Craps is one of the most popular games at casinos around the world. Now with the explosion of online casinos it still reigns near the top as one of the most popular games to play. The rules for playing online are exactly the same as for playing in a casino and once you understand them you can effectively gamble and win online.
Craps is a dice game where one person rolls and you can bet on the results. There are numerous betting options in craps, but before you can even look into those it is best to understand the basic options of the game. Two dice are rolled and the result of the total of these dice determines the results of the game. The first roll made is called the come out roll. This will set up the game moving forward. If the come out roll is a seven or an eleven the pass bet wins and a new come out roll is made. If the come out roll is a two, three, or twelve the pass bet loses and a come out roll is made again. So let’s start there and work our way forward.
Before someone rolls a come out roll you can bet the pass line or the don’t pass line. If you bet the pass line you are basically saying that the shooter is going to win. They can win right off the bat with a seven or an eleven, or lose right away with a two or three. If the result is a twelve the shooter loses and neither the pass or don’t pass lines win. If you think they will lose you can bet the don’t pass line. After that initial roll if the shooter does not win or lose then the point is set.
The game then changes once the point is set. The shooter will have to roll that number again to win and will lose on a seven. You can lay bets on different numbers and payouts at any time, but most people will wait until after the point is set to place these bets. A very good strategy for playing craps is to always take the free bets after the point is set. For example, if you play the pass line a free bet is given on the point number after it has been set. This bet is not technically free in that you have to pay to play it, but the odds and payout on it are even so that the house has no advantage. What this means is that you significantly increase your chances to stay even by maximizing these bets. They will minimize the advantage of the house by lowering the percentage that is typically paid back. You as a player then will receive more of the money. These kinds of bets can help to really stabilize your play.
In addition you can make a number of other bets on the table. These generally do not have a significant mathematic advantage for the players, but can make nice payouts when they hit. Betting things like eight the hard way, which means getting an eight with two fours, can pay significant dividends if they hit. This is a much looser way of playing and is only recommended to be done sparingly.
Similar to roulette you can also play a range of numbers. By playing a range of numbers you will increase you chances of winning but reduce the amount you can get paid out. This again can help to hedge your bets if you choose to throw money down on one of the longer shots.
It is this ability to change the odds and risk of your bets with each throw of the dice that makes craps so popular. A lot of players will play on gut feelings and when these cash in it is truly fun. Also because you can adjust your strategy on the fly many astute players can make a lot of money playing craps. While the ride is not always a good one, part of the fun and appeal of the game is the ups and downs you go through. The key to really being able to enjoy this is to have a large enough bank roll so that you can ride through the different waves. Without having this you cannot absorb the downs that will eventually come.
The two most important things to remember when playing craps is that you need to set up your basic bets based on what is mathematically best and you need to have a large enough bank roll to cover your losses when you go down. Generally it is recommended that you walk up to a table with about a hundred times the minimum bet. On a five dollar table this is five hundred dollars. For online play you can find table with much smaller minimums so playing can be just as fun but not nearly as costly. Unfortunately with these lower limit table you do not stand to make as much, but they can be a great way to learn the game. By getting experience at how the tables work and flow you can develop your game for the larger minimums.
Craps can be one of the fastest moving and most exiting games in the casino. It can also be a place where you will lose your money faster than any other. By taking the time to study and understand the game however you can go a long way towards improving your chances of being successful at the craps table, whether this is online or in an actual casino is up to you.
Twitter
Facebook