How to Play Craps Basics - Learn How to Play Craps Online

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How to Play Craps – Learn How to Play Craps

The basics of craps are not difficult to pick up in a very short time. Most new craps players are stressed out by the "bottom", or playing surface of the table itself. Looking at a graphic of a craps table, it is easy for me to remember my first experience with a live craps game – the sweaty palms, the increased heart rate, the pile of cash lost because I simply didn't understand the betting process . . .

Not to worry. Read on and learn all you need to know to approach a craps table for the first time. If you learn how to play craps before you belly up to the green, the odds that the casino will totally rob you of your rent money will decrease significantly. The game of craps offers some of the best bets to be found in the casino, and for this reason – congratulations. You're on your way to earning money the easy way.

The table's bottom is simply a place for players to toss dice and place bets on the outcome of the "decisions" – or the total shown on the dice after each roll. Remember that the game is played with two six sided die, and that the number outcome possible is anywhere from 2 to 12.

The craps table is covered in felt that is printed with a diagram showing the spaces for the types of bets. There is a center section where Hard ways and One Roll bets can be placed. The ends of the table each have sections for the Pass Line, Come, Place, Field, and other bets. The ends of the table are mirror images of each other.

When you walk up to a table, step into any open slot. You don't have to worry about taking someone's place. The shooter of the dice is the player who rolls them to bring up a decision. The dice are thrown so that they hit the back wall at the end of the table opposite the shooter. Every player takes turns being the shooter, with turns rotating clockwise around the table. When a new shooter rolls, the stickperson pushes several sets of dice up to him so he can select the pair he wants to use.

There are many ways to bet in craps, and the most common are outlined below.

Place bets – One of the 6 best bets in craps can be had on specific types of place bets. 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 wager that one of these numbers will be rolled before the shooter throws a 7. You cannot take the odds on place bets. To make a place bet on the 6 or 8, hand your chips to the dealer and ask him to "place the six" or "place the 8."

Come bets – Another of the better bets on the table, at least in terms of odds. A come bet is identical in theory to a pass line bet, with perhaps just 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 amount of chips you wish to wager in the designated come area of the table bottom.

Don't come bets – With full odds, this is yet another great bet in craps. 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 wager. Thus if the shooter rolls a craps number of 2 or 3, you will win while don't pass line betters will not be affected. A roll of 12 is considered a stand-off. If a 7 is rolled, you will lose and all wagers 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 wagers.

Hard way bets – These are just what the name implies – a hard way to win. When a number like 8 is rolled as two 4s, that is called a "hard 8". A hard way bet is betting that a specific number will come up the hard way. Great for profit if it works . . . but it hardly ever does.

Horn bets – This is a complicated but potentially lucrative bet. Really, it is a series of four bets combining 2, 3, 11, and 12. Make your bet amount divisible by four – and remember, you can only win on one total at a time.

Pass line bets – Yes, this can be one of the top 6 bets on the table. Most shooters, as well as most of the other craps players at the table, will bet the pass line, as it is the basic wager of craps. The pass line wager 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.

Don't pass bets - As you've seen, 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 wager loses when the come-out roll is a 7 or 11, or when the shooter repeats his point number before rolling a 7.

Big 6 / Big 8 bets – My personal favorite bets in craps, not because they're particularly lucrative, but because my lucky number (as told to me by a shaman in New Mexico . . . long story) is 68. The big 6 bet is a wager that the 6 will be rolled before the 7 will. If any other number is rolled it does not effect the result and the dice are rolled again. Consequently, the big 8 bet is a wager that the 8 will be rolled before the 7 is. These two bets could be made at any stage of the game, including on the come-out roll.

Play a few rounds of craps for free at any number of free games – usually found at online casinos, but also available at most craps strategy pages. Happy shooting.