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.

The odds bet is the best wager you can make in the game of craps, because the house has no built-in advantage. Some casinos permit players to make double odds, and even greater odds wagers. The odds bet not only has no house edge associated with it, but has no official designated space on the craps table. to take the odds, you must place the appropriate amount of chips behind your pass line bet in the open area of the craps layout.

The shooter, or anyone wishing to bet that the shooter will win, places his bet "on the line" (in the area marked "Does Pass," "Line," or "Win" on various layouts) Anyone betting against the shooter places his bet in the area marked "Don't Pass." Anyone wishing to bet on a special contingency, such as that craps (2, 3, or 12) will or will not be thrown on the next roll, places his bet in the appropriate space on the layout; such bets are called proposition bets. The house maintains a mathematical advantage on all bets of about 1.4 percent, higher on certain layouts and special bets.

The player who's current go it is, is called the shooter. The shooter wins if he rolls a 7 or 11 and this is entitled 'Natural' and he loses if he rolls a 2, 3 or a 12. This is known as 'craps' and it is where the name gets its name from. Rolling any of the remaining numbers (4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10) is known as the 'point'. If the shooter achieves point on his first roll, he must roll again, if he achieves point again, then rolls again and rolls a 7 then he wins. If a 7 is rolled after the first point then the shooter loses and the dice are passed on to the next person. The next person will then become the shooter.