the chandela clan: Craps 101

Craps is really the only table game I play, and usually when I tell folks that craps is my favorite game, they will respond with some variation of 'it looks fun, but its too confusing'.

It can be intimidating and confusing given the number of possible betting situations out there and all the money and crazy lingo being thrown about. So, I figured I'd make a few notes on how to have fun at craps while minimizing the house's advantage.

There are a ton of bets you can make on a craps table. Only 1 bet has no house advantage (an odds bet on pass/come and don't pass/don't come). The vast majority are horrible bets and will clean you out quick. People play these crazy bets because it creates a lot of action. With a very conservative system, craps is way too boring. You don't play craps to be bored. So, I'll give some notes on my system, which puts a ton of money into play and gets a lot of action, but is played to minimize house advantage. It can be a high variance system (i.e. you can win/lose a lot quick), but you can be sure that you're minimizing house edge (house edge being the mathematical advantage that the casino has in any given game).

If you want an exhaustive discussion on all the rules, bets, etc., go to Wikipedia or How Stuff works. Keep reading here if you want to cut to the chase.

The basics

I usually buyin for a few hundred bucks (I play low limit tables) and wait for a new roll before I start betting. Just find an open spot at the table, take out your money, and place it on the table in front of you. The dealer will give you some chips, which you then put in the chip trays built into the rail of the table.

I always wait til there's no point set, so when it's time for a new roll (called a 'come out' roll), place some money on the pass line (it will literally be labeled 'Pass Line' on the table). Now, the 'shooter' (dice roller) will roll the dice. If it's a 2, 3, or 12, you just lost your bet. Put out another one. If it's a 7 or 11, you just won, and dealer will give you the same amount you bet (if you bet $5, you'll get another $5 back). If the roll is anything but a 2, 3, 7, 11, or 12, a 'point' has been set. The dealer will put a white plastic (normally) button called a 'puck' out on the table on the number that was just set as the point. Now, the fun begins.

Now, you are hoping that the shooter will roll the point before he/she rolls a 7. What you want to do now is place an odds bet on your pass line bet. You will usually be able to play 2 or 3 x of your original bet on odds. This is the BEST BET IN THE ENTIRE CASINO. The house has NO EDGE on the odds bet. So, if you have a decent bankroll, max your odds. This is how you lessen the house advantage. Obviously maxing your odds will increase variance, so be careful based on how willing you are to part with your money. To place the odds bet, just put more chips behind your pass line bet. There are different odds based on the point that was rolled, but I won't get into that here. Just ask the dealer, and they'll make sure you place the optimal bet size to maximize your winnings.

Now that a point has been set, and you have a pass bet with odds, you are waiting for the point to be rolled. As long as a 7 is not rolled before your point, you'll be fine. There's no win or loss if anything besides the point or a 7 is rolled. This is why it can boring to just place pass and odds bets, because you're only looking for 2 numbers to be rolled (either a 7, which means you lose, or your point, which means you win).

Next step, come bets

So, the next bet I play is the 'come bet'. To place this bet, just put your chips in the area of the table labeled 'come'. What you are doing here is basically setting a new (additional) point. This does not affect the point that has already been set.

The come bet is played and paid as if no point has been set. So, a 2, 3, 12 are bad for come bets, and a 7 or 11 is good. Anything else on the roll, and you've established another point. If it's not a 2, 3, 7, 11, or 12, and you placed a come bet, you should now put max odds on the new point you set, just like before. So, for example if the point had been set at 8, and I placed a come bet, and the next roll is a 6, I now have 2 points that I'm hoping for - a 6 or an 8. As long as a 6 or 8 hits before a 7, I'm good to go. Note that if I had money on the original point (8), and I had also placed a come bet, and the roll was a 7, I would win my come bet, and lose my point bet and odds.

With this strategy, you get more money on the table while simultaneously lowering the house advantage (through the use of odds bets). I just keep placing come bets. If you have a good shooter (a 'golden arm'), you might have points on all 6 numbers (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10). You'll have a lot of money on the table, and something will be happening with just about every roll. This is when craps gets exciting.

So, that's really about it. Ignore all the crazy prop bets (the bets in the middle of the table). Don't worry if the other players are betting on 'all the hard ways' (terrible bets with around 10% house edge). Just play the way I mention, and you'll be good to go.

Some notes on etiquette/superstitions

I believe in etiquette, but not in superstitions. But, craps is much more fun if you play along with etiquette AND table superstitions. So, here are some notes to keep in mind.

Never say the word 'seven' at a craps table. Some people will tell you not to say it after the point's been established, but to be safe, just don't say it. Don't use any nicknames either. Remember this one.

Don't play the don't pass/don't come bets. These bets offer you good odds, but you are basically betting against the shooter and table (i.e. you're hoping for something bad to happen to the rest of the players that are betting 'the right way'). You'll be ostracized or at least silently hated. Don't be 'that guy'.

Don't try and 'set' the dice. This is when you try to arrange the dice before you throw them so you can predict how they'll roll. This is lame.

If it's your first time throwing dice (ever in your life), let the table know. A 'virgin' shooter is considered extremely good luck.

Never touch the dice with more than 1 hand.

Keep your hands out of pockets.

Don't throw the dice over eye level, but make sure the dice hit the back wall. If you are too scared or nervous to roll, you can pass and keep betting. It's fun to roll, though, so at least give it a shot.

You can't hand money or chips directly to a dealer. Just set it on the felt, and they'll take care of it.

'Color up' before you leave the table. This means turning smaller denomination chips into larger denomination so you have less to carry (the opposite of making change).

Place your chips & money on the table when making bets. Don't throw/toss them, unless your tipping or playing prop bets (i.e. hard ways, etc.), which you shouldn't be doing anyways.

Tip the 'crew' if your making money. You are not expected to tip if you're losing. Just throw a chip out and say it's for 'the crew' or 'the boys' (even if there are women dealers/stickmen). Alternatively, you can play a prop bet or field bet for the crew.