Overview of Craps
On a busy night at the casino, you can instantly tell where the craps table is by looking for a big group of noisy, cheering people. The craps game is the one you see in movies all the time where one person rolls the dice and a big group of people stand around the table and cheer him on.
It looks like an intimidating game to the newbie gambler but in reality, craps is a simple game. The most basic craps bet only takes a few minutes to learn and then you can join any craps table and blend right in. There are other, more complicated bets but those can be learned over time. The main bet you need to learn is called the “pass line” bet and you can learn about that one (and others) on our craps rules page.
The person who shoots the dice can place bets but he’s not the only one who plays. Everyone around the table can place bets on the outcomes of the shooter’s throws. Most players place the “pass line” bet to get started so that’s why you find such a sense of camaraderie at the craps table – everyone is rooting for the shooter to throw the right numbers.
Craps Layout
The table itself is probably the first thing that turns new players away from craps. The craps layout is full of white lines, numbers and all sorts of lingo. Don’t worry; these things will all come to make sense as you learn the various craps bets. For now, the only one you really have to worry about is the “pass line” bet. You can find that one in the long, skinny area that wraps around the outside of the betting area.
It might also help if you notice that the table layout is a mirror image of itself. Both halves of the table are printed with the same thing. This setup allows more players to play without having to bump into each other and run from one end of the table to the next.
Craps Workers
Four people are employed to keep a typical craps table running. The guy with the stick is conveniently called the “stickman.” His job is to keep the game moving by collecting the dice with the stick and passing them on to the next player.
There is another person at the middle of the table called the “boxman.” This guy keeps an eye on things and helps resolve any disputes that arise. On each side of the boxman there is one “dealer.” The dealers collect players’ bets and pay out the winners.
Craps on the Internet
Everything has some sort of internet presence, and gambling is no exception. There are dozens of internet casinos out there and they all offer some form of craps. The online version is the same as live craps with the exception of you actually having to be at a casino. There are several advantages and disadvantages to internet craps.
Advantages:
- Don’t have to drive to / live near a casino
- You can play internet craps any time you want
- Can log in and play for just a minute or as long as you want
- Don’t have to deal with the risk of carrying cash to/from a casino
- Don’t have to deal with obnoxious craps players
Disadvantages:
- Don’t get the experience of gambling with a big group
- Have to be at least slightly computer literate
- Have to transfer money online from your bank account to your casino account