Craps Bets Explained

1. Betting On Craps
2. Craps Table Bets Explained
3. How To Win At Craps Every Time
4. Craps Bets List

Learning how to play craps isn't as difficult as you might think. People are often steer away from playing the game because they think its too complex, but the only particularly complicated aspect is all the different types of bets that can be placed.

For example, '3-4-5x Odds,' usually means you can bet 3x Odds on the 4 or 10, 4x Odds on the 5 or 9, and 5x Odds on the 6 or 8. Check out some great online casinos such as Sunpalace, Casino Max, or slotsplus. Let's look at a simple scenario to see how the flat and Free Odds bets work together. Craps Introduction. Craps can be an intimidating game for the beginner. The table seems to have about a hundred different kinds of bets, the players are barking out commands in what seems to be a foreign language, and the pace is too fast to ever ask a question. In craps, a hop bet is a one roll bet where the player bets on what they think will appear on the next roll. Hop bets are always one roll bets. The rest of this article will go into the technical and detailed.

You don't actually need to learn all of them to start playing and you can just stick to the simplest ones if you like.

You do, however, need to understand how the game is played.

This article will help as we cover everything you need to know to play craps in a live casino or online.

We explain the main objective of the game, the craps table, the betting layout, and the basic rules. We also introduce the different types of bets.

Game Objective in Craps

The main objective in craps is really quite straightforward. Roulette machine tips. Basically you are just betting on the outcome of the roll of two dice.

Craps is pure chance since you can't affect the outcome in any way, but you do have the choice of several wagers. The majority of these wagers are ultimately based on what combination of dice will be rolled.

The goal in craps is therefore to try to correctly predict which numbers will come up on the next roll. This is, of course, guesswork, but it doesn't stop the game being a lot of fun.

The dice are rolled on the table by one of the participating players, referred to as the shooter. Typically, a new player will become the shooter at the end of each round, although one player may remain as the shooter for several in a row.

Anyone at the table, including the shooter, can make wagers by placing their chips in the appropriate spot on the betting layout.

A craps table requires the attention of several casino employees. You'll usually find the following people running a table.

• Boxman
• Stickman
• Base Dealers

The boxman is in charge of the chips at the table. He (or she) will exchange cash into chips for players and swap them for different denominations if required. He's also responsible for supervising the dealers and generally ensuring that the game runs smoothly.

The stickman is in charge of the dice. He moves them around the table with the use of a stick (hence the name), passing them to the shooter at the start of each roll. He will also announce the outcome of each roll.

A craps table usually features two base dealers, one standing on either side. They are responsible for collecting losing bets and paying out winners. When requested to do so, they can also place certain bets on behalf of players.

The rules of craps are the same regardless of whether you are playing in a live setting or online. However, things are a lot simpler online. There's no allocated shooter, as technically you are the shooter every time you play.

The diced are rolled automatically when you press the relevant button, and you place your bets by clicking in the appropriate place on the betting layout.

The following is an example of what an online craps table looks like:

Basic Rules

Each round in craps starts with what is known as the come-out roll. Most casinos will require that the shooter place a bet before making this roll on either the pass line or the don't pass line.

If the combined value of the two dice on a come-out roll equals 2, 3, or 12, then this is 'crapping out' and the round is over. Players will lose pass line bets and win don't pass bets. If the come-out roll is 7 or 11, the round is also over.

If any other value is rolled on the come-out roll i.e. 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10, then a point is established, equal to the value rolled, and the round continues into the next stage.

The shooter continues to roll with players betting on the outcome of each, until they roll either a 7 or the point value that has been established.

Following a roll of either 7 or the point value, the round is over and a new come-out roll is required. It's standard practice for the shooter to pass the dice to another player if a round ends with a 7, and to stay as shooter if the round ends with the point value being rolled.

This is essentially all there is to the basic rules of craps. What makes the game more complex are all the different bets that can be placed.

The following is a list of the different wagers you can place when playing craps.

• Pass Line
• Don't Pass
• Come
• Don't Come
• Pass Line Odds
• Don't Pass Odds
• Come Odds
• Don't Come Odds
• Place Win
• Place Lose
• Buy
• Lay
• Big 6
• Big 8
• Hardways
• Field
• Any 7
• Any 11
• Any Craps
• Ace Deuce
• Aces
• Boxcar

As you can see, there are numerous different bets in craps. Please don't let this steer you away from playing the game as you really don't need to learn them all.

They are pretty simple overall; it just takes a little time to familiarize yourself with each one.

You can read about all these bets in more detail here.

If you're ready to put what you've learned here into action, you might want to consider trying out an online casino. You can play craps at most of the top online casinos that we recommend. If you want to play for real money, you'll get a bonus for signing up and making your first deposit. And if you prefer to just play for fun, that's an option at most places, too. Here are some of the online casinos we recommend playing at.

One of the most confounding casino games for rookie gamblers visiting Las Vegas is real money craps.

And that's a shame too, because the classic dice rolling affair is also one of the most entertaining experiences on any casino floor. Even better, despite the trappings of exotic bets like the 'hard way,' the basic wagers in craps offer odds which are among the most favorable around.

Unfortunately, due to the craps table's reputation as the domain of hardcore gamblers, many beginners who want to learn the game never step up to take the dice in hand. This phenomenon can be attributed to many reasons, but first and foremost is the intimidating atmosphere presented by a traditional Las Vegas craps table.

And even when you're not rolling the bones yourself, a crowded caps table can feel more like a frat party than a casino game. Everyone is shouting their desired number, yelling to the dealer to get bets down, and celebrating in unison when the shooter nails their point number.

As for the craps table itself, this elongated piece of equipment is always home to no less than five casino staff members working the game. You'll see a boxman supervising the action, a stickman sliding the dice to shooters, and three dealers scanning bets to collect losers and pay out winners.

Throw in one of the more complex betting layouts found in any casino – one featuring several dozen unique wager types listed using all variety of slang terminology – and traditional craps can easily dissuade would be beginners from giving the game a try.

For these reasons, whenever I encounter a craps rookie lingering near the rail and showing hesitation, I politely suggest that they try a 'Bubble' craps machine first.

Officially known as 'Shoot to Win Craps,' these innovative machines manufactured by Aruze Gaming manage to recreate the game to perfection in a personalized play format.

The only thing is, many Las Vegas gamblers simply ignore these Shoot to Win Craps machines out of hand, mistakenly believing them to be bastardized versions of the real deal.

That's what Scott Roeben of the popular Vital Vegas blog used to do, as the experienced local simply didn't see Shoot to Win Craps as a viable alternative. Here's what Roeben had to say about this first impression of the machine:

'We love traditional craps, at a craps table, with the chips and the cussing and the dice you can fondle, so we spent months just walking right by the Shoot to Win Craps game.

Until recently, when we sat down and played, and we loved it right from the start.'

After taking the time to play Shoot to Win Craps – which takes its 'Bubble Craps' moniker from the plexiglass bubble used to house and roll large foam dice – Roeben took to his Vital Vegas page and spread the new game's gospel to the masses:

'Craps can be intimidating. While craps tables are often the most boisterous parts of a casino, the jargon and fast pace of the game can be a little off-putting.

The table layout and bets can take some time to learn, so many just watch and move on to game they're more comfortable with.

Shoot to Win Craps makes craps accessible to everyone, and even provides a lot of benefits more experienced players will appreciate.'

If you've ever wanted to play craps for yourself, but couldn't quite muster the courage to put chips down on a real table, this page is here to tell you that Shoot to Win Craps provides the perfect entry point.

Shoot to Win Craps Machines Won't Hit You With Hidden Changes

First things first… you're probably wondering how the house uses Shoot to Win Craps machines to get one over on players.

In other machine-based replicas of traditional table games, the casino can easily adjust the odds ever so slightly in their favor to increase the house edge. Video blackjack machines largely eschew the more favorable 3 to 2 payouts on a natural 21 for the inferior 6 to 5 reward. And on a video roulette machine, you might find 34 to 1 payouts on a single number hit instead of the standard 35 to 1.

But on a Shoot to Win Craps machine, the payouts and house edge rates are identical across the board to those offered on a genuine craps table:

Payouts and House Edge Rates for Common Bets on the Shoot to Win Craps Machine:

This may not seem like much at first glance, but knowing that Aruze Gaming chose to design their Shoot to Win Craps machines with integrity is very important. I would never advise my readers to take a shot on an inferior wager, so rest assured that you'll be facing the exact same odds and house edge rates, while playing for the same payouts, when you try the Bubble Craps alternative.

The Minimum Bet Limits and Odds Offered Can Be Much Better on Bubble Craps

Speaking of odds, one of the most popular and profitable wagers in craps – and all of casino gambling for that matter – is known as the Odds bet.

After you've placed an introductory bet on either the Pass Line or the Don't Pass Line, and the shooter sets a point number on their come out roll, you are then free to 'take the Odds.' Essentially, this is a second bet placed behind your Pass Line or Don't Pass Line wager which pays out at true odds when based on the point number.

In other words, you'll receive a payout of 2 to 1 on your money when the shooter rolls the point of 4 or 10 again; 3 to 2 odds on a 5 or 9 point; and 6 to 5 on a 6 or 8 point. And as the table above makes clear, the Odds bet offers one of the rarest sights in all of casino gambling – a wager with no house edge whatsoever.

Of course, casinos aren't in the business of offering fair odds like this, which is why you have to place a perfunctory Pass Line or Don't Pass Line bet first. Furthermore, craps tables nowadays have ditched the old 100x limit on Odds bets which once made Las Vegas the craps capital of the world. Instead, you'll often see physical craps tables in Sin City limit the Odds bet to 3x on 4 or 10 points, 4x on the 5 or 9, and 5x on the 6 or 8.

Here's how the various limitations on Odds betting can affect your overall house edge rate when the Pass Line or Don't Pass Line wagers are factored in:

House Edge on Craps Odds Bet (by Odds Limit):

Betting On Craps

Now that you know how the Odds bet works, check out the list below to see how various Las Vegas casinos choose to limit this crucial wager:

Survey of Craps Tables in Las Vegas:

As you can see, almost all of these venues like to cap their Odds bet action using the 3x-4x-5x structure. And when you can find higher limits than that, you'll usually need to place a higher minimum wager on the Pass Line or Don't Pass Line to 'earn' that right.

Conversely, players sitting at a Shoot to Win Craps machine can almost always limit their initial liability via lower minimum bets.

Almost every casino in town uses a $5 or $10 minimum on the initial bets when you play at a traditional table. But when you try the Shoot to Win Craps machine, you'll be able to learn the game at a more leisurely pace thanks to lower limits – all while still enjoying up to 5x on your Odds bet:

Survey of Shoot to Win Craps Machines in Las Vegas:

Comfort Is Key on the Shoot to Win Craps Machine

Enough about the intricacies of craps mathematics for a moment though… the real hook offered by Shoot to Win Craps machine is ease of entry.

Craps Table Bets Explained

When you play Bubble Craps, you won't have to worry about anybody else at the table sizing you up and pegging you as a rookie.

That means no dirty looks if you decide to dance with the 'dark side,' a colloquial craps term used to describe Don't Pass Line bettors. Similarly, when you want to splash around on some of the more longshot exotic wagers like the Any Craps, Hard Way, or Yo-Leven, you can feel free to indulge yourself without receiving a lecture from more conservative players.

How To Win At Craps Every Time

And for pure beginners who are simply trying to learn the rules and basic gameplay, Shoot to Win Craps uses a convenient touchscreen input to make the betting layout easy to read and navigate.

You can watch this short video provided by Aruze Gaming to see exactly how Shoot to Win Craps machines present the game from the player's perspective:

Conclusion

I'll be the first to admit that as a longtime craps player, adjusting to the machine-based Bubble rolling can be a bit tricky. Cradling the dice in hand and letting them fly is all part of the fun, as is high-fiving and back-clapping your fellow players when the right number comes in.

Craps Bets List

But for folks who have little to no experience rolling real dice at the tables, sitting down for a session on the Shoot to Win Craps machine is definitely the next best thing. When you've learned the ropes there, feel free to take your newfound knowledge and confidence to the tables to complete your evolution from student to master.