No great gambling story begins with, "So I was playing the Cleopatra slot machine..." Great stories happen from table games, and craps is the best table game out there. It has a low house edge, is extremely exciting, and is a whole heck of a lot of fun. The only problem is that its intimidating to learn... and thats why you have this guide.
This guide is ordered by order of difficulty. If things ever get confusing, you can stop reading and be comfortable with the bets you already know. In fact, once you have mastered section III of this guide, you can play craps, although you should probably understand section IV also. Everything after section II concerns additional bets, which are not necessary to play. So don’t get flustered, especially at section VIII.
If you are a "learn by doing" kind of guy, msn.com has a great craps online game where you can learn. And even if you aren't a learn by doing kind of person, it will still be helpful if you give it a try.
I. The Theory
Like all casino games, probability is the basis for Craps. When two dice are rolled, the following are the likelihood that a total will come up. Fractions are not reduced to keep things simpler.
2: 1/36
3: 2/36
4: 3/36
5: 4/36
6: 5/36
7: 6/36
8: 5/36
9: 4/36
10: 3/36
11: 2/36
12: 1/36
A seven is the most probable number that will come up. Seven is the key number in craps, as will be shown below. Every other number is less likely to come up than a seven. How less likely?
A four or ten is only 3/36, while a seven is 6/36. Therefore, a seven is twice as likely to come up as a four or ten. A five or nine is 4/36, meaning that a seven is 3/2 times as likely to come up as a five or nine. A six or eight is 5/36, meaning that a seven is 6/5 times as likely to come up as a six or eight.
It is imperative that you EVENTUALLY learn these odds. It is not important in the beginning, but these odds form the basis for the most important bets in the game.
II. Etiquette
A few rules do you don’t look like a dumbass at the table.
1) At all costs, do not allow your hands to hit the dice when they are being rolled. Firstly, the dealers will get pissed off. Secondly, the players will get pissed off. Thirdly, while you hitting the dice has no effect on the long run, it always seems to make everyone lose. So pay attention! Get your bets down early, and if the shooter has the dice anywhere near him, get your hands and arms away from the table.
Example: The all time #1 craps story relating to this occurred when Al was rolling, and Gibbs was right next to him. Al was about to roll (and there was a fair amount of money on the table), and Gibbs for some strange reason elected to try to add more money to his bet, right when Al was about to shoot. Gibbs's hand somehow managed to get right in the way of Al's roll, knocking it straight down. Of course, the dice read seven, and the entire table lost. Al, along with everyone else at the table, had the angriest looks of their lives on their faces, and Gibbs ran away to the bathroom. Gibbs ran away in such haste that he left an open bet on the table.
2) The guys handing out the chips are generally competent, although they do sometimes make mistakes. They hand out winning bets in a particular order. Pass line bets are paid first, then bets on particular numbers, and lastly bets from the middle of the table. Don’t worry about the order now, just realize that there is a method to their madness, and they will pay you. Believe me, you will know when they don’t pay you.
Example: I think I am a generally competent craps player, but when alcohol comes into play you don't pay attention correctly. I can recount the three times that I have correctly pointed out to a chip man that I either wasn't paid correctly or that my bet is in the correct amount, while there are tons of times I have tried to correct and been wrong.
3) If you’re a guy, never let on that this is your first time.
4) When it is your turn to roll, five or so dice will be pushed towards you. Using one hand only, pick TWO, and then roll them. The dice should hit the back wall. Some people like a low line drive down the table. Other people like a high arcing roll. Its really personal preference, but as long as you aren’t too wild, its not a big deal. Throwing the dice off the table results in a reroll, and while its not the end of the world (it probably happens to me once out of every ten or so rolls), it messes up the flow of the game.
5) People are superstitious. Deal with it. However, if someone is being downright moronic about it, like taking one minute to "set the dice up" correctly before his roll, you have as much right as you want to mock him.
Example: During our 2005 Vegas trip, Lacker had what must have been a thirty minute roll, where he was hitting a ton of points and other numbers. It was one of the top rolling streaks I've ever seen. Gibbs, who wasn't gambling, was watching the carnage, and then walks up behind me and Cooper and says "I've got a bad feeling about this one." I turn to him in horror, and then look back and see Lacker's roll coming towards my side of the table. I know it before it even comes up. Seven out. He's been rolling forever and you don't have a good feeling? Shut up fudge.
6) Watch your hands!!!
7) When you want to leave the table with your massive winnings, simply put the chips down in front of you when there is a lull in the action, and tell the chip man that you want to be ”colored out.” They will count up your chips and give you bigger chips that are easy to carry to the cashier so you can get actual money.
8) In general, six people can fit on one side of a craps table. So if there are already six people on one side, its kind of a dick move for you to try to slide in.
9) The dice are moved around the table in a clockwise manner. Each shooter shoots until he “sevens out.” A person who's first roll is a 2,3, or 12 loses the pass line, but he continues shooting. You don’t have to shoot if you don’t want to, but man that’s lame.
III. The Bet Everyone is Making
Almost every player at the table has money on the Pass Line.
What exactly all of these people betting on? Unfortunately, it depends on whether a “point” has been established. Whoa whoa whoa… a “point?” WTF is that?
Okay… lets back up. Imagine that you are walking up to a completely empty table (which will never be the case, but lets just imagine). No dice are being thrown; no chips are on the table; the dealers are simply waiting for you.
You place a bet on the pass line and are given the dice to roll. This is the first roll, known as the “come out roll.” On the come out roll, a 7 or 11 (combined odds 8/36) automatically wins even money on your bet. A 2, 3, or 12 (combined odds 4/36) automatically loses your bet. So, for the sake of completeness, lets have an example.
Example: You place ten dollars on the pass line. On the come out roll, a seven is rolled. You win even money on your bet, so the dealer will give you ten dollars (while leaving your original bet there).
You are free to pick up your chips once he lays them in front of you, but its generally good to wait a few seconds, especially since you will want to eyeball the chips to make sure he gave you the correct amount. If you pick up the chips and then claim to not have the correct amount, it is unlikely that they will pay you any more.
Example: You place ten dollars on the pass line. On the come out roll, a two is rolled. You lose, and the chip man takes your bet away. Sucker.
Okay, so what happens if a 4,5,6,8,9, or 10 is rolled on the come out roll? That number then becomes the “point.” If the shooter rolls that same number again BEFORE he rolls a seven, then the pass line wins. That might have been a bit confusing. Lets have an example.
Example: You place ten dollars on the pass line. On the come out roll, a four is rolled. The point is now a four. The next roll is a seven. The shooter has “sevened out.” Pass line bets are taken away, and the table readies itself for a new come out roll.
Example: You place ten dollars on the pass line. On the come out roll, a four is rolled. The point is now a four. The next roll is a four. The shooter has hit his point. Pass line bets are paid off at even money, so the dealer will give you ten dollars (while leaving your original bet there). The table readies itself for a new come out roll.
But what happens if the point or seven is not instantly rolled? This is important, so read very slowly.
After the come out roll, for the purposes of the pass line bet, no number matters other than the point number and seven.
I’m going to type that again (well actually, I’m just going to copy and paste it), because it is so important. I am going to put it in bold this time, though.
After the come out roll, for the purposes of the pass line bet, no number matters other than the point number and seven.
Okay, so lets have a quiz.
Come out roll: 5
Next roll: 4
Next roll: 11
Do you win? NO. Refer back to the earlier rule.
After the come out roll, for the purposes of the pass line bet, no number matters other than the point number and seven.
The only roll that matters in regards to your pass line bet in this instance is a 5 or 7.
Come out roll: 5
Next roll: 12
Next roll: 12
Next roll: 3
Next roll: 9
Next roll: 8
Next roll: 5
You win!
Now you may be noticing that during all of these rolls in between the come out roll and the last roll, some people are winning money. Why? They are betting the pass line just like you. The difference is that they have made other bets that we will talk about later. Lets not get ahead of ourselves.
The problem most beginners have is that when they walk up to the table, they are confused as to whether a point has been established or not. This is remedied simply enough. When you first reach the table, look for a big round puck. It will either be black with the word “off” showing, or it will be white, have the word “on” showing, and be placed over a number.
You should never make a pass line bet when a point is already established. Why? Well for starters, most places won’t even let you because its idiotic. But secondly, because if a point has already been established, you’ve already missed out on the best part of the pass line bet – the come out roll. Remember, any 7 or 11 wins for you on the come out roll, while a 2,3, or 12 loses. There are 8 ways to hit a 7 or 11, while only 4 ways to hit a 2,3, or 12. Therefore, you are a big favorite to win on the come out roll if you are betting on pass, while you are a definite underdog to win the pass line bet if a point is actually established (since every single point number is individually less likely to come up than a seven).
One note: You cannot remove a pass line bet once a point has been established, as it is paying even money and you are an underdog to win.
The pass line bet has a house edge of 1.41%. That means that over the long run, for every one hundred dollars you bet, you can expect to lose one dollar and forty one cents. For comparison sake, the house edge on any roulette bet is 5.26%. In general, the easier the game, the bigger the house edge. Slot machines? Very high house edge. Blackjack? Very low house edge (because basic strategy is actually semi-difficult to memorize). That stupid big wheel thing? You don’t want to know the house edge. Texas Hold Em Bonus Poker? Low house edge.
IV. The Best Bet in the Casino
Okay, so you’re still confused. After the come out roll establishes a point, almost everyone is putting even more chips BEHIND their pass line bet. And if the point number is hit, they are getting paid weird amounts of money on that additional bet. What is going on?
The additional bet they are putting out there is known as the odds bet. It is the best bet in the casino, with ZERO house edge.
Recall the probabilities stated at the beginning of this apparent treatise on craps. A seven is twice as likely to come up as a four or a ten. A seven is 1.5x as likely to come up as a five or nine. A seven is 6/5 as likely to come up as a six or eight. Your odds bet pays based on these true probabilities.
An example will be much more helpful than further explanation.
You put down a 10 dollar pass line bet. The come out roll is a four. You put down 10 dollars behind your pass line bet as your odds bet. The next roll is a six. The next roll is a twelve. The next roll is a four. You are paid even money on your pass line bet (10 dollars), and true odds (2-1, 20 dollars) on your ten-dollar odds bet. So you won 30 dollars on that roll.
Now obviously, casinos make their money because every game they offer has a house edge, so that in the long run they make money. But the odds bet has no house edge. How can they offer it? Two reasons. (1) You have to make a pass line bet (which has a house edge), before you can make an odds bet, and (2) Your odds bet cannot exceed a certain multiple of your pass line bet.
For instance, the Borgata allows 5x odds. So that means, if you were to place a 10 dollar bet no pass, the maximum odds bet you would be able to make is 50 dollars. If you did this and the point was hit, that fifty dollar odds bet would pay the following:
6 or 8: $60
5 or 9: $75
4 or 10: $100
For most people, fifty dollars is a large bet, and even though it makes sense to make the bet, it is not within your bankroll. I usually will put down somewhere between single and double odds, meaning that if I have a ten dollar pass line bet I will put down 15 or 20 in odds. But as my bankroll gets larger, I’ll tend to put more odds down.
The one thing to remember about odds (and this will come up more in the next section), is that the smallest casino chip denomination is $1. Therefore, you would not put down a 15 dollar odds bet when the point is a five or nine. Why? Because that would pay $22.50, and they don’t have quarters lying around. So when the point is a five or nine, you have to keep your odds “even,” or in an even increment. $16 works (paying $24). So does $20 (paying $30).
Unlike your pass line bet, you can add to, subtract from, or remove entirely your odds bet at any time in-between rolls. Just make sure that you don’t try it when the shooter has the dice and is about to roll. More on this later.
V. The Bet Nobody is Making (except jerks like me)
So you now have a strong to very strong understanding of the pass line and the odds bet. You will notice that right behind the pass line is a bet called the “don’t pass line.” You would think, intuitively, that it simply is the opposite of the pass line bet (with one small exception). You would be absolutely, 100% correct. When you bet on the don’t pass line, you are simply betting that the table is going to “lose.” On the come out roll, you lose on a 7 or 11, but win on a 2 or 3. A 12 is a push (this is the small exception to the opposite rule).
If a point number is established, then you are hoping for a seven before that point number is hit. If the seven comes up, you win (while everyone betting on pass just lost).
The house edge on don’t pass is 1.36%. Thus, it is a slightly better bet than the pass line bet. Why does everyone bet on pass? Probably because it is simply more “fun” to win with the table. If you win your don’t pass bet, you generally don’t want to be jumping and cheering.
You can also make an odds bet on the don’t pass bet. Like the pass line odds, it has a house edge of 0%. Unfortunately, the odds on the don’t pass bet are much more difficult than the pass odds. Why? Two reasons. (1) You can’t place the odds behind the bet (that would run into the pass line), and (2) The math is much more difficult.
Firstly, the odds can’t be placed behind your don’t pass bet. They are to be placed NEXT to your bet, on the side closest to the chip man. So if you are on the left side of the table, they are to be placed to the left of your original bet. If you are on the right side of the table, they go on the right side of your original bet.
Even more confusing, however, is the way they must be placed. If you are laying only single odds, then what you will do is place an amount equal to your original bet next to your original bet, and additional chips on top, between the two. If, however, you want to lay more money than that, what you do is place one chip on the bottom, and the rest of them slightly leaning off the edge of that chip (leaning towards the chip man)
Now I mentioned earlier that the math is more difficult. This is because instead of you getting paid more than even money on your odds bet, now you are getting paid less than even money on your odds bet (because you are more likely to win, since you are hoping for a seven). Okay, an example is necessary here.
Example: You bet ten dollars on the don’t pass line. The come out roll is a six, and thus the point is six. A seven is 6/5 more likely to come up than a six. Therefore, you must bet six dollars to win five. You elect to bet single odds, meaning that you bet twelve dollars to win ten. You do this by placing two red chips next to your original two red chips, and then two white chips on top of the middles of the stacks.
Example: You bet ten dollars on the don’t pass line. The come out roll is a six, and thus the point is six. A seven is 6/5 more likely to come up than a six. Therefore, you must bet six dollars to win five. You elect to bet 30 dollars in odds, which would win 25. You place the bet next to your original bet, closest to the chip man, with one chip on the bottom and five chips in one straight column leaning off that bottom chip.
Similar to your odds bet on the pass line, you can add to, subtract from, or remove your odds entirely at any time in-between rolls. I suppose in theory that you could remove your don’t pass bet also, but that would be stupid (as it is paying even money and you are the favorite to win)
VI. Place Bets
A place bet is a bet that a certain number (4,5,6,8,9,10) will come up before a seven. A place bet can be made at any time, without a pass line bet, although they are “off” (do not count) for the come out roll.
Place bets pay worse than odds bets, as follows (correct odds in parens):
6 or 8: 7-6 (6-5)
House Edge: 1.52%
5 or 9: 7-5 (3-2)
House Edge: 4.00%
4 or 10: 9-5 (2-1)
House Edge: 6.67%
Why do they pay worse than true odds? Because you do not need to make a pass line bet in order to make a place bet. If they paid true odds, you would simply always make place bets, there would be no house edge, and the casino wouldn’t make any money. Thus, they pay worse odds. However, the 6 and 8 are the two best bets on the table other than pass, don’t pass, and odds.
Ignorance is one thing that is punished in all casinos, but it is extremely pronounced on the craps table. You may notice bets that say “Big 6” and “Big 8” on the table. These bets are simply that a six or eight will come up before a seven. They pay even money. You will notice that you are betting on the same exact thing as placing the 6 or 8, yet getting worse odds. Craps is funny like that. There are lots of ways to make various bets, all paying differently. There is really only one correct way to do so.
In order to make a place bet, you don’t need to say “place the eight,” or something like that. Just put down your money and say, “Give me the eight.” Or something like that.
Example: You walk up to the table, and a point has already been established, so you cannot make a pass line bet. You want immediate action, however. You put down 25 dollars and tell the chip man to “give you the six and eight.” Note that you cannot put a place bet down yourself, the chip man must do it for you. He will then put 12 dollars each on the six and eight and give you one dollar back. The next roll is a six! The chip man puts 14 dollars down in front of you. The next roll is an eight! The chip man puts 14 dollars down in front of you. The next roll is a seven and you lose both bets.
Why did he put that weird amount on the six and eight? Look back up at the odds – a place bet on the six or eight pays 7-6. So you need to put down multiples of 6. If you were to put down say, 10 dollars, then he would need to pay you something like $11.67, and they’re not going to deal with small change.
Also note that even when you win your place bet, the bet remains in place. You can take the bet down anytime you want, but it will remain there until you say so, even if it wins. If you have a bad feeling about a roll coming up, you can either say “turn my eight off” and the dealer will ignore the bet until you say “turn it on,” or you can say “take my eight down,” and the dealer will give the bet back to you.
Place bets are a nice addition to the betting repertoire of any beginning craps player, because it can get boring waiting for that point or seven out. Of course, probably the bigger reason is that you see lots of people making place bets and making money on rolls that are insignificant to you, and thus you want in on that action. Either way, I like making place bets, and the six and eight are two bets with an extremely low house edge anyway.
While the place bets on the 5,6,8, an 9 are the best ways to make that particular bet (5 before a 7, 6 before a 7, etc.), the best way to make a bet on 4 or 10 before a seven is known as the "buy" bet. The buy bets are confusing - you pay a 5% commission on your bet in order to get true odds. I don't want to get into buy bets any further, but simply to state that you don't want to place a 4 or 10, you want to "buy" it. The following example illustrates it.
Example: You wish to bet on a ten before a seven. You could do a place bet which would pay 9/5. However, you want to get the biggest bang for your buck, so you "buy" the ten. You lay down 21 dollars and tell the dealer you want to buy the ten. He takes away the dollar, places your 20 dollars on the ten with a "buy" chip on top of it. This bet will pay true odds. Magically, a ten comes up on the next roll. The dealer places forty dollars in front of you and asks for a dollar from you. You drop him the dollar and pick up your 40 bucks.
Essentially, the buy bets on the 4 and 10 pay 39/21. Which is better than 9/5. However, you do not need to worry about buy bets for the 5,6,8, or 9, as the place bets are superior in those instances.
VII. Sucker Bets
Lets make this part rather simple. Any bet in the center of the table is a sucker bet. They include:
*Hop bets – bets on the next roll, paying 30-1 or 15-1
*Horn bets – bets that the next roll is going to be a 2,3,11, or 12
*Any Seven – bet that the next roll is going to be a 7
*Hardways – for example, a bet on the hard six is a bet that 3/3 will come up before an “easy six,” such as 5/1, or any seven.
*And anything else they throw in there.
Each of these bets is terrible, in terms of house edge. That being said, they are fun. I like throwing in a dollar on hard six or hard eight when times are going well. Because, its just a dollar, so who cares?
If you want to make these bets, simply toss your chips towards the middle of the table and yell out what you want. The stick man will put it in the appropriate spot.
Also of note is Any Seven, which is the absolute worst bet on the table in terms of house edge. However, for psyche out value, it is priceless. A favorite tactic of ours is to bet “don’t pass” on a player, and then after they establish a point, to throw out an “Any Seven” bet in a particularly loud manner right before they are about to roll again. It is bad etiquette, but is extremely funny.
There is also the ever present "field" bet, which pays even money. You win if a 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 12 comes up. The 2 and 12 usually pay double. The house edge is around 5 percent on this bet.
VIII. “Come” and “Don’t Come”
Okay there is a bet that says “come.” The best way to describe it is as a pass line bet, but only for you. The come bet acts like a pass line bet, but treats the forthcoming roll as its very own come out roll. So a come bet will immediately win on a seven or eleven, while it loses on two, three, or twelve.
If a point is established, the chip-man will take the chips and place them on the appropriate number. Then, just like a pass line bet, you can put odds on that bet. But in order to do so, you have to place the chips on the table and tell the chip man. Lets have an example.
Example: You put 10 dollars on the pass line. A four is rolled. You place 20 dollars in odds behind the four. You also put down a 10 dollar bet on come. The next roll is a seven. You lose your 10 dollar pass line bet and your 20 dollar odds bet. However, you win your 10 dollar come bet.
Example: You put 10 dollars on the pass line. A four is rolled. You place 20 dollars in odds behind the four. You also put down a 10 dollar bet on come. The next roll is a five. That roll does nothing for your pass line bet or odds bet. However, the dealer takes your come bet and moves it onto the five. You put 20 dollars on the table and say, “odds on my five.” The dealer takes the chips and places them on top of your bet, slightly offset. The next roll is a seven. You lose all your bets. Sucks.
Example: You put 10 dollars on the pass line. A four is rolled. You place 20 dollars in odds behind the four. You also put down a 10 dollar bet on come. The next roll is a five. That roll does nothing for your pass line bet or odds bet. However, the dealer takes your come bet and moves it onto the five. You put 20 dollars on the table and say, “odds on my five.” The dealer takes the chips and places them on top of your bet, slightly offset. The next roll is a 12. That is irrelevant for all of your bets. The next roll is a five. Booyah! You win 10 dollars on the come bet and 30 dollars (20 x 1.5) for your odds bet. The dealer stacks up the chips and places them in front of you. Note that you still have your pass line bet with odds out there.
Warning: This part is going to be confusing.
Example: You put 10 dollars on the pass line. A four is rolled. You place 20 dollars in odds behind the four. You also put down a 10 dollar bet on come. The next roll is a five. That roll does nothing for your pass line bet or odds bet. However, the dealer takes your come bet and moves it onto the five. You put 20 dollars on the table and say, “odds on my five.” The dealer takes the chips and places them on top of your bet, slightly offset. The next roll is a four. You win! Your pass line bet pays even money, while your odds bet pays 40 dollars (20 x 2). But what about your come bet on the five?
Now you have a come out roll about to happen, because the point (the four) was just hit. But you still have your five hanging out there. Recall that you want a five to be hit before a seven. What happens if the five is rolled on the come out roll?
You win, but you do not win your odds bet. That is simply given back to you. Why?
For no real reason. A lot of bets are “off” for the come out roll, meaning they do not count. I suppose the rationale is that that you are probably betting on pass line again, and generally a seven on a come out roll is a good thing. Thus, they don’t want to you to get too crippled (by losing both your come bet and the odds on it). But regardless, the rule is:
Odds on your come bets are turned off for the come out roll.
Example: You put 10 dollars on the pass line. A four is rolled. You place 20 dollars in odds behind the four. You also put down a 10 dollar bet on come. The next roll is a five. That roll does nothing for your pass line bet or odds bet. However, the dealer takes your come bet and moves it onto the five. You put 20 dollars on the table and say, “odds on my five.” The dealer takes the chips and places them on top of your bet, slightly offset. The next roll is a four. You win! Your pass line bet pays even money, while your odds bet pays 40 dollars (20 x 2). You put another 10 dollar pass line bet down. The come out roll is a seven. You win 10 dollars on your pass line bet, lose 10 dollars on your come bet (which was on the five), and have your 20 dollars odds returned to you.
Example: You put 10 dollars on the pass line. A four is rolled. You place 20 dollars in odds behind the four. You also put down a 10 dollar bet on come. The next roll is a five. That roll does nothing for your pass line bet or odds bet. However, the dealer takes your come bet and moves it onto the five. You put 20 dollars on the table and say, “odds on my five.” The dealer takes the chips and places them on top of your bet, slightly offset. The next roll is a four. You win! Your pass line bet pays even money, while your odds bet pays 40 dollars (20 x 2). You put another 10 dollar pass line bet down. The come out roll is a five. You win 10 dollars on your come bet, your 20 dollar odds bet is returned to you, and you now have a pass line bet where the point is five.
Example: You put 10 dollars on the pass line. A four is rolled. You place 20 dollars in odds behind the four. You also put down a 10 dollar bet on come. The next roll is a five. That roll does nothing for your pass line bet or odds bet. However, the dealer takes your come bet and moves it onto the five. You put 20 dollars on the table and say, “odds on my five.” The dealer takes the chips and places them on top of your bet, slightly offset. The next roll is a four. You win! Your pass line bet pays even money, while your odds bet pays 40 dollars (20 x 2). You put another 10 dollar pass line bet down. The come out roll is a ten. You put 20 dollars in odds behind your pass line bet. The next roll is an 11. Nothing happens. The next roll is a five. You win 10 dollars on your come bet, and 30 dollars on your odds bet. The next roll is a ten. You win 10 dollars on your pass line bet and 40 dollars on your odds bet. You are pretty happy.
Overall, come and don’t come bets are fairly simple, but the way they are handled is extremely complicated. Thus, you should probably wait until you’ve played craps a few times before you start using them.
IX. Ultra Example
You stroll up one last time, and place 10 dollars on the pass line. On the come out roll, the shooter rolls a four. You place 20 dollars in odds behind the four. You also put down 25 dollars and tell the dealer to give you the six and eight. He places twelve dollars each on the six and eight and gives you a dollar back. You then place a come bet down.
Roll: 11
You win ten dollars on your come bet. Your other bets do nothing.
Roll: 9
Your come bet is moved to the nine. You drop 20 dollars and say “odds on my nine.” The dealer places 20 dollars on top of your come bet.
Roll: 6
The dealer gives you 14 dollars.
Roll: 9
The dealer gives you your 30 dollars back that you had on the come bet, and gives you 40 more for your trouble. (do the math if you are confused as to why).
Roll: 4
The dealer pays you even money on your pass line bet (10) and 2:1 on your odds bet (40 more). Huuuuuuuuge.
Note that we now have a come out roll. You still have your six and eight place bets up there. They do not count on the come out roll.
Come Out Roll #2: 7
You win even money on your pass line bet. Bets on six and eight are unaffected.
Come Out Roll #3: 12
You lose on your pass line bet. Bets on six and eight are unaffected.
Come Out Roll #4: 6
You do not win your place bet, as they are off on the come out roll. However, now you have an interesting situation. You have a place bet that pays 7:6 on the six. However, the point is now six, and you have a pass line bet. You know that the odds on your pass line bet will pay 6:5, which is better than 7:6. You also know that you can take down a place bet at any time. You develop a devious strategy. You will tell the dealer to take down your six (he gives you back 12 dollars), and you will place them as odds behind your pass line bet! Of course, it will have to be a multiple of five (since it pays 6:5), but your plan is foolproof!
You then elect to place a “field” bet. With so many numbers that win, how can you lose?
Next Roll: 5
Your field bet just lost. Other bets unaffected.
Next Roll: 7
Seven out. All your bets lose. Nice run while it lasted though.
X. Conclusion
If you followed all that, you’re in pretty good shape. There are slight variations and nuances that you will pick up as you go along. You may even develop your own personal strategy. But while you may be intimidated when you first start playing, you’ll pick the game up rather quickly. And, like all games, it is not fun to play when you are scared and do not know what you’re doing. But it becomes insanely fun once you are able to figure out just what you’re rooting for.
And don’t even get me started about when you’re rolling and you are hot. What a rush.
This guide is ordered by order of difficulty. If things ever get confusing, you can stop reading and be comfortable with the bets you already know. In fact, once you have mastered section III of this guide, you can play craps, although you should probably understand section IV also. Everything after section II concerns additional bets, which are not necessary to play. So don’t get flustered, especially at section VIII.
If you are a "learn by doing" kind of guy, msn.com has a great craps online game where you can learn. And even if you aren't a learn by doing kind of person, it will still be helpful if you give it a try.
I. The Theory
Like all casino games, probability is the basis for Craps. When two dice are rolled, the following are the likelihood that a total will come up. Fractions are not reduced to keep things simpler.
2: 1/36
3: 2/36
4: 3/36
5: 4/36
6: 5/36
7: 6/36
8: 5/36
9: 4/36
10: 3/36
11: 2/36
12: 1/36
A seven is the most probable number that will come up. Seven is the key number in craps, as will be shown below. Every other number is less likely to come up than a seven. How less likely?
A four or ten is only 3/36, while a seven is 6/36. Therefore, a seven is twice as likely to come up as a four or ten. A five or nine is 4/36, meaning that a seven is 3/2 times as likely to come up as a five or nine. A six or eight is 5/36, meaning that a seven is 6/5 times as likely to come up as a six or eight.
It is imperative that you EVENTUALLY learn these odds. It is not important in the beginning, but these odds form the basis for the most important bets in the game.
II. Etiquette
A few rules do you don’t look like a dumbass at the table.
1) At all costs, do not allow your hands to hit the dice when they are being rolled. Firstly, the dealers will get pissed off. Secondly, the players will get pissed off. Thirdly, while you hitting the dice has no effect on the long run, it always seems to make everyone lose. So pay attention! Get your bets down early, and if the shooter has the dice anywhere near him, get your hands and arms away from the table.
Example: The all time #1 craps story relating to this occurred when Al was rolling, and Gibbs was right next to him. Al was about to roll (and there was a fair amount of money on the table), and Gibbs for some strange reason elected to try to add more money to his bet, right when Al was about to shoot. Gibbs's hand somehow managed to get right in the way of Al's roll, knocking it straight down. Of course, the dice read seven, and the entire table lost. Al, along with everyone else at the table, had the angriest looks of their lives on their faces, and Gibbs ran away to the bathroom. Gibbs ran away in such haste that he left an open bet on the table.
2) The guys handing out the chips are generally competent, although they do sometimes make mistakes. They hand out winning bets in a particular order. Pass line bets are paid first, then bets on particular numbers, and lastly bets from the middle of the table. Don’t worry about the order now, just realize that there is a method to their madness, and they will pay you. Believe me, you will know when they don’t pay you.
Example: I think I am a generally competent craps player, but when alcohol comes into play you don't pay attention correctly. I can recount the three times that I have correctly pointed out to a chip man that I either wasn't paid correctly or that my bet is in the correct amount, while there are tons of times I have tried to correct and been wrong.
3) If you’re a guy, never let on that this is your first time.
4) When it is your turn to roll, five or so dice will be pushed towards you. Using one hand only, pick TWO, and then roll them. The dice should hit the back wall. Some people like a low line drive down the table. Other people like a high arcing roll. Its really personal preference, but as long as you aren’t too wild, its not a big deal. Throwing the dice off the table results in a reroll, and while its not the end of the world (it probably happens to me once out of every ten or so rolls), it messes up the flow of the game.
5) People are superstitious. Deal with it. However, if someone is being downright moronic about it, like taking one minute to "set the dice up" correctly before his roll, you have as much right as you want to mock him.
Example: During our 2005 Vegas trip, Lacker had what must have been a thirty minute roll, where he was hitting a ton of points and other numbers. It was one of the top rolling streaks I've ever seen. Gibbs, who wasn't gambling, was watching the carnage, and then walks up behind me and Cooper and says "I've got a bad feeling about this one." I turn to him in horror, and then look back and see Lacker's roll coming towards my side of the table. I know it before it even comes up. Seven out. He's been rolling forever and you don't have a good feeling? Shut up fudge.
6) Watch your hands!!!
7) When you want to leave the table with your massive winnings, simply put the chips down in front of you when there is a lull in the action, and tell the chip man that you want to be ”colored out.” They will count up your chips and give you bigger chips that are easy to carry to the cashier so you can get actual money.
8) In general, six people can fit on one side of a craps table. So if there are already six people on one side, its kind of a dick move for you to try to slide in.
9) The dice are moved around the table in a clockwise manner. Each shooter shoots until he “sevens out.” A person who's first roll is a 2,3, or 12 loses the pass line, but he continues shooting. You don’t have to shoot if you don’t want to, but man that’s lame.
III. The Bet Everyone is Making
Almost every player at the table has money on the Pass Line.
What exactly all of these people betting on? Unfortunately, it depends on whether a “point” has been established. Whoa whoa whoa… a “point?” WTF is that?
Okay… lets back up. Imagine that you are walking up to a completely empty table (which will never be the case, but lets just imagine). No dice are being thrown; no chips are on the table; the dealers are simply waiting for you.
You place a bet on the pass line and are given the dice to roll. This is the first roll, known as the “come out roll.” On the come out roll, a 7 or 11 (combined odds 8/36) automatically wins even money on your bet. A 2, 3, or 12 (combined odds 4/36) automatically loses your bet. So, for the sake of completeness, lets have an example.
Example: You place ten dollars on the pass line. On the come out roll, a seven is rolled. You win even money on your bet, so the dealer will give you ten dollars (while leaving your original bet there).
You are free to pick up your chips once he lays them in front of you, but its generally good to wait a few seconds, especially since you will want to eyeball the chips to make sure he gave you the correct amount. If you pick up the chips and then claim to not have the correct amount, it is unlikely that they will pay you any more.
Example: You place ten dollars on the pass line. On the come out roll, a two is rolled. You lose, and the chip man takes your bet away. Sucker.
Okay, so what happens if a 4,5,6,8,9, or 10 is rolled on the come out roll? That number then becomes the “point.” If the shooter rolls that same number again BEFORE he rolls a seven, then the pass line wins. That might have been a bit confusing. Lets have an example.
Example: You place ten dollars on the pass line. On the come out roll, a four is rolled. The point is now a four. The next roll is a seven. The shooter has “sevened out.” Pass line bets are taken away, and the table readies itself for a new come out roll.
Example: You place ten dollars on the pass line. On the come out roll, a four is rolled. The point is now a four. The next roll is a four. The shooter has hit his point. Pass line bets are paid off at even money, so the dealer will give you ten dollars (while leaving your original bet there). The table readies itself for a new come out roll.
But what happens if the point or seven is not instantly rolled? This is important, so read very slowly.
After the come out roll, for the purposes of the pass line bet, no number matters other than the point number and seven.
I’m going to type that again (well actually, I’m just going to copy and paste it), because it is so important. I am going to put it in bold this time, though.
After the come out roll, for the purposes of the pass line bet, no number matters other than the point number and seven.
Okay, so lets have a quiz.
Come out roll: 5
Next roll: 4
Next roll: 11
Do you win? NO. Refer back to the earlier rule.
After the come out roll, for the purposes of the pass line bet, no number matters other than the point number and seven.
The only roll that matters in regards to your pass line bet in this instance is a 5 or 7.
Come out roll: 5
Next roll: 12
Next roll: 12
Next roll: 3
Next roll: 9
Next roll: 8
Next roll: 5
You win!
Now you may be noticing that during all of these rolls in between the come out roll and the last roll, some people are winning money. Why? They are betting the pass line just like you. The difference is that they have made other bets that we will talk about later. Lets not get ahead of ourselves.
The problem most beginners have is that when they walk up to the table, they are confused as to whether a point has been established or not. This is remedied simply enough. When you first reach the table, look for a big round puck. It will either be black with the word “off” showing, or it will be white, have the word “on” showing, and be placed over a number.
You should never make a pass line bet when a point is already established. Why? Well for starters, most places won’t even let you because its idiotic. But secondly, because if a point has already been established, you’ve already missed out on the best part of the pass line bet – the come out roll. Remember, any 7 or 11 wins for you on the come out roll, while a 2,3, or 12 loses. There are 8 ways to hit a 7 or 11, while only 4 ways to hit a 2,3, or 12. Therefore, you are a big favorite to win on the come out roll if you are betting on pass, while you are a definite underdog to win the pass line bet if a point is actually established (since every single point number is individually less likely to come up than a seven).
One note: You cannot remove a pass line bet once a point has been established, as it is paying even money and you are an underdog to win.
The pass line bet has a house edge of 1.41%. That means that over the long run, for every one hundred dollars you bet, you can expect to lose one dollar and forty one cents. For comparison sake, the house edge on any roulette bet is 5.26%. In general, the easier the game, the bigger the house edge. Slot machines? Very high house edge. Blackjack? Very low house edge (because basic strategy is actually semi-difficult to memorize). That stupid big wheel thing? You don’t want to know the house edge. Texas Hold Em Bonus Poker? Low house edge.
IV. The Best Bet in the Casino
Okay, so you’re still confused. After the come out roll establishes a point, almost everyone is putting even more chips BEHIND their pass line bet. And if the point number is hit, they are getting paid weird amounts of money on that additional bet. What is going on?
The additional bet they are putting out there is known as the odds bet. It is the best bet in the casino, with ZERO house edge.
Recall the probabilities stated at the beginning of this apparent treatise on craps. A seven is twice as likely to come up as a four or a ten. A seven is 1.5x as likely to come up as a five or nine. A seven is 6/5 as likely to come up as a six or eight. Your odds bet pays based on these true probabilities.
An example will be much more helpful than further explanation.
You put down a 10 dollar pass line bet. The come out roll is a four. You put down 10 dollars behind your pass line bet as your odds bet. The next roll is a six. The next roll is a twelve. The next roll is a four. You are paid even money on your pass line bet (10 dollars), and true odds (2-1, 20 dollars) on your ten-dollar odds bet. So you won 30 dollars on that roll.
Now obviously, casinos make their money because every game they offer has a house edge, so that in the long run they make money. But the odds bet has no house edge. How can they offer it? Two reasons. (1) You have to make a pass line bet (which has a house edge), before you can make an odds bet, and (2) Your odds bet cannot exceed a certain multiple of your pass line bet.
For instance, the Borgata allows 5x odds. So that means, if you were to place a 10 dollar bet no pass, the maximum odds bet you would be able to make is 50 dollars. If you did this and the point was hit, that fifty dollar odds bet would pay the following:
6 or 8: $60
5 or 9: $75
4 or 10: $100
For most people, fifty dollars is a large bet, and even though it makes sense to make the bet, it is not within your bankroll. I usually will put down somewhere between single and double odds, meaning that if I have a ten dollar pass line bet I will put down 15 or 20 in odds. But as my bankroll gets larger, I’ll tend to put more odds down.
The one thing to remember about odds (and this will come up more in the next section), is that the smallest casino chip denomination is $1. Therefore, you would not put down a 15 dollar odds bet when the point is a five or nine. Why? Because that would pay $22.50, and they don’t have quarters lying around. So when the point is a five or nine, you have to keep your odds “even,” or in an even increment. $16 works (paying $24). So does $20 (paying $30).
Unlike your pass line bet, you can add to, subtract from, or remove entirely your odds bet at any time in-between rolls. Just make sure that you don’t try it when the shooter has the dice and is about to roll. More on this later.
V. The Bet Nobody is Making (except jerks like me)
So you now have a strong to very strong understanding of the pass line and the odds bet. You will notice that right behind the pass line is a bet called the “don’t pass line.” You would think, intuitively, that it simply is the opposite of the pass line bet (with one small exception). You would be absolutely, 100% correct. When you bet on the don’t pass line, you are simply betting that the table is going to “lose.” On the come out roll, you lose on a 7 or 11, but win on a 2 or 3. A 12 is a push (this is the small exception to the opposite rule).
If a point number is established, then you are hoping for a seven before that point number is hit. If the seven comes up, you win (while everyone betting on pass just lost).
The house edge on don’t pass is 1.36%. Thus, it is a slightly better bet than the pass line bet. Why does everyone bet on pass? Probably because it is simply more “fun” to win with the table. If you win your don’t pass bet, you generally don’t want to be jumping and cheering.
You can also make an odds bet on the don’t pass bet. Like the pass line odds, it has a house edge of 0%. Unfortunately, the odds on the don’t pass bet are much more difficult than the pass odds. Why? Two reasons. (1) You can’t place the odds behind the bet (that would run into the pass line), and (2) The math is much more difficult.
Firstly, the odds can’t be placed behind your don’t pass bet. They are to be placed NEXT to your bet, on the side closest to the chip man. So if you are on the left side of the table, they are to be placed to the left of your original bet. If you are on the right side of the table, they go on the right side of your original bet.
Even more confusing, however, is the way they must be placed. If you are laying only single odds, then what you will do is place an amount equal to your original bet next to your original bet, and additional chips on top, between the two. If, however, you want to lay more money than that, what you do is place one chip on the bottom, and the rest of them slightly leaning off the edge of that chip (leaning towards the chip man)
Now I mentioned earlier that the math is more difficult. This is because instead of you getting paid more than even money on your odds bet, now you are getting paid less than even money on your odds bet (because you are more likely to win, since you are hoping for a seven). Okay, an example is necessary here.
Example: You bet ten dollars on the don’t pass line. The come out roll is a six, and thus the point is six. A seven is 6/5 more likely to come up than a six. Therefore, you must bet six dollars to win five. You elect to bet single odds, meaning that you bet twelve dollars to win ten. You do this by placing two red chips next to your original two red chips, and then two white chips on top of the middles of the stacks.
Example: You bet ten dollars on the don’t pass line. The come out roll is a six, and thus the point is six. A seven is 6/5 more likely to come up than a six. Therefore, you must bet six dollars to win five. You elect to bet 30 dollars in odds, which would win 25. You place the bet next to your original bet, closest to the chip man, with one chip on the bottom and five chips in one straight column leaning off that bottom chip.
Similar to your odds bet on the pass line, you can add to, subtract from, or remove your odds entirely at any time in-between rolls. I suppose in theory that you could remove your don’t pass bet also, but that would be stupid (as it is paying even money and you are the favorite to win)
VI. Place Bets
A place bet is a bet that a certain number (4,5,6,8,9,10) will come up before a seven. A place bet can be made at any time, without a pass line bet, although they are “off” (do not count) for the come out roll.
Place bets pay worse than odds bets, as follows (correct odds in parens):
6 or 8: 7-6 (6-5)
House Edge: 1.52%
5 or 9: 7-5 (3-2)
House Edge: 4.00%
4 or 10: 9-5 (2-1)
House Edge: 6.67%
Why do they pay worse than true odds? Because you do not need to make a pass line bet in order to make a place bet. If they paid true odds, you would simply always make place bets, there would be no house edge, and the casino wouldn’t make any money. Thus, they pay worse odds. However, the 6 and 8 are the two best bets on the table other than pass, don’t pass, and odds.
Ignorance is one thing that is punished in all casinos, but it is extremely pronounced on the craps table. You may notice bets that say “Big 6” and “Big 8” on the table. These bets are simply that a six or eight will come up before a seven. They pay even money. You will notice that you are betting on the same exact thing as placing the 6 or 8, yet getting worse odds. Craps is funny like that. There are lots of ways to make various bets, all paying differently. There is really only one correct way to do so.
In order to make a place bet, you don’t need to say “place the eight,” or something like that. Just put down your money and say, “Give me the eight.” Or something like that.
Example: You walk up to the table, and a point has already been established, so you cannot make a pass line bet. You want immediate action, however. You put down 25 dollars and tell the chip man to “give you the six and eight.” Note that you cannot put a place bet down yourself, the chip man must do it for you. He will then put 12 dollars each on the six and eight and give you one dollar back. The next roll is a six! The chip man puts 14 dollars down in front of you. The next roll is an eight! The chip man puts 14 dollars down in front of you. The next roll is a seven and you lose both bets.
Why did he put that weird amount on the six and eight? Look back up at the odds – a place bet on the six or eight pays 7-6. So you need to put down multiples of 6. If you were to put down say, 10 dollars, then he would need to pay you something like $11.67, and they’re not going to deal with small change.
Also note that even when you win your place bet, the bet remains in place. You can take the bet down anytime you want, but it will remain there until you say so, even if it wins. If you have a bad feeling about a roll coming up, you can either say “turn my eight off” and the dealer will ignore the bet until you say “turn it on,” or you can say “take my eight down,” and the dealer will give the bet back to you.
Place bets are a nice addition to the betting repertoire of any beginning craps player, because it can get boring waiting for that point or seven out. Of course, probably the bigger reason is that you see lots of people making place bets and making money on rolls that are insignificant to you, and thus you want in on that action. Either way, I like making place bets, and the six and eight are two bets with an extremely low house edge anyway.
While the place bets on the 5,6,8, an 9 are the best ways to make that particular bet (5 before a 7, 6 before a 7, etc.), the best way to make a bet on 4 or 10 before a seven is known as the "buy" bet. The buy bets are confusing - you pay a 5% commission on your bet in order to get true odds. I don't want to get into buy bets any further, but simply to state that you don't want to place a 4 or 10, you want to "buy" it. The following example illustrates it.
Example: You wish to bet on a ten before a seven. You could do a place bet which would pay 9/5. However, you want to get the biggest bang for your buck, so you "buy" the ten. You lay down 21 dollars and tell the dealer you want to buy the ten. He takes away the dollar, places your 20 dollars on the ten with a "buy" chip on top of it. This bet will pay true odds. Magically, a ten comes up on the next roll. The dealer places forty dollars in front of you and asks for a dollar from you. You drop him the dollar and pick up your 40 bucks.
Essentially, the buy bets on the 4 and 10 pay 39/21. Which is better than 9/5. However, you do not need to worry about buy bets for the 5,6,8, or 9, as the place bets are superior in those instances.
VII. Sucker Bets
Lets make this part rather simple. Any bet in the center of the table is a sucker bet. They include:
*Hop bets – bets on the next roll, paying 30-1 or 15-1
*Horn bets – bets that the next roll is going to be a 2,3,11, or 12
*Any Seven – bet that the next roll is going to be a 7
*Hardways – for example, a bet on the hard six is a bet that 3/3 will come up before an “easy six,” such as 5/1, or any seven.
*And anything else they throw in there.
Each of these bets is terrible, in terms of house edge. That being said, they are fun. I like throwing in a dollar on hard six or hard eight when times are going well. Because, its just a dollar, so who cares?
If you want to make these bets, simply toss your chips towards the middle of the table and yell out what you want. The stick man will put it in the appropriate spot.
Also of note is Any Seven, which is the absolute worst bet on the table in terms of house edge. However, for psyche out value, it is priceless. A favorite tactic of ours is to bet “don’t pass” on a player, and then after they establish a point, to throw out an “Any Seven” bet in a particularly loud manner right before they are about to roll again. It is bad etiquette, but is extremely funny.
There is also the ever present "field" bet, which pays even money. You win if a 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 12 comes up. The 2 and 12 usually pay double. The house edge is around 5 percent on this bet.
VIII. “Come” and “Don’t Come”
Okay there is a bet that says “come.” The best way to describe it is as a pass line bet, but only for you. The come bet acts like a pass line bet, but treats the forthcoming roll as its very own come out roll. So a come bet will immediately win on a seven or eleven, while it loses on two, three, or twelve.
If a point is established, the chip-man will take the chips and place them on the appropriate number. Then, just like a pass line bet, you can put odds on that bet. But in order to do so, you have to place the chips on the table and tell the chip man. Lets have an example.
Example: You put 10 dollars on the pass line. A four is rolled. You place 20 dollars in odds behind the four. You also put down a 10 dollar bet on come. The next roll is a seven. You lose your 10 dollar pass line bet and your 20 dollar odds bet. However, you win your 10 dollar come bet.
Example: You put 10 dollars on the pass line. A four is rolled. You place 20 dollars in odds behind the four. You also put down a 10 dollar bet on come. The next roll is a five. That roll does nothing for your pass line bet or odds bet. However, the dealer takes your come bet and moves it onto the five. You put 20 dollars on the table and say, “odds on my five.” The dealer takes the chips and places them on top of your bet, slightly offset. The next roll is a seven. You lose all your bets. Sucks.
Example: You put 10 dollars on the pass line. A four is rolled. You place 20 dollars in odds behind the four. You also put down a 10 dollar bet on come. The next roll is a five. That roll does nothing for your pass line bet or odds bet. However, the dealer takes your come bet and moves it onto the five. You put 20 dollars on the table and say, “odds on my five.” The dealer takes the chips and places them on top of your bet, slightly offset. The next roll is a 12. That is irrelevant for all of your bets. The next roll is a five. Booyah! You win 10 dollars on the come bet and 30 dollars (20 x 1.5) for your odds bet. The dealer stacks up the chips and places them in front of you. Note that you still have your pass line bet with odds out there.
Warning: This part is going to be confusing.
Example: You put 10 dollars on the pass line. A four is rolled. You place 20 dollars in odds behind the four. You also put down a 10 dollar bet on come. The next roll is a five. That roll does nothing for your pass line bet or odds bet. However, the dealer takes your come bet and moves it onto the five. You put 20 dollars on the table and say, “odds on my five.” The dealer takes the chips and places them on top of your bet, slightly offset. The next roll is a four. You win! Your pass line bet pays even money, while your odds bet pays 40 dollars (20 x 2). But what about your come bet on the five?
Now you have a come out roll about to happen, because the point (the four) was just hit. But you still have your five hanging out there. Recall that you want a five to be hit before a seven. What happens if the five is rolled on the come out roll?
You win, but you do not win your odds bet. That is simply given back to you. Why?
For no real reason. A lot of bets are “off” for the come out roll, meaning they do not count. I suppose the rationale is that that you are probably betting on pass line again, and generally a seven on a come out roll is a good thing. Thus, they don’t want to you to get too crippled (by losing both your come bet and the odds on it). But regardless, the rule is:
Odds on your come bets are turned off for the come out roll.
Example: You put 10 dollars on the pass line. A four is rolled. You place 20 dollars in odds behind the four. You also put down a 10 dollar bet on come. The next roll is a five. That roll does nothing for your pass line bet or odds bet. However, the dealer takes your come bet and moves it onto the five. You put 20 dollars on the table and say, “odds on my five.” The dealer takes the chips and places them on top of your bet, slightly offset. The next roll is a four. You win! Your pass line bet pays even money, while your odds bet pays 40 dollars (20 x 2). You put another 10 dollar pass line bet down. The come out roll is a seven. You win 10 dollars on your pass line bet, lose 10 dollars on your come bet (which was on the five), and have your 20 dollars odds returned to you.
Example: You put 10 dollars on the pass line. A four is rolled. You place 20 dollars in odds behind the four. You also put down a 10 dollar bet on come. The next roll is a five. That roll does nothing for your pass line bet or odds bet. However, the dealer takes your come bet and moves it onto the five. You put 20 dollars on the table and say, “odds on my five.” The dealer takes the chips and places them on top of your bet, slightly offset. The next roll is a four. You win! Your pass line bet pays even money, while your odds bet pays 40 dollars (20 x 2). You put another 10 dollar pass line bet down. The come out roll is a five. You win 10 dollars on your come bet, your 20 dollar odds bet is returned to you, and you now have a pass line bet where the point is five.
Example: You put 10 dollars on the pass line. A four is rolled. You place 20 dollars in odds behind the four. You also put down a 10 dollar bet on come. The next roll is a five. That roll does nothing for your pass line bet or odds bet. However, the dealer takes your come bet and moves it onto the five. You put 20 dollars on the table and say, “odds on my five.” The dealer takes the chips and places them on top of your bet, slightly offset. The next roll is a four. You win! Your pass line bet pays even money, while your odds bet pays 40 dollars (20 x 2). You put another 10 dollar pass line bet down. The come out roll is a ten. You put 20 dollars in odds behind your pass line bet. The next roll is an 11. Nothing happens. The next roll is a five. You win 10 dollars on your come bet, and 30 dollars on your odds bet. The next roll is a ten. You win 10 dollars on your pass line bet and 40 dollars on your odds bet. You are pretty happy.
Overall, come and don’t come bets are fairly simple, but the way they are handled is extremely complicated. Thus, you should probably wait until you’ve played craps a few times before you start using them.
IX. Ultra Example
You stroll up one last time, and place 10 dollars on the pass line. On the come out roll, the shooter rolls a four. You place 20 dollars in odds behind the four. You also put down 25 dollars and tell the dealer to give you the six and eight. He places twelve dollars each on the six and eight and gives you a dollar back. You then place a come bet down.
Roll: 11
You win ten dollars on your come bet. Your other bets do nothing.
Roll: 9
Your come bet is moved to the nine. You drop 20 dollars and say “odds on my nine.” The dealer places 20 dollars on top of your come bet.
Roll: 6
The dealer gives you 14 dollars.
Roll: 9
The dealer gives you your 30 dollars back that you had on the come bet, and gives you 40 more for your trouble. (do the math if you are confused as to why).
Roll: 4
The dealer pays you even money on your pass line bet (10) and 2:1 on your odds bet (40 more). Huuuuuuuuge.
Note that we now have a come out roll. You still have your six and eight place bets up there. They do not count on the come out roll.
Come Out Roll #2: 7
You win even money on your pass line bet. Bets on six and eight are unaffected.
Come Out Roll #3: 12
You lose on your pass line bet. Bets on six and eight are unaffected.
Come Out Roll #4: 6
You do not win your place bet, as they are off on the come out roll. However, now you have an interesting situation. You have a place bet that pays 7:6 on the six. However, the point is now six, and you have a pass line bet. You know that the odds on your pass line bet will pay 6:5, which is better than 7:6. You also know that you can take down a place bet at any time. You develop a devious strategy. You will tell the dealer to take down your six (he gives you back 12 dollars), and you will place them as odds behind your pass line bet! Of course, it will have to be a multiple of five (since it pays 6:5), but your plan is foolproof!
You then elect to place a “field” bet. With so many numbers that win, how can you lose?
Next Roll: 5
Your field bet just lost. Other bets unaffected.
Next Roll: 7
Seven out. All your bets lose. Nice run while it lasted though.
X. Conclusion
If you followed all that, you’re in pretty good shape. There are slight variations and nuances that you will pick up as you go along. You may even develop your own personal strategy. But while you may be intimidated when you first start playing, you’ll pick the game up rather quickly. And, like all games, it is not fun to play when you are scared and do not know what you’re doing. But it becomes insanely fun once you are able to figure out just what you’re rooting for.
And don’t even get me started about when you’re rolling and you are hot. What a rush.
posted by Evan @ 6:13 PM
