Craps

CrapsIf you have ever been on the floor of a physical casino and have heard a lot of commotion erupt seemingly out of nowhere, chances are you have just found the craps table. Craps is one of the most confusing games that exists, but also one of the most exciting to play. To backtrack, even though the game may appear to be confusing and difficult to follow, once you learn the basic rules of the game it becomes much more simplistic than you would have ever imagined.

The game of craps is said to have originated from English Knights during the time of the Crusades. At this time, it was a dice game by the name of hazard. Nowadays, the game of craps is known around the world and is a staple of most every casino both online and brick and mortar. The following few sections will serve the purpose of explaining, in greater detail, how this game works so that you can begin playing as soon as possible.

Craps — The Basics

The game of craps is played around a felt table much like many other casino games, however, the table features indicators and markings that may seem confusing at first. The game itself is played with only 2 dice and nothing more.

To begin play, the person with the dice, known as the shooter, must make at least the table minimum bet on either the pass or don’t pass lines. In a traditional casino setting, the shooter is given 5 dice from which they are supposed to select two to play with. In the immediate lead-up to the shot being taken, the shooter must abide by strict rules regarding the handling of the dice.

Amongst these rules is the “Golden Rule” that a player must only use one hand when throwing, or shooting. With the dice in hand, the player physically shoots them across the table in such a fashion that they strike the further wall and bounce back. If the dice do not strike the wall, or if only one does, it is up to the person running the table, but the shot will more than likely have to be taken again, often by someone else.

The craps table can play host to up to 20 people, each of which will be given a chance to roll. With that being said, you are not obligated to roll at any point and can continue participating in the game at hand.

Beginning of the Round

Now that you have a basic understand of what exactly the game of craps is all about, we will now walk you through the finer details of how a round is played. In every round, there are two different phases, referred to as the “come out” and the “point.”

“Come Out” Roll

To begin, the shooter must roll what are referred to as come out rolls. If the come out roll ends up showing a 2, 3, or 12, this is referred to as crapping out and all players who have placed pass line bets will immediately forfeit their money. To the contrary, if the come out roll ends up being either 7 or 11, “pass line” bets win.

Establishing the “Point”

The round continues by having the shooter continue to make come out rolls until he or she lands a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10—the number that then becomes the point. Once a point is established, the shooter will continue to roll until he or she hits that number again. If the point is 10 and that is what’s rolled, those who have placed pass line bets win. The game continues until the shooter rolls a 7, at which point pass line bets lose and the round concludes.

Now that you know all about how pass line bets work, you might be wondering how a don’t pass bet wins. Basically, a don’t pass bet wins when the come out roll lands on either a 2 or a 3. Just as a come out roll of 7 or 11 sees pass bets win, a come out roll of 2 or 3 will see don’t pass bets win. If the initial come out roll is a 12, don’t pass bets are considered to be pushed and the wagered money is returned to the player.

There are so many different betting combinations able to be made in the game of craps, but the two most common are the “pass” and “don’t pass” wagers.

With regard to all the commotion you might encounter, this is something that usually happens when a shooter catches fire and continues to hit the point time and time again. Let’s say, for example, that the point is 5. Theoretically, the shooter who just established this point can continue to roll, and if they hit 5 one, two, three, four, or even more times, pass line bets win time and time again. It is these kind of hot streaks that really get people excited. Believe it or not, the fact that you are able to interact with the game by rolling the dice yourself is a major part of the reason so many people love to play craps.

Online Craps at Legal New Jersey Casinos Online

If we are talking about the many brick and mortar casinos that you will find in Atlantic City, craps is a staple at all of them. The same can be said of the online casinos in the state as craps is up there with the most popular casino games that exist. Of course, playing craps online does not necessarily offer the excitement you might experience on the floor of a brick and mortar casino, but it is exciting nonetheless.

Though you have read all the basic fundamentals of the game, the best way to learn how to play the game is to actually do it. Once you are participating and seeing how things flow along, the game itself begins to make a lot more sense than it does at first glance. Luckily for you, New Jersey casinos present you with plenty of opportunities to test your luck at this fun game.