Rolling the Dice: Your Ultimate Guide to Playing Craps Like a Pro

Dice, gamble, gambling
Image by Moos-Media from Pixabay

If you are here trying to learn the skills of craps play then you are in the right place. In this guide to craps, we will look at everything from introduction to craps and its rules to insights and more. So, let’s proceed with it immediately, as the learning process is very fascinating.

Fundamental Guidelines of Craps

Thus, in order to go straight to the nuances of how to play craps, it is important to know the rules. And examining the basic principles of the game explains the working of the craps and is beneficial when it comes to the placement of bets. Now it is time to go a bit deeper and describe the craps rules in more detail.

Rule 1

Craps is a game played with two six-sided dice as you go around learning the gameplay of the gambling and casino. You wager on the sum of the numbers depicted on the faces of a dice that is facing up at the table. For example, if one of the dice displays the figure 3 and the second one – the figure 2, then the outcome of that roll is 5. In craps the dice must be thrown at the same time; throwing them individually is prohibited in the course of the game.

Rule 2

Well, as you embark on your quest to master craps gameplay whether in a traditional, physical casino or an internet-based gaming facility, you will need to have credits which you will be using in placing the bets. When it comes to a real casino environment, you can obtain such credits by buying them or exchanging for them on the table or chip from previous rounds. Likewise, in matters concerning the online arena, you can make a deposit to your casino in order to get credits required for betting. If you are willing to engage in online gambling, then it is very easy to type in the value of the chips to be used in bets. On the other hand, at the traditional live casino, the craps table’s regulations prohibit dealers from receiving the players’ cash directly for the bets, and the players must put the money directly on the table and let the dealer give them chips.

Rule 3

The pro-side in casino craps is a group of people, whose ultimate goal and task is to ensure the fairness and reliability of the game’s course. When acquainting yourself with craps gameplay in a casino, you'll encounter four key table crew members: two dealers and they are usually assisted by a boxman and a stickman. The dealers are also responsible for each running each end of the table they interact with while dealing with the chips during buy-ins, placing bets in the right position on the table and distributing the winnings by means of chips. The stickman, who always holds a curved stick, will help to decide the further movement of the dice moving them to the next shooter. They also control proposition bets situated at the center of the specific table. At the same time, the boxman oversees the table, regulates the player’s behavior and checks whether the dealers pay out winnings correctly and promptly; collects money from the players if there are chips on the table. Although these roles are typical for the land-based, or live dealer casino environments, online craps games operated by computer programs perform these tasks smoothly.

Rule 4

BTW, when it comes to studying casino craps in a live environment that learning process is usually accompanied by direct communication with the dealer in an attempt of proper betting. However, wagering independently on the areas that include the pass line, “Field,” and “Come” is acceptable, but betting in any other area of the table requires arranging the chips on that area of the table and informing the dealer so that he or she can place the chips for you in the correct position. On the other hand, when you play craps online, the table where bets are placed is shown on the screen eliminating the need for real dealers to help with wagering. In order to make the bet, the player chooses the value of the chip he wants to use and then clicks directly on the area of the virtual craps table related to the selected type of bet. For instance, when choosing a pass line bet, the player has to click on the marked area, which refers to the Pass Line on the virtual felt.

Rule 5

In real casinos, proper regulation pertains to the minimum and the maximum number of bets that is allowable for a certain table and this information is posted on the table great legibly. There are usually several craps tables with people placing bets and, generally, each table will have its respective minimum/maximum betting limit. For instance, a table’s minimum bet could be $10 while another table could be at $100 so everyone; low stake players, average players to the high rollers can play. On the other hand, in the domain of learning craps online, you are privileged to decide on one of the possible minimum and maximum betting limits. For instance, the player can set a minimum of $1 and a maximum bet of $50, which in my view is quite flexible and allows you to increase or decrease the bet depending on your pockets.

Rule 6

The other feature that one needs to understand regarding the rules of craps is the position of the shooter. As is the case with popular live casinos that are typically physical establishments, players take turns being the ‘shooter,’ the one who puts the dice to roll. The shooter keeps rolling until he or she “sevens out,” and then the next person gets to roll. On the other hand, in online casino environments, the computer meets the expectations of the shooter every time. The software known as random number generator (RNG) provides the randomness and fairness of the result like those done by a human shooter rolling a dice.

The Basics - a Novice's Introduction to Craps

In a game of craps, the first move is made by the shooter, by rolling the dice for a ‘Come-out round’ in a physical casino or against the computer in an online casino. In an online craps game, this action is performed by merely clicking the Roll button. Following the dice roll, three possible outcomes emerge: A “Natural” if the roll gets a total of 7 or 11, this gives the shooter another roll; a “Crapping Out,” where one gets a total of 2, 3 or 12, resulting in a loss but the shooter is still allowed another roll or setting up a “Point” that is a number 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10, with a marked number or an "On" button in online play. Next, the shooter wishes to roll the Point number in the same manner in order to win; however, rolling a 7 results in a loss, and the betting round concludes for a similar reason since rolling 7 is more probable than any other number.

Understanding the Layout of the Craps Table

After mastering the basics of the craps game and its dynamics, it is high time to pull up the craps betting. But let me first explain important rules and peculiarities of the craps table layout to enter the subject. The table is divided into two mirroring halves, which are mainly used to fit many players in a manner characteristic of a typical casino. On the other hand, in the case of online craps the table you are going to come across is a one-sided one, which follows with the entire concept of the game that is normally played in a solitary manner. The payment for each segment of the craps table is a different wagering option and when placing the chips in the desired area, this informs the type of bet made and its worth. The table is made up of such areas as Pass Line, Don’t Pass Bar, Big 6 & 8, The Field, Come & Don’t Come, The Place, and the center area having dice patterns for pari-mutuel betting locations. Craps sections that are provided in the casinos are different and have different house edges and craps odds for the player to wager accordingly following the results of the dice roll.

Types of Craps Bets

Thus, where craps betting is concerned it is essential to lay focus on an analysis of the different sorts of craps bets, the pay-out offered on these bets as well as the manner in which bets operate.

The Pass Line & Don’t Pass Bar

When it comes to craps instruction for a beginner, it is extremely important to grasp the Pass Line and Don’t Pass Bar bets as they are the easiest to grasp and quite important bets in craps. Lying at the bottom of the craps table, Pass Line bet requires one to bet that, prior to the come out roll, the shooter will throw 7 or 11, which is a win. On the other hand, if the figure is a 2, 3 or 12 then it is a definite loss; if any other figure is obtained then it is considered to be a tie bet. The main opposite wager is placed above the Pass Line and is referred to as the Don’t Pass Bar; in this bet, you are actually choosing against the shooter to roll a 2, 3, or 12 on the come-out roll. If these numbers are rolled then the player is a winner, however rolling a 7 or 11 results in a loss. The house edge is not high and begins at only 1% in this variant of the game. 41%, Such bets are taken by the new and the experienced personnel and last until the shooter sevens out or hits the point.

Come & Don’t Come Bets

After the come-out roll and the formation of the Point by the shooter, the following additional bets can be made by the players including Come and Don’t Come. These parts of the craps table are located above the “Field” segment of the playing surface. Choose a “Come” bet if you think that the shooter will throw a 7 or 11 in the next roll, in harmony with either the purpose or your or the shooter’s goals. On the other hand, select a “Don’t Come” bet to bet against rolling a 2,3 or 12 on the next roll. Any other number that the shooter rolls transforms this into your private Point; in addition to the original Point, which doubles your likelihood of winning. As it’s been mentioned, both Pass and Come bets are non-removable in the context of online craps; therefore, one has to let these particular bets run their course and make an ability to change other bets or modify existing bets during the course of a game. Additionally, if one hits 12, the bet known as a Don’t Pass or Don’t Come bet is declared as a Push, which has neither a winning nor a losing aspect.

Big Six & Big Eight

Some of the commonly offered propositions on the craps layout include the Big Six and the Big Eight bets are placed at the bottom left and right sections of the table respectively. This bet is slightly more complex as it involves betting that the shooter will be able to roll a 6 or an 8 before the number 7. It is vital that one is fully cognizant of the fact that this given bet is actually very risky with 9. It has a 1% house edge and provides only even-money payoffs that creates a situation where big victories, as well as disasters, are possible.

Field Bets

For persons, who entered the area of craps play, the field is found at the middle part of a craps table below the come out. In this bet, you are in fact wagering on whether or not the shooter can come up with ‘crap’ which refers to the numbers 3, 4, 9, 10 as well as 11 on a single roll of the dice. Furthermore, the probability of doubling or tripling brings to the maximum wager can be obtained by making a bet that turns into specific numbers such as two or twelve and then allowing the dice to hit this number. Still, players believe that Field bet is reasonable, it is necessary to remember that from the viewpoint of the shooter, it is impossible to indeed argue with statistics – the probability of rolling 7, 5, 6, or 8 is higher than the above-mentioned pros of the Field bet.

Place Bets

Whether you are practicing your craps into the online interfaces at your own house or enjoying the game inside a real casino, the ‘Place’ section is located to the upper part of the table where the Boxman is located. An expedited and dynamic wager in the game, the Place bet garners significant popularity due to its rapid nature. Here, you place a "Place to Win" bet on the shooter, aiming for the shooter to roll a two, three, four, eight, or nine before hitting a seven. The key with Place bets is that you have total freedom to place a wager any time after the Shooter has placed the Point on the table and before the Come Out roll. On the other hand, players can also act against the shooter by laying a ‘Place to Lose’ bet which is an assertion that the shooter will get a 7 before rolling away the Place number. Usually, the house edge linked to Place bets ranges from 1.52% to 6.67 % depending on the selected numbers for betting.

Proposition Bets

When it comes to craps betting, Proposition bet is a term that defines a single roll stake on any throw of the dice. Placed in the middle region of the table, these bets relate to individual dice numbers, which are as follows according to the craps layout. Proposition bets is the most bitter offer with the house edge ranging between 10% to 16.7%, while offering enticing odds that can reach up to 30:1.

Hardways Bets

Evidently, the most interesting variation to the Proposition bet is called the Hardways bet. This type of bet focuses on a particular number, 4, 6, 8 or 10 and one can only win if the shooter comes up with the particular number on both the dice. For example, Hard Four is when the two dice are placed to signify the number 4. However, in order for the player to get a win using the Hardways bet, this matching combination should come before the shooter gets a 7. On the other hand, if the shooter rolls a Hard Eight and gets a number combination of 6+2, then you lose the bet that you put on Hard Eight.

Varieties of Craps Games to Enjoy

Interesting craps gaming has many different tempting variations that make the players interested in the game. Among the variations of the Craps game, the one known as “Bank or Classic Craps” is the most popular one and can be played in both – online and ground casinos. On the other hand, “Crapless Craps” has an additional variation relaxing the rules in terms that players can keep all their stakes on individual dice rolls. “Simplified Craps” cuts the number of rolls to a single one and makes a shooter possess elementary win options. ”Low Limit Craps” is the version that is more suitable for individuals who want to keep their bet limits to minimum; such a variation is generally characteristic of the online casinos. On the other hand, One Series of “High Limit Craps” favors bettors with large minimum and maximum bet sizes raising both the ante and the glamor.

Insights And Tactics for Mastering Craps

In the field of craps, there are several possible ways and ideas that can substantially improve your game. First of all, increasing the level of expertise by experience is essential, and there are many versions of the game available on the internet or sweepstakes casinos which allow practicing without risking money. It is also important to identify the right time to quit a particular game – people should set their limits of how much money they wish to spend or how much time they are willing to spend on a particular game so as to avoid losing too much money or quitting while the game is up. This will allow the individual to coordinate the betting limits to remain within the scale of their provided budget and therefore, allow for a longer and more entertaining gaming session. It is crucial to acquire adequate knowledge regarding the craps game to enable players benchmark their betting patterns and monitor the game resultantly. Also, observing the Craps RTP at an online casino can help direct you to better chances of winning more effectively thus improving the experience of playing at the casino.