Any Craps: Wins if a 2, 3 or 12 is thrown. Any Seven: Wins if a 7 is rolled. Eleven: Wins if a 11 is thrown. Ace Duece: Wins if a 3 is rolled. Horn Bet: it acts as the bets on 2, 3, 11 and 12 all at once. Wins if one of these numbers is rolled. CRAPS/11 SPLIT (C&E)A C&E is a one roll combination bet on the Any Craps and 11. If Craps rolls, it pays 3 times the total bet. If 11 rolls, it pays 7 times the total bet. The bet is made in even increments.

1. Craps Seven Or Eleven
2. Craps Seven Eleven

The game of Craps has been around for quite some time and has come a long way to become as popular as it is today. It is a game focused on a pair of dice and unlike some other table games, one cannot win by bluffing. Craps is considered a game where the outcome is based solely on players' luck.

Although the game seems easy at first, it can be more complicated than one expects as the rules and odds of winning are different from any other game you might have played.

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The entire process of becoming an expert in playing craps begins with a thorough understanding of all dice combinations as well as the odds. The first important rule to remember is that the combinations determine the odds as well as the payout.

Most casinos use red dice although you can also come across green or blue ones. Even if you have never played Craps before, you should notice that all dice are transparent. This way, it is easier for the casino staff to identify any imperfections and substitute the dice with another one with the aim of ensuring game fairness.

There are five important figures in a game of Craps, the Boxman, the Shooter, the Dealer, the Stickman, the Bettor.

Every Craps table has “on” and “off” stages. When a table in an Off stage, it means that the shooter has not rolled the “come-out point” yet. Players are not allowed to place bets on the “pass” or “don't pass” line when the table is in Off stage. The table is in an Off stage when the shooter repeatedly rolls 7, 11, or craps numbers 2,3, 12.

The table is On when the shooter rolls a number different from the aforementioned ones. Players are allowed to place their bets.

When you sit on the Craps table, you have to put your money in the Come bet area. The dealer will take the money and give you the respective number of chips in exchange.

The dealer is not allowed to take money directly from your hands. If you run out of chips but you would like to continue playing, you can just put more money on the table and the Boxman will give you more chips.

In case someone is rolling when you join the table you are not allowed to place bets until the shooter rolls a 7. When the new shooter is about to take over, you can place your bet.

Dice Combinations

Nowadays, the dice used in casinos have a really fine shape. They resemble a perfect cube and each of the sides is approximately ¾'.

The cube has six equal sides and each of them has a certain number of spots representing numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, respectively.

If you take a single dice and drop it onto the table so it falls randomly, the chance of hitting a particular number, for example, 3, is 1 in 6 or 5 to 1. In other words, the probability of hitting another number is five times higher than the probability of rolling out 3.

When you throw two dice, the numbers that can result are 11.

Let's presume each dice has six sides, which makes for 36 possible combinations. These combinations will total one of the aforementioned 11 numbers. For example, if both dice come up with 1 spot, that makes a total of 2. In case one of them comes up showing 3 and the other one 4, that makes 7. In point of fact, the combinations that total 7 are more than any other. You have 6 chances to roll out dice totaling seven (1-6, 6-1, 2-5, 5-2, 3-4, 4-3).

Odds

Odds are defined as the probability of one thing happening although it is not certain as to whether it will happen or not. What determines the odds of the bets, the payouts as well as all bets on the layout are the dice combinations as well as their probability of occurring.

However, you have to be informed that regardless of the bet on the layout, the house always has an advantage over the player except for the bet type known as “free odds”. The latter bet is available on all casino games although it is not likely to appear on the layout. Anyway, the free bet is the only bet where the casino does not have an advantage over the player and it definitely needs to be exploited.

Playing Craps Basics

All Craps tables that are available for players have their betting limits displayed. It is possible for some notes to be displayed on plastic cards inside the table. They are intended to show the minimum and maximum bets applicable to a certain table.

Although players are attracted mainly by the low limit tables, casinos usually raise the betting limits when the tables are fully occupied.

You are advised to carefully select the table that matches your bankroll criteria and feel comfortable during your gameplay.

When the table is open for new bets, the Stickman takes a tray of between 5 and 9 dice and the player who is on his left side rolls them out. Depending on “shooter's” roll, the bets are collected or paid out.

If you are the player sitting immediately on Stickman's left, but you are unwilling to roll the dice, you can politely reject the offer and the Stickman will move to the player next to you. All players on the table will be given a chance to shoot. The dice proceeds clockwise and the shooter is supposed to pick up two of the dice from the tray. The remaining dice are taken back to the tray.

When the shooter throws the dice, it needs to be thrown to the opposite end of the table. In order to ensure the fairness and randomness of the roll, at least one of the dice must bounce off the angular-shaped wall. The shooter is supposed to roll the dice with one hand only. The shooter must throw the dice in the air rather than sliding it across the table. According to statistics, if one of the dice is thrown to the end of the table, the outcome cannot be controlled or predicted.

In case your shot is short, the Boxman might still allow it to count, but the player, supposed to be a shooter after you, will be reminded that the dice must reach the opposite end of the table.

In case the shooter after you also registers a “weak” shot, the Boxman will remind the rules once again and if the short shot practice continues, the Boxman has the right to disallow rolls.

You are supposed to make the so-called “line” bet and its amount must be at least the minimum bet set for that table. The “line bet” is required for shooting the dice. It is made on the pass or don't pass line.

Many players who do not have enough experience in playing craps, ask why is the line bet necessary?

If the player does not make a line bet and has only one ”standard” bet on the table, they might lose that bet and leave the game. However, the other players might be in the middle of their gameplay and their profits may depend on the rolls of that shooter.

If the player has a line bet at risk he/she is more likely to complete the game. The shooter throws the dice until he rolls a seven after an established point.

If you intend to play craps at a land-based casino, you can visit it at any time. The best casinos have at least one Craps table open round the clock. The more players come to the casino, the more craps table become available.

How to Play Craps

Craps is one of the most exciting Casino games around as it is high in Player involvement. You will regularly hear yelling and shouting at one of the tables in a land-based casino. It is played on a purpose-built table using two dice.

Like most Casino games, you play against the House (Casino) as opposed to other players and as there are lots of different betting options you can bet on when guessing what numbers will come up when the dice are rolled, there is plenty of choices to make too.

In this article we discuss how to play craps giving you a break down of craps rules and everything you need to win at the game. This is part 1 of a two part article. After learning the basics of craps rules, the second part is about more advanced strategies and tips.

Craps Rules

Craps rules can be more difficult than in other casino games, but once learned this can be a very social and enjoyable game with some terrific betting odds.

The Objective of the game

Craps Seven Or Eleven

Players need to guess the outcome of 2 standard, 6-sided dice being rolled and what the total of the 2 dice will be.

Dice Values

The game is played with a set of two perfectly balanced dice with each die having six white dots numbered 1 through 6. There is an equal chance of each number being rolled.

Possible Dice Combinations:

Names of Dice Rolls

Game Session Preparations:

Set your budget – As a general rule, you need enough for 50 bets when playing table games.

Choose your table – All will have a minimum and maximum amount you can place on all different bets, choose one where each of your favourites is no more than one-fiftieth of your budget. i.e. if you have a bankroll of $/€/£200, you should be looking at betting no more than $/€/£4 per time

Find a space at the table – Unlike many Casino games, players always stand and do not have a specific area where they place bets – there are many different types of bets that all players can use. This is irrelevant when playing online.

Decide how much you would like to change up and play with – You will be given chips, the sizes of which depend on how much you change up and the limits of the tables.

Game Progression

To begin, the Shooter (one of the Players) needs to bet at least the table minimum on either the Pass Line or the Don’t Pass Line

The game is played in Rounds, with the right to roll the dice by each player moving clockwise around the table at the end of each round. A player may choose not to roll but can continue to bet.

Once all players have made their desired bets, the Round begins. Each round has two phases: Come Out and Point. To start a round, the shooter makes one or more Come Out rolls.

Payouts are sometimes made after each roll, and sometimes made after several rolls; see the individual Bet descriptions for details.

Craps Table Layout

We will delve more into the table layout features below in the Placing Bets section. On the Craps table there are two Dealers, a Stickman, and a Boxman.

The Stickman uses a long flexible stick to push the dice around the table, gathering the dice after rolls and pushing them to the player.

The Boxman is the person in charge of the game and has final decision-making authority.

The Dealers cash chips and ensure that bets are placed on the table correctly.

Placing Bets in Craps

Out of 990 decisions at the craps table, you can expect to lose 14 decisions more than you win.

As with any Casino game, there will invariably be swings, both large and small, either way when it comes to winning or losing. In the relatively short time you will be playing, there will be fluctuations in this house edge, so at times things will be going in your favor.

You can place bets at any time, the best time to start doing this is when a new Shooter starts. The first thing he needs to do is Establish a Point.

If a Shooter rolls a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 on his/her first roll, all other bets below can be made.

If a 2, 3 or 12 are rolled, all Players will win they are Come Out bets and the Shooter will continue rolling to establish a new Point.

If a 7 or 11 are rolled, all Players will lose their Come Out bets and a new Shooter will be designated.

Pass Line/Don’t Pass Line

When it is your turn to throw the dice, you must determine whether to bet the Pass line or the Don’t Pass line. Most Shooters, as well as most of the other players at the table, will bet the Pass line, as it is the basic bet in Craps.

The Pass line bet is an even-money bet that wins if you either roll a total of 7 or 11 on the Come-Out roll or if you throw a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 on the Come-Out roll and repeat that number before you roll a 7. The Pass line bet loses if the Come-Out roll is a 2, 3, or 12 (known as “craps”) or when a 7 is rolled before the established Point Number is repeated.

A Pass Line bet can be made at any time during a Shooter’s roll, even after he has established a Point. However, a bet placed on the Pass Line after a Point has been established is a very poor bet, since you have missed the opportunity to win on the Come-Out roll when the shooter throws a 7 or an 11. The only way you can now win is if the shooter repeats his point before he Sevens-Out.

Come Bets

A Come bet is identical to a Pass line bet, with one exception: A Come bet may be made on every throw of the dice once the Shooter has established a Point. A Come bet is made by placing the number of chips you wish to wager in the designated Come area of the table.

Once you place a Come bet, the very next roll of the dice becomes the Come-out roll for that bet. Therefore, if the Shooter rolls a 7, you will win even though Pass line betters will lose. If an 11 is rolled, you will win while the Line bets will not be affected. However, should one of the Craps numbers come up (2, 3 or 12) you will lose, but the Line bets will be unaffected.

If the Shooter throws one of the Box numbers on the first roll of the dice after you’ve made a Come bet, this number becomes an established Point for your Come bet. To win this bet, your Come point must be repeated before a 7 is rolled.

Once a Point has been established for your Come bet, the Dealer will move the chips you have bet to the corresponding numbered box on the layout to await a decision for that Point. When you win a Come bet, the Dealer will pay you off by placing your original bet, along with your winnings, in the Come section of the layout. If you do not immediately retrieve your chips, they will be in action on the next roll of the dice as a new Come bet (this is collected for you automatically when playing online).

The Don’t-Pass Line Bet

We know that a Pass line bet is simply a wager that the Shooter will win. But you also can bet that the shooter will fail to make a pass and thus lose.

The Don’t Pass line bet wins when the Shooter throws a Craps of 2 or 3, but not 12, on the Come-Out roll, or when he rolls a 7 before repeating his established Point number. This bet loses when the Come-Out roll is a 7 or 11, or when the Shooter repeats his Point number before rolling a 7.

The Don’t Pass line bet is the exact opposite of a pass line with one exception: Although a roll of 12 on the Come out loses for Pass line betters, it is not a winning number for Don’t Pass betters. It is a stand-off and neither wins nor loses. This is because if Don’t Pass betters were permitted to win in this situation, they would have an advantage over the house. So by barring (disallowing) the number 12 on the Come-Out roll, the casinos retain a small edge. Some casinos bar the number 2, but the effect is exactly the same.

Unlike a Pass line bet, a Don’t Pass bet can be removed after a Point number has been established on the Come-Out roll. Once a Point is established you have an advantage over the house, thus the casino has no objections to your taking down the bet. Of course, you should never do this. After going up against an 8 to 3 house edge on the Come-Out roll, you will have an overall average advantage of 18.8% after a Point has been established.

Laying the Odds

When the Shooter establishes a Point number on the Come-Out roll, players who have made Don’t Pass line bets are permitted to Lay the Odds. In the same way, Don’t Come bets are the exact opposite of Come bets (with the exception of a 12 is rolled on the Come bet), the Laying the Odds bet is the exact opposite of an Odds bet (which no exceptions).

Correct payoffs for Lay Odds bets are as follows:

Points 4 and 10 pay 1-to-2

Points 5 and 9 pay 2-to-3

Points 6 and 8 pay 5-to 6

Don’t Come Bets

Don’t Come bets can be placed on every throw of the dice after a Point has been established. After you have placed a Don’t Come bet, the very next throw of the dice becomes the Come-Out roll for that bet. If the Shooter rolls a Craps number of 2 or 3, you will win while Don’t Pass line betters will not be affected. If a 7 is rolled, you will lose and bets on the Don’t Pass will win. You also will lose if an 11 is thrown, although this number will not have a bearing on Don’t Pass bets. A roll of 12 is a stand-off.

Place bets on 6 and 8

A Place bet can be made on any of the Point numbers (4,5,6,8,9,10) at any time during a game and is simply a bet that one of these numbers will be rolled before the Shooter throws a 7. You cannot Take the Odds on Place bets.
Place bets on the 6 and 8 are paid off at 7-to-6 on correct odds of 6-to-5, which gives the casino an advantage of 1.51% on these numbers. To ensure that you receive the full 7-to-6 payoff on the 6 and 8, you must make your bet in multiples of six, such as $6, $12, $18, and so forth (this isn’t the case when playing online)
Place bets on the 5 and 9 carry a house advantage of 4%, and Place bets on 4 and 10 carry a house advantage of 6.6%.

Craps Seven Eleven

Field Bets

This is a bet on the next number to be rolled. There are seven numbers inside the field area that if rolled, will result in a win. The numbers are 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 and 12. If you make a wager in the field and any of the above numbers show on the next roll you will win. In many Casinos and some online sites, you win double or even treble your bet if a 2 or a 12 are rolled.

Proposition Bets

These bets can be made at any time and, they are all one roll bets.

Any Craps: Wins if a 2, 3 or 12 is thrown. Payoff 7:1

Any Seven: Wins if a 7 is rolled. Payoff 4:1

Eleven: Wins if a 11 is thrown. Payoff 15:1

Ace Duece: Wins if a 3 is rolled. Payoff 15:1

Horn Bet

: it acts as the bets on 2, 3, 11 and 12 all at once. Wins if one of these numbers is rolled. The payoff is determined according to the number rolled. The other three bets are lost.

Hardways Bets

This is a bet on a specific double coming out on the next roll. For example, if a player is putting money on the hard 6 the player is betting that the shooter will roll a 3,3. You can only bet on 2:2, 3:3, 4:4 or 5:5, and you are betting on a specific double to appear and not covering all of them.

Best Craps Bets

The best craps bets are the following:

Taking the Odds

When the Shooter establishes a Point on the Come-Out roll, any player who has made a Pass line bet is allowed to “take the Odds.” A single Odds bet is an additional bet, up to the amount of your original bet, that the Point number will be repeated before a 7 is rolled.

*Important* The “Odds Bet” is the best one you can make in the game because the house has no built-in advantage.

The Odds bet not only hasn’t any house edge associated with it, but also has no official designated space on the table. Therefore, to take the Odds, you must place the appropriate amount of chips behind your Pass line bet in the open area of the Craps layout (this is also the same when playing online).

The correct payoff for Odds bets varies from Point number to Point number, depending on the odds of a 7 being rolled before a particular point is repeated. Correct odds payoffs are as follows:

Points 4 and 10 pay 2-to-1

Points 5 and 9 pay 3-to-2

Points 6 and 8 pay 6-to-5

Craps Payouts

You can find a bet summary here.

Continue to Part II – Advanced Craps Strategy & Tips

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