CRAPS

OBJECTIVE OF CRAPS : To be able to correctly predict the outcome of the roll of the die

NUMBER OF PLAYERS : 2 to 20 players

MATERIALS : Dice, casino chips or cash, and a craps table

TYPE OF GAME : Dice Throw Game

AUDIENCE : Adult

OVERVIEW OF CRAPS

Craps is a game of chance where the players take turns to throw dice and guess the outcome of the throw. Bets are made on the person throwing the dice and the outcome or a series of the die throws themselves. All wagers must be made before the dice are cast. It is a game that can accommodate up to 20 players at a time.

SETUP

The dealer collects the bets of all players at the table. A pair of dice are given to the thrower, who will throw the dice on the craps table. The dealer then assesses all bets against the outcome and pays out.

GAMEPLAY

The round starts with the croupier accepting bets from all players at the table. Players have a choice to bet on a single outcome of the dice throw, a series of them, or bet on the shooter himself. Once complete, all a thrower is determined and is asked to throw the die. The outcome is determined and all payouts are made as prescribed in the rules. All losing bets are collected by the casino.

RULES OF PLAY

  • Players can only handle dice with one hand
  • Dice cannot be taken past the edge of the table
  • To change throwing hands, set the dice down on the table and pick it up with the alternative hand.
  • When throwing dice, always hit the farthest wall at the opposite end of the craps table
  • Dice rolls are invalid if either or both dice land in the boxman’s bank, the stickman’s bowl, or in the rails around the top of the table where chips are kept.
  • Players cannot hand anything to the dealer directly
  • No call bets are allowed.

VARIATIONS

Bank Craps (Las Vegas Craps)

This variant is popular in Nevada’s gaming houses. There is a special layout for this type of craps game and all bets are made against the house. This version of the game is highly sought after online. For the gameplay, the dice are thrown over a string stretched a few inches off the table’s surface. The common term “craps” refers to this variant.

Bastard Craps (Crapless Craps)

Bastard Craps is a simplified version of Bank Craps. The glaring difference would be the house edge on the thrower, who would be stuck with 5.38%. Players are also allowed to bet on 2, 3, 11, or 12 before a 7 is thrown. The specific numbers 2 and 12 have odds of 11:2 and a house edge of 7.143%. As for the numbers 3 and 11, they have the odds of 11:4 with a house edge of 6.25%.

New York Craps

This variation of craps is played on the Eastern coast of the USA and has a far greater house edge than Bank Craps. This variant also has its own table layout. In this version, Come or Don’t Come bets are not in play. Players usually bet on box numbers like 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10. The overall house edge is around 5%

TYPES OF BETS

Line Bets

  • Pass line
  • Don’t pass
  • Pass odds
  • Don’t pass odds
  • Come bet
  • Don’t come bet

Multi-roll Bets

  • Place
  • Buy
  • Lay
  • Put
  • Hard way
  • Big 6 and Big 8

Single-roll bets (Service bets)

  • 2 (Snake Eyes, or Aces)
  • 3 (Ace-Deuce)
  • Yo
  • 12 (Boxcars, Midnight, or Cornrows)
  • 2 or 12 (Hi-lo)
  • Any Craps (Three-Way)
  • C & E
  • Any Seven
  • Horn
  • Whirl or World
  • On the Hop, Hop, or Hopping
  • Field

Player Bets

  • Fire Bet
  • Bonus Craps

Multiple Bets

  • A combination of any of the bets available

Working /Not Working Bets

  • Bets that are in play, but not on the board. (Similar to call bets in card games)

END OF GAME

Anyone who makes a bet on the correct outcome is paid out by the dealer. All other bets are returned to the house.

Looking for other similar casino games? Check out the game rules for Baccarat!

Nakoa Davis
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