Craps

Craps may be the most exciting, action packed game you ever play. There is no skill in shooting Craps, it is purely a game of chance.

How to Play
Players stand around the craps table. The game starts when the players place their bets and the stickman pushes the dice to a shooter. The shooter rolls the dice across the table so they hit the wall on the opposite end of the table. This first roll of the dice is called a "come out" roll. There are three things that can happen:

1. If the dice come up as 7 or 11, you win. The same shooter continues to roll the dice.
2. If the dice come up as 2, 3, or 12, you lose. This is called craps. The same shooter still rolls the dice.
3. If the dice come up as anything else (4,5,6,8,9, or 10) it is called the box point.

The shooter continues shooting the dice until the box point is rolled again. If a 7 is rolled before the point is rolled, the shooter loses. The game is over, a new shooter is picked (the next person around the table) and a new game begins.

Payouts
Before the come out roll, all the players must place their first bet. You can place your bet either on the "pass line" or the "don't pass line." Pass line bets mean you are betting with the shooter. Don't pass line bets means you are betting with the house. The fun in craps (and the best way to win) is betting with the shooter. On the table, directly in front of you, place your bets on the pass line. The shooter will roll when all bets are placed. If on the first roll a 7 or 11 comes up, you win "even" money on the pass line bet you just made. If a 2,3, or 12 comes up, you lose that bet. Play continues in this fashion until a point number is rolled (4,5,6,8,9, or 10). Once the box point number is established, additional bets can be made.

1. First, take the "odds" on the pass line bet. You do this by placing the same amount as your pass line bet, or more, on the table. If the shooter rolls the point number before a 7 is rolled, you win "even" money on your pass line bet, plus 2:1 if the point number is 4 or 10; 3:2 if the point is 5 or 9; and 6:5 if the point is 6 or 8. You get the best odds on your money by placing these "odds" bets.


2. In addition to the pass line and odds bets, you can also place bets on the "numbers." At the top of the craps table are the numbers 4,5,6,8,9, and 10. You can bet (place) these individual numbers (any or all of them). You win if the numbers you place come out before a 7 is rolled. You win different odds depending on the numbers you bet. The 4 and 10 pay 9:5. The 5 and 9 pay 7:5. The 6 and 8 pay 7:6. These odds are based on the probability of those numbers coming out.


3. There are many other bets you can make. For example, you can bet the "hard way." This is when you bet the dice will display a certain way. Say you bet the 8 the hard way. The dice must come out 4 and 4. If they come out as a 5 and 3 or a 6 and 2, you lose. A hard 10 must come out as a 5 and 5, etc.