How Crooked Are Casinos? Not Very.

It is not at all uncommon to here a disgruntled player walk away from a table ranting about how the casinos are crooks, or to read in an editorial that casinos are designed to suck your bank accounts dry, but the truth is these places are businesses.

Any edge the casino has goes to paying off the massive expenses they incur. From mortgage payments and property taxes to paying all the many hardworking employees and keeping your drink full. If you can understand that the house edge is paid back to you in the form of a safe and entertaining environment you have a very reasonable perspective that makes it easier to understand how you play an important role in your relationship with the casino.

Particularly as a craps player you face some of the smallest house edges in the whole casino. Black Jack and Slots players, at best, are looking at house edges of 7%-10%. As an informed craps player you have the opportunity at practically any casino to bet on the pass line and then bet 2x odds (at least) which gives the house only a .61% edge. With all you get in return in the form of the casino, a house edge as miniscule as .61% can hardly be considered robbery. (To make sure you're getting these smart odds, check out our page on types of craps bets.)

It is true that the casino needs to make a profit, but even if the casino owners benefit by you losing money, the people working on the floor are getting paid the same whether you win and lose. Considering the craps table is your dealer's work environment, it isn't suprising that most dealers actually like working when the players are winning big because they get to share in the excitment and possibly because they know the winnings are comining straight out of their boss's pocket.

The next time someone complains that the've been swindled by the house, let them know that no crime has been committed. If they have played in the smartest way possible they can blame no one but Lady Luck for their misfortunes. If they're a slots player...well then they should've seen it coming.

How Crooked Are Casinos? Not Very.

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