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>> Play our free craps game here << Street Craps versus Casino Craps The game of craps as it is played in the casino is generally thought of as a man's game. This is no game for gentlemen – James Bond played baccarat – but it is certainly not a savage pursuit. Street craps, sometimes called 'Ghetto craps', or 'shooting dice', is a mock up version of casino craps, normally played among friends for small amounts of money -- without the benefit of a craps table or legitimate dealer. Played on the city streets, sidewalks, and in back alleys, street craps can end violently and has a bad reputation as a game for gang bangers. There a few key features of shooting dice that set the game apart from traditional casino style craps. First and foremost, the game as it is played on the street is highly illegal. As with any non government sanctioned gambling, the game must be kept secret, and if caught playing it you will face stiff fines at best. In my home state, street gambling is only a misdemeanor (one that admittedly will take a big chunk out of your wallet), but in at least 25 other states, any form of illegal gambling is a serious crime, a felony punishable by large chunks of prison time. Playing craps in a casino won't get you in any legal trouble, as long as you follow the rules and avoid getting so drunk that you urinate in public or punch someone. Stick with the legal game of craps, played in a casino or on a legit online casino, and you'll avoid getting up close and personal with a judge. Another problem with street craps is the lack of a banker or any other authority . . . besides the cops who arrest you, of course. There is generally no one watching over the game who has the specific job of handling the money, watching bets, and ensuring proper payouts every time a decision is made. When you play craps in a casino or online, you can be sure that winnings are handed out as they are due. In a land based casino, there are as many as 6 employees per craps table at any given time. Any game that requires this much oversight ought never be played in an alley behind a bar. The second major difference is the lack of a Craps table. Without a table, it is difficult to keep track of bets, and even more difficult to bet properly. Because of this lack of strict rules and betting options, street craps generally consists of two betting options - Pass and Don't Pass. Compared to the plethora of options available to the casino craps player, two bet possibilities is weak. Before dice shooting play begins, the shooter will place a wager equivalent to either Pass or Don't Pass. Starting on the shooter's left and moving clockwise, each player will be asked if they want to cover the bet, or a portion of it. Usually, the players will only cover a portion each – not that I've played much street craps (got that, authorities?). A player may also decline to cover a bet at all if he wishes, sometimes with violent results. Why such a violent game? Think about it – small amounts of cash are being exchanged without a security presence. Most of these games take place near a bar – meaning heavily intoxicated players – and if you believe popular culture, many street craps players have imbibed a little crack or some other illicit drug at some point that night. Regardless of what substances may or may not be coursing through a street craps player's veins, the lack of security and oversight puts you and your money in extreme danger. Back to the game -- if the Shooter's bet it not completely covered, he can either increase the odds, giving the players a chance to make more money if they then cover the bet, or the shooter can withdraw the remaining, uncovered portion of the bet. This is another sometimes dangerous move that implies a lack of trust in his own bet or the play of his fellow dice shooters. Once the shooter's bet is covered, the other players now have the option of wagering against each other. Any player who chose not to bet against the Shooter will likely place a bet against another player who did. This is another difference in the two games – in casino craps, there are far less players betting against the shooter. In street craps, there is no casino to cover the action, so to speak, so it isn't necessary to have both players betting FOR and AGAINST the shooter. This negative action in street craps could also account for the infamous nature of the game. With all bets placed, the shooter may now toss the dice, using the same Come Out, Pass and Don't Pass rules as in a real casino. As in casino craps, the shooter's first roll is the Come Out roll. If the Come Out roll is a 7 or 11, all Pass bets are won. If the Come Out roll is Craps -- 2, 3 or 12 -- all Don't Pass bets are won. If the Come Out roll is any other number -- 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10, the rolled number becomes the Point. This part of the game is very similar to casino craps – the main difference being that most casino players aren't armed with a shank. With a Point established, all Pass bets turn into Come bets, wagering that the Point will come again before the Shooter '7s Out' (rolls a 7). In the same vein, all Don't Pass bets are now Don't Come bets, wagering that a 7 will be rolled before that Point comes again. A simplified version of craps fun for pimps of all ages. You may have noticed by now that street craps is an easy game. Players are basically betting on whether the line will be passed or not. There is no placing specific numbers, no betting hard-ways, no Come bets, and no one roll bets. It is also very unlikely that there will be any field action either, to say the least. I would advice you to keep it legal and keep yourself safe. When you want to play a dice rolling game, stick to casino craps, online craps, or Yahtzee. If you've seen the Sinatra film Guys and Dolls, you may remember that street craps has its obvious downsides – bar brawls, gunplay over gambling, beatings from thugs named Bennie – heck, you might even end up forced into a wedding. Stick with the casino, or the online casinos, and good luck. |