Craps

Craps is sometimes called a dice game, but this is wrong because dice is used for play in different games. Two 6-sided dice are used for craps with certain number on each side: from one to six. The game is played on the table with a special marking and high walls that do not let dice fall down from the table.
Many players can take part in the game (usually up to 20). One of them tosses the dice and is called Shooter and the rest make bets.

The Goal of the Game
The player should guess the combination after Shooter’s toss and make the bet on it.

Dice and Rules of Throw
The dice are made of cellulose and are thoroughly checked after certain number of games. The dice are replaced after 8 hours of the game. You should follow the rules otherwise you will be deprived of the opportunity to act as a shooter at the table.
The shooter must roll with one hand. The dice must bounce of the opposite wall. In case die leaves the table, the boxman inspects it and decides if he has right to select new dice for the game.

The Choice of a Shooter
There is only one shooter in each playing round. When he loses the dice are passed to the next player, the one to the left from the shooter.

How to Play
There are two main stages in the game of craps: Come Out Roll and Point Roll. Let us regard them from the Shooter’s position.
Come Out Roll – is the first toss of dice, which is needed to determine the Point. You have Point when the Come Out Roll is 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10. At this stage the game goes to the Point Roll stage. If you have 2, 3, or 12 at the first toss, then you get Craps and the player loses. The next player starts rolling. When you have 7 or 11 this is called Natural. The shooter wins and rolls again.
At the Point Roll stage the Shooter goes on rolling until you get the definite Point or 7. In the case of the first alternative he wins and the game starts anew. The Shooter takes the dice again. When 7 is rolled, he loses and another player starts acting as a Shooter.

Betting Types
Let us regard craps on position of other players and potential bets.
• Pass Line – this bet is made on the stage Come Out Roll. It wins if you roll 7 or 11, and loses if you roll 2, 3 or 12. The game goes on when Point is determined. In this case this bet is winning if Point is achieved earlier than 7 (in case the Shooter wins) . It pays 1:1.
• Don’t Pass Line - this bet is the opposite bet to the Pass Line. It is also made on the stage Come Out Roll. This bet wins if you roll 2, 3. It comes back to the player when 12 is rolled and loses when 7 or 11 is rolled. The bet stays the same if Point is determined. Then it wins if 7 is rolled earlier than Point number (if the Shooter loses). it pays 1:1.
• Come – this bet is made at any stage on the next Point, tossed by Shooter. It wins when the number of points in the next toss is 7 or 11 and loses when it is 2, 3 or 12. Any other point is determined as Come Point and the bet is transferred to the field corresponding to it and wins after that if Come Point is rolled earlier than 7. It plays to the end and you can’t take it away or change it. It pays 1:1.
• Don’t Come – this bet is made after Point is determined. It wins if 3 or 3 is rolled and loses if 7 or 11 is rolled. It comes back to the player if 12 is rolled. When some other number is rolled, it is Don’t Come Point and the bet is moved to the corresponding field. It wins after it if 7 is rolled earlier than Don’t Come Point. It pays 1:1.
• Pass Line Odds is an additional betting you can make to raise the current bet Pass Line after Point was determined. It wins in the same cases as Pass Line. It pays in the following way: when 4 or 10 is rolled – 2:1. When 5 or 9 is rolled – 2:3, 6-8 – 5:6.
• Come Odds – is an additional bet you can make to raise the current bet Come (usually no more than three times) after Point is determined. It wins the same way as Come. It pays in the following way: when 4 or 10 is rolled – 2:1, when 5 or 9 is rolled – 3:2, when 6 or 8 is rolled – 6:5.
• Don’t Come Odds – is an additional bet you can make when you raise the current bet Don’t Come after you determined Point. It wins in the same cases as Don’t Come. It pays if 4 or 10 is rolled – 2:1. When 5 or 9 is rolled – 2:3. When 6 or 8 is rolled – 5:6.
• Win – this is the bet on an number, which is rolled before 7. It pays when 4 or 10 is rolled – 9:5, when 5 or 9 is rolled – 7:5, when 6 or 8 is rolled – 7:6.
• Lose – this is a bet on certain number which must be rolled prior to 7 to get the win – 5:11 when 4 or 10 is rolled, 5:8 when 5 or 9 is rolled and 4:5 when 6 or 8 is rolled.
• Hard Way – this bet is made on sum of pairs should be thrown 2+2, 3+3, 4+4 or 5+5 before 7 is thrown or the same sum of points in other combination. It pays 9:1 if 3+3 or 4+4 are thrown and 7:1 when 2+2 or 5+5 are thrown
• Big Six – this is a bet on 6, which is thrown earlier than 7. It pays 1:1.
• Big Eight – a bet on 8 thrown earlier than 7. It pays 1:1.
• Field – a bet made on any stage of the game. It wins if 2, 3, 4, 9, 10 11, or 12 is thrown. It pays in the following way: 1:1 when 3, 4, 9, 10 are thrown and 2:1 when 2 or 12 is thrown.
• Any Craps (C) this bet wins if 2. 3 or 12 is thrown next. It pays 7:1.
• Craps Two – this bet is on 2 that is thrown next. It pays 30:1.
• Craps Twelve – this bet is on 3 thrown next. It pays 15:1.
• Any Seven – this bet is on seven thrown next. It pays 4:1
• Eleven (E) – this bet is on eleven thrown next. It pays 15:1.

Game odds and strategies
Pass Line Odds, Don’t Pass Line Odds, Come Odds, Don’t Come Odds are considered the most profitable for the player, but one can make them at the current bets of Pass Line, Don’t Pass Line, Come, Don’t Come. The combination of all betting types is considered to be the best strategy to play craps.