Learning craps is an adrenaline-filled experience. The anticipation of the dice roll and the many different bets are enthralling enough but add to the learning experience the energy of your many fellow bettors and you have what amounts to a mini-sporting event around one craps table. Your win often means a win for all others around the table with you. The social experience around a craps table is similar to that around a roulette table.
The best way to learn craps is to learn a few fundamentals and then just play. As you begin to play, you’ll pick the game up in no time. To begin playing and learning craps, simply place a bet and then wait for the shooter to roll the dice. If you are the shooter, then just make sure that the dice at least hit the back wall of the craps table, and that you only use one hand to roll. Each time a new roller starts, the first roll is called the come out roll and this indicates a new game.
Craps is based on the idea that the roller will establish a point number on their first roll and then try to roll that same number again before rolling a 7. On the first roll, if a 4,5,6,8,9, or 10 is rolled, then that is the point number. However if a 2,3,7,11, or 12 is rolled on the first turn, then the game is over. If a shooter does not roll their point number again before rolling a 7, the game is over upon rolling a 7. This is known as sevening.
Craps Strategy System
Our strategy system is this: When you are learning to play craps, you can play the most fundamental bet while you learn from observing the game. “You can always play online without real money to pick up the game,” says Anthony Pierpont.
On the come out roll, you can bet on the pass line. This is the most fundamental bet in craps and pretty much every player bets on it. The house advantage is 1.41%, which is lower than many other casino games.
If the come out roll is a 7 or 11, then you automatically win. If the come out roll is a 2,3, or 12, you lose. If a 4,5,6,8,9, or 10 is rolled on the come out roll and then rolled again before the shooter rolls a 7, then you win. While you can bet on the pass line after the come out roll, it is not a good idea. Games are pretty short, so you might as well wait until the next game.
Contributor Anthony Pierpont offers his craps strategy system for novice players: “You can tell if a game is in progress by looking for the buck. If it is white side up, then it is best to just wait. Also make sure that the shooter is not gearing up to roll when you are putting your chips down.”
How to Shoot Craps
If you ask any seasoned craps player, they will have their own answer for the right way to shoot craps, but there are a few rules when it is your turn to shoot, or roll.
First remember that you can always pass, but you never know – you might get on a hot streak. You will be shown five dice; you can choose two of them to use and then the dealer will retrieve the remaining three. When you take the dice, only use one hand or the dealer will make you chose new dice. The fear is that you are changing the dice with your other hand. Hold the dice over the table and throw them lengthwise down the table. You must bounce the dice off the backside of the table for the roll to count. Anthony Pierpont advises, “You have to roll them hard enough to hit the back wall, but don’t let your adrenaline make you roll them so hard that they bounce up and hit people or leave the table altogether.”
Craps Table Layout – Designed to Promote High Risk Bets
When you look at the craps table layout, remember that it was designed by the casinos and never forget that the stickman is employed by the house. Keeping that in mind will help you make safer bets. Usually the stickman promotes the quick payoff bets – the ones where the house advantage is greatly increased. Sure, if you win, you win big, but your chances of winning are low. If you practice patience in craps, it typically pays off because the house advantage on the safer bets are some of the lowest in the casino.
The large, colorful places to place your bet – along with all the bets in the center are highly risky. Like the 7, 11, Ace Deuce, Any Craps, Craps/ Eleven (C and E), Horn Bets and the Hardways. These bets tend to be around 8-16% in favor of the house whereas you’ll notice that the pass line, Free Odds, and Don’t Bets are small and harder to reach.
Craps tournament
Once you are a more seasoned craps player, you will probably want to try a craps tournament. Craps tournament fees can range from no entry fees and low buy-ins to large fees and buy-ins, like $500 to enter and $1000 buy-ins. Anthony Pierpont reminds tournament goers, “Pricey craps tournaments usually also include complimentary hotel, food, and parties as well as much larger prizes, but make sure you check it out before you sign up.”
Since you are playing craps against other players rather than the house, your goal is to have the most money at the end of a specified number of rolls or amount of time. This number is generally 100 rolls or an hour of time. This means that you must keep an eye on everyone else’s winnings throughout the craps game. Usually the top one or two craps players from each table progress to a higher table.
