Welcome to the world of Samgrafstein.com, a tribute to the Craps luminary, Sam Grafstein. Revered as the ultimate Craps maestro, Sam Grafstein stands as an unparalleled titan in the realm of this dice-based game. His indelible mark on Craps is encapsulated within the pages of his seminal work, “The Dice Doctor.”
In my Craps endeavors, I’ve adopted Sam’s methodology for the pass line, progressive place betting, and judicious bankroll management. This blog takes root from my admiration for Sam, his teachings, and his remarkable influence. Immersing myself in his book has transformed me into an authority on all things Sam Grafstein. Our blog has now thrived for a decade, amassing an impressive 30,000 visitors.I’ve personally traversed the gambling landscape, testing my luck at more than a hundred casinos across nearly four decades.Getting to Know Sam Grafstein.
My introduction to Sam Grafstein transpired through the pages of a book in 1998, following a farewell gathering.My journey began in 1991 when I migrated to California in pursuit of a career. My various abodes spanned from the City of Industry to Newport to Huntington Beach, spanning Southern California. My parents hailed from Toronto, and their cherished annual escape took them to the glitzy realm of Las Vegas – Mom found solace in slot machines, while Dad’s heart lay with poker machines. It was during these familial trips that my adoration for Craps ignited. Those Vegas escapades, thanks to my parents, reeled me into this captivating game – for that, or at least I jest!
As I unraveled the intricacies of the game, I invested significantly – both in time and resources. I vividly recall those Vegas visits, stationed by the ATM, eagerly awaiting midnight to strike so I could withdraw my $200 limit once more. This ritual occurred six to eight times annually, coinciding with my parents’ visits and sporadic escapades to Vegas with friends, often featuring pizza – hence, my friend, whom I shall dub Pizza. Notably, my dad and I shared a fondness for Craps. Whenever the dice rolled hot, so did our excitement. Playing Craps with my father generated some of our most memorable moments, rivaled perhaps only by our golf outings.
Pizza, my roommate at the time and an adept graphic designer who later designed the WPT logo, was ardently devoted to gambling. Thus, every other week, we’d embark on the journey to Vegas, drawn inexorably to the Craps tables. Even quick jaunts to locales like Whiskey Pete’s were not exempt from our gambling quests, all in the name of saving time – quite the pair of enthusiasts, I dare say.
An Unexpected Twist
Subsequently, I launched a modest summer camp enterprise, dedicating my efforts solely to the sun-soaked months. My life revolved around this cyclical rhythm – an intense three months of work, followed by nine months of seeking ways to fill the void.
Lo and behold, armed with a thousand dollars, I’d journey to Vegas. My credit cards and ATM cards remained at home, deliberately so. My mission? To either double that grand or face the prospect of returning penniless, with just enough for a single tank of gas. A secret stash of $40 in my glove compartment was my insurance policy, guaranteeing a return journey. My focus? The Craps table, naturally. Those were wild times, encompassing a gamut of casinos and stories – a whirlwind of experiences ranging from the Hotel California to rubbing elbows with Hawaiian high rollers and engaging with cowboy gamblers at Caesars, spanning the entire spectrum.My life, my Craps life, was a rollercoaster before the Grafstein era. I assumed I held mastery over the game, boasting knowledge of payouts, confidently calling out Yo’s and hardways – you name it, I knew it. However, there was a glaring disconnect – despite my familiarity, I kept losing, often spectacularly. I was, as I term it, an educated loser – someone who possessed enough knowledge to lose with flair.
The Turning Point
Enter the most remarkable farewell gift one could ever receive. After a five- or six-year stint living out my aspirations, I decided it was time to bid adieu to Los Angeles, returning to Toronto. Just as I was leaving the City of Angels, a parting present arrived – a poker book. The twist? I abhorred poker. Determined to swap this unwanted gift, I ventured into a rather unassuming establishment named The Poker Store in Westminster, an aged and weathered haven. I distinctly recall that day. Expressing my disdain for poker but passion for Craps, I inquired about relevant materials.
The elder gentleman behind the counter vanished momentarily, reemerging with a weathered copy of “The Dice Doctor.” Intrigued, I accepted the book and began reading. Admittedly, the book exhibited suboptimal grammar, a trait it shares with this blog, I dare say. Sam Grafstein’s writing was imbued with an unapologetic, in-your-face style, replete with candid observations and clear-cut strategies. While the grammar left much to be desired, the essence of the book was a challenge to grasp, particularly for someone unaccustomed to such play styles and progressions.
I persevered, revisiting the book during a lengthy flight from Los Angeles to Toronto. Slowly but surely, I began to unravel the intricacies of his banking strategy, money management, and pass line techniques. Although I experimented with other approaches he recommended, my current tactics predominantly center around progressive pass line betting and a 6/8 press strategy. On a pivotal occasion, I put this strategy to the test, yielding a modicum of success – enough to leave me intrigued and invested. I devoured the book repeatedly, committing passages to memory as if they were sacred verses.
The Game-Changing Insights
Grafstein’s writings unveiled three pivotal tactics that transformed my approach to Craps. These three gems encapsulate his strategies, reshaping my outlook and offering a semblance of mastery over the game.
In Conclusion
In essence, Sam Grafstein’s contributions have revolutionized my approach to Craps. Through his idiosyncratic style, candid advice, and unique strategies, he has ushered me into a new era of the game. From the dark depths of a self-proclaimed “educated loser,” I’ve emerged as a discerning player, a result of my immersion in his teachings. Welcome to the realm of Samgrafstein.com, where the legacy of a Craps legend lives on.
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Introduction to Sam Grafstein
Greatest Craps player of all time 
What a pleasure to find this website!
My first trip to Vegas was in 1992. I had read a few books on card counting, and I thought I could make some money at Blackjack; however, I found Blackjack to be too much of a grind: my bankroll was too small and the game required too much concentration. Then, I wandered over to the craps pit–this was at the old Sahara Casino–and I was hooked! A bookstore owner recommended “The Dice Doctor,” by Sam Grafstein, and i have treasured it ever since.
I am writing today to relate what happened to me during my recent trip to Vegas. It was Superbowl weekend, and I had spent most of the day looking for a $5 table. There were none to be found on the Strip. I remembered that there used to be a $3 table at this tiny casino next to Circus Circus, but I couldn’t find the place–just a dump called “Slots of Fun.”
I had more luck downtown, where I found several places with $5 craps tables, including Binion’s, the Californian, and Main Street Casino. The last of these, Main Street Casino, was the cleanest and the nicest of the three, so that’s where i spent my time. Here are some reflections on what happened:
100% of the value of “The Dice Doctor” is in its wisdom on risk management and progressive betting. When Sam says that “The house advantage is a piker compared to human nature,” he is not kidding. If you arrive in Vegas without a predetermined bankroll and betting strategy, you will end up at the ATM at the end of the night. And if you use any version of the Martingale system; that is, any system in which you must increase your bets as you lose, you are guaranteed to go broke.
Regarding the idea of waiting for a “qualified” shooter, the strategy made sense for Sam because he spent most of his waking hours at the crap table. He could afford to be patient. Those of us who don’t live in Nevada or Atlantic City, however, cannot. Like most crapshooters, I was in Vegas for a short time, and I simply did not have the patience to wait for someone to make a point and become a “qualified” shooter. So, as much as I admire Sam, I cannot recommend this particular risk management strategy: it’s too frustrating, and frustration leads to bad decisions, such as the decision to chase losing bets.
I decided that every shooter was “unqualified” until proven otherwise, so I simply bet Don’t Pass until the shooter established, and then made, a point, That way I had money in action on every shooter. Here’s how i executed the strategy: On each new “unqualified” shooter, I would bet $5 with single odds on Don’t Pass. With each win (when the shooter rolled a seven and lost), i pressed ONLY the odds bet. i did this because the odds bet on Don’t Pass is the single best value in the casino as far as the house advantage is concerned. If the point was, say, a nine, I would make a $5 flat bet and then lay $9 in odds to win $6, for a total payoff of $25. Then, on the next shooter i would maintain the flat bet but press (increase) the odds bet to double odds–that is, i would lay $20 on the 4/10, lay $15 on the 5/9, or lay $12 on the 6/8. On the third shooter i would press (increase) to triple odds. Betting Don’t pass was a lot more fun than waiting for a qualified shooter. I even made a little money while waiting for the dice to get to me.
When i got the dice, I followed Sam’s strategy by making a $5 minimum Pass Line bet with no odds. I established the five as my point. After hitting four or five numbers, I made my point for a total payoff of $10. Then I made another $5 bet, this time with single odds of $6. What happened then is something that I will never forget: i rolled a nine, which became my point, and then started rolling number after number for over twenty minutes. I rolled everything except a seven, which would have ended the hand, and the nine, which would have won the hand. Meanwhile, while i was standing there, like an idiot, with just $11 in play, while other players were covering numbers, pressing their winnings, and making THOUSANDS. Again and again I watched as the dealer paid off the others’ winning bets, many of which were $100 black checks. Never have i been more frustrated at the craps table; I must have rolled half a dozen fives while waiting for the nine to hit. Finally, after about sixteen rolls without a seven or a nine, i rolled a seven and was done.
As measured by the number of rolls without getting a seven, I had just had the best roll of my life. People clapped. The dealer even commented on the good roll. But in the end my results were negative! I only had one bet, which I lost, and with it my $6 odds bet. The only reason i left the table a winner is because the guy next to me threw me, in gratitude, four $25 green checks.
To others reading this post, please respond with any of your ideas and insights on how to make the game more enjoyable. Baby needs a new pair of shoes!
Been there done that – as per below – Mr. Shapiro hit 11 sixes and because I was waiting for him to Qualify I missed winning close to 3k. My advice is I like your style and discipline – dice will turn and sticking to a system – even if short term it hurts – will long term bring results.
Although I approve of The Dice Doctor’s qualified shooter admonition, and stick to its principles scrupulously for the *main money,* I do include a place bet Six & Eight tactic that may be of interest. It is an integral component of what I call Comprehensive Strategy, and would have captured each and every one of those eleven repeat sixes that left you in a lurch for the reported three thousand dollars in session profits.
I knew Sam Grafstein in the late seventies and early eighties, both as fellow dice bettor and as thoroughbred horse race handicapper.
As a trained crap dealer I was fascinated by the rich lore of fade games, jump up spreads, and floating crap games Sam himself owned and operated.
As for The Dice Doctor’s diagnostic skills, few life coaches in my experience could have a more impactful influence, or so I believe.
Some of his ideas are central to my own attack on the game. Best regards, Dean McMillan
Sorry Dean, I took some time off from the blog for Covid and just well other things – I am just seeing this – I would love to connect and hear about your strategy. YES that was one particular time that qualified shooter did not do me any good. On the plus side last night was an awesome Dice Doctor experience with a string of seven outs and then a few good rolls….made me a Believer in Sam all over again!!! Would love to connect with you – email thedicedoctor AT gmail.com and we can hook up.
Interesting post and I really appreciate it. I reread it and it reminded me of a recent hand where I was waiting to see a qualifier – the player before me – also playing The Dice Doctor place betting method – pressed a six from 12$ to 1200$ …while I had ZERO in action. It happens.
are any of you ontrolled dice shooters?
Thanks for your comment Jeff. I think I addressed controlled shooting – and there are some stories of shooting with guys like Heavy, others, trip reports etc. While I always try to shoot per my sets – and in 30 years- I would prefer your betting strategies and money management are focused, disciplined and tight – then value add if you can control the dice.
https://samgrafstein.com/2018/12/18/dice-influence-and-its-impact/
I think we address controlled shooting and its impact in several articles and a YouTube.
Dice control is real it all about Dedication and practiss. Takes years to develop dice control. Learning how to dice is truly boring to master it is amazing. Hail king dice YouTube
I can’t take you seriously if you can’t spell the word practice!