Pssst...! Wanna know a secret? How about the secrets of the dice game Chuck-A-Luck? Chuck-A-Luck (also called Bird Cage) is becoming popular once again, and several casinos have a chuck-a-luck game, but it is usually found in the slot machine area rather than with the table games. Long ago, along with Hazard, it was the forerunner of craps. You may see a large dice Bird Cage with a handle on the side filled with three large dice. The dealer will announce to onlookers The Best game there is - Three winners and three losers - Bet Just $1 - Easiest money youll ever make! Sounds like a good 50/50 proposition, but its a little more complicated than that. Wanna know the secrets that dice pros use to play Chuck-A-Luck? Lets find out! Underneath the large wire Chuck-A-Luck cage is a layout vaguely reminiscent of a craps game. It is usually green, with the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 printed on top. You place $1 on any of the numbers and if your number appears on any one die, you get even money. If your number appears on two dice, you get 2:1 ($2). If it appears on all three dice, you get 3:1 ($3). The game begins when all six numbers have a bet placed on them. Although on the surface this looks pretty good, lets look at what is really happening here. If two 2's and one 3 are thrown the bank pays $2 to whoever bet on the 2 and $1 to whoever bet on the 3. Those who bet the 1, 4, 5 and 6 all lose. In this case there are two winners and four losers. So the house takes in $6 and pays out $3. Now lets say the dealer rolls three fours. Whoever bet on the four wins $3, but all five other bettors lose $1. The dealers original claim of three winners and three losers is true, but only applies if all three dice are different. If he rolls for example, 2, 3, 4 then three people will win $1 each and three people will lose $1 each. If you figure out the casino edge for this game it is about 7%, which is not so good compared to other casino games. Plus, there is no strategy involved, it is purely a game of luck. If you see Bird Cage or Chuck-A-Luck at a County Fair, beware of cheating. Watch out for a setup where the bottom of the cage is less than one inch from the supporting box. This could signify a foot operated magnet that the dealer uses to alter the outcome so he wins more and you win less. You dont have to worry about this in casinos because the 7% house edge is more than enough for them. So, even though this dice game might be a lot of fun to play, a regular craps game might provide a little more profit. Pssst...! Now you know the secrets of playing Chuck-A-Luck! (c) 2006 by Larry Edell |
