When we first started going to casinos, my husband Sandtrap would attempt to play craps and I would try winning at slots or roulette because I felt intimidated by the craps players. When we went to Atlantic City or Las Vegas we would look for casinos that offered free instruction in gambling at the craps and blackjack tables. I eventually felt reasonably comfortable to place a pass line bet so long as I was standing right next to Sandtrap.

There were several reasons why I, or any woman, might feel intimidated at a craps table. The first time I ever went to a casino was in Las Vegas in early 1970, and I didn’t see any women dealers or women at the table games. The craps tables were surrounded by men. There were a lot of cigar smokers and drinkers, and frequently the more they drank, the more coarse, boisterous, and obnoxious they became.

Women are frequently intimidated by the din at the craps tables, and even though there are some women playing craps today, they are largely outnumbered by men by about nine to one.

Women often don’t understand the game of craps. Women are used to playing cards at home with friends, and many will have played blackjack at home before going to a casino. Roulette is almost self-explanatory, and slots take no thought whatsoever. Craps is a very confusing game, with a lot of numbers and words on the layout that don’t have any meaning for a novice.

Craps is a little like a foreign language, and actually has a lexicon all its own: three-way, horn, world, hop, field, yo, hard-ways, pass, come. Thus, even standing next to a craps table while listening and watching isn’t of much help to a woman who doesn’t know how to play.

Sandtrap and I first met GTC in Las Vegas in January 2003 at a free gambling seminar. I knew Sandtrap was eager to learn the game of craps and how to control the dice, and we enjoy doing things together. We were also frustrated losing our money so quickly in the casinos.

After taking the GTC class on controlled shooting, we practiced for a good six months before daring to go to a casino. The first time I was extremely nervous, and didn’t do well when I had to shoot, but using the 5-Count saved us money.

In the beginning, everything bothered me and interfered with my focus: talking next to me by dealers or other players, a new fill of chips, a change of stick, etc. After a year of practicing and going to the casinos, I was much less distracted by external things and was able to maintain my focus when shooting. I have even learned to put the dice down and wait when there are late bets, and I am then able return to my zone.

Knowing what all the bets are, which the best bets are, how to manage my money, and what the terms mean, built up my confidence enormously. As my throwing improved and I started making money on my rolls, I felt far less intimidated. Every time I had a long roll, and the dealers and other players applauded me, my confidence zoomed to new heights. There are even some men who think female shooters are lucky.

Five years later, many of the dealers are my friends and greet me by name without reading my player’s card. I have made many close friends in GTC, and now feel I am one of the team. Far from feeling intimidated by men, I am now accepted as a good craps player, and am extremely comfortable at the craps table. In fact, I got my name "The Goddess" from GTC!

A new knowledge of craps, brought about by exceptional GTC instructors, has made a huge impact on our lives. Farewell fear and intimidation – hello fun and new friends – and winning and money!