As a matter of course, the dice are replaced with new ones after about
eight hours of use, and casinos have implemented rules in the way a player
handles them.
The player must handle the dice with one hand only when throwing and
the dice must hit the walls on the opposite end of the table. In the
event that one or both dice are thrown off the table, they must be
inspected (usually by the stickman) before putting them back into play.
The craps table can accommodate up to about 20 players, who each get
a round of throws or at 'shooting' the dice. If you don't want to throw
the dice, you can bet on the thrower. Several types of bets can be made
on the table action. The casino crews consist of a stickman, boxman and
two dealers.
The first roll of the dice in a betting round is called the Come
Out roll - a new game in Craps begins with the Come Out roll. A Come
Out roll can be made only when the previous shooter fails to make a
winning roll, that is, fails to make the Point or seven out.
A new game then begins with a new shooter. If the current shooter
does make his Point, the dice are returned to him and he then begins
the new Come Out roll. This is a continuation of that shooter's roll,
although technically, the Come Out roll identifies a new game about
to begin.
When the shooter fails to make his or her Point, the dice are then
offered to the next player for a new Come Out roll and the game continues
in the same manner. The new shooter will be the person directly next
to the left of the previous shooter - so the game moves in a clockwise
fashion around the craps table.
The dice are rolled across the craps table layout. The layout is divided
into three areas - two side areas separated by a center one. Each side
area is the mirror reflection of the other and contains the following:
Pass and Don't Pass line bets, Come and Don't Come bets, Odds bet,
Place bets and Field bets. The center area is shared by both side areas
and contains the Proposition bets.
Pass bets win when the come out roll is 7 or 11, while pass bets lose
when the come out roll is 2, 3, or 12. 'Don't bets; lose when the come
out roll is 7 or 11, and 'don't bets' win when the come out roll is
2 or 3. 'Don't bets' tie when the come out roll is 12 (2 in some casinos;
the 'Bar' roll on the layout indicates which roll is treated as a tie).
Below is a list of the various bets you can make at craps.
Pass Line Bet - You win if the first roll is a natural (7, 11) and
lose if it is craps (2, 3, 12). If a point is rolled (4, 5, 6, 8, 9,
10) it must be repeated before a 7 is thrown in order to win. If 7
is rolled before the point, you lose.
Odds on Pass Line Bet - After a point is rolled you can make
this additional bet by taking odds. There are different payoffs for
each point. A point of 4 or 10 will pay you 2:1; 5 or 9 pays 3:2;
6 or 8 pays 6:5. You only win if the point is rolled again before a 7.
Come Bet - It has the same rules as the Pass Line bet. The
difference consists in the fact you can make this bet only after the
point on the pass line has been determined. After you place your bet
the first dice roll will set the come point. You win if it is a natural
(7, 11) and lose if it is craps (2, 3, 12). Other rolls will make you
a winner if the come point is repeated before a 7 is rolled. If a 7
is rolled first you lose.
Odds on Come Bet - Exactly the same thing as the Odds on Pass
Line bet except you take odds on the Come bet not the Pass Line bet.
Don't Pass Line Bet - This is the reversed Pass Line bet. If
the first roll of a dice is a natural
(7, 11) you lose and if it is a 2 or a 3 you win. A dice roll of 12 means
you have a tie or push with the casino. If the roll is a point (4, 5,
6, 8, 9, 10) a 7 must come out before that point is repeated to make
you a winner. If the point is rolled again before the 7 you lose.
Don't Come Bet - The reversed Come Bet. After the come point
has been established you win if it is a 2 or 3 and lose for 7 or 11.
12 is a tie and other dice rolls will make you win only if a
7 appears before them on the following throws.
Place Bets - This bet works only after the point has been determined.
You can bet on a dice roll of 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10. You win if the
number you placed your bet on is rolled before a 7. Otherwise you lose.
The Place Bets payoffs are different depending on the number you bet
on. 4 or 10 will pay 9:5; 5 or 9 pays 7:5, and 6 or 8 pays 7:6. You
can cancel this bet anytime you want to.
Field Bets - These bets are for one dice roll only. If a 2,
3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 12 is rolled you win. A 5, 6, 7 and 8 make you lose.
Field Bets have the following different payoffs: 2 pays double (2:1)
while 12 pays 3:1. Other winning dice rolls pays even (1:1).
Big Six, Big Eight Bets - Placed at any roll of dice these
bets win if a 6 or 8 comes out before a 7 is rolled. Big Six and Big
Eight are even bets and are paid at 1:1.
Proposition Bets - These bets can be made at any time and,
except for the hardways, they are all one roll bets:
Any Craps: Wins if a 2, 3 or 12 is thrown.
Payoff 8:1
Any Seven: Wins if a 7 is rolled. Payoff 5:1
Eleven: Wins if a 11 is thrown. Payoff 16:1
Ace Deuce: Wins if a 3 is rolled. Payoff 16:1
Aces or Boxcars: Wins if a 2 or 12 is thrown. Payoff 30:1
Horn Bet: it acts as the bets on 2, 3, 11 and 12 all at once. Wins if
one of these numbers is rolled. Payoff is determined according to the
number rolled. The other three bets are lost.
Hardways: The bet on a hardway number wins if it's thrown hard (sum of
pairs: 1-1, 3-3, 4-4...) before it's rolled easy and a 7 is thrown. Payoffs:
Hard 4 and 10, 8:1; Hard 6 and 8, 10:1
House advantage 2 - 17%
Craps Strategies
(Click
HERE to return to
CRAPS RULES)
Craps is one of the most exciting casino games. It's common to hear yelling
and shouting at a craps table, we're talking high energy! It's played
on a purpose-built table and two dice are used. The dice are made after
very strict standards and are routinely inspected for any damage.
Trying to teach a strategy for craps is difficult due to the complexity
of the game. Still, a good and reliable strategy is to make only 'pass
line' bets or 'don't pass' bets, with maximum odds.
As you will see in the table below, the odds to win those bets are rather
good. Come bets are also a good idea but only if you are ahead and you
find a shooter who is throwing many point numbers. Another piece of advice
is never to combine the different bets at the same time.
In the table below you will find the percentage
of winning any craps bet. Get to know these odds
when making your bets.
| Bet |
Winning
Possibility |
House
Edge |
| Pass Line Bet |
49.30% |
1.41% |
| Pass Line Bet,
3x Odds |
49.30% |
0.61% |
| Don't pass bet |
50.71% |
1.36% |
| Don't pass bet,
3x Odds |
50.71% |
0.58% |
| Come bet |
49.30% |
1.41% |
| Come bet, 3x Odds |
49.30% |
0.61% |
| Don't come bet |
50.71% |
1.36% |
| Don't come bet,
3x odds |
50.71% |
0.58% |
| Field bet |
44.44% |
5.56% |
| Place
Bet |
| 6 and 8 |
45.45% |
1.52% |
| 5 and 9 |
40.00% |
4.00% |
| 4 and 10 |
33.33% |
6.67% |
| Buy
Bet |
| 6 and 8 |
45.45% |
2.73% |
| 5 and 9 |
40.00% |
3.00% |
| 4 and 10 |
33.33% |
3.33% |
| Big 6 and Big 8 |
45.45% |
9.09% |
| Any seven |
16.67% |
16.67% |
| Any craps |
11.11% |
11.11% |
| Hard
Ways |
| 6 and 8 |
9.09% |
9.09% |
| 4 and 10 |
11.11% |
11.11% |
So there you have it. You should only bet on Pass/Don't Pass bets with
the highest possible odds and it's the same with Come/Don't Come bets.
As you see above, the house edge differs slightly but even one percent
increases your winning chances.
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