Understanding Craps

Unwritten laws, rules, and behavior at a Craps table

Craps has a substantial body of unwritten etiquette and procedure rules that you should be familiar with before you step up to a craps table to play. At best, breaking craps etiquette will make you look like an amateur; at worst, it may interfere with the gameplay and result in a reprimand from the crew and the other players.

When you annoy the dealers, they might not steer you toward the best bets and they will not help you out

Players are allowed to bet cash at most casinos, it’s more common and more convenient to use chips. To change cash into chips, place the cash on the table near one of the two dealers. The dealer will pick it up, ask what denominations of chips, and then put the requested chips on the table. Never hand cash or chips directly to the dealers—the table itself always serves as the middleman. Place the chips on the rack.

• The Pass Line bet should be placed inside the line that reads Pass Line on the table in front of the player.
• The Pass Line odds should be placed behind Pass Line bet in front of the player.
• If a player wants to bet the Don't Pass, that player should be located as close to the back side of the table and near the dealer as possible—out of the way of all the right bettors. The same goes for betting the Don't Come.
• The Come bet should be placed inside the Come area in front of the player—lined up with the Pass Line bet—not to the left or right. Just bend over and place the bet.
• The Come Odds should be placed down inside the Come area in front of the player while looking the dealer in the eye and saying, ”Odds please,” ”Odds for my come please,” or ”Odds on the [number] please.”
• The Big 6 and Big 8 bet should be placed inside either the Big 6 or Big 8—one bet per number; this is not roulette.
• The Field bet should be placed inside the Field area relative to the players position—don't just toss it in there.
• Place bets, either to win or lose, should be placed inside the Come area in front of the player while looking the dealer in the eye and saying, ”Place the [number(s)] please.”
• Buy bets should be placed inside the Come area in front of the player while looking the dealer in the eye and saying, ”Buy the [number(s)] please.”
• Lay bets should be placed inside the Come area in front of the player while looking the dealer in the eye and saying, ”Lay the [number(s)] please.”
• Proposition bets should be placed inside the Come area in front of the player while saying the type of bet to make. The dealer will then toss it to the Stickman.

Do not throw your wager(s) at the dealer(s)

A good player will set the wager down cleanly on the table and clearly state the wager. Proposition bets can be set down and booked by the dealers on BASE and then placed out of the working stacks of the Stickman. So a player does not need to throw Proposition wagers at the Stickman. Dealers do not like to spend their shifts chasing chips all over the table. Besides, it slows the game down.

Do not try to place bets after the shooter already has the dice

There is nothing that a dealer hates more than a late bet. Wagers are supposed to be made before the Stickman sends out the dice to the shooter. Most late bets are usually Proposition bets thrown at the Stickman. Consequently, in addition to forcing the dealers to Call the bet loudly, the gaming chip when thrown at will, in many instances, hit other wagers already placed on the table and create a mess on the lay-out with chips bouncing all over the place.—it makes it very difficult for the Stickperson, boxman, and dealers to keep track of the bets.

In addition, as dealers really want the players to win, late bets when called “no bet” by a dealer will really upset the player if a number hits. Then the dealers have to deal with ill will from the player. In most casinos do not allow call bets. All wagers are supposed to be completed while the dice are in the middle of the table.

If a player is going to be the shooter, the stickman will pass five over to them. The player chooses two and the stickman takes back the others. To roll the dice:

Use an overhand grip

Though an underhand grip—palm up—may seem more natural at first, gripping the dice as shown is the best way to get a good, controlled roll.

Don’t pass the dice from hand to hand

Casinos require the shooter to hold the dice in just one hand. If a player wants to switch hands, put the dice down on the table before switching hands.

Do not conceal or take the dice beyond the edge of the table

This will only slow the game down and the boxman or dealers will have to request the dice for inspection and issue new dice.

Do not fiddle around with the dice before tossing them

Setting the dice quickly is OK, but the shooter is expected to throw the dice in a timely manner. If the shooter has a special or lucky wind up, do it quickly as a courtesy to other players who may have serious money on the table.

There is no need to over shake the dice

Everybody likes to shake 'em up but do so quickly. Besides, the dice are pre-shook at the factory!

Do not throw the dice hard, Toss them

Hot shot players who roll at high speed and slam the dice and often bounce them off the table will not get good service from the dealers. These players slow the game down and often upset other players who may have serious money on the table.

Do not aim the dice into the dealers working stacks or into the mirror on the player side of the table

Again, this is something that will only slow the game down and frustrate the dealers and the other players. Dice are to be rolled down the center of the table and must bounce off of the end wall.