Re: "CANNON THE GREAT" SPORTS SELECTIONS
How To Play Chuck-Luck
By Jimmy Cox
Mar 14, 2008
There are various games of chance played with dice. Only one or two of these are still played in gambling houses - Craps being the big dice game these days. But you might want to play this game with the fellows, or it may come back to the gambling halls.
CHUCK-LUCK
Chuck-Luck or Bird Cage used to be a favorite in the old western gambling halls. And it rated tops in the modern casinos until Craps came into being. However, it's still played occasionally in the bigger houses.
Chuck-Luck is a simple game. Three one-inch dice are tumbled over and over in a cage until they come to rest face up. Before each turn of the cage, bets are placed on a layout divided into 6 squares and numbered 1 through 6. The house pays various odds on bets corresponding to those shown on the dice.
An example, if a dollar is bet on each of six numbers (and the dice come up 1, 4 and 6), the house pays out three dollars to the winners and collects three dollars from those betting on 2, 3 and 5. But the house couldn't make any money if the betting stayed to this level. So it doesn't.
On doubles and triples, the house pays double and triple. A tempting bet for the customer. But the odds are 216 to 199 in favor of the house, or about 7.9%.
PRINCIPAL BETS IN CHUCK-LUCK
On triples, a bet that the throw will be any triple, such 3-3-3 or 5-5-5, the house pays 30 to 1. But the actual odds are 35 to 1. You can also "call your triple" and if it comes up, the house pays 180 to 1. Great odds? Not when you consider the correct odds or chances of making it. They are 215 to 1.
For a particular total, from 4 to 17, the house pays less than the correct odds. The house advantage in each case ranges from 10% to 20%.
The house pays even money on High (total 11 to 17), Low (total 4 to 10), Odd and Even numbers. But the house wins whenever a triple shows in the High and Low Bets.
If you want to set up a "friendly game" at home you can buy all the equipment. A cage, highly polished, runs around $100. A cloth layout, about $15. And a set of three dice, about $10.
To make the game "unfriendly" the rest of the equipment can be had for a price. A magnet to hook up under the cage, plus batteries, wires and operator's switch cost between $75 and $100. And three magnetic dice, about $50. Rather expensive (but if you're that kind of a guy), the equipment pays for itself. For instance, 15 loses if 5-5-5 comes up, and 9 loses if 3-3-3 comes up. Still, these bets are the best for the player. The correct odds are only 111 to 105 against him.
This is a great game, so enjoy it whenever you have the opportunity. Good luck!