Craps Bar 12
Craps Bar 12 Bars
I’ve written previous posts in this series about craps — that examined the staff at the craps table and the equipment used to play (the dice and the table). This post is the 1st one in which I discuss the nuts and bolts of how to play a craps game in a casino.
Part 3 of 6
- 1 The Craps Dealers and Other Staff at the Dice Table: Who’s Who
- 2 How the Craps Table Layout Works and How the Dice Work
- 4 The Best and Worst Craps Bets You Can Make
- 5 Craps Bets Ranked According to House Edge
- 6 How (and Why) to Act Like a Craps Player
I’ve seen other pages that explain how to play craps, and some of them are very good indeed. I hope, though, that this post will include a level of detail heretofore unseen on the internet as it relates to how to play craps.
First Things First
No-Crap Craps is a modification of Crapless Craps created to overcome these shortcomings. This aim is achieved by regarding every number except 7 as a point number, but with numbers 2 and 3 grouped together as 2-or-3, and numbers 11 and 12 grouped together as 11-or-12. When betting against the shooter, a seven-out after point 11-or-12 pays half. Found a Crapless Craps table at the lively, and always fun, New York-New York, so I decided to get some live craps video of it. The table wasn't crowded at.
You walk up to a craps table that’s just opened for action. A few other players join you. Maybe a class on how to play craps just finished—casinos usually hold those earlier in the day and then open up a table immediately afterward.
You and your new companions will start by buying in. You’ll put cash on the table and get chips in exchange. Once everyone has bought in, the stickman will give the dice to the player on his left. Dice is like cards, by the way.
If you don’t go broke 1st, you’ll get a chance to roll the dice, too. Don’t worry about that. You just have to wait your turn.
Also, you and the other players aren’t required to roll the dice. You can always pass on that, for any reason you want to. No one will give you a hard time about it, either.
The player gets to choose 2 dice from the 6 or 8 dice he’s given. Once she picks those dice up, the stickman puts the other dice away until there’s a new shooter. (They go in a dice tray.)
But the game still can’t start, because no one has placed a bet yet. Actually, though, at a real craps table, bets will have been made already. I just haven’t mentioned that yet.
Usually, players will start by making pass bets and don’t pass bets. You’ll see a lot more pass bets than don’t pass bets, too.
In this case, “pass” means for the dice to win. “Don’t pass” means for the dice to lose.
If you read my previous post about the table layout, you’ll already know where those bets go on the table. In fact, those are bets you can place on the table yourself, as opposed to some of the bets where the dealers have to place the bet on your behalf.
But you’re not limited to just those 2 options. You can bet on the field. You can bet on big 6. You can bet on big 8. You can even place a proposition bet in the center of the table.
One Roll Bets
It seems appropriate at this point in the discussion to point out the different kinds of bets available. Bets like pass and don’t pass are multiple roll bets. They stay in action as the dice are rolled repeatedly until they’re resolved.
The proposition bets, and some of the other bets, like the field bet, are one roll bets. These are bets made on the outcome of the very next roll. They win or lose based on what happens on that roll. They don’t stay on the table.
![Craps Bar 12 Craps Bar 12](https://www.partyproseastcoast.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/craps_ps-1024x831.jpg)
The Come Out Roll Is When the Action Starts
The 1st roll a new shooter makes is called “the come out roll.” If she rolls a 7 or an 11 on the come out roll, the dice win. Anyone who placed a bet on the pass line gets paid off at even money. Anyone who bet on don’t pass loses their bet, and their money gets collected.
But if the shooter rolls a 2, 3, or 12 on the come out roll, the pass line bet is an immediate loser. This is called “crapping out.” Those totals—2, 3, and 12—are “craps.” The don’t pass line, though, MIGHT be a winner.
Remember when I discussed the layout and how the don’t pass bet includes the words “bar 12” or “bar 2?”
This means that if the shooter rolls a 12 (or a 2, depending on what the layout says), the don’t pass bet doesn’t win any money. Instead, it’s treated as a “push” or a “tie.” You get your money back, but you don’t get any winnings with it.
Any other total sets a point. The possible points are 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10.
If the shooter doesn’t set a point, she gets to keep the dice and continue to roll. It doesn’t matter if the dice won or lost on the come out roll. And any time the shooter hasn’t set a point, the next roll is always a new come out roll.
But if a point number has been rolled, the shooter keeps rolling until she either:
- Rolls the point number again. (In which case, the dice win.)
- Rolls a 7. (In which case, the dice lose.)
If the dice win, the shooter keeps the dice and continues to shoot. Also, the pass line bets pay off at even money.
If the dice lose, the next person to the left of the shooter gets a turn as shooter. Also, the don’t pass bets pay off at even money.
After this action is completed, there’s a new come out roll, regardless of whether or not there’s a new shooter.
Craps Bar 12 Mile
That’s the basics of craps right there—the come out roll and whether the dice win or lose. Sometimes they win or lose on the first roll; sometimes there are subsequent throws which determine whether they win or lose.
But the other bets are whether the casino really cleans up.
Summarizing the Action
It helps to think of craps as being a game played in rounds. Each round starts with a come out roll.
The dice can win or lose immediately on the come out roll. If you roll a 7 or an 11, that’s an immediate win. If you roll a 2, 3, or 12, that’s an immediate loss.
Any other number sets a point. In that case, the shooter continues rolling the dice until she either rolls a 7 or the point again. If she rolls a 7 before rolling the point, the dice lose. If she rolls the point before rolling the 7, the dice win.
The pass bet pays off at even money when the dice win.
The don’t pass bet pays off even money (or pushes) when the dice lose. The only time it’s a push is when a 12 is rolled on the come out roll. (Or if a 2 is roller in a casino that says “Bar 2” instead of “Bar 12.”)
And that’s it.
Craps is a much simpler game than you expected, isn’t it?
The real wrinkles start when you look at the dizzying arrays of bets that are available to be made in the game besides the pass and don’t pass bets.
I’ll look at the available bets in the next post.
Conclusion
A craps game starts when players buy in, place bets, a shooter is chosen, and then that shooter rolls the dice. The most basics bets in the game (the pass and don’t pass bets) pay off based on whether the dice win or lose, respectively.
You do, of course, have multiple other bets available on the table. Some of them are one roll bets, like proposition bets, while others are determined after multiple rolls.
This is the 3rd post in my series about playing craps. My next post will include details about how the other bets on the craps table work.
Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.Craps is an absolute blast, and one of the most exciting games in a casino, but it can be intimidating to new players.
We’ve slapped together 10 common craps mistakes made by newbies.
1. Trying to hand cash to a dealer.
Dealers aren’t allowed to take cash from your hand, so simply lay your money on the table. The dealer will give you chips, and you’re ready to stick it to the house.
2. Not holding the dice over the table.
There are lots of rules in casinos, typically intended to either keep people from cheating or employees from stealing. Always keep the dice in sight of the dealers and boxman. We’d explain what a “boxman” is, but it’s not that kind of list.
Want to make $1,000 from a $1 investment? Bet a “hard six.” Hit it three times before you “seven out” and you get a grand!
3. Touching the dice with two hands.
It’s exciting shooting the dice, and if you’re a craps virgin, experienced players are going to love having you shoot the dice, too. Just make sure to only use one hand to shake or throw the dice. Using two hands makes the house nervous (as some cheaters try to switch the dice for loaded ones).
4. Not hitting the back wall.
Throw the dice all the way down, or the dealers will let you hear about it. This ensures each roll is truly random, and there’s no funny business (sometimes called “dice control” or “precision shooting”) going on.
Just look for these bad boys at the opposite end of the table, and hit them with the dice. No pressure.
5. Not knowing the chip denomination colors.
We saw this one at a downtown casino recently, and it was adorable. Before you begin play, make sure you know the colors associated with each denomination of chip. Red chips, for example, are typically worth $5. Green are worth $25, and so on. This helps a lot when a helpful dealer says, “If you’d like to bet on 6 and 8, I’ll need $12.” Otherwise, chaos.
6. Holding a drink over the table.
Yes, people sometimes drink when they gamble. That leads to spills, and the felt on table games is especially vulnerable. So, take a sip and place your drink on the special “rail” down below (and don’t forget to tip your waitress). The chip rail is on top, by the way, with ample room for your winnings.
See the drink rail? It’ll keep your cocktail out of harm’s way.
7. Dangling hands over the table.
Seasoned gamblers are very superstitious, especially craps players. Avoid their hard stares by keeping your hands out of the way of the dice. Hands are better put to use clapping in support of hot shooters.
8. Shouting out late bets.
“Get your bets in early!” is a common saying among dealers. Waiting until the last minute to make a bet can cause confusion and delays at the table. Make your bets when the dice are in the middle of the table, before they’re pushed to the shooter.
9. Mistaking dealer placed bets for self-serve.
Some craps bets are made directly by players, and others are made by the dealers. For the most part, anything within arm’s reach is your responsibility. Otherwise, set your chips in the middle of the table (the area marked “Come” is a good spot), and tell the dealer your bet. If you’re confused about which bets are which, just watch and ask questions. You’ll find other players and dealers are very helpful. Note: It’s best not to ask lots of questions during a hot roll. You’ll mess with the mojo.
Craps tip: Don’t bet the Big 6 and 8. The same bet pays more if you “place” those numbers with the dealer. You’re welcome.
10. Saying “seven” at the table.
Speaking of mojo, this is one of the worst transgressions a new craps player can make. Don’t say the word “seven” out loud at the craps table. Our hands are actually shaking just typing that word. Part of the fun of craps is learning the rituals of the game, the jargon, the ridiculous rules and superstitions. This isn’t one of the ridiculous ones, by the way. Don’t say “seven”! Just trust us, we are a Las Vegas blog.
Now that you know some of the gaffs new craps players make, you can avoid them and take part in one of the most thrilling casino games, ever.
Remember to have fun stick to the basics of the game when you’re first starting out.
Catch a hot roll and you could reach legend status in a mere three to four hours. Actual results may vary.