The Secrets of the Fives and Nines

Pssst...! Wanna know a secret?

How about the secret of the Fives and Nines?

Most Crapshooters do not buy the five or nine as the 5% vig makes it unprofitable to do so.

For example on a $30 bet you would have to pay 5% of $30, or $2 (rounded up from $1.50) just to make this buy bet. If you place the 5/9 for $30 you will win $42 at 7:5 odds. If you buy the 5/9 for $30 you will win $45, but you'll have to pay $2 vig. So you win $42 on the place bet and $43 ($45 - $2) on the buy bet. You do get $1 more with the buy bet, but there is a way to make even more!

Wanna know the secret that Craps pros use to buy the fives and nines?

Let's find out!

The 5% buy vig that the casino charges is not a precise figure. On the $30 buy bet, most casinos do charge you $2, even though 5% of $30 is $1.50. However, if you ask your friendly dealer BEFORE you bet if he will charge you $1 vig on a $30 buy bet on the 5/9, they will USUALLY agree - especially if you have a credit line, are friendly, call the dealers by their names and tip them.

You can take this one step further, by asking to buy BOTH the five AND nine for $30 each and only pay $2 vig for both bets. Usually this bet will cost you $3 (5% of $60). Then, when either number hits just take the other one down. You'll be doubling your chances of winning for the same low $2 vig!

Once you have the dealers trained to accept $1 vigs on the $30 buy bets, see if you can bump them up a little. A $40 buy bet will obviously require a $2 vig (5% of $40 is $2), but what about a $38 buy bet (5% of $38 is $1.90). Just ask your friendly dealer if you can make a $38 buy bet on the 5/9 and only pay $1 vig. You have absolutely nothing to lose by trying this. When you win you'll win $57. If you placed the 5/9 for $35 you'll win only $49.

As before, ask if you can buy both the five nine for $38 each. Then, when either number hits, take the other one down.

If you succeed and the table is hot with fives and nines, you might want to go up one step further. Most dealers will let you buy the 5/9 at $50 for only $2 vig (instead of $2.50). The vig will change to $3 when it hits $60 (5% of $60 is $3) so offer to buy the 5 AND 9 for $58 each and only pay $2 vig. As before, when the first number hits just take the other one down.

At this level by buying the 5/9 for $58 you will win $87 (at 3:2). If you placed the 5 or 9 for $55 you would win $77. So by spending just two more dollars you will win ten more dollars - well worth asking the friendly dealer for!

By buying two numbers and only paying the vig for one of them, you are doubling your chances to win while still paying a minimum vig to the casino!

Pssst...! Now you know the secrets of the fives and nines!

The Crapshooter © 2005 by Larry Edell

Larry Edell is the editor of The Crapshooter Newsletter, the only newletter devoted exclusively to craps! You can get a FREE sample copy by sending two first class stamps to The Crapshooter, Dept EZA, PO Box 421440, San Diego CA 92142