The Rules of Craps Explained

If you walk through any massive Las Vegas casino on a busy Saturday night, you will immediately hear the Craps table. People are yelling and cheering. This is the Craps table. To an absolute beginner, the Craps table looks like a terrifying, incomprehensible nightmare of mathematics and strange terminology. There are too many rules. Beginners avoid it completely. This is a massive tragedy, because Craps actually offers some of the absolute best mathematical odds in the entire casino. If you strip away the massive shouting and the confusing terminology, it is just a dice game. This guide will completely demystify the Craps table, how to throw the dice, and showing you the only two specific bets you actually need to know to play like a massive, highly successful professional.

The Flow of the Game: The Two Phases

To simplify Craps is to completely ignore 90% of the massive betting board. It is just about the dice. This player is called the “Shooter.” The game operates in two distinct, incredibly simple phases.

• The Beginning: A new round of Craps always begins with the “Come-Out” roll. Before the Shooter throws the dice, everyone at the table must place their primary bets. The table cheers. If they roll a 2, 3, or 12 (known as “Craps”), everybody instantly loses.
• Setting the Target: If a different number hits, the target is set. The number is highlighted. The objective shifts. You want the target number. If a 7 hits, the game is over.

The Smart Money: Ignoring the Sucker Bets

The board is full of confusing options. The truth about the table: Those bets are mathematically horrible. To play Craps with almost perfect mathematical efficiency, you only need to understand two very simple, highly specific bets.

How to Not Look Like a Rookie: The Superstitions

Because Craps is a highly social, massive community game, there are rules to follow. If you break these rules, you will immediately anger the massive crowd of players and likely get yelled at by the dealer.

• The Superstition: Everyone is terrified of the 7. It is considered incredibly bad luck and highly offensive to physically say the word “Seven” out loud while the Shooter is rolling. It ruins the vibe.
• The Security Rules: When it is finally your turn to be the Shooter and the dealer pushes the massive dice to you, you must only ever pick them up with exactly one hand. Security will stop the game. Furthermore, when you throw them, you must ensure that both dice physically hit the massive rubber pyramid wall at the very back of the table. This guarantees absolute, perfect mathematical randomness.

To wrap things up, Craps is misunderstood. It seems incredibly difficult, but it is incredibly simple. By making the smart bets, backing that wager up with massive “Free Odds” behind the line, and ignoring the sucker bets, you will instantly reduce the casino’s massive advantage to an absolute microscopic fraction. You will look like a pro, allowing you to have fun.