An Interview with a Dice Controller

By Henry Tamburin

 

Dom LoRiggio, known in craps circles as the “The Dice Dominator,”  has turned the craps world upside down with his uncanny ability of being able to control the dice when he throws them. He was featured on the History Channel’s “Dice Dominator” and he has co-authored the new book, Golden Touch Dice Control Revolution! – Win at Craps Using a Controlled Throw.

 

 

  1. Can you explain to readers how you can control the outcome of your rolls?

 

The game of craps is a game of probabilities inherent in two dice. In a random game, those probabilities are set in stone. However, what my fellow Golden Touch dice controllers and I do is influence which dice faces come up by setting the dice a certain way and throwing them our special way. We change the probabilities by reducing the number of sevens or increasing the appearance of other numbers.

 

  1. What are the steps in a controlled throw?

 

In dice control, you have to set the dice properly, stand at the right distance from the back wall, grab the dice properly, grip them properly, and throw them softly with the proper amount of backswing so they land softly on the layout, and then hit the back wall and die. It takes practice and discipline. It is a skill that most people can achieve if they work at it.

 

  1. The casinos require that you hit the back wall so doesn’t that make dice control impossible?

 

Not at all. The Golden Touch throw that Frank Scoblete and I teach and that is the subject of our new book, Golden Touch Dice Control Revolution!, must hit the back wall to be successful. If we miss the back wall the throw is usually random as one die is doing something completely different from the other die. When we miss the back wall, we grimace because now we must rely on luck for the seven not to show.

 

  1. How long would it take an average person to learn the Golden Touch dice control technique? How does a person practice?

 

I am an average person; so is Frank. It took me six months of practice before I knew I had an edge and was comfortable going into the casinos to play. I practiced almost every day on a craps station that I built. You don’t have to buy a craps table but you do have to simulate one so that you can practice your throw.

 

  1. How does a player know he is influencing the dice?

 

There are two methods that we use to ascertain and then calculate what our edge is. For new dice controllers, we recommend using the SRR formula – known as Sevens to Rolls Ratio. This is a way to show us in an easy formula if we are actually able to change the probabilities of the game. Using the Hardway set, which shows hardway numbers all around the dice set with the end pips being the 1 and the 6, we can see if we are reducing the appearance of the seven. The seven usually appears once every six rolls on average. If you do about five thousand rolls using the Hardway set and you find that the seven is appearing once every 6.5 rolls, then you are probably changing the game. At that point you then use the powerful software program, Smart Craps, to prove with statistical certainty that you are influencing the dice outcomes and how much of an edge you have over the casino.

 

  1. What were some of your greatest dice sessions?

 

I had a 56 hand roll before the very first seven showed. I’ve had many hour-long rolls and a few hour and thirty-five minute rolls. With Frank playing, I went 30, 33 and 38 rolls back to back to back. Of course that day Frank Scoblete had an 89-hand roll. Even that great roll doesn’t compare to the Captain’s 147-roll hand or 100-roll hand as described in detail on www.goldentouchcraps.com. The History Channel showed me calling my numbers and that was a true account. There are times when I am so “on” that I can call what will land next. I did this six times in a row for a Travel Channel show that Frank wrote but the producer decided not to use that sequence. I am usually a very consistent and quiet shooter but there are times that I get into a zone when I am hot and I can get very loud and flamboyant. Frank says that I scare the younger stick people when I “go crazy.”

 

  1. How often does a skilled dice controller win?

The number of winning sessions is not as important as whether you are winning money overall. Most hands are not winners for a dice controller, just like most at bats are not hits for good hitters. If you have three winning hands every 10 turns with the dice you will make money. A player who establishes a point and sevens out can only lose his initial bets but those hot rolls can win multiple bets over and over so the good to great rolls will make you a lot of money.

 

 

  1. What are the common mistakes dice controllers make?

 

The first mistake is to overestimate your edge. The second mistake is to bet that overestimated edge, which means you will lose money or win very little money. The third mistake is to not practice. No skilled athlete goes into intense competition without practicing his skill. Pitchers warm up; hitters take batting practice almost every day.

 

  1. What words of advice do you have for players interested in becoming dice controllers?

 

First read Frank Scoblete and my book The Golden Touch Dice Control Revolution to see if you really have the discipline and stick-to-the-task attitude. If you are interested in learning the skill from great dice controllers then consider attending the Golden Touch Craps dice control class (www.goldentouchcraps.com).

 

  1. Frank Scoblete rated you as one of the top four dice controllers he ever saw. How do you see this?

 

Well, Frank is the best one I ever saw. Of course, I never saw the Arm or the Captain shoot, although I have talked with the Captain and our throw is modeled on his throw.  There are great shooters in our Golden Touch group and our students get to see them shoot the dice when they take our class – that is an eye-opening. The bottom line is, once again, playing with an edge is better than playing without an edge.

 

Dr. Henry Tamburin is an authority on casino gambling. For details on his two-day Golden Touch Blackjack course featuring “Speed Count” call 866/WINBJ-21. To order copies of his books and tapes at 30% discount, visit www.smartgaming.com. To receive a free subscription to his Blackjack Insider Newsletter, visit www.bjinsider.com. For a free copy of his Casino Gambling Catalog or to schedule him for a speaker or private lessons call 888/353-3234.