For many new to casino gaming, Craps can be a very intimidating game. The table itself can be confusing and the types of bets allowed at different stages in the game is challenging to follow.

The Craps Table

Craps tables can differ, but most are about six to eight feet wide with at least a high back, called a backrail, where the dice are bounced off. Like billiards tables, most are covered in green felt. The large green space is divided into three betting fields. The larger two fields are situated at either end of the table and are identical. These fields are marked for Pass Line and Come bets. In the middle of the table is a smaller field marked for Hardway and One Roll Bets. It is a requirement of the game that the dice be bounced off the back of the table to guarantee the fairest and most random throws. A Craps table might accommodate up to a dozen players and others might be large enough to accommodate nearly double that number of players.

Besides players, there are a number of dealers. A dealer oversees the play at each end of the table. A Boxman handles the chips and bets. The stickman pushes the dice to the shooter with a long-handled stick and also uses it to clear the table. The Stickman calls all play.

Basic Rules

In casino style craps, or Bank Craps, players bet against the house or the bank as opposed to each other. In the “street” version of craps, players actually bet against each other. The player with the dice is called the Shooter. After all bets have been placed in the fields on the table, the Stickman pushes the dice to the Shooter. The Shooter is required to forcefully roll the pair of dice off the backrail of the table for a proper roll or throw. The Shooter’s first roll is called the “come out roll.” If the come out roll is a total of 2, 3 or 12 this is Craps and he loses. If, however, the Shooter rolls a 7 or 11 on the come out roll, he wins. Numbers other than any of the above set the Point number. In order to keep rolling, the shooter must throw any combination of the point number prior to rolling a seven, which ends his turn, also called “sevening out.”