Contents
Craps Basics
Craps Lingo
Craps Etiquette
Types of Bets in Craps
Pass Line
Come Bet
Odds Bet
Wrong Betting
Placing Numbers
Buying and Laying Numbers
The Big 6 and Big 8
The Hardways
Single-Roll Bets
The House Edge in Craps
Craps Strategy
Money Management in Craps
Learn more with these titles from Barnes & Noble
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- The mechanics of craps play and proper craps etiquette
- The best bets to make in craps, and the bets you should always avoid
- Tips on managing your money effectively in craps
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Craps Basics
Craps is a casino gambling game in which players make various types of bets on the outcome of rolls of a pair of dice. Usually located in the same area of the casino as blackjack, roulette, and other table games, craps is notable because it’s a high-energy game—craps players share a camaraderie not found in other casino games, often cheering together for a winning roll. The area where craps is played consists of three major elements:
- The craps table
- The players
- The crew
The Craps Table
The craps table is the center of the action. All the players and crew surround the table, which is typically 4–5 feet wide and 8–13 feet long. The table has a sunken layout, with walls surrounding a felt playing surface. The playing surface is divided into a number of different areas—each area represents a different type of bet that players can make. When a player wants to make a bet, he places chips into the appropriate area.
The layout of the table is symmetrical—the left side of the table has exactly the same bets as the right side. This layout lets players make bets no matter where they’re standing. Along the edge of the table is a rack where players may store their chips before wagering. Most tables have a shelf beneath this rack to hold drinks, purses, and other belongings.
The Players
One or more players may play at a single craps table—most tables can accommodate up to 12 players at a time, though the biggest tables may be able to hold up to 16. Players usually stand in an oval surrounding the table, though players may be given stools to sit on if they prefer. During peak hours, players are often crowded close together, standing sideways relative to the table. Only one player may roll the dice at a time—that player is called
the shooter.
The Crew
Unlike most casino games, which have a single dealer, craps is fast and complicated enough to require four employees. Craps employees are collectively known as the crew. Each member of the crew has a specific purpose, as follows:
- Boxman: The boxman is the primary overseer of the craps table. He or she watches over the actions of the rest of the crew and settles any disputes. The boxman also inspects any dice that fly off the table.
- Stickman: The stickman is in charge of the dice and the center of the table. He or she uses a long, specially designed stick to push the dice back to the shooter after a roll. The stickman handles all bets made in the center of the table. In addition, the stickman regularly calls out phrases such as, “Bet the field! Eight the hard way! We have a shooter! Bet the hop!” In addition to keeping up the excitement of the game, the stickman’s patter announces some of the bets on the layout. As you’ll learn in this guide, the stickman advertises the bad bets much more often than the good ones.
- Two dealers: One dealer stands on each side of the boxman. These dealers handle all the bets on the sides of the table. They also change cash into chips and exchange chips of one denomination for another.
How Craps Works
Craps is played in a series of rounds. In each round, the shooter rolls the dice. To be the shooter during a round, that player must make one of two specific bets: a “pass line” or “don’t pass line” bet. A player doesn’t have to make a pass line or don’t pass line bet if she simply wants to bet during a round of craps—only if she wants to be the shooter. Because there must be a shooter during each round of craps, at least one player always has to make a pass line or don’t pass line bet before a round can begin. Once one player has made the required type of bet and has been selected as the shooter, the round begins.
The Come-Out Roll
The round begins with the shooter’s first roll of the dice, called the come-out roll. On this roll, one of three things may happen:
- The shooter wins: If the sum of the two dice on the come-out roll totals 7 or 11, the shooter immediately wins the pass line bet. The winning rolls of 7 and 11—which result from any combination of 4 and 3, 5 and 2, 6 and 1, or 6 and 5—are collectively known as naturals. If the shooter wins, the round ends, and the next round begins with the same shooter. (The shooter has to make another pass line bet to remain the shooter.)
- The shooter loses: If the sum of the two dice on the come-out roll totals 2, 3, or 12, the shooter loses the pass line bet. These losing rolls of 2, 3, and 12—which result from any combination of 1 and 1, 1 and 2, or 6 and 6—are collectively known as craps. If the shooter loses, the round ends, and the closest player to the shooter’s left who makes a pass line bet for the next round becomes the shooter for that round.
- The point is established: If the come-out roll is anything other than a 2, 3, 7, 11, or 12, the value of the first roll becomes the shooter’s point. A point can be 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10. When a point is established, the dealers place a large chip, which reads “On,” on the number on the table that corresponds to the shooter’s point. These numbers are located at both ends of the table, usually near the section of the table that reads “Come.” The large chip reminds everyone at the table the value of the current point.
Subsequent Rolls
If a point is established, the shooter then continues to roll the dice—the shooter wins the pass line bet if he rolls the value of the point again before rolling a 7. Rolling the point again is called making the point. Rolling a 7 before rolling the point again is called sevening out. Note that, though rolling a 7 is good on the come-out roll, rolling a 7 is bad on subsequent rolls. Numbers other than the point or 7 have no effect on pass line bets—the shooter rolls until he either makes the point or sevens out.
For example, if the come-out roll is a 9, bets on the pass line win if another 9 is rolled before a 7. Bets on the pass line lose if a 7 is rolled before another 9. Any other number has no effect on pass line bets.
What Other Players Do While the Shooter Rolls
The other players don’t just stand idly by while the shooter rolls the dice. Rather, the other players can make a variety of bets on the outcome of the shooter’s rolls (as can the shooter himself). For instance, other players can make a pass line bet along with the shooter, which means they’re betting that the shooter will win, or they can make a don’t pass line bet against the shooter, which means they’re betting that the shooter will lose. In addition, players can make all sorts of other bets about how the dice will fall. For details on all of the different possible craps bets, see Types of Bets in Craps.
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