Learning to Play Craps In 10 Easy Steps – Part Two

Step Six: Craps buy bets

One of the craps game rules state that players are allowed to “buy” the 4 or 10 by paying a commission of 5%. For example, if you decide to make a $20 bet on the 4 or 10 and appeal to the craps buy bets you will need to lay down plus $1. If you win you will be returned $40 for your $20 bet instead of $36 if you had not choose the craps buy bet.

Craps buy bets reduce the casino house edge to 2.78% from that high of 6.67%. In a few casino establishments, you can buy the 4 or 10 and only pay the commission if the bet wins! That trims down the house edge on a typical $25 buy to around 1.3%. Buy bets are just like Place bets and can be working or removed at any time during the game.

Step Seven: Bets in craps you should avoid

Except the bets discussed in the first part of the article, all the rest have crummy edges of between five percent and 16.67 percent. From my experience I have learned that all the craps bets with exotic, fancy names have tacky edges.

Step Eight: Understand the craps culture

There have been written many articles about the culture of craps and I believe I can write a book also on this topic. Craps is a game with superstitious players and lousy – dirty mouths audience. It doesn’t count if you are not that type, when I Rome… Casino craps rules, unwritten rules better said should be followed if you want to avoid the opinion of a fellow player if you make a mistake at the table who think you are an idiot and aren't afraid to tell you and the whole world so in the grossest of terms and loudest of tones. So here are some etiquette tips for you:

1. After a point has been set and the shooter is ready for a next throw, never say the word “seven”



2. Do not dangle your hands over the table or point to a bet, even if it's just the tip of your finger over the table, or you could be in trouble.


3. Do not laugh when the guy next to you asks a pretty girl to throw the dice for him, even she looks like she never did this before. It’s a known fact at the craps table that women who never rolled a dice are lucky.



4. If you are a man, never come clean to say that this is your first craps game. The moment you get the dice, players will be sniping at you for the reason that men who have never rolled the dice before are fated to seven-out early. Remember please that these are not my beliefs.


5. When you are rolling and one or both dice go off the table immediately call out, "Same dice!" If you allow the dealer to substitute different dice, you'll seven out on the very next roll.


6. Never interrupt the shooter. It is possible that the shooter is in "the zone" and you might just disrupt his rhythm. This is just good common sense and good manners as well.


7. Do not drink anything at the table with the number 7 in it like Seven-Up or Seven-and Seven.

Step Nine: Know the craps vocabulary

Coloring - The word color can be used to describe various actions. "Color in" is when the dealer announces the boxman that the chips (or cheques) are coming. "Color up" is when the dealer announces the boxman that the chips are being exchanged.

Barred Number - The number 2 or 12 can be a barred number. This means that the Don't Pass or the Don't Come bets will tie when a barred number will be rolled out.

Box Point -This refers to the numbers 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 that the shooter rolls out.

Chop -The win or lose action of the dice.

Flat Bets - The player gambles the same amount for every roll. Regardless if he wins or loses, he always bets the same amount of money on every roll.

Off - This indicates that bets are working.

On - This indicates that bets are not working.

Wrong Bettor - A player at the craps table that has bet against the shooter. He will win if the shooter's roll will result in a loss for him.

The craps lingo is more rich then what I have described above but my article space is limited so you should look more on this topic.

Step Ten: Craps Betting Strategy

This is easy. Bet the Pass, Come or Don't Pass, Don't Come and from the moment you get up on a number benefit of the Odds bets.

The 6 and/or 8 should be placed for six dollars each and in case you cannot afford this you may consider buying the 4 or 10 for $35 or for $25 in games where the commission is only taken from a winning bet.

Go up on two or three numbers and don't increase your betting level or the number of your bets until you have a nice, hefty profit for the roll at hand.