The $100,000 Pyramid
My sister Dara, always on the lookout for anything craps-related, found a "new" craps game at the Reno Hilton. I was in Napa, California at the time so I decided to fly over to Reno and see what she was talking about. Dara was introduced to craps only recently, but once she learned how to play, she played every chance she got.

The Reno Hilton has a large bronze statue of running horses, a golf driving range in a lake and, a new craps game. Well, it wasn’t really craps, it was "Pyramid Dice."

"See," Dara said while placing a $5 bet on the Jackpot Line, "You can win $100,000 playing this. Can’t do that playing craps!"

I stared at the large illuminated pyramid at the end of the table. There also were lights all over the table, and lights on a little box to the side of the pyramid. I think my sister got hooked in by the payoff and the lights, but not the game itself. The top of the pyramid did say "Payoff $100,000" but I couldn’t figure out how a player would win it, so I asked the friendly dealer.

"Excuse me, but how can I win $100,000 ?"

He smiled. "You have to bet on the jackpot line and roll the 21 combinations that are on the sign. If you do this without repeating any of the combinations, you win the jackpot."

"Oh. Has anyone ever done it?"

"No. Never," the friendly dealer replied.

Dara rolled a five, but the dealer called it a "two & three," pressed a button on the side of the pyramid, and a numbered bulb lit up on the illuminated sign.

She then tossed an eight but the dealer said "five & three" and another little bulb lit up.

I looked longingly at the nearby craps table. "So now she keeps rolling unless a two & three, or a five & three show?"

"That’s right. And if she continues to roll with no repeating combinations, she wins the jackpot."

Some people were cheering wildly at the craps table. The dealer noticed my longing look and told me I could make craps bets right here.

He pointed to the table. "See, they are all here, 6 and 8, 5 and 9. In fact the payoffs are much higher than the craps payoffs! And, you don’t lose your money if a seven rolls!"

I looked down and the payoffs were higher. "You mean if I place a bet on the six and it hits before any of my sister’s numbers repeat, I win the bet?"

"Uh, no, they are all one roll bets."

"Oh." I watched Dara throw a ten, now known as a five & five.

"There are also a lot of other bets," the dealer said, sensing my boredom. "You can bet red or black, instant repeat, over 6, and first, second or third six. You can also bet even or odd, first half, second half, or any double."

Dara tossed another eight, uh, 3 & 5. She lost. Didn’t win the $100,000.

The dealer shrugged. "Want to play again?"

"No, I don’t think so."

"Not a good game?" Dara asked.

"Well, lots of flashing lights do not mean a game is profitable for the player. It’s kind of like playing golf in the lake outside."

She stared at me. "Huh?"

"A big hook won’t help you win."