THE BASIC RULES OF CRAPS GAME
- Craps is a dice game and has dozens of different bets, but the game is structured around the pass line bet.
- Players bet by placing chips on the pass line of the craps layout. Some bets require the croupier to move the chips.
- The pass sequence begins with an opening roll (“comeout”) and the shooter (“shooter”) rolls the dice.
- Pass bets win if the roll comes to 7 or 11 and lose if it comes to 2, 3 or 12. All other dice totals become the score called the “Point”.
- If the shooter rolls a point on the opening, he keeps rolling dice until he rolls the same number as the point again and wins a simple even money payout, or until he rolls a 7 and loses.
- If the shooter rolls his point, he rolls again and makes another comeout. Otherwise he is seven out and hands the dice over to the next shooter.
Craps is perhaps a rather less well-known casino game for German players. But it’s easy as pie, just betting on a number and winning or losing on each roll, or pretty complex with a bet where you wait for the shooter to roll their target, the “Point” number, and then hoping he rolls it again. This procedure can last for any number of dice rounds.
Let’s start by looking at the craps layout and take a closer look at the different layouts.
Each area of the craps layout represents a different bet. If your chips are on the pass line, you make a pass bet, which is a multiple-roll bet. If your chips are on a square with the 5 and 6 dice faces, you are making a one-roll bet on 11. When playing online craps, all bets can be placed by clicking on the screen layout. It’s a little different with the live casino game. There you can bet on Pass, Don’t Pass, Come, Don’t Come and Field by placing your own chips on the layout yourself. For all other bets, you must place your chips in front of you and tell the croupier your bet. If you want to bet $5 on a place bet on 4, place $5 in chips in front of you and tell the croupier “$5 placed on 4” and the croupier will move your chips to the 4-slot.
Now let’s look at the general possible bets and break them down into multiple roll and single roll bets. You can have multiple bets going at once – and most craps players usually have multiple bets at the same time. Not all possible bets are listed, eg house bets such as lay bets – bets on 7 coming before seat number – and horn bets which are listed at the end of the chapter.
HOW TO PLAY MULTIPLE ROLL BETS
PASSPORT
House edge: 1.41%
Bet winnings are paid out as easy, even money, but when non-craps players find the game confusing, it is usually this bet that is difficult for them to follow. It usually takes multiple rolls to make a decision, and the 7 is a good roll for players to start with, but becomes a losing number thereafter.
But seriously, it’s really not that difficult. The business of casinos is not to create rules that are so intimidating that potential players are kept away from the table. If we don’t play, the operator can’t make any more money.
The pass line sequence begins with a comeout roll. You can recognize the next roll as a comeout by a disc placed on the gaming table. If the disc is facing the corner of the layout with the black side and the word “Off” facing up, the next roll is a comeout. If the disc is on a number pad with the white side and the words “On” facing up, the pass sequence is already in progress and the next throw is not a comeout.
If the shooter rolls a 7 or 11 on the comeout, he wins the pass bet. If the shooter rolls a 2, 3, or 12, the pass bet loses. If the shooter rolls a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10, that number becomes the new “point” and the objective of the game changes. Now the shooter must roll that number again before rolling a 7.
No other rolls affect the settlement of the pass bet. If the point is 6 followed by several rolls eg 4, 8, 3, 11, 5, 12, the pass bet just moves on. The bet remains a tie until the shooter either rolls the point again or rolls a 7.
COME
House edge: 1.41%
Come is the same bet as pass, but you only make it when the pass bettor point is already established. If the next roll is a comeout, then the desired bet is pass. If there is already a point, a Come bet can be made and the next roll is considered a follow-up roll to the Come bet.
Let’s say the shooter rolls a 6 on the comeout, which becomes the point. Before the next roll you bet ouf Come. If the shooter then rolls a 7 or 11, the come bet wins, if the shooter rolls a 2, 3, or 12, the come bet loses, and any other number becomes the point for the next come bet.
Note that the same 7 that wins on your come bet can lose on the pass line, and a 2, 3, or 12 that loses on come has no effect on the pass line. Let’s say 6 is established as the point and you follow with a come bet. If the next roll is a 7, you win on come but lose on pass. On an 11, you win on Come, but your Pass bet goes on. On a 2, 3 or 12 you lose on Come and your Pass bet continues.
DON’T PASS AND DON’T COME
House edge: 1.36%
These are pretty much the opposite of the Pass and Come bets. As with them, you bet Don’t Pass if the next roll is a comeout and Don’t Come otherwise.
On the comeout for a don’t pass bet and on the first roll after a don’t come bet, you win on 2 or 3 and lose on 7 or 11. You don’t lose on a roll of 12, even if 12 is a losing number to start with of the pass and come sequences. Instead, the bet is a “push” and you are allowed to withdraw your bet after a 12. If the roll is any other number, it becomes the point. If a 7 is rolled before the point is repeated, don’t pass and don’t come bettors win, and if the point comes first they lose – the opposite of pass or come.
Most players prefer to play on the pass side so that they are on the shooter’s side and thus maintain the camaraderie of winning together. They refer to the don’t gamblers as “bad bettors” and “the dark side”. But the house edge is marginally lower on don’t bets, and the dark side has its followers.
FREE ODDS/ LAY ODDS
House edge: 0%
Winning bets are paid according to their fair odds (“Free Odds”), depending on the number of points (Point). Fair odds are rare in casino games, but that’s what it’s all about. They are called “Free Odds” but of course they are not free bets as you still have to risk money. “Free” just means that there is no commission or any other method of making the bet profitable for the house.
In order to benefit from a free bet, you must first place a Pass or Come bet. Once the point is established, you can back your Pass or Come bet with a second bet. Originally, Free Odds stakes had to be equal to the Pass or Come bet, but these days most casinos allow multiples of the original bet.
Greatly, Free Odds are paid according to their fair odds. On a point of 6 or 8, Free Odds bets are paid 6-5. The payout is 3-2 on a point of 5 or 9 and 3-1 on a 4 or 10.
This corresponds to the fair odds of rolling these numbers. With two six-sided dice, there are 36 possible combinations. Six of these are 7, five are 6 and 8 each, four are 5 and 9 each, and three are 4 and 10 each.
Six ways to roll a 7 and five for a 6 gives a fair chance of 6-5, 6 points to roll in front of 7 points, as well as the payout percentage for the winner. So no house edge. It works for all the other point numbers as well. Payouts equal the fair odds of bets. There is no house edge on the odds themselves, but the casino has its house edge on the pass or come bets that you must place beforehand.
If a casino offers single odds, your odds bet must be equal to a pass or come bet. If the casino offers multiple odds, your odds bet can be any multiple of the initial bet, up to the maximum bet specified. For example, if 10x odds are offered, your odds bet can be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 times your original bet.
Many casinos these days offer 3x, 4x, 5x odds, meaning that you can make odds bets up to three times your original bet on a Point 4 or 10, four times your original bet on a Point 5 or 9, or five times your original bet on a Point 6 or 8. This makes it easier to calculate the payout: With the maximum bet, the total payout is the same for all point values. If you bet $5 on Pass, a $15 odds bet on a 4 or 10 pays out 2-1 or $30, a $20 odds bet on a 5 or 9 pays out 3-2 or $30 and a $25 odds bet on 6 or 8 a payout of 6-5 or $30.
Don’t Pass and Don’t Come bettors, on the other hand, can lay bets. Once the point is established, let’s say a 6, then the Don’t Pass or Don’t Come bettor has six ways to win – the six ways to roll a 7 – and only five ways to lose – the five ways to roll a 6 roll the dice. On a lay bet, you win $5 for every $6 bet on 6, $2 for every $3 bet on 5 or 9, and $1 for every $2 bet on 4 or 10.
Payouts are fair odds, such as on pass or come the bettor gets free bets. There is no house edge on lay bets, but the house does have an edge on the initial don’t pass or don’t come bet.
PLACE BETS
house edge 1.52% on 6 or 8; 4% on 5 or 9; 6.67% on 4 or 10
Winning bets are paid 7-6 if you’re betting on a 6 or 8, 7-5 on a 5 or 9, and 9-5 on a 4 or 10. Want to pick your spot number before the shooter makes the comeout point? Place bets, called place bets, allow you to do this. A place bet is a bet that the shooter will roll your number before a 7 is rolled. As with the pass, the other numbers have no meaning. If you place 6 and the next rolls are 5, 4, 12, 3, 9, 8 then your bet is not yet decided. You only win if the shooter rolls your number and lose if he rolls a 7. The payout exceeds the initial bet (even money) but remains below the fair chance. Instead of the fair 6-5 chance on a 6 or 8, the payout is 7-6, which equates to a house edge of 1.52%.
One more important point, if you bet 6 or 8, be sure to bet multiples of $6 so the dealer can make the 7-6 payout. If you bet $5 instead, the bank pays out exactly the initial bet (even money).
Many players like to bet on 6 or 8, the most commonly rolled winning numbers. Other seat numbers with a higher house edge are less popular.
BUY BETS
House edge: 4.76% or less if commission is only on the winner.
Winning bets are paid out according to their fair odds, but you have to pay a 5% commission on wagering. For example, if you buy the 4 for $20, you have to pay the bank $1 in commission. If you win, you will then be paid 2-1 according to the fair chance. This reduces the house edge from 6.67% to 4 or 10, but increases the house edge on all other numbers.
However, some casinos only charge commission on winnings. This reduces the house edge to 2% on 6 or 9 and 1.67% on 4 or 10, making buy bets more advantageous than place bets. The house edge on 6 and 8 in this case is 2.27%, so you’re better off going with the 1.52% of a place bet.
ARDWAYS BETS
house edge 9.09% on 6 or 8; 11.11% on 4 or 10
The payout is 9-1 on a 6 or 8 and 7-1 on a 4 or 10. A hardways roll means that both dice have the same number. A hard 4 has a 2 on both dice. A hard 6 has a 3 on both dice, etc. To win a hardway bet, the number purchased must be rolled as a hardway before the shooter rolls a 7 or your number in any other way. If you bet Hard 8 and the roll is 2-6 or 3-5, you lose. Only 4-4 wins.
HOW TO PLAY ONE-ROLL BETS
Before we look at individual bets, the most common payouts are listed below. A one-roll bet usually pays 30-1, but some casinos, notably in the UK and Australia, pay 31-1, 32-1, or occasionally 33-1. The higher the payout, the lower the house edge.
The table states Pay-to-1. Some casinos state pay-for, which essentially means your wager is included in the payout amount. If you bet $1 and get paid 30-to-1, you keep your $1 bet and get an additional $30 in profit. If you are paid 30-for-1, $29 profit is added to the $1 for a total value of $30. Watch out for pay-for-1 tables.
THE FIELD
House edge: 5.56% or 2.78%: You win if the next roll comes up 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 or 12.
Winners are usually paid their bet (even money) but 2-1 on 2 and 2-1 or 3-1 on a roll of 12. Some casinos, notably in Reno, reverse this and pay 3-1 on 2 and 2-1 on 12. If both paid off 2-1, the house edge would be 5.56%. If a 3-1 pays off, the house edge drops to 2.78%.
2 OR 12
House edge: 13.89%
Winners are paid 30-1. If you bet on 2, the next roll must be 2. If you bet on 12, the next roll must be 12. All other numbers lose.
3 OR 11
House edge: 11.11%
Winners are paid 15-1. If you bet on 3, the next roll must be 3. If you bet on 11, the next roll must be 11. All other numbers lose.
ANY 7
House edge: 16.67%
Winners are paid 4-1.
ANY CRAPS
House edge: 11.11%
Winners are paid 7-1.
You get 3 numbers on this bet – you win if the next roll is 2, 3, or 12.
HOP BETS
House edge: 13.89% or 11.11%.
Winners are paid 30-1 on hard hop bets and 5-1 on easy hop bets.
Hop bets are bets on specific numbers on the dice. You bid the croupier “6-3 Hopping” or “4-2 On The Hop” and you only win if the dice show those specific numbers.
In a “Hard Hop” both numbers are identical, eg 1-1 or 4-4. If the numbers are different, the bet is called “Easy Hop”.
CRAPS GAME RULES
Craps is the same game online and in brick-and-mortar casinos, but some rules and procedures are slightly different. Here are some points that every player should know before playing craps .
RULE N°1: NUMBER OF DICE
Two six-sided dice are used and you are betting on the sum of the two numbers that appear on the face of both dice.
If one die shows a 2 and the other a 4, the total of the roll is 6. If the numbers are 1 and 1, the total is 2.
You cannot bet on each die individually. For example, there is no wager that one of the dice will show the number 1. All bets are settled on the total number of points.
RULE N°2: EARN PLAY MONEY
Buying Credits Craps At the online casino , as with all other games, you must first make a deposit. Or if you have already deposited money you can withdraw play money from it.
In real casinos, players deposit directly at the table. Some already have chips from the previous game and others – with a credit account at the casino – receive chips after signing an account withdrawal.
But most pay as the game progresses. To do this, place cash on the layout and tell the croupier that you want to buy chips. The croupier is not allowed to take money directly from your hand. You have to put the money on the table for the croupier to take the money and give you the chips.
RULE N°3: TABLE STAFF
Online all decisions and payouts are automatic, but in live casinos there is a staff team. A common team consists of the boxman, the stickman and two croupiers (dealers).
The boxman is in charge of the table and makes sure that all players follow the rules and that the croupiers pay out correctly. If you deposit by putting money on the table, the croupier hands the money to the boxman, who lays it flat face down on the table and then watches as the croupier deals the chips. After the transaction is complete, the boxman uses a flat plastic shovel to push the money through a table slot into a box, which is later transported by guards to the counting room.
The stickman holds a long stick with a hook, which he uses to move the dice around the table. When it is your turn to throw dice, he pushes the dice towards you. He also places the betting calls in the middle of the table.
The croupiers are responsible for one side of the table at a time, give you the chips for a deposit, move your bets to the required spot on their side of the table and pay out.
RULE N°4: BETTING
In almost all online casinos, the screen shows a graphic of the craps layout. You can click on chip images to announce your bet amount, then click on the screen again to place chips on the bet of your choice. If you want to make the bet a “Pass Line” bet, click on the Pass Line area. If you want to bet on 11, click on the box with pictures of a 5 and a 6 die.
In live casinos you can place your own chips on the Pass Line and on the spaces marked Come and Field, but for most bets the chips must be placed by the croupier. You place the chips in front of you on the layout and tell the croupier “$6 on 6s and 8s”. The croupier then moves your chips to the appropriate space and places them according to your table position, so he knows both the bet and the bettor.
RULE N°5: BETTING RESTRICTIONS
Online you will usually be asked to choose a range of minimum and maximum bets. For example, you can choose between $1 minimum bet, $100 maximum bet; Minimum bet $5, maximum bet $500; Minimum bet $10, maximum bet $1000; to have. Choose the area you are comfortable with. In live casinos there is a sign with the minimum and maximum bet. If the sign says the minimum bet is $10 but you only want to bet $5, you need to look for another table that better suits your income.
RULE N°6: THE SHOOTER
In online casinos, virtual dice are thrown and the result is determined by a random number generator. In live casinos, players take turns taking the shooter. For the procedure, please consult the Pass Line.
You remember from Chapter 2 that the pass line starts with an opening roll, the “comeout”. If the shooter rolls a 7 or 11, the pass bet wins. If he rolls a 2, 3, or 12, the pass bet loses. All other numbers become the target number, the “Point”. If the shooter rolls the point again before a 7, the pass bet wins, but if the 7 comes first, the pass bet loses.
If the shooter rolls a 7 after determining the point, it is called a “seven out”. After that, the dice switch to the next shooter. The shooter does not change for all loser throws. If the pass loses on the comeout with a 2, 3, or 12, the shooter has not made a seven out and remains the shooter.
On the other hand, not all 7s constitute a seven out. If the shooter rolls the point, a new sequence begins with a new comeout, with 7 and 11 again being winning numbers.
As long as the shooter rolls the point and avoids seven out, he remains the shooter. In the longest recorded streak, Patricia Demauro rolled 154 times in a row at Borgata in Atlantic City in 2009 without a single seven out. This streak lasted 4 hours and 18 minutes before the dice moved to the next shooter.
CRAPS TABLE OF BETS, PAYS AND HOUSE EDGES
| bet | payout | house edge |
|---|---|---|
| passport | 1-1 | 1.41% |
| Come | 1-1 | 1.41% |
| Don’t pass | 1-1 | 1.36% |
| Don’t come | 1-1 | 1.36% |
| bet | payout | house edge |
|---|---|---|
| Pass or come with 1x chances | Depending on the number of points | 0.8% |
| Pass or come with 2x chances | Depending on the number of points | 0.6% |
| Pass or come with 3x chances | Depending on the number of points | 0.5% |
| Pass or come with 3x, 4x, 5x odds | Depending on the number of points | 0.4% |
| Pass or come with 5x chances | Depending on the number of points | 0.3% |
| Pass or come with 10x chances | Depending on the number of points | 0.2% |
| Pass or come with 20x chances | Depending on the number of points | 0.1% |
| Pass or come with 100x odds | Depending on the number of points | 0.02% |
| bet | payout | house edge |
|---|---|---|
| Don’t Pass/Don’t Come, 1x Chances | Depending on the number of points | 0.7% |
| Don’t Pass/Don’t Come, 2x Chances | Depending on the number of points | 0.5% |
| Don’t Pass/Don’t Come, 3x Chances | Depending on the number of points | 0.3% |
| Don’t Pass/Don’t Come, 3x, 4x, 5x chances | Depending on the number of points | 0.3% |
| Don’t Pass/Don’t Come, 5x chances | Depending on the number of points | 0.2% |
| Don’t Pass/Don’t Come, 10x chances | Depending on the number of points | 0.1% |
| Don’t Pass/Don’t Come, 20x chances | Depending on the number of points | 0.07% |
| Don’t Pass/Don’t Come, 100x chances | Depending on the number of points | 0.01% |
| bet | payout | house edge |
|---|---|---|
| Place 6 or 8 | 7-6 | 1.52% |
| Place 5 or 9 | 7-5 | 4% |
| Place 4 or 10 | 9-5 | 6.67% |
| bet | payout | house edge |
|---|---|---|
| Buy 6 or 8 with 5% commission | 6-5 | 4.67% |
| Buy 5 or 9 with 5% commission | 3-2 | 4.67% |
| Buy 4 or 10 with 5% commission | 2-1 | 4.67% |
| Buy 6 or 8 , commission only if you win | 6-5 | 2.27% |
| Buy 5 or 9, commission only if you win | 3-2 | 2% |
| Buy 4 or 10, commission only if you win | 2-1 | 1.67% |
| bet | payout | house edge |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 30-1 | 13.89% |
| 12 | 30-1 | 13.89% |
| 3 | 15-1 | 11.11% |
| 11 | 15-1 | 11.11% |
| Any 7 | 4-1 | 16.67% |
| Any Craps (2, 3 or 12) | 7-1 | 11.11% |
| hard hop | 30-1 | 13.89% |
| easy hop | 15-1 | 11.11% |
