The Basics of the Craps Table In casinos, craps is played at a table, usually one covered in green felt. The bets available are labeled on the felt. The table is also the playing surface for the game – you roll the dice on the same table where you place your bets.
- Betting in craps is rather complex so you should get experience making the basic and more likely bets before risking any of the more unlikely ones. Furthermore, although advanced craps strategy involves multiple simultaneous bets which can earn players more profit in the game, beginners are advised to gradually increase the complexity of their.
- I included a screenshot of the field bet below so you can get an idea of where it is located on the table. Note that if you click on the image, you can practice craps and this bet using the Flash craps game. Remember, this is a single roll bet.
- The Basics of Playing Craps. Craps offers players many different types of bet, and these shall all be explained. However, it is best to start with the very basics of the game, which will give you a good place to start. The most basic type of bet is a Pass Line bet, it is a bet placed on the Come Out roll, which is the first roll of a round.
- Best Craps Bets. The best craps bets are the following: Taking the Odds. When the Shooter establishes a Point on the Come-Out roll, any player who has made a Pass line bet is allowed to 'take the Odds.' A single Odds bet is an additional bet, up to the amount of your original bet, that the Point number will be repeated before a 7 is rolled.
If you want to learn to play craps, you should start by learning how the craps table works.
It might seem intimidating at first, but it's less complicated than you think.
And smarts craps players ignore most of the table, anyway.
This post explains in detail for beginners what they need to know about placing bets on the craps table.
The Basics of the Craps Table
In casinos, craps is played at a table, usually one covered in green felt. The bets available are labeled on the felt. The table is also the playing surface for the game – you roll the dice on the same table where you place your bets.
Most of the best US casinos use a long table for craps – it's 12 feet long, but it's kind of rectangular. You'll find smaller craps tables sometimes, but most casinos use the 12 feet long table because it accommodates more players – up to 16 people can play craps comfortably at a 12 feet long table.
The rail around the table is padded because a lot of people get tired of standing and want something to lean on. Craps isn't like blackjack; you don't sit on a stool at the craps table.
Each player has a rack where he can put his chips while he plays. That's located next to the padded railing.
The green felt is considered the bed of the craps table, and it has (almost) all the bets available stenciled on it.
Also, the craps table isn't really a flat table – it's more like a big, rectangular bowl. This prevents the dice from rolling onto the ground. The walls inside the table are padded with rubber pyramids, which serve to further randomize the rolls of the dice.
If you're the shooter, you're required to roll the dice all the way to the pyramids on the other side of the table.
How the Bets Are Laid Out on a Craps Table
If you've never played before, you'll think craps is too complicated because of all the different bets available on the layout.
But it's easier than you think.
You can think of the table as having a side section and a center section. (Really, there are 2 side sections – one on either end of the craps table. They're identical, though.)
You'll see blocks with numbers and words in them in each section. Those are the bets you can place.
You should avoid the bets in the center section, which are the bets that the stickman will encourage you to make. I'll explain the center section later, but for now, I want to focus on the section where you'll be making the most bets if you're a smart player.
The self-service bets – the bets you're allowed to place for yourself – include the following bets:
- Pass
- Don't Pass
- Come
- Don't Come
- Field
- Big 6
- Big 8
These are the most basic bets in craps, and they have the lowest house edge – although Big 6 and Big 8 are the worst in this batch. (On some tables, those aren't even in the self-service area at all.)
When one of these bets wins, the dealer puts your winnings on the table next to your bet. If you leave that money on the table, it goes back into action.
The other area in the side section is the dealer's area. Here, you need to get the dealer to place your bet for you. This area includes the point boxes:
- 4
- 5
- Six
- 8
- Nine
- 10
You'll notice that I spelled out 6 and 9. That's how they'll appear on the table so that players don't get confused about which is which.
When a shooter sets a point, the dealer puts a puck in the appropriate box to signify the point for that game. These spots serve a 2nd purpose, too – you can ask the dealer to place Buy, Lay, and Place bets for you in those spots.
Come and Don't Come are still self-service bets, but the odds bet for those must be handled by the dealer. The dealer uses the chips you bet on Come or Don't Come to mark the number in those numbered boxes, and they put the odds bet next to the appropriate number, too.
The Center Section Is for Prop Bets, Which You Should NEVER Make
You'll notice that the stickman, who's running the center section of the craps table, acts like a carnival barker or one of those loud pitchmen you sometimes run into at a flea market. That's because his job is to sell the worst bets on the craps table to the players.
The reason these are the worst bets on the table is because the house edge for ALL these bets is insanely high.
The house edge is a statistically expected loss that you'll see over the long run with a specific kind of bet.
The pass line bet has a house edge of 1.41%, which is relatively low for a casino game. In fact, it's one of the best bets in the casino.
But the house edge on the bets in the center of the table is 9% or higher.
Nonetheless, here you can place bets in this section if you want to.
To do so, you toss your chips to the center of the table to the stickman and announce what bet you want to place. Try to use some skill and deftness when you do this – you don't want to knock someone else's chips over, for example.
When you win one of these proposition bets, the chips are paid directly to you rather than just being placed on the table next to your original bet.
Examples of Proposition Bets and Their House Edge
The hard way bets are bets on totals like 4, 6, 8, or 10.
But they only pay off if the shooter rolls that total 'the hard way.'
This means that a total of 4 must be a pair of deuces, a 6 must be a roll with of both 3s, an 8 must consist of a couple of 4s, and a 10 must be made up of 5s.
The payout for a hard 6 or hard 8 is 9 to 1, and the payout for a hard 4 or 10 is 7 to 1.
The house edge for the hard 6 or hard 8 bet is 9.09%.
The house edge for the hard 4 or hard 10 bet is 11.11%.
I often suggest that many gambling writers make too much of a fuss about the house edge on casino games, but this is one instance where it's a big deal.
You're looking at a statistical advantage for the casino that's 10 times as great on one bet over the other bet.
You should pay attention to that, for sure.
Just skip the proposition bets.
You'll have just as much fun at the craps table, you'll probably stay in action longer, and you'll have a better chance of going home from the craps table a winner.
How to Get Used to the Craps Layout
The best way to get used to the game of craps is to play at an online casino, like those recommended on this site. All the casinos listed here offer free-to-play versions of their casino games. You play for 'play-money' chips.
The big advantage of doing this is that you're not risking any real money when you're playing these free craps games.
It's much better to learn without risking money if you can.
Conclusion
You need to know how the craps table and its layout work if you want to stand a chance at winning when shooting dice.
The best way to do that is to practice on a free game after reading through this quick tutorial.
The most important advice I offer in this post, though, is to stay away from those bets in the middle of the table. The house edge is just too high on those.
The appeal of playing craps cannot be matched by other casino games. Playing craps can provide great social bonding with other players because everyone is playing towards a common goal. And if you have played craps, you would recognise the fist-bumps and cheers when a shooter is rolling some hot luck. But, playing craps is tough without a solid strategy.
We've put together this quick-and-easy guide on how to master the game of craps for beginners, and you can use it today to improve your winnings with these four simple craps playing strategies.
The Best Craps Strategies to Win Real Money
Great craps strategies rely on making the best craps bets and game management choices to win big and master the game.
Best Low House Edge Craps Bets
Beginner Craps Bets Games
Placing A Bet On A Shooter
When placing a bet on a craps shooter, the best bet to make is either a Pass Line bet with full odds or a Come bet with full odds.
This is because for both the Pass Line and Come bets the house edge is only 1.41%.
This means that every $10 you bet, you will lose just 14 cents (on average over time).
Using odds reduces the edge for the house considerably, so place a small bet on the Pass Line and Come bets and increase the odds as much as you can afford (be smart).
Placing A Bet When You Are The Shooter
Kick things off by placing three easy bets:
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- Pass Line bet with full odds that you can afford
- One Come bet with full odds that you can afford
- Another Come bet with full odds
Now, if you are lucky and score a hot roll, spread your bets to all numbers and increase the Pass Line and Come bets to increase your odds.
Small Bets Equal Large Bankrolls
It is simple, place your bets in line with your bankroll.
Think about it this way, don't be destructive. If you have a $10 bankroll, you would be bonkers to place $1 bets because after a few weak rolls or poor bet placements, you could quickly end up with back-to-back losses which can empty your bankroll.
The green felt is considered the bed of the craps table, and it has (almost) all the bets available stenciled on it.
Also, the craps table isn't really a flat table – it's more like a big, rectangular bowl. This prevents the dice from rolling onto the ground. The walls inside the table are padded with rubber pyramids, which serve to further randomize the rolls of the dice.
If you're the shooter, you're required to roll the dice all the way to the pyramids on the other side of the table.
How the Bets Are Laid Out on a Craps Table
If you've never played before, you'll think craps is too complicated because of all the different bets available on the layout.
But it's easier than you think.
You can think of the table as having a side section and a center section. (Really, there are 2 side sections – one on either end of the craps table. They're identical, though.)
You'll see blocks with numbers and words in them in each section. Those are the bets you can place.
You should avoid the bets in the center section, which are the bets that the stickman will encourage you to make. I'll explain the center section later, but for now, I want to focus on the section where you'll be making the most bets if you're a smart player.
The self-service bets – the bets you're allowed to place for yourself – include the following bets:
- Pass
- Don't Pass
- Come
- Don't Come
- Field
- Big 6
- Big 8
These are the most basic bets in craps, and they have the lowest house edge – although Big 6 and Big 8 are the worst in this batch. (On some tables, those aren't even in the self-service area at all.)
When one of these bets wins, the dealer puts your winnings on the table next to your bet. If you leave that money on the table, it goes back into action.
The other area in the side section is the dealer's area. Here, you need to get the dealer to place your bet for you. This area includes the point boxes:
- 4
- 5
- Six
- 8
- Nine
- 10
You'll notice that I spelled out 6 and 9. That's how they'll appear on the table so that players don't get confused about which is which.
When a shooter sets a point, the dealer puts a puck in the appropriate box to signify the point for that game. These spots serve a 2nd purpose, too – you can ask the dealer to place Buy, Lay, and Place bets for you in those spots.
Come and Don't Come are still self-service bets, but the odds bet for those must be handled by the dealer. The dealer uses the chips you bet on Come or Don't Come to mark the number in those numbered boxes, and they put the odds bet next to the appropriate number, too.
The Center Section Is for Prop Bets, Which You Should NEVER Make
You'll notice that the stickman, who's running the center section of the craps table, acts like a carnival barker or one of those loud pitchmen you sometimes run into at a flea market. That's because his job is to sell the worst bets on the craps table to the players.
The reason these are the worst bets on the table is because the house edge for ALL these bets is insanely high.
The house edge is a statistically expected loss that you'll see over the long run with a specific kind of bet.
The pass line bet has a house edge of 1.41%, which is relatively low for a casino game. In fact, it's one of the best bets in the casino.
But the house edge on the bets in the center of the table is 9% or higher.
Nonetheless, here you can place bets in this section if you want to.
To do so, you toss your chips to the center of the table to the stickman and announce what bet you want to place. Try to use some skill and deftness when you do this – you don't want to knock someone else's chips over, for example.
When you win one of these proposition bets, the chips are paid directly to you rather than just being placed on the table next to your original bet.
Examples of Proposition Bets and Their House Edge
The hard way bets are bets on totals like 4, 6, 8, or 10.
But they only pay off if the shooter rolls that total 'the hard way.'
This means that a total of 4 must be a pair of deuces, a 6 must be a roll with of both 3s, an 8 must consist of a couple of 4s, and a 10 must be made up of 5s.
The payout for a hard 6 or hard 8 is 9 to 1, and the payout for a hard 4 or 10 is 7 to 1.
The house edge for the hard 6 or hard 8 bet is 9.09%.
The house edge for the hard 4 or hard 10 bet is 11.11%.
I often suggest that many gambling writers make too much of a fuss about the house edge on casino games, but this is one instance where it's a big deal.
You're looking at a statistical advantage for the casino that's 10 times as great on one bet over the other bet.
You should pay attention to that, for sure.
Just skip the proposition bets.
You'll have just as much fun at the craps table, you'll probably stay in action longer, and you'll have a better chance of going home from the craps table a winner.
How to Get Used to the Craps Layout
The best way to get used to the game of craps is to play at an online casino, like those recommended on this site. All the casinos listed here offer free-to-play versions of their casino games. You play for 'play-money' chips.
The big advantage of doing this is that you're not risking any real money when you're playing these free craps games.
It's much better to learn without risking money if you can.
Conclusion
You need to know how the craps table and its layout work if you want to stand a chance at winning when shooting dice.
The best way to do that is to practice on a free game after reading through this quick tutorial.
The most important advice I offer in this post, though, is to stay away from those bets in the middle of the table. The house edge is just too high on those.
The appeal of playing craps cannot be matched by other casino games. Playing craps can provide great social bonding with other players because everyone is playing towards a common goal. And if you have played craps, you would recognise the fist-bumps and cheers when a shooter is rolling some hot luck. But, playing craps is tough without a solid strategy.
We've put together this quick-and-easy guide on how to master the game of craps for beginners, and you can use it today to improve your winnings with these four simple craps playing strategies.
The Best Craps Strategies to Win Real Money
Great craps strategies rely on making the best craps bets and game management choices to win big and master the game.
Best Low House Edge Craps Bets
Beginner Craps Bets Games
Placing A Bet On A Shooter
When placing a bet on a craps shooter, the best bet to make is either a Pass Line bet with full odds or a Come bet with full odds.
This is because for both the Pass Line and Come bets the house edge is only 1.41%.
This means that every $10 you bet, you will lose just 14 cents (on average over time).
Using odds reduces the edge for the house considerably, so place a small bet on the Pass Line and Come bets and increase the odds as much as you can afford (be smart).
Placing A Bet When You Are The Shooter
Kick things off by placing three easy bets:
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- Pass Line bet with full odds that you can afford
- One Come bet with full odds that you can afford
- Another Come bet with full odds
Now, if you are lucky and score a hot roll, spread your bets to all numbers and increase the Pass Line and Come bets to increase your odds.
Small Bets Equal Large Bankrolls
It is simple, place your bets in line with your bankroll.
Think about it this way, don't be destructive. If you have a $10 bankroll, you would be bonkers to place $1 bets because after a few weak rolls or poor bet placements, you could quickly end up with back-to-back losses which can empty your bankroll.
So, the idea is to play smart and make bets that are reasonable for your bankroll. Consider making a ratio that works, we like to stick to a $1 per every $500 in bankroll for bets.
Don't Pass and Don't Come While Laying Odds
Don't Pass and Don't Come bets have a slightly better house edge at 1.36% compared to their opposite bets.
The best strategy with this bet is to bet the table minimums on Don't Pass and Don't Come, and then lay the odds to reach your predetermined bet total.
The upside to this is that this gives you the lowest house edge in the game of craps.
However, the downside is that the total bet can become quite large even if starting with the bare minimum bets. Remember to consider your bankroll and let that be your guiding force.
It is also worth noting that given the social aspect of craps, you might not feel like part of the fun. if you are playing at a brick-and-mortar casino, some might lay into you for not betting with the shooter.
Place Six and Eight
Players love this craps strategy because it gives them the opportunity to pick their own numbers, rather than waiting for the shooter to determine the point.
Outside of rolling a seven, the six and eight are the next most commonly rolled numbers in craps.
Placing on six and eight attracts a house edge of 1.52% which although higher than other bets, is still a lot lower than most other casino games you'll play.
What players need to consider is that not all place/number bets offer the same house edge. For a five or nine, the house edge is 4% and for four or ten the house edge is 6.67%.
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So, stay well clear on these place bets.
If you do place six or eight, make your bets in multiples of $6. This is because winning bets are paid at 7-6 odds. If you don't bet in these multiples you will come out with shorter payouts. What this means is that a $5 bet will pay $5, however, a $6 bet will pay 7$.
Beginner Craps Bets For Beginners
The only real downside to these place bets are that there are no free odds offered, and the house edge is higher than the Pass Come and Don't Pass Don't Come bets.
Beginner Craps Bets Against
Mastering Craps Conclusion
Beginner Craps Bets Game
Now you have our four easy tips to mastering craps, put them into action and see if you can boost your winnings by playing smarter, not harder. If you are struggling to find somewhere to play, check out the 5StarPokies five best mobile casinos for Aussies. If you don't check out our best mobile casinos article, be sure to read this important post we made about fake casinos first!
