How To Play Winning Craps

Craps is considered to be the most exciting game in any casino. There are a variety of wagering options and, as a result, it can be a complicated game. There are, however, some simple bets you can make to start and you can learn the rest as you go.

• Craps How To Win
• How To Play Winning Craps System

Each bet is dependent upon the Point value of the uppermost side of two dice that have come to rest after being thrown by a Player or “Shooter.”

No partnership may exceed the table maximum.

'Winning Craps' has been tested on: combined database, actual rolls of the dice, and on the Internet. You will see for yourself the power of Winning Craps methods, and will be armed with the knowledge before wagering a single dollar on the Craps table in the casino. Craps is a great game, and I love it. And you can win a fortune playing craps in almost no time at all. But the idea that you win at craps consistently or “almost every time you play” is ludicrous. If the casinos thought you had a way to beat craps, they’d back you off the game – just like they do with card counters. There could be craps for dummies, craps for beginners. Before you start out, know the craps rules for dummies. Below are some mistakes you should avoid. Know the game: It is essential to know how to play craps before jumping in. The advice is not meant to discourage anybody, whether you are playing craps for beginners or craps for dummies.

TERMINOLOGY & PLAY OF THE GAME

A. PASS LINE:

If you place a bet on the Pass Line and the first roll of the dice (known as the “Come Out Roll”) is a 7 or 11, you win. If a 2, 3 or 12 is rolled, you “crap out” or lose. Any other number rolled (i.e. 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10) becomes the Pass Line “Point.” Pass Line bets win if the Shooter rolls the Point before rolling a 7. If a 7 is rolled prior to the point being made, the Shooter “sevens out” and the Pass Line Bet loses. The Shooter continues to roll the dice until he or she sevens out, whereupon the dice pass to the next Player. You need not be the shooter to make a Pass Line Bet.

B. DON’T PASS:

The Don’t Pass Bet is the opposite of the Pass Line. That is, the bet wins on the Come Out Roll if a 2 or 3 is rolled, and loses if a 7 or 11 is rolled. A roll of 12 is a stand-off on the Don’t Pass Line. Any other number rolled becomes the Point. To win, a 7 must roll before the Point is thrown. If the Point is rolled prior to a 7, the bet loses. As before, you need not be the Shooter to make this bet.

C. COME:

You can bet the “Come” at any time after a Point has been established. The win-loss rules are the same as for the Pass Line. The next roll of the dice determines whether you win or lose, or establish a Point which must be rolled before a 7 to win. The Come Bet and Point are independent of the Pass Line Point.

D. DON’T COME:

The Don’t Come Bet may be made any time after a Pass Line Point has been established. The win-loss rules are the same as for the Don’t Pass, but the win, loss or determination of the Point is established by the next roll of the dice. Like the Come Bet, the Don’t Come Bet allows a Player to bet on each roll of the dice. Pass Line, Don’t Pass, Come and Don’t Come Bets are paid even money. Pass Line and Come Bets cannot be removed or reduced after a “Come Out Point” or “Come Point” has been established, however, they may be increased. Don’t Pass and Don’t Come Bets may be decreased or removed at any time but never increased or replaced. ODDS: A player may elect to make a wager in addition to the original or “flat” bet any time after the Point is established. A Player may “take” odds on any Pass Line or Come Bet. A Player also may “lay” odds on any Don’t Pass or Don’t Come Bet. All odds bets may be removed or reduced at any time. Odds are paid based on true odds and win if the flat bet wins and vice versa.

E & F. BUY & LAY BETS:

Buy and Lay Bets pay odds without requiring a flat bet and may be made directly on a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 at any time without waiting for the number to roll the first time. The Buy Bet is a bet that the number will roll before a 7. A Lay Bet is a bet that a 7 will roll before the number. In either case, the wager is paid according to true odds as shown on the accompanying table. A 5% commission or “vigorish” is charged on all Buy and Lay Bets, either on the amount bet, if it is a Buy Bet, or on the amount that can be won, if it is a Lay Bet. If no decision is made on a Buy or Lay Bet and the Player wishes to take the bet down, the vigorish will be returned to the Player.

G. PLACE BETS TO WIN:

You may make a Place Bet on 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 at any time. Please refer to the accompanying chart for Place Bet odds. All odds, Buy Bets and Place Bets may be increased, decreased, taken back by the player or called “off,” or not working, at any time. Come Odds, Buy Bets and Place Bets to Win are always off on the Come Out Roll unless designated otherwise by the Player. The Player is responsible for placing all odds and keeping track of all bets.

H. FIELD:

If 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 or 12 is rolled, you win. All numbers pay even money except 2 and 12 which pay double. The following are bets that may be made on any roll and they win or lose depending upon the outcome of the next roll of the dice. They win if the number or numbers bet rolls, and lose if any other number rolls. These bets are found in the center of the layout and are placed by the Dealer. Although the Dealer will place many bets for you, it is the player’s responsibility to ensure that the bets are placed properly.

I. PROPOSITION BETS:

Any 7: If 7 rolls, you win and are paid 4 to 1.

Any Craps: If 2, 3 or 12 roll, you win and are paid 7 to 1.

Two Craps Or Aces: If two aces or 2 is rolled, you win and are paid 30 to 1.

Twelve Craps: If two sixes or 12 is rolled, you win and are paid 30 to 1.

Three Craps Or Ace-Deuce: If ace-deuce or 3 is thrown, you win and are paid 15 to 1.

Eleven: If 11 is rolled, you win and are paid 15 to 1.

Craps Eleven: If 2, 3, 11 or 12 is rolled, you win according to the payout odds, less the amount bet on the losing numbers.

HORN BETS: Horn bets are simply one unit bets on 2, 3, 12 & 11. The payoff is according to the payout odds for that number and the number of dollars effectively wagered on that number less the amount bet on the 3 losing numbers.

HORN HIGH BETS: Horn High Bets are typically bet in units of five since you are effectively betting one unit on 2, 3, 11 and 12, with one additional unit bet on one number. For example, $5 Horn High 12 has one dollar bet on 2, 3 and 11 and two dollars bet on 12. If one of these four numbers rolls, the payoff is according to the payout odds for that number, less the amount bet on the three losing numbers. A Player may also make a Horn Bet which is simply one unit each on 2, 3, 12 and 11. If one of these four numbers rolls, the payoff follows the same rules as for Horn Bets.

HARDWAYS: Hardways Bets are located in the center of the layout and are placed by the Dealer. They may be bet on any roll. The four possible Hardways: Hard Six (two 3’s) and Hard Eight (two 4’s), pay 9 to 1; Hard Four (two 2’s) and Hard Ten (two 5’s), pay 7 to 1. You win if the Hardway you are betting rolls before a 7 or a non-pair combination of the number bet. Hardways are always off unless you designate the bet to be in action on the Come Out Roll.

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

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%.

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

Craps How To Win

You can find a bet summary here.

Continue to Part II – Advanced Craps Strategy & Tips

How To Play Winning Craps System

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How To Play Winning Craps