A small intro to craps.

My favorite gambling game to play is craps. Sadly, as my experience tells me, not many people play this game because they view it as too complicated, fast-paced, and too easy to lose money on.

Fast-paced may be true. Easy to lose money on might be true sometime, but it's also very easy to make money. The only problem left is 'complicated'. In my opinion, this is only true if you try to memorize every odds value there is. The basic rules are very simple. Still, it maintains a reputation of being a complicated game. One guide I referred to even stated: "Second only to Texas Hold 'Em, Craps is the most complicated game in a standard Vegas casino."

As an attempt to introduce more people to the game, here's a short primer:

Suppose a table is empty and you approach it, buy some chips, and begin playing. What can you expect?

1. You place your bet. The two bets available are the 'pass line' and the 'don't pass line'. While the don't pass line has its own strategies, we'll assume pass line bets are made for now.
2. There is usually a minimum. Depending on the casino and table, it can be as low as $1, or as high as $100. Anywhere from $5-25 is a good amount.
3. A bet is placed and you are passed dice to make a roll. You are only allowed to pick up dice with one hand. This is to protect against cheaters who may try to switch the dice or 'palm' the dice. You may, however, set the dice however you like, brush against them to get a feel for how they roll a little, say magic words, or do some ninjutsu seals before you actually pick up the dice and throw them. (And again, throwing can be done by shaking them a little and throwing, or just tossing them gently out. The rules state they must hit the back wall, though if you put too much energy into the throw, they will bounce off the table.) The best craps players take some time to set the dice exactly how they like it. This is one of the few interactions with the game that you the player have complete control over.
4. The dice land and are called out. If a 2, 3, or 12 is rolled, that is craps, and you lose your bet. You may bet again to roll again. If a 7 or an 11 is rolled, that is a natural, and you win even money for your bet. You will roll the next round of dice unless you pick up your bet and leave.
5. You roll either a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10. That number becomes the 'Point.' A large black-white hockey puck that says "on" is placed over the number on the board to show that it is on. Your bet is now entered into a contract. If the 'point' number is rolled again before a seven (and only a seven) is rolled, you win your bet.
"Now wait," you might reply. "The odds I will roll a 4 or 10 before a 7 are a lot lower than rolling a 6 or 8 before a 7! That's not fair at all!"
This is where the magical secret bets come from: the Odds Bet.

This bet is that you may add an additional bet to your passline bet that will be payed off, not evenly, but according to the true odds of number. Suppose the point was 4, you have a $10 on the pass line and you bet $10 behind it as Odds. And let's suppose on your next roll you rolled a 4. The 4 winner on odds pays 2 to 1. Meaning you would win what you bet on the pass line, even money for the $10, and $20 for that $10 bet. If you walk away from the table, you will have $50 in your hand even though you only made two $10 bets. This is the magic of craps.

"But wait!" you might say. "How much odds can I take, and what do they pay out?" Generally speaking at most casino craps tables today, you can take a max of three times your bet if the point is 4 or 10, four times if the point is 5 or 9, and five times if the point is 6 or 8.
With a pass line bet of $10, you could take a maximum $30 odds on point 4 or 10; max. $40 odds on point 5 or 9, and $50 odds on point 6 or 8. The 4 and 10 pay 2 dollars for even 1 dollar bet. The 5 and 9 pay three dollars for every two dollars bet. The 6 and 8 pay six dollars for every five bet. (So, keep the 5/9 odds bet an even number, and make sure the 6/8 odds bet is a multiple of five. It insures the money you are to win does not get rounded down because you technically won $4.50 on your three dollar bet, but the craps table doesn't carry half-dollars, so you will be out what you won because it did not fit how the odds paid out. Don't be too nervous. Most beginners start making $10 bets and following them with $10 odds bets which are always easy to figure out.

"This game sounds dumb." You might come to think. "After I roll a number, the 'point', I gotta stand there all day, keep rolling the dice until either I lose by rolling seven, or win by rolling the point number? What a waste of time where nothing's happening!"

And that's true, if you stay strictly to the pass line, a lot of rolls will happen in between you either scoring your point or losing. Many things and bets you can make to win by themselves or augment what you are doing and make your bets stronger. 'Hedging' your bet against that horrible seven is also possible.

But I will have to get to that part next time.

Feel free to correct me if you know anything I wrote is wrong.