Craps is a dice game in which the players bet on the outcome of a single roll, or a series of rolls, of a pair of dice. Players can bet money against each other or against the bank. Betting against another player is also known as street craps or shooting dice. Betting against a bank is known as casino craps or table craps. Like many other casino games, Online Craps has enjoyed increased popularity through the emergence of Internet gaming in recent years.
History
It is thought that the game is derived from the game of Hazard, a game imported to Europe by Arabic people. Hazard gained great popularity in England but the name Craps actually originates from France. In Hazard, the term "crabs" was used when the dice showed a 2. After the game had reached France the name became better known as Craps
French settlers brought the game to America in the early 1700's and in 1813 Bernard de Mandeville changed it to be even more like the Craps game we know and play today. The game spread across the country and in 1907 a professional dice maker by the name of John H. Winn in New York created the modern Craps layout. Today, Craps is one of the most popular casino games and a lot of players still gather around the tables where the dice are thrown.
How To Play
In order to be successful at Craps, you will need to learn the rules of the game and the different roles you can play. The main person is "The Shooter", the person that throws the dice. Players around the Craps table place bets on the outcome of the throw. The Shooter does not have to make a bet.
The Come-Out Roll is the initial roll of the dice. If the result is 2, 3, 7, 11 or 12 the game is over; with winning and losing bets settled accordingly. Play then re-starts with a new Come-Out Roll. Otherwise the game goes on with the result of the throw (4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10) as the shooter's "Point" in the next stage. The Series is the stage of the game when the dice is rolled until the shooter's Point hits again or the result is a 7 to conclude the game.
A Pass Line Bet is a bet made before the come-out roll. If the result of the come-out roll is 7 or 11 it pays at even money. If the result of the come-out roll is 2, 3 or 12, the bet is lost. Otherwise the game goes on to the series and the Pass Line Bet wins if the Shooter's point hits before a 7. A Don't Pass Line works in the reverse, where a 7 or 11 results in a losing bet. If the result of the come-out roll is 2, 3 or 12 the bet pays at even money. Casinos usually permit only two of the three numbers to win with the third resulting in a push. Otherwise the game goes on to the series. At this stage of the game the Don't Pass Line Bet wins if a 7 hits before the shooter's Point. If a 7 hits the bet is lost, otherwise the game continues.
An Odds bet is made together with a Pass Line Bet. An Odds Bet can be placed after the initial roll has established the Shooter’s point. The Odds Bet wins if the shooter's Point hits before a 7. If a 7 hits the bet is lost. A Come Bet is placed after the shooter's Point has been established by the opening roll. If the first roll of the dice after the Come Bet has been placed shows a 7 or an 11 the bet pays off at evens. If the first roll of the dice after the Come Bet has been placed shows a 2, 3 or a 12 the bet is lost. Any other number that hits will be the Come Point in the upcoming throws. If the Come Point hits before a seven the bet pays off 1 to 1. If a 7 hits the bet is lost. A Don't Come Bet is the opposite with one exception; if a 2 hits in the first throw after the Don't Come Bet has been placed it results in a push.
You can also bet on specific numbers e.g. A Big 6 bets that a 6 will hit before a 7 at odds of 1 to 1. As with other forms of betting, you can place a Buy or Lay Bet with the odds returns pre-determined by the casino.
Tips & Tricks
The game of Craps is very easy to learn and has very few rules. After learning the basics of craps your next step is to learn which bets are the best ones for you to make. As a beginner, your best bets will be line bets and the six and eight bets. These bets have the best player's odds and therefore offer you the best chances of winning. The bets that you should avoid are the inside proposition bets that the dealer will try to tempt you into playing. These bets have very high house advantage rates, sometimes as high as 16 percent.
A good idea for novice players is to create a betting pattern and to use it consistently. For example you may play two chips on a line bet and two chips on the 6 and 8 bet. After several rounds of craps you will be able to calculate whether or not the strategy is profitable. If not, try an alternative pattern and. repeat the process until you find a betting pattern that works for you.
One of the best known systems for Craps is the Martingale system. The player starts by betting at 1 point and doubles up whenever he loses. As soon as they have a win, the stake drops back to the initial outlay. The idea is to realise a net win equal to the initial amount after every winning bet. However, this is not the pathway to untold riches. The system fails because, in the event of a long losing sequence, the player will either run out of money or will exceed the maximum bet allowed by the casino.