Craps is usually a fast action game, and managing all the table activity requires four casino workers: a Stickman, two Dealers, and a Boxman. The Stickman calls out the results of each roll of the dice and retrieves the dice for the shooter ( dice thrower ) after each roll. There’s always excitement and action around the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino Craps table, which helps explain the game’s phenomenal and growing popularity. Casino Craps is the most popular, but now thanks to the latest technology, Craps online is becoming increasingly popular. It is certain that the betting strategy is the only way to win this game of chance and it is advised that the best way is to approach the game sensibly, know your payroll limits and be ready to win and just as ready to lose.
If you’re searching for information on how to win at craps, it’s likely that you’re preparing to visit a casino or engage in a more informal back-alley game. While street craps can provide an entirely different experience and a sense of gritty realism, the focus of this article is on craps played at the casino (also known as “bank craps”).
Suggestions for Winning at Craps
Numerous books have been written about winning at craps, but the free advice contained in this article should get you started without eating into your budget. I suggest giving each of these a try during your next few visits to the casino, then stick with the ones that deliver the greatest success.
Craps is a Las Vegas casino dice game played inside a large sunken table. Craps can be a complicated game to understand because of the different betting options. In craps, players wager money against the casino on the outcome of one roll, or of a series of rolls of two red dice.
Craps is a game played by 1 or more players. It is played with a set of two perfectly balance red dice. In Las Vegas casinos, there are no seats around the table because the game is played standing up. Players take turns rolling two dice.
Most Las Vegas crap tables usually operate with four employees: the boxman, two dealers, and a stickman.
Boxman: sits at the center of the layout and drops all currency into the money box. He directs the game and watches everything.
Dealers: stand on each side of the boxman. It is the dealer who pays off the winning wagers and collects the player's losses. Dealers also may change when you play.
Stickman: stands in the center of the player's side of the table. He's responsible for handling the dice and all the Proposition Bets.
Shooter: The player who is rolling the dice is the shooter.
Getting Started with Craps
Buying Chips: Just place the money in front of the dealer and say 'Change.' The dealer will hand the money to the boxman who counts it, and tells the dealer the amount. The dealer will then place an equivalent amount of chips on the layout directly in front of you. Take the chips off the table layout and place them in the groove provided on the table railing.
Come Out: Place a bet on the Pass Line section of the board after the hockey puck is switched to OFF by the dealer(stickman). The Shooter will then make a 'come-out roll' by tossing both dice from one of the short ends of the table to the other, making sure that both dice hit the opposite side wall of the table. Player wins if a Natural 7 or 11 appears, and loses if a Crap 2, 3, or 12 appears. Any other number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) becomes the Pass Line Point.
Note: The game is played in rounds, with the first roll of a new round called the 'come-out roll.'
Craps Waging
Pass Line
The Pass Line is the place on the layout where you put your chips to bet on the First Roll or the Come Out Roll. A Pass Line Bet wins even money. Once the Pass Line Point has been established, if the total of the two dice is 7 or 11, you win, and your chips double. This is called a 'win' or a 'natural'. If the shooter rolls any other number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) on the come-out roll, this number becomes what is called the point and then you enter the Point Round. However if you roll a 2, 3 or 12, you lose and your chips are taken away. This is called 'craps' and ends the round immediately.
In the point round, the shooter will re-roll the dice continuously and try to roll the same number again before rolling a 7. If the shooter rolls the point again, the round ends and the game starts over with the same shooter rolling another come-out roll. If the shooter rolls a 7 instead of the point, this is called a 'seven-out,' the round ends, and the dice pass to the next player to the left, who becomes the new shooter.
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Don't Pass Line
This is the opposite of the pass line bet. With the 'Don't Pass Line' wager, you lose on the 'come out' roll if the shooter rolls a 7 or 11. You win on a 2 or 3 (12 is a tie). Once a point is established, you lose if the point is thrown and win if a 7 rolls.
When 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 rolls, it is the point. You are betting that 7 will be rolled before the point. This bet must be placed before the come out roll, but may be removed or decreased after a point is established, however, it may not be replaced or increased after such removal or reduction.
Come Bets
This is a bet that can be made anytime after the first roll when a shooter has a point to make. You win on a 7 or 11 and lose on a 2, 3 or 12 on the roll immediately following placement of the bet. Any other number becomes your 'come point' and your bet will be moved to that number. If your point rolls before 7, you win. If 7 rolls before your point, you lose.
Don't Come Bets
Opposite of come bets. This is also a bet that can be made anytime after the first roll when a shooter has a point to make. You win if the next roll is 2 or 3 (12 is a tie), and lose if 7 or 11 roll immediately following placement of the bet. When 12 is rolled, it is a stand-off. When 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 rolls, it is your point. You are betting that 7 will be rolled before the point. When a point is established, the bet will be placed behind that number.
Odds
The odds bet can be taken once a point is made on the first roll or a come point on a succeeding roll. You win if the point or come points are made before a 7.
Place Bets
With Place bets you have to wait for the shooter to make a point and then you may make a 'Place Bet' on numbers 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10. If the shooter rolls any of these numbers before a 7, you win. If 7 rolls before your number, you lose.
Big 6 & 8
A bet you can make any time that pays even money when 6 or 8 is rolled.
Field Bets
Field bets are one roll bets you can make at any time. With field bets, you win on 3, 4, 9, 10 and 11. You win 2 to 1 on 2. and you win 3 to 1 on 12. You lose on 5, 6, 7, or 8.
Proposition Bets
Proposition bets can be found in the center of the table and are one roll bets
Hard Ways
With a hardway bet, you are betting that the shooter rolls a pair. Hard ways win if the dice roll as a pair and lose if a 7 rolls. There are four 'Hard Way' combinations; Hard 4 (two 2's), Hard 6 (two 3's), Hard 8 (two 4's) and Hard 10 (two 5's). You bet the combination you want at any time. For example, if you bet the two 3's (or Hard Way 6), you win when that comes up before a 7 or an easy way 6 (5 and 1 or 4 and 2). 'Hard Ways' pay high odds. You can also bet any pair (Hard Way) for one roll only; this pays 30 to 1. Make 'Hard Way' bets at any time.
Most players' strategies center around knowing which bets to place and which bets to avoid. Most wining players avoid all bets except for the Pass Line and Come bets and certain Place bets(6 or 8), leaving the Field, Proposition, Big 6 and Big 8 bets to those pulled in by the stickperson.
Remember, you want a 7 or 11 on the come out roll. If 7 or 11 appear you win, if 2, 3, or 12 are rolled you lose.
Once a point is established, you can't pick up your bet, you have to wait until the player sevens out.
Listen to the stickman. He calls the game, and everything he says is important. Don't hesitate to ask the stickman for more information on Proposition Bets.
The house edge is just 1.4 percent. Meaning, for every dollar you bet, you'll only lose about a penny on average.
Craps House Advantage and Expected Lose
| House Advantage | For Every $100 bet, the player can expect to lose | |
|---|---|---|
| Pass/Don't Pass | 1.4% | $1.40 |
| Prop Bets | 10%-16.7% | $10 - $16.70 |
This website encourages you to play responsibly by betting within your limits and by recognizing that over time the house will come out ahead.
Shooter
Stickman
Seven-out
Come-out point - means a total of 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 thrown by the shooter on the come out roll.
How To Win At Craps
Come-out roll - means the first roll of the dice at the opening of the game or the next roll of the dice after a decision with respect to Pass Bet and Don't Pass Bet.
How To Play Craps At Casino And Win Games
Come Bets
Don't Pass Line
Win
Natural
Craps
Place bet