NagCraps
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Rules of Craps
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I have seen players win and I have seen the same players lose. Craps is like any other game of chance or fact of life.
There are ups and there are downs. To me its simple recognize the ups and parley, parley, parley. Unfortunately, I have not
recognized the field rolled 15 times, or the buy on the 8 for 8 plays, or even the 10 Don't Passes that the Don't Bettor just
shot. Although I do play props, dont lay odds, and am always chasin a field. I manage to make my $100 last for 36 hrs or more,
lots of booze, and lots a craps. If you could predict the future buildings would be built with your name on em. Craps provides
the perfect environment for predicting future outcomes. Calculating the odds of probability fascinates me like nothing I
have ever come across. The added thrill of watchin that YO roll will its workin boosts that ego and provides a high that
I cant find anywhere else. Throw in the Crap House with its philosophy of consumer hospitality, and now thats life. To me life
is a gamble, the sheer fact that out of 1 in a 100 billion that the human race exists in the first place all breaks down into
probability. And one day the probabilty of four YO's???! Anyways here are the basics........
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"Craps" offers by far the fastest way to win or lose large amounts of money in a very short time. Screaming and yelling can
often intimidate new players. The insanity has more to do with the pace and betting possibilities than
the complexity of the game itself. If you are new to the game, most casinos offer free lessons for players.
The craps table is composed of rails surrounding a large felt layout designating the placement of bets. The inside walls of
the table are covered with a serrated egg-carton like foam, designed to make the dice bounce around to assure randomness.
Depending on the overall size of the craps table, up to 16-20 people can play at once. Each craps table has min and max bets
set by the casino. Usually, these are marked next to the "Dealers".
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In Craps, "The Shooter" controls the dice for each game. Eventually, all players at the craps table will have the opportunity
to roll or pass the dice. Players take turns in a clockwise rotation. If you don't want to be "The Shooter" tell "The Stickman"
when he places the dice in front of you. The dice will pass to the next player. Two perfectly balanced dice, each with six
sides numbered from 1-6, are rolled by "The Shooter". To be qualified as a shooter one must be next in a clockwise progressive
line and place a "Pass" or "Don't Pass" line bet before a new game. The game is played by tossing the dice from one of the short
ends of the table to the other (make sure that both die hit the opposite side wall of the table). "The Shooter" throws the dice
hard enough to cause them to bounce off the wall at the far end of the craps table. This bounce ensures that each number of
each dice has an equal probability of being shown. "The Dealers" will harass any shooter not reaching the wall, throwing
the dice to fast, erratically, switiching hands during a roll, removing the dice from the table, or any mannerisms deemed
inappropriate for a shooter.
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Once the "The Shooter" rolls all payoffs are made based on the number combination displayed when the dice come to rest. "The Shooter"
continues to roll until the game ends and the dice are moved to the next person in line. When a new shooter is given the dice,
his or her first roll is called the "Come Out" roll.
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Operations
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Casino craps is played against the casino. All the players around the craps table are wagering either with or against "The Shooter".
The bets are paid off according to "The Shooters" roll. The casino covers all bets and players cannot bet amongest themselves.
Four casino employees run the craps table. "The Boxman", in the middle, runs the game. He oversee's "The Dealers", monitors the
play, and examines the dice for tampering. Two "Dealers", one placed on each side of "The Boxman", pay off the winners and collect
the chips of the losers. Each dealer controls their half of the table. The fourth employee is "The Stickman". He is provided with a
flexible stick which is used to manipulate the dice around the table. He also supplies "The Shooter" with dice, regulates the pace
of the game, checks dice for tampering and controls "The Proposition" bets. When all bets are down, he pushes several sets of dice
toward "The Shooter". "The Shooter" selects two dice and "The Stickman" removes the others from the table.
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When it is your turn to throw the dice (Come Out), "The Stickman" will deposit several dice in front of you, pick out two and return
the rest. After making the required line bet, you may throw the dice. You retain control of the dice until you throw a 7 "Seven Out"
or relinquish the dice voluntarily.
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"Come Out"
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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 -- known as "not making 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 or session, although technically, the "Come Out" roll identifies a new game about to begin. When it is your turn
to throw the dice, "The Stickman" will deposit several dice in front of you, pick out two and return the rest. After making the
required line bet, you may throw the dice. You retain control of the dice until you throw a 7 "Seven Out" or relinquish the dice
voluntarily.
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If you have placed a "Pass Line" bet and roll a 7 or 11 on the "Come-Out" roll, you are an immediate winner. In this case, you collect
your winnings and retain possession of the dice. If you have placed a "Pass Line" bet and roll a 2, 3, or 12 you are an immediate loser
of your "Pass Line" bet. This is known as "rolling craps". You have the option of placing another "Line" bet and contining to be "The
Shooter" or not betting and relenquising the dice. If you continue to be "The Shooter" you roll until you make your "Point".
If on your "Come Out" roll you have wagered a "Don't Pass" Line bet and you roll a 7 or 11 then you are an instant loser. As with the
"Pass Line" bet you have the option of placing another "Line" bet or relenquishing the dice. If you are on the "Don't Pass" line bet
and you roll a 3 or 2 then you are an immediate winner. Upon rolling a 12 the "Don't Pass" line bet pushes. Either way you continue
to be the shooter until you "Seven Out".
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"Point"
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The basic idea behind Craps is to establish a "point" number and roll that number again before rolling a 7. If your "Come-Out" roll
is a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10, the number becomes "The Point". A marker is placed in the correspondingly numbered box on the layout to
identify "The Point" for all players at the table. In order to win the game, this number will have to be rolled again before you
"Seven Out". Only the numbers 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 can be a point number and all other rolls on the dice have special meanings
depending on when they are rolled (before or after a point is established). 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. If the shooter
rolls 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 the shooter must roll this same number again (to win) before rolling the number 7. Rolling any of these
numbers on the "Come Out" roll is called "Establishing the "Point"". Any number so rolled is thereafter referred to as the "Point".
Establishing a "Point" is an event that happens as the immediate result of the "Come Out" roll. The "Puck" looks like a hockey puck
and is white on one side and black on the other. Its purpose is to identify the "Point". Once the shooter establishes the "Point",
the dealer will move this puck to that "Point" number and turn it the white side up. The puck stays on this "Point" until the
shooter either makes his "Point" or until he "Sevens Out". When the puck is moved to the "Don't Come" bar 12 area and turned black
side up a new game is starting and the next roll is a "Come Out". White side up over a "Point" indicates the game is in
progress and that this box number is the "Point".
Basically that's about it, you are now ready to approach the table and "Kick Crap Ass"!
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Example Roll
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Your first roll, called the "Come-Out" roll, is the most important. If you roll a 7 or 11 on the "Come-Out" roll, you are an immediate
winner. In this case, you collect your winnings and retain possessoin of the dice. If your "Come-Out" roll is a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10,
the number becomes "The Point". A marker is placed in the correspondingly numbered box on the layout to identify "The Point" for
all players at the table. In order to win the game, this number will have to be rolled again before you "Seven Out". Thus, if you
roll a 4 on your "Come-Out" roll, the number 4 becomes "The Point". It doesn't matter how long it takes you to roll another 4, as
long as you don't roll a 7 first. As soon as you "Seven Out", you lose, and the dice are passed to the next player.
Let's say 4 is is your point, and your second roll is 6, your third roll is a 9, and then you roll another 4. You win because you
rolled a 4 again without rolling a 7. Because you have not yet rolled a 7, you retain possession of the dice, and after placing a line
bet, you may initiate a new game. Your next roll is once again a "Come-Out" roll. Just as 7 or 11 are immediate winners on a "Come-Out"
roll, there are immediate losers, too. A roll of 2, 3, or 12 called "Craps" will lose. You lose your chips, but you keep the dice
because you have not yet rolled a 7. If your first roll is 2, for example, it's "Craps" and you lose your bet. You place another
Line bet and roll to "Come-Out" again. This time you roll a 5, so 5 becomes your "Point". Your second roll is a 4, your third roll
is a 9, and then you "Seven Out". The roll of 7 means you lose and the dice pass to the next player.
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"Mechanics"
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In Craps, winning or losing depends on a variety of 36 different possible outcomes on any roll of the two dice. Some number
combinations can be made several ways, others only one way. For example, two dice can roll the number 6 as follows: 5/1, 4/2, 3/3, 2/4
and 1/5. But the number 2 can only be rolled one way: 1/1. Numbers such as 6, which can be rolled several ways, don't pay as much as
numbers which can be rolled only one way, unless you are betting that the number will be rolled in a specific way, such has 3/3, known
as "Hardways". All winning payoffs are, therefore, determined by the frequency in which any two-dice number combinations can be rolled.
Generally, the harder the combination is to roll, the more it will pay, and vice versa. Before the new shooter rolls the dice on his or
her "Come Out" roll, there are a variety of bets that can be made. The "Pass Line" and Don't Pass Line" bet are the most common bets to
make. Once the shooter establishes a "Point", you can then place an additional bet behind your "Pass Line" bet. This is called "taking
odds". In most casinos you can bet up to three times the amount of your "Pass Line" bet. This is called "taking full odds". Some
casinos offer up to 100 times odds! This simply means that you can bet up to 100 times the amount of your "Pass Line" bet once a
"Point" has been established.
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Of the dozens of bets that can be made at the craps table, only two or three should even be considered by a novice craps player.
Keeping your bets simple makes it eaiser to understand what's going on, while at the same time minimizing the house advantage.
Exotic, Long-Short bets, offering as high as 30-1, and should be avoided.
"The Line Bets":
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"Pass Line" and "Don't Pass Line" bets combine simplicity with one of the smallest house advantages of any casino game, about 1.4%.
If you bet "Pass Line", you are betting that the first roll will be a 7 or 11 or a point number, and that "The Shooter" will make
"The Point" again before he rolls a 7. If you bet the "Don't Pass Line", you are betting that the first roll will be a 2, 3, or 12,
or if a point is established, that "The Shooter" will "Seven Out" before he rolls his point number again. The 2 and 3 are immediate
losers, and the casino will collect the chips of anyone betting "Pass Line". A roll of 12 "Bar", however, is considered a standoff
where the shooter "Craps Out" but no chips change hands for "The Don't Bettor. Almost 90% of casino craps players confine their
betting to "Pass Line" and "Don't Pass Line".
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"Come and Don't Come"
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"Come" and "Don't Come" bets are just like "Pass Line" and "Don't Pass Line" bets, except that they are placed after "The Point" has
been established on the "Come-Out" roll. "Pass Line" and "Don't Pass Line" bets must be placed before the first roll of the dice, but
"Come" and "Don't Come" bets may be placed before any roll of the dice except the "Come-Out" rolls. On his "Come-Out" roll "The Shooter"
rolls a 9. Nine becomes "The Point". If at this time you place your chips in the "Come Box" on the craps table, the next roll of the
dice will determine your "Come Number".
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If "The Shooter" throws a 6, for example, your chips are placed in the box marked with a six. "The Dealer" will move your chips and
keeps track of your bets. If "The Shooter" rolls another six before he "Seven Out", your bet pays off. If "The Shooter" makes his point,
your "Come" bet is retained on the lay out. If you win a "Come" bet, "The Dealer" will place your chips from the numbered box back into
the "Come" space and set your winnings beside it. You may leave your chips there for the next roll or you may remove them entirely.
If you fail to remove your winnings before the next roll, they may become a bet you didn't want to make.
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Other bets can be made during the game after the "Come Out" roll by anyone, called "Come" and "Don't Come" bets. These are made by
placing the bet on the "Come" box or the "Don't Come" box; these bets are regarded as "Pass" or "Don't Pass" bets, but as if the very
next roll of the dice were the "Come Out" roll of a new game. For example, if a "Come" bet is made and if the next roll is 7 or 11,
the "Come" bet wins immediately; if the next roll is 2, 3, or 12, the "Come" bet loses immediately; otherwise, the number rolled is
the "Point" for that "Come" bet (called a "Come Point"). Such a "Come" bet is moved onto the area of the table where its point appears,
awaiting a roll of either its "Point" or 7. The game for a "Come" bet always continues until this happens, even though "The Shooter"
rolls the point for the "Pass Line", even though "The Shooter" begins a new game for the "Pass Line", even though another shooter
begins rolling, as long as the termination conditions for that "Come" bet have not yet occurred. Note that rolling a 7 always
terminates all "Pass", "Come", "Don't Pass", and "Don't Come" games on the table; since it results in immediate win or loss.
The payoffs for "Come" and "Don't Come" bets are the same as for "Pass" and "Don't Pass" bets. It is possible to place "Odds" bets
on the "Points" of your own "Come" and "Don't Come" bets by handing the bet to a dealer and stating that you want "Odds on My".
Unless you specify otherwise, "Odds" bets on "Come" are declared "Not Working" on a "Come Out" roll after a "Point" is made. However,
"Odds" on "Don't Come" bets are usually working by default.
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"Odds" |
| Bet |
Payoff |
House Vig |
| Pass-Line |
1:1 |
1.41% |
| With Single Odds |
1:1 + Odds |
0.8% |
| With Double Odds |
1:1 + Odds |
0.6% |
| Come |
1:1 |
1.41% |
| With Single Odds |
1:1 + Odds |
0.8% |
| With Double Odds |
1:1 + Odds |
0.6% |
| Don't Pass |
1:1 |
1.40% |
| With Single Odds |
1:1 + Odds |
0.8% |
| With Double Odds |
1:1 + Odds |
0.6% |
| Don't Come |
1:1 |
1.40% |
| With Single Odds |
1:1 + Odds |
0.8% |
| With Double Odds |
1:1 + Odds |
0.6% |
| Place (Win) 4 or 10 |
9:5 |
6.67% |
| Place (Win) 4 or 10 Buy |
2:1 (-5% Com) |
4.76% |
| Place (Win) 5 or 9 |
3:5 |
4.0% |
| Place (Win) 6 or 8 |
7:5 |
1.52% |
| Place (Lose) 4 or 10 |
5:11 |
3.03% |
| Place (Lose) 4 or 10 (Laid) |
1:2 (-5% Com) |
2.44% |
| Place (Lose) 5 or 9 |
5:8 |
2.5% |
| Place (Lose) 6 or 8 |
4:5 |
1.82% |
| Big 6 or Big 8 |
1:1 |
9.09% |
| Field With 2 and 12 paying 2:1 |
1:1 |
5.55% |
| Field With 2 paying 3:1 and 12 |
1:1 |
2.77% |
| Field With 2 and 12 paying 3:1 |
1:1 |
5.55% |
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"Don't Come" bets are the opposite of "Come" Bets. A 7 or 11 loses, and a 2, 3, or 12 wins. The 12 is again the standoff. The
"Don't Come" bettor puts his chips in the "Don't Come" space on the table and waits for the next roll to determine his numbers.
His chips are placed above the numbered box to differentiate it from a "Come" Bet. If the shooter rolls his point number before he
rolls your number your "Don't Come" bet is retained on the layout. You are betting against "The Shooter"; that, that he will
"Seven Out". When he rolls seven, you win. If he rolls your "Don't Come" number before he "Seven Out", you lose.
"Odds Bets":
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When you bet the pass/don't pass, or the come/Don't Come area, you may place an odds bet in addition to your original bet. Once it is
established that the Come-Out roll is not a 7 or 11, or craps, the bettor may place a bet that will be paid off according to the actual
odds of a particular number being thrown. To place an odds bet on a line bet, bet the pass line. When (and if) the point is established,
put your additional bet behind the pass line and say "Odds".
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To place an odds bet on a Come Bet, wait for the dealer to move your chips to the come number box, than hand him more chips and say
"Odds". He will set these chips half on and half off the other pile so that he can see at a glance that its an odds bet. If the bet on
which "Odds" are placed wins, the "Odds" bet is paid fairly. This means the "Odds" on "Pass" and "Come" bets are paid 2-1 for the 4
and 10, 3-2 for the 5 and 9, and 6-5 for the 6 and 8. The "Odds" for "Don't Pass" and "Don't Come" bets are paid 1-2 for the 4 and
10, 2-3 for the 5 and 9, and 5-6 for the 6 and 8 ("Laying Odds"). The player should make "Odds" bets that can be paid exactly, or
the dealer will pay off by rounding down. "Odds" on the "Pass Line" and "Come" bets should be a multiple 5 if the point is 6 or 8 and
a multiple of 2 if it's a 5 or 9.
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Casinos advertise the maximum "Odds" bets they allow as the maximum amount "times" the original bet the "Odds" bet may be
(for don't pass and don't come bets, it's the maximum amount "times" the expected win). You can increase your "Odds" bet over
this advertised maximum only enough to allow you to make an odds bet that can be paid exactly. A player can modify his "Odds"
bets at any time. The following table lists the house advantage for a "Pass" bet and "Don't Pass" bet with the indicated odds.
Remember, the house advantage indicates (mathematically) the percentage of your bet handle that the casino will win in the long
run. Be aware, too, that higher odds often means a higher bet handle, which in turn leads to higher "Variance" that is, your
bankroll may exhibit greater swings if you're used to betting $15 a hand ($5 pass bet at double odds) and suddenly start betting
$55 a hand ($5 pass bet at 10x odds).
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| "House Advantage" |
| Odds |
Pass |
Don't Pass |
| 0x |
1.4141% |
1.4026% |
| 1x |
0.8485% |
0.8320% |
| 2x |
0.6061% |
0.5915% |
| 3x |
0.4714% |
0.4588% |
| 4x |
0.3857% |
0.3747% |
| 5x |
0.3263% |
0.3167% |
| 6x |
0.2828% |
0.2743% |
| 7x |
0.2496% |
0.2418% |
| 8x |
0.2233% |
0.2163% |
| 9x |
0.2020% |
0.1956% |
| 10x |
0.1845% |
0.1785% |
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"Proposition Bets"
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In practically all casinos, odds on proposition bets are quoted as "x for y", which means that the casino takes your winning "x"
bet and pays you "y", in contrast to what is done for other winning bets (e.g., if the "Any 7" bet is "5 for 1", when making a
$1 bet and winning the casino will take your $1 and give you $5, for a "real" payoff of "4 *to* 1"). The numbers below are quoted as
"x:y", not "x for y".
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Proposition Bets
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Bet
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True Odds
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Casino Payoff
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Casino Advantage
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Any 7
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5:1
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4:1
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16.67%
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Any Craps
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8:1
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7:1
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11.1%
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2 or 12
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35:1
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30:1
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13.89%
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3 or 11
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17:1
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15:1
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11.1%
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Hard 4 or 10
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8:1
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7:1
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11.1%
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Hard 6 or 8
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10:1
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9:1
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9.09%
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1. The best bet in craps for the player betting with the shooter is the Pass Line or Come with Odds. But the best way to make this
twofold bet is to put the minimum on the Line or Come and then, once a number is established, put as much as you can afford to in odds.
Since the casino has no edge on the "odds" bet, the overall edge on you will be minuscule.
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2. A money-management rule-of-thumb for craps players is to have 10 times the amount of their bet for a session stake. So if you are
going to be up on three numbers with $15 on each when all your numbers are working, then you should have $150 for a stake for that session.
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