Perfect strategy III: the most fun per dollar
Chapter 6: Perfect strategy · Lesson 20 of 21 · 10 min read
The fun lens. Compare popular action strategies by expected cost per hour and swing per dollar, then keep a one-page cheat sheet.
Some people come for the math, most come for the thrill. If fun is the goal, the question is: how much excitement do I get for each dollar I expect to lose?
Here are some popular ways to play a $10-ish table, priced honestly (about 100 rolls an hour):
| Strategy | What it is | Expected cost/hour | Hourly swing | Fun per $ (swing ÷ cost) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pass + max odds | $10 Pass, 3-4-5× odds | $4.19 | ±$265 | 63 |
| 3-point Molly | $10 Pass + up to two $10 Come bets, all with max odds | $10.11 | ±$470 | 46 |
| Place 6 & 8 | $6 each, after the point | $3.91 | ±$50 | 13 |
| Flat Pass | $10 Pass, no odds | $4.19 | ±$55 | 13 |
| $1 Hard 6 & Hard 8 | kept up after the point | $3.91 | ±$20 | 5 |
| Iron Cross | $5 Field + $5 Place 5 + $6 Place 6 + $6 Place 8, after the point | $27.37 | ±$80 | 3 |
| Field every roll | $5 | $27.78 | ±$55 | 2 |
| Horn every roll | $4 | $50.00 | — | — |
What this shows:
- Odds are the cheapest thrill in the casino. Pass + odds and the 3-point Molly give the biggest swings per dollar of cost, because odds add excitement at 0% edge.
- The 3-point Molly is the classic "lots of numbers working" plan that stays mathematically clean. It costs about 2.4× the single Pass bet, because there are more flat bets in action, and it carries about 0.40% per dollar bet, odds included, close to Pass + odds. It's slightly higher because come odds are off on the come-out, so they are returned and are not action there.
- Iron Cross wins on every roll except 7 (83% of rolls!). That feels great, but it costs about 6.5× as much per hour as Pass + odds. The steady trickle of small wins is the price you're paying.
- Small hardway bets are cheap in dollars per hour ($1 units), but they're 9% bets. Enjoy them as a garnish, not a meal.
- Props every roll are the most expensive fun on the table.
A good fun-per-dollar recipe: Pass (or Don't) at the minimum, full odds, one or two Come bets with odds (or Place 6 & 8), plus, if you like, a $1 hardway now and then. Lots of action, lots of numbers, all for a few dollars an hour.
Show the math: How the table was computed
Expected cost/hour: bet × per-roll edge × rolls working (100 rolls; point-phase-only bets work on 392/557 ≈ 70.4 of them). Iron Cross per point-phase roll: Field $5 × 5.556% + Place 5 $5 × 1.111% + Place 6/8 $12 × 0.463% = $0.3889; × 70.4 = $27.37. It wins on 30 of 36 dice combinations and loses $22 on the 6 ways to roll 7. Field every roll: $5 × 5.556% × 100 = $27.78. Horn: $4 × 12.5% × 100 = $50.00. Hard 6 + Hard 8: $2 × 2.778% × 70.4 = $3.91. 3-point Molly: each flat bet costs 7/495 of its size; the Molly averages ≈ 0.715 flat bets resolving per roll, so 0.715 × $10 × 1.414% × 100 ≈ $10.11/hour. Swings are from 40,000 simulated hours. "Fun per $" = hourly SD ÷ expected hourly cost: a rough measure of excitement per dollar paid. It isn't an official statistic, just an honest yardstick.
Put the three most talked-about plans on identical dice and watch the cost climb. The Iron Cross uses its standard $22 layout, and the other two start from $10 and take max odds. Compare the expected-loss lines, not just the wins.
Iron Cross vs Pass + odds vs Molly
Interactive practice table. Try this in the app (free, play money).
Now run a 3-point Molly by hand, with the dice loaded so the numbers arrive on time.
Run a 3-point Molly
Interactive practice table. Try this in the app (free, play money).
Want to price your own table? This sortable version covers every preset, and its "Run it" buttons set up an auto-roll.
Every strategy, side by side
Interactive practice table. Try this in the app (free, play money).
Your perfect-strategy cheat sheet
| Lens | The play | Edge per $ bet | Cost/hour at $10 | Use it when |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pure lowest edge | Don't Pass / Don't Come + 6× lay odds. Never take a Don't bet down. | 0.27% | $4.04 | You want the mathematical minimum and can carry the bankroll |
| Pure, right side | Pass / Come + 3-4-5× odds | 0.37% | $4.19 | The same plan, riding with the table |
| Practical | Minimum Pass + the odds you can afford (max, 2× or 1×); right-sized flat bets | 0.37% / 0.61% / 0.85% | $4.19 | Most evenings: fix the bankroll first, add loss and time limits |
| Practical extra numbers | One or two Come bets with odds, or Place 6 and 8 in $6 units | 0.40% / 1.52% | up to ~$10 / $3.91 | You want more numbers working |
| Cheap 4 and 10 | Buy for $20+ (never Place). Lay 4/10 for $40+. | 1.67% | n/a | A single number you must have |
| Fun per dollar | Pass + max odds, or 3-point Molly with max odds | 0.37% / 0.40% | $4.19 / ~$10 | You want swings and numbers for a few dollars an hour |
| Skip | Field, Big 6/8, hardways (garnish at $1), props, Horn, World, Iron Cross | 5.56% to 16.67% per bet (Iron Cross mixes 1.52–5.56% bets but costs ≈ $27 an hour) | $27+ for the big ones | Almost never |
Three rules sit under the whole table: odds are free, flat bets set your hourly cost, and no plan wins in the long run.
Which strategy costs the most per hour at roughly similar bet sizes?
- Pass + max odds
- 3-point Molly
- Iron Cross
- Place 6 & 8
Show answer
C: Iron Cross. Iron Cross ≈ $27 an hour, mostly from the Field bet on every point-phase roll.
Iron Cross wins on 30 of 36 combinations. Why is it still a poor deal?
- It doesn't win often
- The 7 takes the whole $22 at once, and the Field's 5.56% runs every roll
- Dealers dislike it
- It loses on 2 and 12
Show answer
B: The 7 takes the whole $22 at once, and the Field's 5.56% runs every roll. Winning often isn't the same as winning on average.
What's the cheapest way to add excitement?
- Bigger prop bets
- More odds
- Field bets
- Big 6/8
Show answer
B: More odds. Odds add swing at 0% edge.