Craps Lessons
Craps is the casino table game that popularized the numbers 7 and 11. By hitting 7 or 11 at the roll of two dice, some bets win and others lose. The line-ridden craps table comes across as a tad too intimidating to the uninitiated, as opposed, say, to minding a 52-card deck, multi-colored wheel, or one-armed machine.
How to Play Craps
A game of craps makes use of two dice and a craps board, which is a layout made up of various strips, bars, and boxes that are really betting areas.
The craps board is set on a long table, where two dice are rolled as players wager on their chosen numbers and hope the dice do not hit 7 or 11. In land-based casinos, the craps board is really twice as long as it needs to be because one half shows a copy of the other half, in order to accommodate more players at the table.
Ideally, the shooter throws the dice from one end of the long table all the way to the other end; thus, he is "shooting" for certain numbers. In online casinos, the table is half the length of its land-based counterpart because it contains only one craps board, instead of double. When the puck on the craps board has its white side up, marked "on", it means that a game session is started; when the puck is black side up, marked "off", a session is not started.
The game begins with the first roll of the dice, known as the come out roll. It is the job of the shooter to throw the come out roll, and all other succeeding rolls during a session. Players take turns on a clockwise order being the designated shooter. You may "pass" up on being the shooter, and turn the job over to the next person in the proper order.
The come out roll is thrown in order to establish what is known as a point number, which refers to the total value of two dice that a shooter must aim to hit again in order to make a winning roll. For example, if the dice total a value of 4 on the come out roll, then 4 becomes the point number. Only a dice value of 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 can be a point number; other values outside of these six numbers have corresponding actions explained here later.
By hitting any of the above six numbers, the shooter was able to "make a point". With 4 as the point number, the shooter must now start "shooting for the point" by trying to hit 4 again. A game proceeds with the shooter throwing the dice repeatedly until he hits a 4, at which point certain bets win and a new come out roll must be thrown again. As long as he has not hit a 4, the numbers he does hit also have corresponding actions explained later.
While the come out roll is being thrown, a session is not officially started. Whether or not a session will begin depends on the outcome of the come out roll. Either of two primary wagers are posted in anticipation of the come out roll, and they are the first bets you will be making in the game. A pass line bet is a wager that the shooter will be able to make a point, also known as "betting with the shooter" or "betting right". A don't pass line bet is a wager that the shooter will "seven out", or be unable to establish a point, also known as "betting against the shooter" or "betting wrong".
Once the primary bets have been made, the come out roll is finally thrown. If the come out roll totals a value of 2, 3, or 12, values known as rolling craps, all pass line bets lose and all don't pass line bets win. The session is reset and does not start, the shooter retains the dice and must make another come out roll. If the dice total a value of 7 or 11 on the come out roll, all pass line bets win and all don't pass line bets lose. The session is reset and does not start, but the shooter loses the dice to whoever's the next shooter in line to make a new come out roll. Shooters will keep on making come out rolls until a point is made.
If the come out roll amounts to any value other than 2, 3, 12, 7, or 11, then the point is established. The session begins, signalled by the puck turned white side up and marked "on" to the point number on the craps board. From here on, the value of the come out roll becomes the point number until the session is over. Pass line and don't pass line bets neither win nor lose; they remain in effect until eventually won or lost during the session.
With your primary wager in place, neither won nor lost, you can back it up by posting what is known as an odds bet. Also called "free odds", odds bets are made to back up a previous wager with more money, after the point number has been set.
Not all bets in craps can be backed up with free odds, but pass line and don't pass line bets can. Odds bets are the best bets you can make in craps, and among the best in a casino. Pass line and don't pass line bets already have a very low house advantage, which is further reduced by placing free odds. If your primary bet wins, the odds bet is paid back at even odds. You are paid exactly as probability suggests you should, with the house having no advantage whatsoever.
Once a session is started, the shooter begins shooting for the point. Your pass line and don't pass line bets remain in place, waiting again for the shooter to make his point or seven out. Therefore, if the point number is 4 and the dice hit 4 a second time, your pass line bet wins. If the dice hit 7 before they have a chance to hit 4, your pass line bet loses. The shooter must keep throwing the dice until he either hits a 4 or a 7. By hitting a 7, he sevens out and a session of craps comes to an end. The puck is moved to the "don't come" betting area, black side up, and a new shooter must throw a come out roll to begin another game of craps.
Craps Gambling Tips
One advantage that craps provides is that you begin the game with a ready advantage—a low house edge. Capitalize on the good headstart by having a sound craps strategy that combines smart money management, a keen understanding of the smart bets on the table, and a relaxed straightforward attitude towards playing. Intelligent bankroll management can not be overstated as a strategy, especially in a table game as difficult to master as craps. You must manage your bankroll to maximize your wins and minimize your losses.
Check the odds. In craps, each roll of two dice can produce 36 different number combinations. Winning or losing a game is determined by all these possible outcomes. Some values can be rolled in many ways, like a value of 6 which can come out of five combinations (5/1, 4/2, 3/3, 2/4, 1/5). Other values can be made in a few specific ways, like the number 2 which makes no more than one combination (1/1). Wins and losses depend upon the number of ways that a two-die combination can be produced. As a rule of thumb, the less probable a two-die combination, the higher the payoff. For example, the probability of a 2 coming up is 1 in 36 (1/1), of 4 is 3 in 36 (3/1, 2/2, 1/3), of 7 is 6 in 36 (6/1, 5/2, 4/3, 3/4, 2/5, 1/6). So the actual odds for hitting a 4 is 6:3 or 2:1, although a 4 pays out at 9:5.
Stick with best bets . Key to making the most of your potential revenue is to find the smart bets on the craps table and stay with them while still mastering the game. For starters, there is already a specific number of low house edge bets in the game, and what you want is to maximize them. Pass line bets backed by free odds, come bets backed by free odds, and place bets on the 6 or 8 are some of the best bets in craps, and sure to have a lesser house advantage. An endless number of casino gambling experts advise these bets, which are easy to spot and make, and they can't be all wrong. On the other side, you would want to listen to everyone else's suggestion to stay away from bets that tend to be a bit more unwieldy for the non-expert, like alternative proposition bets.
Progress and regress. While you can not guarantee winning consistently in craps, it is possible to lose consistently. Betting the same amount each time is one way to dig deeper, as you will almost always lose. To progress and regress means to increase and reduce your wagers at a fixed rate. For example, you can progress to doubling the table minimum (x * 2), then regress back to the minimum (x * 2 / 2), and go along as you win. It is a good way to extend your bankroll and play for the long-term.
Hedge your bets. This is a valid suggestion, but one to consider depending on your expectations of the game. Craps is a streaky casino game, and on one hand, hedge betting curbs its volatility. On the other hand, it also constrains your likely winnings. The fewer the chances of winning more, the lesser the downswings threatening your bankroll. If you don't mind making smaller bucks at lower risks, hedge betting is for you.
Don't let your winnings ride. Perhaps it's alright to do this with other casino games, but you already know how volatile craps can be so you need your bankroll to stay solid as you move along. What if you ride on an initial win and experience an ensuing loss? Your bankroll needs to sustain up to some 25 to 30 bets whilst you wait to secure your win.
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