If you’ve ever walked into a casino and been intrigued by the energetic atmosphere surrounding a craps table, you’re not alone. Craps is a fast-paced and thrilling dice game that has been enjoyed by gamblers for centuries. If you’re new to the game, this beginner’s guide will walk you through the basics of craps and get you ready to join in on the excitement.
The Objective
The objective of craps is simple: you need to predict the outcome of the roll or a series of rolls of a pair of dice. The game is played on a specially designed table with marked areas for different types of bets. Your goal is to place your bets on the table and hope that the dice roll in your favor.
The Basic Bets
Craps offers a variety of different bets, but as a beginner, it’s best to start with the basic ones:
- Pass Line Bet: This is the most common bet in craps. To place a pass line bet, you need to put your chips on the “Pass Line” area of the table before the shooter (the person rolling the dice) makes their initial roll. If the shooter rolls a 7 or 11, you win. If they roll a 2, 3, or 12, you lose. Any other number becomes the “point,” and the shooter will continue rolling until they either roll the point number again or a 7. If they roll the point number, you win. If they roll a 7, you lose.
- Come Bet: The come bet is similar to the pass line bet, but it can be placed after the point has been established. It works in the same way as a pass line bet, with the shooter needing to roll a 7 or 11 to win and a 2, 3, or 12 to lose. Any other number becomes the come bet point, and the shooter will continue rolling until they roll either the come bet point or a 7.
- Don’t Pass Bet: The don’t pass bet is the opposite of the pass line bet. You win if the shooter rolls a 2 or 3, and lose if they roll a 7 or 11. If the shooter rolls a 12, it’s a push. Any other number becomes the point, and you win if the shooter rolls a 7 before rolling the point.
- Don’t Come Bet: The don’t come bet is similar to the don’t pass bet but can be placed after the point has been established. It works in the same way as the don’t pass bet, with the shooter needing to roll a 2 or 3 to win and a 7 or 11 to lose. If the shooter rolls a 12, it’s a push. Any other number becomes the don’t come point, and you win if the shooter rolls a 7 before rolling the don’t come point.
Other Bets
In addition to the basic bets, craps offers various other betting options. Some of the popular ones include:
- Field Bet: This bet wins if the shooter rolls a 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12. It loses if the shooter rolls a 5, 6, 7, or 8.
- Place Bets: These bets allow you to bet on specific numbers (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) and win if the number is rolled before a 7.
- Hardways: These bets involve betting on pairs of numbers (2+2, 3+3, 4+4, or 5+5) and winning if the pair is rolled before a 7 or a non-pair combination of the same numbers.
Etiquette
When playing craps, it’s important to be aware of the etiquette at the table. Here are a few key points:
- Do not touch the dice with both hands.
- Keep your hands out of the table area when the dice are being rolled.
- Do not throw the dice too hard, as it can bounce off the table and disrupt the game.
- Be considerate of other players and avoid excessive celebrations or complaints.
Remember, craps is a social game, and it’s important to respect the other players and the dealer.
Now that you have a basic understanding of craps, it’s time to hit the casino floor and give the game a try. Good luck and enjoy the excitement of the dice rolling in your favor!