Live-table procedure · Legal throw · Shooter etiquette
To shoot dice at a live craps table, handle both dice with one hand, keep them above the layout and inside the table, and make a controlled toss so both dice travel to the opposite end and strike the back wall. The goal is a clear legal roll—not speed, height, force, or a special grip.
The five rules to remember: use one hand; keep the dice over the table; do not slide them; land them on the felt before the wall; and make a reasonable attempt to hit the far back wall with both dice.
What happens when you become the shooter
At the start of a new shooter’s turn, the stickperson normally pushes several dice toward the shooter. Select any two without lifting them out of the table or spending time searching for a “lucky” pair. The unused dice are pulled back into the dice bowl.
During an established shooter’s turn, the stickperson gathers each completed roll and holds the dice in the center while the base dealers collect losing bets, pay winners, and book new wagers. When the crew is ready, the stickperson pushes the two dice back to the shooter. That movement is the practical signal to roll; the shooter does not need to poll the table or ask whether everyone is ready.
When several dice are offered at the beginning of a turn, take any two promptly. Picking up every die repeatedly or searching for a lucky pair delays the game without changing the probabilities. Once two are selected, the others return to the bowl under the stickperson’s control.
The shooter must make the table’s required line wager, usually Pass Line or Don’t Pass according to house rules. Once bets are set and the dealers are ready, the stickperson slides the two chosen dice to the shooter. That is the signal to pick them up and roll without an unnecessary delay.
- Wait until the stickperson sends you the dice.
- Pick up both dice with one hand.
- Keep that hand over the layout and within the walls of the table.
- Toss both dice together toward the opposite back wall.
- Let the dice land on the felt and rebound from the wall.
- Keep your hands clear while the crew calls the result and settles bets.
A legal, comfortable throwing technique
There is no required grip at a standard table. A light, natural grip is enough. Stand square to your target, choose an open landing area away from tall chip stacks, and use an easy underhand or low sidearm motion. Release both dice together and follow through toward the opposite wall.
You do not need to throw hard. In fact, excess force makes a die more likely to leave the table or strike a player. You also do not want a weak drop that dies in the middle of the layout. Aim for a smooth arc that reaches the far wall after touching the felt.
A comfortable stance matters more than a named grip. Place your feet so you are balanced without leaning deep into the table, keep the throwing shoulder relaxed, and choose a landing zone that is not crowded with chips. Players at the hook—the curved area near an end—may need a slightly different angle from players standing near the center.
You can rehearse the motion at home with ordinary dice and a safe backstop, but a home surface does not reproduce casino felt, chip obstacles, table length, or back-wall rubber. Practice is useful for comfort and consistent table manners; it does not prove that you can change dice probabilities.
| Do | Avoid | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Use one hand | Passing dice between hands | The crew must maintain a clear view for game protection |
| Keep dice inside the table | Pulling your hand back over the rail | Prevents substitution and confusion |
| Use a controlled toss | Sliding, dropping, or launching them | A legal roll should tumble and reach the far wall safely |
| Aim for open felt | Targeting chip stacks or mirrors | Reduces delays, disputes, and scattered wagers |
| Roll promptly | Long rituals or repeated dice setting | Keeps the game moving and respects other players |
Two errors cause most avoidable trouble. The first is throwing so hard that a die reaches the wall before touching the felt or repeatedly leaves the table. The second is dropping the dice so softly that they never reach the opposite end. If your first attempt is short, adjust the distance—not the drama. A smooth legal throw is easier for the crew to follow than a high arc, a violent launch, or a slide.
Aim away from tall chip stacks, the inside mirror, and the dealers’ working areas. If you accidentally scatter chips, stop and let the crew reconstruct the wagers. Do not reach in to help. If a die strikes another player, apologize and take some force off the next throw.
Why the dice must hit the back wall
The inside of the opposite wall is lined with textured rubber pyramids. Craps rules typically require both dice to be thrown to the opposite end and strike the backboard. This helps produce a tumbling, observable roll and makes controlled sliding or other manipulation harder.
If one die falls just short after an otherwise normal attempt, the crew may call the result and remind you to reach the wall next time. Repeated short rolls can be called no-rolls or cause the dice to be passed to another shooter. The boxperson or designated crew member decides; players do not get to certify their own throws.
What if a die leaves the table?
A die occasionally bounces over the rail even on a reasonable throw. The crew calls no roll, retrieves or replaces the die, and inspects a returned die before it can go back into play. Do not hand a recovered die directly to a dealer; place it on the layout or follow the crew’s instruction.
Table dealers normally remain focused on the live layout rather than leaving their positions to search the floor. A player, floor supervisor, or another employee may recover the die. Under common game-protection procedure, the die is placed on the table rather than passed hand-to-hand, then inspected for markings, damage, or substitution before reuse. Exact procedure varies by casino.
Some shooters ask for “same dice” after one leaves the table. The request is tradition, not a mathematical advantage. The outcome of the next legal roll does not depend on whether the same physical die returns.
If you request the same die, expect a delay while it is found and inspected. The crew can replace it or refuse the request under house procedure. Treat “same dice” as a preference, not a right and not protection for a supposedly hot roll.
No rolls, leaners, and crew decisions
House rules define when a throw is invalid. Common examples include a die leaving the table, a deliberate slide, either die failing to strike the opposite end, one die resting on the other, or a die landing in the bank, dice bowl, or on a rail. A die leaning against chips or a wall may still be valid when one face can be determined; a die suspended between objects or resting ambiguously can be ruled no roll. The crew—not the players—reads the result under that table’s procedure.
| Situation | Common treatment | What the shooter should do |
|---|---|---|
| A die leaves the table | No roll; a replacement pair or inspected die is used | Wait for the stickperson’s instruction |
| A die rests in the chip bank or dice bowl | Normally no roll | Do not touch it |
| A die stops on the player rail | Normally no roll; “too tall to call” is traditional stickperson banter | Accept the call and reroll when directed |
| A die leans against chips or a wall | May be a valid leaner; crew determines the upper face | Let the designated crew member read it |
| One or both dice land short | May be called valid with a warning or rejected under house rules | Aim for the wall on the next attempt |
| Dice are deliberately slid | No roll and possible loss of shooting privilege | Use a tumbling toss |
If a close call goes against you, do not touch the dice or chips while arguing. Ask once, calmly, what was called and why. The boxperson or floor supervisor’s decision controls the current game. Procedures can vary between casinos, which is why absolute internet lists of every possible “no roll” are unreliable.
Dice setting and dice control: separate ritual from evidence
Players are often permitted to orient the dice briefly before throwing, provided they do not delay the game. That permission is not evidence that a legal back-wall throw can overcome the randomizing effect of the bounce. A named grip, attractive set, or long practice session does not by itself prove a repeatable change in outcomes.
The grip vocabulary is real even when the claims are unproven: players talk about the two-finger pincer, three-finger front, ice-tong, flying-V, lock, stacked, diagonal, and five-finger grips. Knowing those names can help you understand table conversation. It does not require you to copy the rituals.
What I have repeatedly seen at live tables is that elaborate setting takes time and draws scrutiny. A shooter may align the pips, adjust finger pressure, pause, and then still seven-out on the next legal throw. That single outcome does not disprove control any more than a long roll proves it; both are anecdotes. The evidence question requires a large, independently recorded sample of legal throws.
The useful test is not whether someone can show a few impressive rolls. It is whether independently recorded results from a large number of legal throws differ from chance by more than ordinary statistical variation. Until a claim meets that standard, do not pay for lessons or increase wagers on the assumption that a shooter has changed the probabilities.
Live-table etiquette while shooting
- Set down drinks and phones before touching the dice.
- Do not blow or spit on shared dice.
- Keep the throw below head height and away from players.
- If you scatter chips or hit someone, apologize and adjust the next throw.
- Do not reach into the layout while another shooter has the dice.
- If you no longer want to shoot, tell the stickperson and pass the dice.
Shooter rotation, passing the dice, and ending a turn
A shooter does not lose the dice merely because one game cycle ends. A come-out 7 or 11 wins the Pass Line immediately and the same shooter begins another come-out roll. Making an established point also ends that cycle with a win and the same shooter continues. The turn normally ends after a seven-out, when the stickperson offers the dice clockwise to the next eligible player.
If you do not want to shoot, wave toward the next player and say “pass” before touching the dice. You may continue betting. If you accept the dice, the casino normally requires an eligible Pass Line or Don’t Pass wager, subject to its rules. You may also relinquish the dice after a completed roll; tell the stickperson before the next throw and follow the crew’s handoff procedure. You do not have to finish the current point cycle.
A personal benchmark, not a record claim: In more than two decades of casino play, the longest shooter turn I personally witnessed lasted roughly an hour. Most turns are far shorter. A memorable long roll is evidence that unusual streaks occur—not that the shooter changed the underlying odds.
First-time shooter FAQ
Do both dice have to hit the back wall?
That is the standard requirement. An accidental short die may still be called a roll, but repeated failures can be rejected. Follow the crew’s call at that table.
Can I use two hands?
No. Once you pick up the dice, keep them in one hand and in view above the table.
What if I do not want to shoot?
Simply say “pass” before touching the dice. You can continue betting while the dice move to the next eligible shooter.
Does throwing harder improve randomness?
No. A hard throw creates safety and delay problems. A normal tumbling toss that reaches the back wall is enough.
Can I choose my own dice?
You choose two from the set the stickperson offers at the beginning of your turn. You cannot bring personal dice into the game or remove casino dice from the table.
Can I practice the throw at home?
Yes, for a relaxed stance, one-hand pickup, simultaneous release, and distance control. Use a safe surface and backstop. Do not treat home results as evidence that a grip changes casino outcomes.
What is the best stance?
Use a balanced stance that lets you reach the layout without climbing onto the rail. Your exact foot position depends on your height and table position; comfort and control matter more than copying another shooter.
Learn what you are aiming at in the craps table guide, then practice the round sequence in the free craps game.
random is 1:6 you don’t throw 80 times in a row without seeing a seven or win 100,000 dollars in a single night just out of coincidence or luck. Sorry but the proof is in the pudding. Try to explain it away all you want but the results speak for themselves. Of course you can’t do it forever That’s just absurd but there is no doubt whatsoever that you can better your chances by doing dice control and that is what gives you the edge you need to have consistent winning sessions at the craps table.
Hi Beeru, thanks for your post.
We here at the Crapspit don’t believe in dice control. We believe it’s a scam to take advantage of people and rip them off. We suggest you read our other article that specifically addresses dice control and effectively debunks the notion that a person can gain an advantage over the casino through dice control.
When you state, “Sorry, but the proof is in the pudding,” the problem is that you don’t have any proof. None whatsoever. Our response may seem a bit harsh to some of our readers, but we don’t want to sugarcoat it. Everyone is welcome to post their opinions about dice control, but if someone tries to legitimize it without valid proof, then it’s our job to call them out. We don’t believe hearsay and we don’t believe stories and claims found in books and on other websites. Show us some real proof, such as results of an independent testing agency that conducted an independent test without any conflict of interest and without any interest in the outcome of the test. You can’t. You all rely on hearsay that’s repeated over and over to execute the con. “Thirty years ago, Charlie the Dice Boss and I were in a casino and, honest to God, I witnessed him control those bones like he owned them and he threw numbers for three hours and took the casino for $100,000. Not bad for a night’s work.” Then, later down the page after the fish has been hooked, the sucker is reeled in, “You, too, can learn to master the dice like Charlie the Dice Boss, and the best part is that our live seminar is on sale this month for the incredibly low price of only $19,999, and we’re going to throw in a professional craps table for FREE so you can practice your skills at home! What a deal!”
Your other statement, “you don’t…win 100,000 dollars in a single night just out of coincidence or luck.” Well, sorry to burst your bubble, but yes you can if you bet big enough and the distribution variance happens to be in your favor.
I totally agree with crapspit on this issue. Ive asked frank scoblete to produce video proof of dice control with a wide angle lens and no cutting to show someone throwing point after point and to this day he wont provide it. he doesnt even provide a website to show it. and he will not produce proof of the so called captain of craps that he talks about all the time. dice control is a huge scam.
Thank you for commenting!