Craps or Dice Craps the name is enough to put you off which is probably why most people don’t want to play it! Yet the odds on craps will favour the player so why don’t gamblers on this side of the pond want to play the game, is it because the love giving their hard earned dosh to the casino’s.
Maybe they don’t know how to play it and worse still are afraid to ask. Don’t worry we are about to show you how.
Not sure what the crap table looks like see the picture below. There are 36 possible combinations that can be made from rolling two dice, there is only one way to roll a two, two ways to roll a three, three ways to roll a four, four ways to roll a five, five ways to roll a six, six ways to roll a seven, then you start to reverse this sequence for the higher numbers 5 ways to roll an 8, 4 ways to roll a 9, 3 ways to roll a 10, 2 ways to roll 11 and only one way to roll 12.
The Shooter
The Player rolling the dice is the Shooter he will throw a pair of dice from one end of a craps table to the other end (back wall) thus establishing a ‘point number’ this is where the term ‘Making the point’ comes in this is done by throwing a 4,5,6,8,9 or 10 when a point is made a white marker known as the puck is placed on the table at the relevant number. This number then becomes the point of the game the shooter will carry on trying to roll that same point number, there is no time limit.
Betting
Players bet on what number they think the shooter will roll and payouts are based on odds calculated on that happening against a 7 being rolled.
Roll a 7 and the game is over and the dice are moved or passed on to the next player who then becomes the stickman, you will also hear the casino declare “7 out new shooter”.
Although there are lots of side bet possibilities the initially betting involves just two bets the Pass Line and the Don’t Pass Line.
PASS LINE – DON’T PASS LINE
This is your basic craps bet, paying even money the house edge here is minimal at 1.4% Place your bet before the first roll of the dice in a new game if the shooter rolls a 7 or 11 you win immediately, you lose immediately if a 2, 3 or 12 are rolled and of course if any other number is rolled 4,5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 these become the point number.
Once the point number is set you win, if the shooter rolls the point number before he rolls a 7 you win, should he roll a 7 before the point number you lose.
The reversal of the pass line bet the Don’t Pass Line, should the shooter roll 3 or 12 you win, roll 7 or 11 you lose and if the 2 is rolled you have a ‘push’ and your bet is returned. Should the shooter make his point, the don’t pass line bet wins if he rolls a 7 before making the point again.
These two bets kick off the game but after this is where the game of craps takes on a whole new persona.
COME – DON’T COME
It’s actually the same bet as the pass line but is made after the point has been made and pays even money. You can make a Come bet before any roll of the die and you win if the shooter rolls 7 or 11 and lose if 2, 3 or 12, any other number becomes the ‘come point’ and you win if the shooter rolls that number before rolling a 7.
Like the don’t pass line bet the Don’t Come bet is a reversal of the come bet you win if the roll is 3 or 12 lose if 7 or 11 a 2 is a ‘push’ and your bet is returned and once the ‘come point’ is made you win if a 7 is rolled and lose if the come point is rolled.
PLACE BET
This is a bet made on any of the point numbers which are 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 they are paid at house odds. You can make or remove these bets anytime before a shooter rolls and you can place these bets to lose, that is you are betting a 7 will be rolled before the placed number is thrown. e.g. you bet a placed ‘no 8′ this means you bet 7 will be rolled before an 8. Be aware the chances of this happening are quite high so the odds are low and you have to pay the ‘vig’ this is the house commission and is usually 5%.
FIELD BET
The field box is in the middle of the table and most player make this bet, your betting that numbers 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 or 12 will be thrown next, the odds are even except for the two and twelve which varies but can be 3/1 in some casino’s. With this bet you lose if the shooter throws a 5, 6, 8 or 7.
PROPOSITION BET
A one roll bet with names to lure you to make them such as ‘any craps’ ‘horn’, ‘hardway”,
Any Craps – the bet is that the next roll will be a 2, 3, or 12
Horn – the next roll will be 2, 3, 11 or 12
Hardway – the bet here is that the shooter will roll 4, 6, 8, or 10 as pairs of numbers before rolling a 7 or a point is made by rolling two different values. for instance here you betting that an hard 8 a pair of 4′s are going to be rolled before a 7 or 5 & 3 or 6 & 2
Things to watch out for at the craps table, avoid side bets the odds are usually in favour of the house and in fact this is where the house makes most of it’s money.
Betting the 7 the house makes sure it has the edge here paying out at 4/1 when the real odds are more like 5/1.
Betting on 11 pay out is good but the house gives itself a good edge.
The horn a fourway bet sounds a good bet but the odds are again in favour of the house.
Any craps used by some as an insurance bet but once again it favours the house.
Hardways a good fun bet but the odds are stacked against you.
Superstitious Crap players are the most superstitious of the lot here are some things to watch out for.
1. It’s unlucky to say Seven players prefer to say ‘It’ such as I hope IT doesn’t come up.
2. If the dice bounce off the table, the next roll will almost certainly be a 7, so you’ll see lots of players remove their bets if the dice leave the table. They will also be heard to shout same dice so a new set won’t be brought out.
3. Bad luck if the dice hit’s anyone’s hand (fortunately this can’t happen online.)
4. Lady crap players who are rolling for the first time will always have a hot roll whereas men won’t
5. It’s poor form to touch the shooter when he’s having a roll (can’t do this one online either.)
6. It’s bad luck if the stick man pushes the dice to you with a 7 showing (stickmen will avoid doing this.)
7. If a player places new money on the table during a roll and the dice hit it the next roll will be a 7 once again you can’t do this online.
Paul Edison invites you to check out his guides to other sports and betting at Play To Win race at www.play-to-win.co.uk/