While some casino games like roulette and black seem, and are, simple. Others present more of a challenge. For example, of the card games you’ll find being played, poker is undoubtedly the hardest to learn.
But many would see it as a comparative breeze compared with craps.
That’s not to say that it’s impossible to master the latter, it’s just that there’s quite a lot to absorb along the way. But, first, let’s have a little lesson about its history.
Craps’ exact origins are uncertain but there is evidence of a similar dice game being played during the Crusades of the 11th and 12th centuries. Called hazard, it continued to be popular in Britain right up until the 18th century and in the early 19th century it arrived in the US.
The name “hazard” fell out of use and the alternative “craps” was soon adopted. This was a mispronunciation of the word “crabs” which described the numbers 2 and 3 which were both losing ones in the game. As we’ll see, this is still the case today, along with the number 12.
The game took off amongst US servicemen in the Second World War after which it also became a real casino favorite. More recently the craps game has started to appear in online casinos like Virgin Games where the rules of play are virtually identical to the offline version.
The important thing to remember is that 7 is the magic number in craps as, statistically, it’s more likely to come up when two dice are rolled than any other number. That said, a grandmother from New Jersey holds the record of 154 rolls before it came up for her.
However, with a probability of 1 in 1.5 trillion, it’s unlikely to happen to you when you’re following the sequence of the usual game.
The come-out roll
Every game of craps begins with what is known as the “come out roll”. Each player takes it in turn to throw the two dice and they are called the shooter for the game, but all the players can bet right from the outset.
There are three possible outcomes from the first roll of the dice: it can be a natural number, a craps number, or a point.
A natural is a 7 or an 11 and anyone who has placed a bet on the table’s “pass line” for the roll will win. If the come-out roll is natural, the shooter can roll again. As already mentioned, a craps number is 2,3, or 12. If any of these is the come-out roll then bets on the “pass line” lose and ones on the “don’t pass line” win. Again, the shooter stays on.
A point number is a little different. This is when the roll is a 4,5,6,8,9 or 10.
The dealer marks this as a point number on the table. From then on, bets on the pass line will win if the point number is rolled before a 7, and bets on the don’t pass line will win if it’s rolled after a 7.
Some of the most common bets that you can make
There are seven main types of bets that you can make in the game and you do this by placing your chip, or chips, on the corresponding area of the table:
Pass Line Bet – quite simply, you are betting that the shooter’s first roll is to be a 7 or an 11 or for them to hit a point.
Come Bet – this comes into play if a point number arises from the come-out roll. It also wins if the point number is rolled before a 7.
Place Bet – this is when you pick a number, or selection of numbers, from 4,5,6,8,9, and 10.
Each time one is rolled you win until a 7 is rolled.
Proposition Bet – this is a bet on what the next roll of the dice will bring and whether it will be a 2,3,7,11 or 12. Depending on the number you choose, the odds will be different in line with the likelihood of that number being thrown.
Big Six and Big Eight Bet – this is arguably the simplest bet that it’s possible to make in a game of craps. As the name suggests, you are betting on whether a 6 or an 8 is going to come up before the next 7 is rolled.
There are many other kinds of bets that you can make but it’s probably best to stick to the basics and learn to walk before you can run. There’s also a whole vocabulary to pick up as you play. Again, at first, this can seem like a daunting prospect to get your head around.
So take it steady and ease your way into the game. Then, before long, you’ll be wondering just what all the fuss was about and get on to enjoy this very exciting and fast-moving game.
Disclaimer: This is a guest post. This article is not intended to be a recommendation. The author is not responsible for any resulting actions of the company during your trading experience. The information provided in this article may need to be more accurate and up-to-date. Any trading or financial decision you make is your sole responsibility, and you must not rely on any information provided here. We do not provide any warranties regarding the information on this website and are not responsible for any losses or damages incurred from trading or investing.
