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Craps
The first time you load up Craps into your casino software you'll wonder what on
earth's going on! The good news is that the rules of craps are very simple.
It's fast paced and exciting and it conjures up mental images of Las Vegas.
It's the huge range of bets that puts newcomers off playing Craps but you only
need to know the basics, and which bets to avoid.
The Rules:
The shooter (dice thrower) steps up to the table and rolls two dice.
If the total of the scores on the dice is 7 or 11 then he wins immediately.
If the total of the scores on the dice is 2, 3 or 12 then he loses immediately.
(2, 3, or 12 is known as Craps)
If the total of the scores on the dice is any other number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10)
then this number becomes "Point". A white puck is placed above the
point number on the craps table to make the game easier to follow. The game is
on…
The shooter then continues to roll the dice, for as long as it takes, until he
either scores the point number or 7.
If he scores point, he wins.
If he scores 7, he loses.
A winning shooter stays at the table and starts again, a losing shooter hands
the dice to the next player, and the game starts again.
Basic terminology:
Shooter: the current dice thrower.
Come-out roll: The shooter's first roll.
Pass: If the shooter wins his game, by any means, he is said to
"Pass".
Don't Pass: The term used if the shooter loses.
The following illustration depicts the left half of a craps table. The bets to
the bottom right, therefore, are referred to as the center bets, as they are
actually in the center of a full sized table.
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The Bets
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| Pass line |
Wins if the shooter wins the round |
| Don't Pass Bar |
Wins if the shooter loses the round
(12 is a tie). |
| Field |
Pays Evens if the shooter rolls 3, 4,
9, 10 or 11. Pays 2:1 if he rolls 2 or 12. This bet only lasts for one throw. |
| Come |
Works like a Pass Line bet but starts
from when you place the bet. Can't be made on a shooter's come out roll. |
| Don't Come |
Works like a Don't Pass bet but starts
from when you place the bet. Can't be made on a shooter's come out roll. |
| Big 6, Big 8 |
The same as a place bet on 6 or 8 but
with a lower payout. Then why bother? |
| Place Bet |
Place a bet on 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10. If
your number is rolled before a 7, you win. |
| Hard Way Bet |
e.g. Hardway 6 is 3+3. Bet is live
until player rolls required combination in which case you win, or the number is
attained by another combination (e.g. 5+1), or 7 is rolled. You lose. Large
house edge. Avoid this bet. |
| Other Proposition Bets |
Again located in the center of the
table, they are mostly self explanitory and carry a large house edge. |
Essentially, the bets on the center of the table give
the casino a high edge and should be avoided, as should the Big 6 and Big 8.
The other bets represent better value, both in terms of returns and
entertainment as all bets stay live until the game is either won or lost, with
the exception of the Field bet, which is a one shot bet.
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BetXtra.com Tip:
The center bets seem to offer very high payouts. In reality, this is where the
casino makes its money from craps as the payouts represent a comparitively high
House Edge.
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