Craps

Craps is a fast-moving action game in which two dice are thrown the length of a craps table so that they bounce against the back wall. The object is to bet on the numbers that come up. The player to throw the dice is the 'shooter' and this is taken in turn by each player, clockwise round the table. There are three kinds of bets, as follows: 

Bet 1

Pass Line and Don't Pass Line bets are made on whether the shooter is successful or unsuccessful. If you think the shooter will be successful, place bets in the Pass Line area - and if you think the shooter will fail, place bets in the Don't Pass area. Both bets pay even odds. 

So how does the shooter win or lose? If the first throw (the come out roll) lands on 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10, this is known as point and the shooter aims to roll the same number again on the second throw. If this happens (or if the shooter throws a 7 or 11), the Pass Line bets win. 

If 2, 3 or 12 are thrown, this is known as craps and the Pass Line loses, whilst Don't Pass wins. (12 is paid out as a tie) and the shooter rolls again. If, at any time after the first roll, the shooter throws a 7, they fail and the dice are passed to the next player. Pass Line bets lose and Don't Pass bets win. 

Bet 2 

This depends on whether certain numbers appear throughout the shooter's entire turn. After the first roll (when the game is established according to the number thrown), you can bet on the come section. You'll win if a 7 or 11 are thrown or if any other number appears twice, before a 7. Exactly the opposite applies to don't come bets, except that 12 is paid out as a tie. You lose if 2, 3 or 12 (craps) are thrown. 

Once the come out roll is thrown, you can add to the Pass Line, Don't Pass, come and don't come bets with an odds bet, which pays true odds on the bet. 

• A lay bet is guessing that a 7 will be rolled before 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10.
• A buy bet is the opposite.
• A Big 6 or Big 8 is betting that 6 or 8 are rolled before 7.

Bet 3 

This is for one roll of the dice only. A field bet guesses that the next roll will be 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 or 12 or you can choose one of the many single throw combinations from doubles to betting a single number or a horn (2, 3, 11 or 12) or craps (2, 3 or 12) may be thrown.