Craps The first time you load up Craps into your casino software you'll wonder what on earth's going on! The good news is that the rules of craps are very simple. It's fast paced and exciting and it conjures up mental images of Las Vegas. It's the huge range of bets that puts newcomers off playing Craps but you only need to know the basics, and which bets to avoid. The Rules: The shooter (dice thrower) steps up to the table and rolls two dice. If the total of the scores on the dice is 7 or 11 then he wins immediately. If the total of the scores on the dice is 2, 3 or 12 then he loses immediately. (2, 3, or 12 is known as Craps) If the total of the scores on the dice is any other number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10) then this number becomes "Point". A white puck is placed above the point number on the craps table to make the game easier to follow. The game is on… The shooter then continues to roll the dice, for as long as it takes, until he either scores the point number or 7. If he scores point, he wins. If he scores 7, he loses. A winning shooter stays at the table and starts again, a losing shooter hands the dice to the next player, and the game starts again.

According to Richard Epstein, craps is descended from an earlier game known as Hazard, that dates to the Middle Ages. The formal rules for Hazard were established by Montmort early in the 1700s. The origin of the name craps is shrouded in doubt, but it may have come from the English crabs, or from the French Crapeaud (for toad)

Many players who make pass line bets can't afford to take any odds or full odds behind the bet once the number is established. You can place the odds if the person allows you. The casino has no edge on the odds and in the long run your expectation is to break even. That could be a lot of casino fun with no expected cost! One caveat: Make sure the person behind whose bet you're taking odds fully understands what it is you are doing. You don't want to win a bet only to have the man or woman scoop it up and keep it.

The correct payoff for odds bets varies from point number to point number, depending on the odds of a 7 being rolled before a particular point is repeated. The payoff formula is the same whether you take single odds, double odds, or more. Correct odds payoffs are as follows: Points 4 and 10 pay 2-to-1 Points 5 and 9 pay 3-to-2 Points 6 and 8 pay 6-to-5 As an example, suppose you bet $1.00 on the pass line and establish a point of 4 in a casino that offers double odds. You now have the option of taking the adds for an additional $2.00. (You can wager a lesser amount or choose not to take any odds at all)