How to Play Craps - casinocaptain.com

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How to Play
Craps

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Craps is fast, fun and extremely exciting - ye will often hear loud clapping and yelling at the tables as these games draw a big crowd at the land-based casinos. It's easy to learn, and the captain will show ye a few steps that'll have ye playing craps like an expert in no time.

Four casino employees known as the "crew" usually run a craps table. This craps crew consists of two dealers who stand on the inside of the table. Each is responsible fer changing cash into chips and collecting and paying off bets on their half of the table. In between the dealers sits the 'Boxman'. He overseas all the actions, settles any disputes and supervises the other three employees. He also examines the dice that go off the table to make sure they were not switched or compromised by cheaters. The 'Stickman' stands directly across from the Boxman on the other side of the table and handles the dice with a long curved stick, pushing them to the player that's about to roll, or retrieving them after they've been rolled. The Stickman also announces what numbers were rolled and takes the bets in the center of the table.

The Craps Table

A. Pass Line

B. Don't Pass Bar

C. Don't Come Bar

D. Place Bets to Win/Lose

E. Come Bets

F. Big 6 and Big 8

G. Field

H. Any 7

I. Hardway Bets & One Roll Bets (The Horn)

J. Any Craps

A session of craps begins when the Stickman offers six dice to one of the players. The player selects two of them and becomes the Shooter or roller. This is the player that will be rolling and creating the numbers that all the players at the table will be betting on. The Shooter switches to the player directly clockwise from the previous shooter and continues around the table in that manner after each players turn as the shooter is finished. Prior to the dice being rolled, the Shooter is required to make a line bet on either the Pass Line or the Don't Pass Bar (see illustration above). The other players will also be placing their bets on the table at the same time.

Captains Tip: Always Bet the pass line. If ye are a beginner then start out by only betting the minimum amount allowed. If ye are winning then try to increase yer bet by one chip each time ye have a winner. Try to go back to the table minimum after a loss. Do this until ye feel entirely comfortable with the game.

The first roll in a craps session is known as the Come Out Roll. During the Come Out Roll there are a few ways that players can win or lose. If they bet on the Pass Line then a player wins if a 7 or 11 is rolled. During the Come Out Roll the total number of the two dice that the Shooter rolled becomes the Point so long as that total number does not add up to 2,3,7,11 or 12. The Dealers then place a puck atop that Point number on the table with the "ON" side of the puck facing up. This reminds players where the Point is. Usually every time the Shooter rolls and gets the Point, players will win or lose.

Captains Tip: Always Take full odds on the Pass Line, Don't Pass Bar or Come bets. This is the best bet in the entire casino and is exactly a 50/50 proposition. Take advantage of this opportunity and maximize yer full bet. Most casinos offer double odds bets. In this case if ye had a $4 minimum wager then yer odds bet could be an additional $8. Ye would then have a total of $12 on this bet and will reap the benefits greatly.

Craps Rules On The Come Out Roll. No matter what bets are placed on the craps table, fer the Come Out Roll, the rules never ever change.

If the Come Out Roll is a 7 or 11 (also know as a Natural), the Pass Line wins and the Don't Pass Bar loses.
If the Come Out Roll is a 2, 3 or 12 (also known as Craps), the Pass Line loses and the Don't Pass Bar wins or ties. Usually the Don't Pass Bet will be a tie when the Come Out Roll is 12.
If the Come Out Roll is 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10, then that number becomes the Shooter's Point. The Shooter will keep rolling until the Shooter A.) rolls the point or B.) rolls a 7. If the point is rolled first, Pass Line bettors win and Don't Pass bettors lose. If the 7 is rolled first, then the Pass Loses and the Don't Pass wins.

A couple rules to bear in mind...

7 can only be a winner on the Come Out Roll fer Pass Line Bettors. 7 is always a loser fer Pass Line Bettors on any other roll. The opposite is the case fer Don't Pass Bettors.
The numbers 2, 3, 11 and 12 have no consequence fer Pass or Don't Pass Bets after the Come Out Roll has been completed.

Captains Tip: Understand the Inside table, field and middle bets. These are among the worst odds in the casino. The captain advises to stay away from these bets until ye have a better understanding of the game.