Detecting Crooked Dice in Craps
The casinos do their best in order to ensure that rigged dice will not be part of any game of craps. However, at times, cheats may insert crooked dice into the game, and thus many players lose thousands of dollars at unfair craps games. In addition, there are many dice games that are played outside the casinos, so it pays to know how to detect crooked dice in craps games.
Detecting crooked dice is not that hard, and there are a number of tell tale sign that directly show proof this. In craps, the dice fall randomly, so at times it is almost impossible to know if a set is rigged by observing the game only. However, by testing the dice in three ways you can tell whether the dice are rigged or not. The first test is done by putting the dice between the thumb and index finger, and to loosely pivot the dice around. If the die is weighted down at certain points, then the die will pivot as the heavier side swings to the bottom.
Another test is done by dropping the die carefully into a glass of water, making note of the number facing up when it hits the bottom. Do this a number of times, each time seeing what number faces up. If you see that it falls several times on the same number, then the die is loaded with weights.
A third test is one that finds proof if beveled dice. These are dice that have been sandpapered so that some of the edges will be more rounded, and the dice will naturally fall on the edges that have not been tampered with, thus producing the same numbers. A way to find out if a die has been beveled is to hold two dice together and rub their sides together. Try different numbers and different combinations. The dice will wobble somewhat back and forth if their edges are beveled.
Jack Langfords, Correspondant, 29.11.05
