The 5-Count method delays betting until a shooter has rolled 5 times including a point — filtering out quick seven-outs. Does it actually help? 50,000-roll simulation finds out.
1.41%Edge When Betting
~43%Rolls Skipped
Risk ReductionGoal
50kRolls Simulated
What Is the 5-Count?
The 5-Count is a shooter qualification method popularized by craps author Frank Scoblete. Instead of betting immediately, you count five rolls — including a point set — before placing any bets. The idea: filter out random dice, reduce exposure to quick seven-outs, and only bet on shooters who've already demonstrated some staying power.
📜 Casino LoreThe 5-Count was invented by gambling author Frank Scoblete and popularised in his 1993 book Beat the Craps Out of the Casinos. Scoblete based it on research suggesting that a significant portion of craps shooters were "random rollers" whose results were purely chance — but that dice influencers (players attempting to control outcomes through grip and throwing technique) might occasionally shift the distribution. The 5-Count was designed to identify shooters worth betting on: wait five qualifying rolls before wagering, theoretically filtering out early seven-outs. Mathematically, it reduces total money wagered without improving the house edge on individual bets. Casinos don't mind — in fact, the 5-Count player bets less per hour and loses less overall, making them a preferred guest.
How It Works
The 5-Count works like this:
Count 1: Starts only when a point number (4,5,6,8,9,10) is rolled — not on naturals or craps
Counts 2, 3, 4: Any roll increments the count
Count 5: Must be a point number (4,5,6,8,9,10) to complete the 5-Count
After 5-Count: Begin placing bets normally
Seven-out before 5-Count: Never bet on that shooter — move on
This filters out roughly 57% of shooters who seven-out before qualifying, meaning you skip those losses entirely.
50,000-Roll Simulation
Run the simulation below to see how the 5-Count performs across 50,000 dice rolls. Every run uses a fresh random seed — notice how individual sessions vary due to variance, while the long-run trend converges toward the theoretical house edge of 1.41%.
🎲 5-Count + Pass Line Simulator
$10 flat bet · Monte Carlo · 50,000 rolls per run
—Rolls
—Decisions
—Win Rate
—Final P&L
—Eff. Edge
—Max Drawdown
Profit
Loss
Expected
Prior runs
Hit Run Once to simulate 50,000 rolls of 5-Count + Pass Line betting.
Strategy & Tips
The mathematical reality: the 5-Count reduces your total action (and therefore total expected loss in dollars), but the house edge percentage on bets you do place is unchanged at 1.41%.
If you believe in dice influence or controlled shooting, the 5-Count is designed as a qualifier — you only bet on shooters showing signs of rhythm or control. Whether dice control is real is debated, but the 5-Count framework is the standard way to implement it.
As a pure variance-reduction tool, 5-Count absolutely works — you're in action on fewer rolls, so your bankroll lasts longer per session.
How It Compares
Bet
House Edge
Payout
Notes
5-Count
1.41%
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This page
Pass Line + Max Odds
0.37%
Varies
Lowest combined edge
Don't Pass + Lay Odds
0.27%
Varies
Lowest edge overall
Pass Line
1.41%
1:1
Best flat bet
Place 6 or 8
1.52%
7:6
Best place bet
Field Bet
2.78–5.56%
1:1/2:1
High action
Any 7
16.67%
4:1
Avoid
FAQ
Does the 5-Count reduce house edge?
No — the house edge per bet placed is still 1.41%. What it reduces is total bets placed (and therefore total expected loss in dollars per session).
Why start counting on a point number?
Point numbers require skill to repeat — naturals and craps resolve immediately. A shooter who sets a point has demonstrated at least minimal staying power.
Is 5-Count used for dice control?
Yes — it's the primary qualification method used by dice influencers. The theory: a shooter with controlled dice will be more likely to survive and repeat point numbers.
Does 5-Count work on InfiniteCraps?
InfiniteCraps runs a shared live table, so you can manually observe a shooter's roll count before betting. The strategy backtest shows Pass Line performance; apply 5-Count filtering manually.
🎲 Try It Free on InfiniteCraps
Practice the 5-Count on a live shared table. No signup, no download. $500 starting bankroll.