The different kinds of craps players (from the dealers' perspective)

The Professional Player

The Professional Player is mythical. With inquiry to three casino professionals with a combined tenure in the Las Vegas and Reno craps community of over 100 years, there is no knowledge of any living professional gambler who makes or ever made a living by playing craps. These professionals worked as dealers, boxmen, and in floor management positions across several casinos. The closest thing to a professional was a legend named System Smitty, a character who ran ads in the Los Angeles newspapers and convinced players to come to Las Vegas and have him play their bank on the craps tables for a split on the winnings. Whether this legend is alive and well or deceased is unknown as of this writing. If you know of a professional who makes a living playing the game of craps, please let us know.

The System Player

There are hundreds and probably thousands of so-called System players. It is difficult to generalize this subject because of the pitfalls that these players fall into. Most System players do not exercise a consistent regimen in applying their convictions. Many sway between applying their method to the Pass Line and the Don't Pass Line. The temptation of the proposition wagers also sways them from a consistent pattern in their gaming. By definition, one would think that a true System player would focus on a consistent pattern of results on the dice, but usually they don't. It is almost impossible in a casino to maintain a consistent positioning of wagers at the craps table because of distractions. There's the need to relieve oneself, and the interruptions and distractions of the cocktail waitresses. Most importantly there is just the sheer complexity of maintaining all wagers integral to the system and if the player can not keep track of the positioning of the wagers (and taking or laying the appropriate odds on flat bets), the dealer will often miss servicing the player's system requirement.

Most systems fall into these categories:

Martingdale (Doubling up to catch up)
Iron Cross (Place 5, 6 and 8 and play The Field)
Place and Press all Numbers (includes Buy Bets on 4 and 10)
Press Come Bets (sweeten some Point numbers or all Numbers after a win)
Power Press 6 and/or 8
Any combination of wagering that involves Full Press on proposition bets

It is interesting to note that very little is written about systems that reduce the house edge by using the Free Odds that are provided by the casinos -- single odds, double odds, 5X, 10x, 20x and 100x odds.

Tourist/Recreational Player

These are the folks that play for fun, with little expectation of winning. They usually have very little knowledge about the game or have a very simple method of play that they might believe to be a system. What they really have is just a method of play, as most folks who fall into this category do not have a working knowledge of the percentages of the game nor related House Edge. Often, their wagers fall into The Field and into the Big 6 and 8 corner box. Often they will place a wager on the Pass Line after a point has already been established. In addition, because they are often caught up in the spirit of the game they will not hesitate to throw wagers into the proposition box hoping for a hardway hit or a score on the 7 or 11 on the come out roll. Many of these players also believe in covering the Any Craps or Craps/11 (C and E) wagers on the come out roll believing that they are buying insurance.

The Grinder

A Grinder is a player who consistently makes the same bet over and over without upping the bet size, even when winning. Some Grinders might even position a complex pattern of betting using odds or combining line bets with proposition bets. But because they never press up their bets they are usually at the mercy of the table odds which over time grind the Grinder down into an overall loss. Dealers do not like grinders because they are just taking up space at the table and are almost always losers unless there is an incredible streak on the dice. And even then, the Grinder will not win much money. Many Grinders place a consistent pattern of come bets and never take odds.

The Logger

A Logger is a rare breed, uncommonly seen. This is the player who takes a most academic approach and who logs the results of the dice over a period of time, often making notes with pen and paper before making a wager of any kind. Of course, doing so is a waste of time -- what was thrown in the past has no bearing on what will be thrown in the future.

The Degenerate

These are players who have been trying to beat the craps table, usually for many years, and who have tried dozens and dozens of methods and systems all for naught. In fact, many craps dealers at the dice tables of the world are degenerate, some having to work two jobs and who still find time to play craps in what little spare time they might have. You can find them in the casino break rooms sleeping on their breaks. Some of them actually have friends wake them up on their cellular phones or carry mini-alarm clocks with them to use during their breaks.

The Stroker

A Stroker is a player who intentionally or unintentionally jerks the dealers around. Often this is done by throwing out late bets or by pulling tricks like throwing a 100 bill on the Field at the last second and then asking for change when a non-field number rolls. Other Stroker techniques including mumbling bets so that the dealer can not hear and "barber poling their bets (betting multiple denominations of chips at once) so the dealers have to work to break down the bet for payoff. Some Strokers actually work in teams at each end of the table, one betting the pass line and the other betting the don't pass line to jack up comps and to get free drinks.

The Flea

This is a term used by casino workers to describe degenerate gamblers who usually don't have the wherewithal to gamble in the first place. They are usually unkempt complainers who constantly lose and who are always looking for a free handout. They are the ones who are always hanging around the tables and the slot machines looking for a free drink. And they NEVER tip the dealers OR the cocktail waitresses.