same PL+odds with her. Let her make her bet. Either get yourself another point or rotate your place bets for one or two rolls. Since you normally bet PL+2X odds, you could simply get a 568, 689, 5/9/10. Of which if you hit one or two numbers, I'd pull it down right away.

I agree it doesn't make sense to double your bet on the same PL w/odds or playing doey/don'ts w/ spouse.

she makes a passline wager and takes full odds.

you make a come wager or two and take full odds.

I once read that if you and your partner should play at different tables.

If you both play the same way at the same table, two things can happen.

1. You will both win
2. you will both lose.

If you split up and play at different tables, you will add a third option.

3. One will win and one will lose.

To me, the biggest negative with playing craps with your significant other, is not the fact that you potentially double your losses if you both bet the same way. It's the fact that when that absolutely gorgeous girl at the other end of the table with the low cut top and the high cut skirt is jumping and bouncing around, you're going to get slapped, and not necessarily by your SO.

I don't think there's anything in the rules or etiquette that says you can't keep all your chips together in the rack, when the dice come around, you make a passline bet and shoot till you're done, then she gets the dice, she makes a passline bet out of the same chip pool. I can't see anybody really making a stink about that; if they do, just split the chips into 2 racks.

Quote: FatGeezus

I once read that if you and your partner should play at different tables.

If you both play the same way at the same table, two things can happen.

1. You will both win
2. you will both lose.

If you split up and play at different tables, you will add a third option.

3. One will win and one will lose.

I would just like to add that while this is true with craps, it is not necessarily true with blackjack. Many times I have played blackjack with friends at the same table and I double up while they bust out.

My wife and I always play together and we both really enjoy the game. I usually make a Don't Pass and lay odds and she makes a don't come and lays odds. It is amazing how different we can end up at the end of our play with being literally only one roll apart in our play. (I guess it's kind of like being at different tables but still being able to be together.)

Quote: wrongway

My wife and I always play together and we both really enjoy the game. I usually make a Don't Pass and lay odds and she makes a don't come and lays odds. It is amazing how different we can end up at the end of our play with being literally only one roll apart in our play. (I guess it's kind of like being at different tables but still being able to be together.)

i like this idea. that way you can both be rooting for the same number but rooting against different numbers.

Quote: wrongway

My wife and I always play together and we both really enjoy the game. I usually make a Don't Pass and lay odds and she makes a don't come and lays odds. It is amazing how different we can end up at the end of our play with being literally only one roll apart in our play. (I guess it's kind of like being at different tables but still being able to be together.)

Very interesting. As rudeboyi said, you get too root for the same number so you can celebrate your wins together. I never really play the dark side, but we may give this a shot sometime.