Craps is a, if not the, classic Vegas game. It involves a lot of people, money and energy and turns it into, if nothing else, a fun time. There are plenty of rules to get caught up in, but do not be discouraged at the complexity of the table; with some prior research, a little observation and the joy of practice, anyone can learn to enjoy craps to its fullest potential.

Craps, as it is commonly referred to, is actually formally known as Bank Craps, or Casino Craps. There is another game called singly “Craps,” a dice game between players, often in a private setting. Craps, the popular casino game, does not play gamblers against one another, but rather against the house casino. It’s a game of dice, based upon the predictions of said dice, and subsequent results of tosses. The Casino Craps game has a specially built table, with a standard layout for wagers and bets of seemingly infinite possibilities of combinations. The dice themselves, in this game, are under strict control against tampering. They are inspected routinely, often during games, and consistently replaced after about 8 hours of use. The vast majority of casinos have strict rules as to who may handle the dice, and how they must be handled.

The player whose turn it is to throw must only handle the dice with one hand and must throw both dice hard enough so as they will hit the back wall of the playing table, before stopping. If any of the dice bounce off the table on the roll, game play stops while the die is retrieved, and it will most likely be replaced with another available die, open to be chosen by the player from a group of three. If the player insists on continuing play with the loose die, it may be permitted provided it passes inspection with the stickman.

Craps tables are larger than Roulette tables; they can accommodate up to 20 players around three of the sides. Each of the participating gamblers will have an opportunity to throw their dice and take a turn on a game. This is called “shooting.” For gamblers awaiting their turn to throw, or for those who choose to pass, they will bet on the shooter’s throws. There are a wide range of bets that can be placed in the game of craps, and we will offer a list in a moment. Meanwhile, there are three casino crewmembers who man the table, and monitor the play. The stickman stands on the players’ side of the table, opposite of the pit, and is in charge of calling the rolls, managing center table bets, and manipulating the dice with his (literal) stick, wooden, about 2.5 feet in length with a curved tip. There is the box man, who sits opposite the stickman and is responsible for the distribution and security of the chips, as well as supervising the dealers. And finally, there are two dealers, one standing to either side of the box man, who manage bets on the majority of the table.

The game, the game, the game. It’s a game based on dice outcome, as previously stated. The object is to predict, if not necessarily the exact outcome of the dice, than whether it will or won’t hit a range of numbers. When a new player rolls the dice for the first time, that’s called their Come Out roll. Come Out rolls indicate a new game has started, with a new shooter. This shooter will throw the dice and if it comes up a combination totaling 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10- this is called “making a point.” These numbers are set out on the printed table in boxes that can be indicated with the “ON/OFF button,” a plastic marker that reads ON on one side, and OFF on the other. When a point has been made, one of the above numbers has been rolled; the marker is flipped to ON on that number and the game has gotten under way. The object at this point, for the shooter, is to roll that number again before he rolls a 7, also known as “seven out.” A 7 is the number that the shooter wants to avoid, other numbers will be applicable to active bets on the table, but will not cause the game to end, or the marker to be flipped to OFF. As long as a 7 is avoided, the shooter can continue throwing the dice, trying for that point to be made. The point is said to be made when the number is thrown for a second time.

For example, say a new shooter throws a 5. The marker is flipped to ON on the 5. The shooter gets his dice back from the stickman and throws a 12. At this point, any bets on the table in regards to 12, or any groupings of bets that would be applicable are paid out; the dice are collected and given back to the shooter. The shooter throws a 3. Same thing. This continues until one of two things happen: (1) the shooter throws a 5 again: bets wagering for the shooter to achieve his goal are paid out, bets against the point are taken in, the marker is flipped back to OFF, and the shooter gets the dice back to start all over again or (2) the shooter throws a 7: bets wagering against the shooter are paid out, bets wagering for the shooter are taken in, the marker is flipped and the dice are passed to a new shooter to begin a new game.

There are bets to be played a won in between active games, as well. For example, when a new shooter receives his dice, if he shoots a 7 or 11 on his Come Out roll, there are bets to be paid immediately. That is to say, if a point is not made on the Come Out roll, wagers are paid out appropriately based on the table layout, until the point is made. The Pass and Don’t Pass bars are the prime example of this. Placing a bet on the Pass bar indicates that the gambler believes that a 7 or 11 will come up before the Come Out roll; but not a 2, 3, or 12. Bets on the Don’t Pass bar are the opposite- if the shooter rolls a 2, 3, 12 before the point is made, you win; if the shooter throws a 7 or 11, you lose. Once the point has been made, these wagers remain on the table, and apply to whether the point is made before the shooter “sevens out” (Pass wins) or or won’t be made (Don’t Pass wins.)

There are plenty of wagers to be made on the table. Please take a look at the Summary of Bets before you sign online to play. After all, research is power is winnings.