Craps: Removing the Intimidation from the Table

If you're over the age of 21 (or 18, depending on your location) and have visited a casino, chances are you've walked by a craps table or three. However, if the very much unofficial survey I've taken over the years is evident, chances are you have not put your chips on the table.

The number one response I get when asking folks if they've ever played craps before is, "Oh no, I don't understand that game at all!" The ironic thing about this response is that there are few more-simple games in the casino. People tend to look at the felt, see the myriad of bets available and instantly get turned off, by either fear or confusion.

The basic premise of craps is to roll what's called the point. The point is determined by what's called the "come out" role. You'll notice at this time a black disc (known as the "puck") with the word "OFF" near one of the dealers. This is the way to tell that the point has not yet been determined and that the come out roll is about to happen.

The shooter (more on who the shooter is a bit later) will throw the dice to the opposite end of the table, ideally hitting the far wall. You'll notice a ridged pattern around the walls, known as the "gator skin", which aims to randomly bounce the dice, eliminating sliders and causing a true random result.

Should the dice land on 7 or 11, all pass line bets (more on betting later) win and no point is determined (i.e. the come out role will happen again). Should the dice land on 2, 3 or 12, this is known as "craps", all pass line bets lose and, again, no point is determined.

Any other result on the dice establishes the point. The dealer will take the puck and turn it over, revealing a white side that says, "ON". The dealer will place the puck on the number on the board that matches the die result. This is how you can always know what the point number is.

Once the point is determined, the object is for the shooter to again throw that number before throwing a 7 in order to win. It's that simple. The point number wins. 7 loses. Everything else matters not. This is the purest form of craps.

So, to recap the basics:

• On the come out roll, 7 or 11 wins. 2, 3 or 12 loses. Anything else establishes the point.
• Once a point is established, the object is to roll the point again before rolling a 7.

The order of shooters is a clockwise direction around the table. Upon his or her turn, a player has the option to accept the dice and become the shooter or pass the dice to the next person and not shoot.

When becoming the shooter, 5 dice are presented to the player. Of these 5, 2 are selected. While these are perfectly weighted and balanced, many shooters have various routines or superstitions when selecting dice. Some will select two dice that are showing a total of 7 or 11. Some will toss all 5 lightly to see which fall on a certain number. Some just grab and throw. Everyone is different. I assure you none of these factors affect the result, so do whatever you like to aid your choice.

The shooter will shoot continuously until a point is not achieved. This means if the shooter keeps hitting points, they can hold the dice for a very long time. Rolling craps on the come out roll does not cause the dice to be passed, only failure to achieve the point will do this.

If the dice are thrown and one or both leave the table, the die must immediately be retrieved and presented back to the boxman (the dealer positioned at the center of the table) for inspection. The shooter has the option, should inspection pass, to use the same dice (and will declare "Same dice" clearly when the die returns to the table) or to choose from the lot of 5 again. Most players use the same dice, but, again, it's entirely up to you.

At first glance, the craps table is a complex playing field filled with many numbers and terms that may as well be Latin.

The most important thing to understand about the craps table is that 90% of what you see are side bets that are outside the scope of the basic idea of the game. My advise to you is to play straight up (Pass Line bets with odds only) to start and work your way through the other bets on the table slowly as you get comfortable.

Let's start on the outside and work in. You'll notice many slots around the outside of the table, going about 3/4 of the way around. These are known as "positions" and they help the dealers to determine whose bets belong to who and where to place payouts. Where you stand will determine where on some squares they will place your bets.

Now, for the inside of the table:

1. Pass Line: This is your main betting area. This is where you lay your bet down before the come out roll takes place. The pass line wins on a come out roll of 7 or 11 and loses on a 2,3 or 12. The pass line wins when the point is achieved before a 7 is rolled (once the point is established, of course).
2. Don't Pass Line: This works opposite of the pass line. Whereas 7 or 11 on the come out roll wins pass line bets, they cause don't pass line bets to lose. Now, in a slightly confusing twist, only 2 and 3 cause don't pass line bets to win. Any rolls of 12 are considered a "push" and the bet does not win or lose. This bet is won when a 7 is rolled before the point is achieved (once the point is established).
3. Come: Envision the Come bar as another Pass Line, for simplicity. The Come bet is used primarily after a point has been established. A Come bet works with the same mechanics as a pass line bet, only it happens in the middle of the round. 7 or 11 still wins. 2, 3 or 12 still loses. Any other die roll makes that the point number for that particular stack of chips. The dealer will move the stack to the proper number to denote it as the point for that bet. Any roll of that point number before a 7 is rolled wins the bet.
4. Field: The field is probably the easiest bet to make. It is a one-roll bet, win or lose. If the dice result is any of the numbers on the field (2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12), the bet pays. Any other result, the bet is lost.
5. Big 6/Big 8: This is a bet that a 6 or an 8 (depending on which number(s) the chips are laid) will be rolled before a 7.
6. Don't Come: This works the opposite of the Come Bar and works with the same mechanics as the Don't Pass Bar. 7 or 11 will lose the bet. 2 or 3 will win the bet. 12 pushes the bet. Any other result establishes a point for that stack of chips. Any roll of 7 before the point number is rolled will win the bet.
7. Place Bet line: This line is used to track points, Place, Buy, and Lay bets as well as Come and Don't Come points.
8. Any Seven: This is a one-roll bet that wins if a 7 is rolled and lost if any other result is rolled.
9. Hardway and Horn Bets: Hardway bets are bets on doubles being rolled for 4, 6, 8, and 10. Each number may be played separately and each stays in play until a) the double is rolled and the bet wins b) the number is rolled but is not a double (i.e. a 3 and 5 come up to make an 8 rather than double 4) and the bet loses or c) a 7 is rolled and the bet loses. Horn bets are one-roll bets on 2, 3, 11, and 12. Each number again may be played separately and win if the result is rolled.
10. Any Craps: This is a one-roll bet that wins if a 2, 3 or 12 is rolled. Any other result loses the bet.

These are the basic areas that can be found in all craps tables (except Big 6/8, which do not always appear). There can be other bets on certain tables, such as allowing the player to bet on a certain die combination coming up in a one-roll bet, betting on an 11 on the come out roll, etc., but these vary from casino to casino and trying to cover them all would be near-impossible. The best advise I can give is to ask if you are unfamiliar with a bet. The dealers will be glad to answer any question you have if you are interested.

Now that we have gone over the table itself, let's take a look at the payouts for each bet type.

Pass Line: The pass line pays even money.

Pass Line Odds: The mention of odds above when I described playing straight up may have thrown you. Odds bets are secondary bets on the point number that can be made to back up your pass line bet. Odds bets pay greater than even money and are generally considered good bets to make whenever possible due to their higher payouts. Odds bets get placed directly behind the pass line (see picture to the right). Payout values are based on the point number itself and is shown in the chart below.

Don't Pass: Don't Pass bets pay even money.

Don't Pass Odds: Don't Pass Odds bets payout values are based on the point number but have a lower value due to the lower house edge on these bets. These are also shown in the chart below.

Come: Come bets pay even money.

Come Bet Odds: Come bet odds pay the same values as pass line odds.

Don't Come: Don't Come bets pay even money.

Don't Come Odds: Don't Come odds bets pay the same values as don't pass odds.

Field: Field bets pay even money except in the event of a 2 or 12. These two numbers always pay at least double, and some casinos designate either the 2 or the 12 (never both) as triple payout.

Big 6/8: Big 6 and 8 bets pay even money.

Place Bets: Place bet payout values, like odds, are based on the number and are shown in the chart below. Place bets pay slightly lower than true odds.

Buy Bets: Buy bets are bets that the number will be rolled before a 7, pay true odds, but have commission taken from them by the casino. For the purposes of this lesson, commission figures and casinos' different theories of when the commission is taken will not be covered.

Lay Bets: Lay bets are the opposite of Buy bets. Lay bets are bets that a 7 will be rolled before the number. Lay bets pay true odds, but because of the lower house edge, the payout values are lower (much like don't pass odds).

Any Seven: Any Seven bets payout 4:1

Hardways: Hard 6 and 8 typically pay out 9:1. Hard 4 and 10 typically pay 7:1. These may vary between casinos, but the vast majority seem to pay out these ratios.

Horn Bets: 2 and 12 pay 30:1. 3 and 11 pay 15:1.

Any Craps: Any Craps pay 7:1.

Remember, you're just starting out. While it is tempting to jump in and throw lots of chips all over the table, this will lead to empty pockets and a quick disenchantment with the game. While playing conservatively to start won't yield any high payouts, it will allow you to log significantly more time at the table, which allows you to learn more firsthand.

Watch other players and learn, but don't follow...yet. You're probably going to hear a good deal of jargon while they place their bets. Do not try to mimic this right away. Like the bets themselves, these need to be learned and adopted into your game slowly. Just ask the dealers to place your bets where you want and they will do so; you don't need any fancy talk to accomplish this.

Over time, you will slowly come up with your own strategies and methods as well as learn from others. Like everyone else's, these strategies will work at times and will fail at others. Remember, if it was fail-safe, casinos would be out of business. Don't be discouraged if the dice don't fall some nights.

If you are still in doubt, try a craps program on the computer or smartphone. There are countless free programs out there and they will allow you to get acquainted with the mechanics of the game and its bets before trying the real deal.

Hopefully, this guide gets you off the ground and gives you the knowledge and confidence needed to give the game a try during your next casino trip. The group atmosphere of the table allows for some great entertainment (especially when a shooter gets hot) and, if you're careful, you might just make some money, too. Best of luck!