Craps - Basic Playing Strategy
Part 2
The game of craps is based on the most popular number, seven, and how the other
numbers compare to it. For example if a seven rolls six times (in 36) and the six rolls five times, the odds of the six rolling before the seven are 5:6. In practical terms, this means that if you bet $5 on the 6, and it rolls before the seven does, you win $6 for your $5 bet. The actual payoffs of your bets are based on these odds, but you don't have to memorize them - just ask one of the friendly dealers and they will tell you what the payoff is for each bet. Okay, now let's look at the basic rules. This time we'll take a quick look at the pass line wager - the most popular (and one of the most profitable) bets on the craps table! When someone (called a "shooter") tosses the dice, he can roll three things - a "natural" (a 7 or 11), a "point" or a "craps". If he (or she) rolls a seven (or 11) before the point is established, all of the pass line bettors win. If he rolls a "craps" (2, 3 or 12) all the pass line bettors lose. If he rolls a "point" number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) he must repeat that number again before the seven rolls in order to win. Okay so far? Good! Now let's look at a
sample roll! The stickman pushes three or four pairs of dice to the shooter, who picks up any two
and tosses them to the far wall. Say his first number is a seven. Everyone who has a bet on the pass line wins their bet! His second number is an eleven, so everyone wins again! His third number is a two ("craps"), so the pass line bettors lose this time, but he keeps
on shooting. The shooter's fourth number is a six, which becomes the "point." If he repeats the
number six before the seven rolls, the pass line bettors win, and he shoots again. However, if the seven rolls before the six is repeated, the pass line bettors lose and
someone else becomes the shooter. Now you know enough to bet on the pass line! When you play, you might watch some other people place their bets first, and then
give it a try yourself! And, as always, good luck at the tables!