At this point it must mention that these paragraphs relate to the dice that are perfect enough to be used in legal casinos. There are many other kinds of dice. Some are just as perfectly manufactured as those we have discussed. They are simply not used in casinos in the game of Craps. They are, however, found in other games, such as Chuck-a- Luck (a cage with three dice; betting is similar to Big Six Wheel), Poker dice (five to a set, face showing represents card, all five “cards” represent a “hand”), bar dice (used to gamble on who pays for drinks), Backgammon (an ancient board game using two sets of dice), etc. None of these games are legal in New Jersey, and none are played in casinos in Las Vegas as games of chance.

Monopoly Game
The other types of dice that are manufactured are those which appear most often in the home. Almost every child’s board game has at least one pair of dice. The board game “Monopoly,” that immortalized Atlantic City’s streets way back in the Great Depression, uses this type of dice. They are rarely made to any standard other than having six faces with spots on them. Never consider using this type of dice in anyserious gambling.

As mentioned earlier that dice are packed in sets of five. This is how dice are usually used on crap tables. It allows the player a choice in his selection of the pair that he wishes to play with.

BR>
At the beginning of every shift, and at the boxman’s discretion any time during the game, any one, or all five of the dice can be changed. The boxman will take time to examine each die individually and satisfy himself that the game he is overseeing is playing with “perfect” dice. He will also call in any die that flies off the table during a toss. He will “eyeball” it, spinning it between his thumb and forefinger, to satisfy himself that this is definitely a good die. All this is done before allowing the game to go on. If a player should call for the “same dice” after the dice leave the table on a bad toss, the boxman will go through the same procedure to double check that the dice have not been switched by the player.

All of this attention to the dice by the manufacturer, the casino, and the boxman (the person ultimately responsible for the dice on the table) assures that the dice are truly “good.” It protects the player insofar as it gives him peace of mind that he is getting a fair shake. It also protects the casino because “crooked” dice can bankrupt a casino in no time at all.

As a player, I never worry about the dice on any legal crap table in Nevada or New Jersey.

Back to Top