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The 100,000 Dollar Pyramid
by Larry Edell
My sister Dara, always on the lookout for anything craps-related, found a "new"
craps game at the Reno Hilton. I was in Napa, California at the time so I decided
to fly over to Reno and see what she was talking about. Dara was introduced
to craps only recently, but once she learned how to play, she played every chance
she got.
The Reno Hilton has a large
bronze statue of running horses, a golf driving range in a lake and, a new craps
game. Well, it wasn’t really craps, it was "Pyramid Dice."
"See," Dara said
while placing a $5 bet on the Jackpot Line, "You can win $100,000 playing
this. Can’t do that playing craps!"
I stared at the large
illuminated pyramid at the end of the table. There also were lights all over the
table, and lights on a little box to the side of the pyramid. I think my sister
got hooked in by the payoff and the lights, but not the game itself. The top of
the pyramid did say "Payoff $100,000" but I couldn’t figure out how
a player would win it, so I asked the friendly dealer.
"Excuse me, but how can I
win $100,000 ?"
He smiled. "You have to
bet on the jackpot line and roll the 21 combinations that are on the sign. If
you do this without repeating any of the combinations, you win the
jackpot."
"Oh. Has anyone ever done
it?"
"No. Never," the
friendly dealer replied.
Dara rolled a five, but the
dealer called it a "two & three," pressed a button on the side of
the pyramid, and a numbered bulb lit up on the illuminated sign.
She then tossed an eight but
the dealer said "five & three" and another little bulb lit up.
I looked longingly at the
nearby craps table. "So now she keeps rolling unless a two & three, or
a five & three show?"
"That’s right. And if
she continues to roll with no repeating combinations, she wins the
jackpot."
Some people were cheering
wildly at the craps table. The dealer noticed my longing look and told me I
could make craps bets right here.
He pointed to the table.
"See, they are all here, 6 and 8, 5 and 9. In fact the payoffs are much
higher than the craps payoffs! And, you don’t lose your money if a seven
rolls!"
I looked down and the payoffs
were higher. "You mean if I place a bet on the six and it hits before any
of my sister’s numbers repeat, I win the bet?"
"Uh, no, they are all one
roll bets."
"Oh." I watched Dara
throw a ten, now known as a five & five.
"There are also a lot of
other bets," the dealer said, sensing my boredom. "You can bet red or
black, instant repeat, over 6, and first, second or third six. You can also bet
even or odd, first half, second half, or any double."
Dara tossed another eight, uh,
3 & 5. She lost. Didn’t win the $100,000.
The dealer shrugged. "Want
to play again?"
"No, I don’t think
so."
"Not a good game?"
Dara asked.
"Well, lots of flashing
lights do not mean a game is profitable for the player. It’s kind of like
playing golf in the lake outside."
She stared at me.
"Huh?"
"A big hook won’t help you
win."
*********************
Larry Edell has been the editor
of "The Crapshooter" Newsletter, the only publication devoted exclusively
to craps, for the last five years. He is also the author of three gambling books.
You can get a FREE issue of "The Crapshooter Newsletter", the only
publication devoted exclusively to casino craps! Just send two first class stamps
to The Crapshooter, Dept. CNV, Box 421440, San Diego CA 92142.
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