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Craps is a game from the depths of time, and long ago Arabs would associate the heat of gambling with craps. First craps was mentioned in Ancient Greece and Egypt, where in third century BC gambling with dice was officially banned. This means that even then the use of dice as recreational pursuit was quite well-spread. The modern take on the rules was introduced in the nineteenth century in America.
Craps need a special table with a system of markings and demand a certain etiquette from the gambler. The game rules can vary due to the views and alterations made by the house or event, with the idea of it being played against the casino. After bets are made and D6 are thrown several times, wins the gambler with the set number or the largest number of points.
The lucky number
As a rule, the dice that are used have six sides, with numbers on their edges randing from one to six. The correct gaming dice would have a sum of parallel sides equal to seven. The players bet before any dice is thrown, with a range of these available – either on victory (Pass Line) or the opposite (Don’t Pass Line). If the numbers of players is more than one, then control roll is made to pick the sharpshooter, the one player that will start the round.
The rounds during craps normally consist of two stages: dice would be rolled during the come-out, while during point the fate of the round is calculated with payouts.
For come-out, there are different combinations that could be rolled on two dice:
Craps – result for 2D6 throw is two, three, or twelve. The Don’t Pass Line wins, and prize would depend on the numbers thrown (2, 3 give the prize as one to one, while for twelve, the bet would be returned);
Natural – when the sum on dice is equal to seven or eleven; with Pass Line winning and payout being one to one;
Point – a whole row of possibilities – four, five, six, eight, nine and twelve. The number is noted down, and the bets on the Don’t Pass and Pass Line are played, with gambler testing his luck until either a seven would be rolled, or the number specified. If a seven turns up, bets on the Don’t Pass Line win. If a specific number picked would be rolled, Pass Line would win. In any case, it is a one to one payout.
Staking it on the on Don’t Pass and Pass Line could be done only before the start of a game, but there is also the in-game analogue (Come and Don’t Come bets) available, which could be used during any rounds except the first one.
Over the top
If the player is willing to try his luck, it is possible to make bets on the specific combinations and results, which can significantly increase the payout. The zones for extra bets are marked on the table.
The extra bets are:
- Pass / Come Odds – this is an extra risk available after the main bet. This is staking git on a point, or the number that is rolled on the table and then displayed on the table. If the number is rolled before the seven on 2D6, the player gets a bonus to the payout, with the size depending on the number rolled (bonus equals ½ of bet for four or ten; 2/4 for five and six; 5/6 for six or eight);
- Don’t Pass / Come Odds – an extra bet similar to the previous option. It is placed on a point, and if 7 is rolled before a point, the bet is lost to the casino. If the point is rolled, there is an extra payout (bonus equals ½ of bet for four or ten; 2/4 for five, six; 5/6 for six or eight);
- Win – this is available during the game, and is also done on the point, do four, five, six, eight, nine or twelve in the particular zone of the table. The player gets a bonus if a point is rolled before a seven. The size of it, again, depends on the point (bonus equals 9/5 of bet for four or ten; 7/5 for five, nine; 7/6 for six or eight);
- Lose – betting on the loss. It is paid out, when seven is rolled before the point. The payouts are ranked as follows: 2/5 for four and ten; 4/7 for five and nine; 4/5 for six and eight;
- Hardways – he bet on complex doubles, which would be 2:2, 3:3, 4:4, 5:5. The player gets a bonus if the double is rolled before the seven. The prize would then be seven times the bet for 2:2 and 5:5, and nine times the bet for 3:3 and 4:4;
- Big six or Big eight –these pay out if six or eight turn up on the dice. The player gets a bonus if these are rolled before seven, with one to one payout.
There are also bets for inside the round (one-offs):
- Field bet – hese are bets on two, three, four, nine, ten, eleven and twelve, and they pay out when any number from the range is rolled. The payout size varies, with 2 and 12 yielding twice the stakeand rest are one to one payouts;
- Any Seven – type of bet, when the next dice throw would give a seven. Payout multiplies the bet by four;
- Any Craps – if the next dice throw is two, three or twelve, then player gets a prize worth seven times the stake;
- Craps Two – snake eyes, with payout of thirty to one;
- Craps Twelve – bet on midnight (six and six on dice). Payout equal thirty times the stake;
- Craps Three – bet on two and one on dice, with payout equal thirty times the bet;
- Eleven – the bet on five and six on 2D6, with payout equal thirty times the risk.
More than just a game
Craps is very attractive, the rules are simple, the bets here are diverse and allow serious risk and payouts. Throughout its long history the game gained many advantages and features. Craps is an entertainment for all gamblers, who want to try their luck. It’s been this way starting from Ancient Egypt to modern online casinos, and it will always represent the ultimate challenge.
