CRAPS | Rolling The Dice Basics

Craps – Dice Roll

The subject of Craps could fill tomes and already does. Probably even more so than roulette, there’s always going to be the hustlers out there trying to sell systems.

The difference is that the player actually has some control of the gambling tool in dice, whereas the croupier has complete control in Roulette.

How much difference that makes depends on the shooter, but it must be remembered that you don’t have to win every time to play at an advantage, just more often than not or more importantly when the odds are set to pay you better.

With that in mind there is an industry out there with seminars and workshops and books and DVDs that may actually have useful information for the land-based casino gambler.

If that’s you, a quick search engine query looking for ‘Sharpshooter’, ‘The Captain’, ‘PARR’, or ‘Dice Control’ should set you on your course.

Here we are going to talk about the Craps Game itself; the game of placing bets on anticipated outcomes and rolling the dice. At first glance Craps can appear intimidating, even more so than Sic Bo or Roulette, but don’t let that put you off, it really is a simple enough game to get started in. You just have to pick a place to start if you want to learn the game and we are going to suggest the Pass Line.

Craps is a sociable game, for the most part people win and lose together and build camaraderie. The table energy bristles and falls, crescendos and whoops! It really is one of the only games better played at land-based casinos than online casinos because of this. But if you are just in it for the gambling it makes a fine addition to your downloads.

What you want to do as a beginner or just to make your session last as long as possible is bet on the PASS LINE, and then cover your odds as will be explained below. Pass line bets have a low house edge of 1.41%.

Assuming a Live Dealer game everyone bets no matter who throws the dice.
Once the marker comes out (black marker says ‘OFF’) place your bet on the PASS line.

The dice are thrown, this is called the ‘come out roll’.
(The marker is turned over to white and says, ’ON’.)

If it’s a 7 or 11 you win!

If it comes out 2, 3, or 12 you lose.
Any other number becomes the “Point”.
Now the only two combination’s in play are the Point and 7. If a 7 is rolled, you lose.
If the ‘point’ is rolled, you win.

That’s enough to get you started, but there is more to the game; bets to make it far more exciting!

Lets say the point has been set; the come out roll didn’t come up 7, 11 ,2, 3, or 12. You can now leave your bet on the PASS line and place a wager on ODDS.

Place twice as much as you put on the PASS line on the edge of the table in front of you. This is an ODDS bet.

Now same thing as above here; Point you win, 7 you lose, BUT if you have placed an ‘ODDS Bet’ the point will pay you the following odds:

4 or 10 pays 2:1
5 or 9 pays 3:2
6 or 8 pays 6:5

Again, 7 you lose and any other number nothing occurs and the dice are thrown again.

Getting a little more interesting, huh?

Now we’ll look at the ‘PLACE Bet’. At any time during the game (yes you can have a PASS, an ODDS and now another bet at the same time), you ask the dealer (or do it yourself online) to place a wager on one of the numbers on top of the table.

4 or 10 pays 9:5
5 or 9 pays 7:5
6 or 8 pays 7:6

Again, 7 you lose and any other number nothing occurs and the dice are thrown again. That should be enough to get you going for now. There are several other bets and combination’s such as:

DON’T PASS: Almost the same as the PASS line except in reverse. The odds are a little better at 1.36% House Edge, but you will be seen as a spoiler or enemy bettor to the people you are betting against; the PASS line crowd. The odds are improved over the PASS line by virtue of 12 being a ‘PUSH or BAR’.

COME: Almost exactly the same as a PASS line bet except it can be made at any point in the game. These bets are almost always placed on a ‘knack or hunch’ after the Point has been set.

FIELD BET: Again this bet can be placed at any time and is for a single roll of the dice. 3, 4, 9, 10, or 11 pay even money . Most tables pay a two at 2:1 and twelve @ 3:1. A 5, 6, 7, or 8 will cost you your wager. House Edge 2.77%

PROPOSITION BETS: These can be made on any throw and pay the following odds: (Some tables are different but the odds will be posted on the felt)

Any Craps : 2, 3, or 12-Pays 8:1
Any Seven: 5:1
Eleven: 16:1
Three: 16:1
Two: 31:1
Twelve: 31:1

That’s certainly more than enough info to get you well started on your way to ‘Playing Craps’. There’s more info available in the books listed above or you can do a little internet research if you want to understand the game completely before diving in, but this is enough to get you playing as an informed and calculating player or just safely as a bit of fun.

You’ll find that when you talk to ‘Craps Players’ that they are some of the most passionate gamblers out there, and soon you’ll know why. The game is infectious, exciting, and a small bankroll can last hours and hours with the low house edge on some of the bets we’ve highlighted above.