In a land-based casino, craps might be the most intimidating of all games for novice players. The action moves quickly, the players and dealers use a variety of unfamiliar terms and there are a profusion of different bet types.

For players new to the game the best way to learn is by playing online at Payday Casino.

The steep ‘learning curve’ beginners experience playing live craps is absent in the online version of the game. The betting layout is the same but you don’t have to deal with the frenetic atmosphere and the chatter of the other players. In fact, in our Casino, it’ll be just you and the dealer at the table.

This is another advantage of online play—you can advance at your own pace and even take the time to look up what specific bets mean as you’re playing.

Once you get a feel for the basics, the different bet types and terminology of the game starts to make sense and you become more comfortable at the table.

Craps looks complex and to some extent, it is. At least the more involved bets are a bit more obscure but the good news is that a novice player can start slow by focusing on the basic bets. As he gets more comfortable with the process, he can add additional bet types into his repertoire. A beginning player can also ease the transition into the game by playing online.

To cover the most essential basics of casino craps it is necessary to limit our focus to the most rudimentary fundamentals of gameplay and the best betting options for new players. Furthermore, since casino craps involves a number of additional nuances the primary focus will be on the online game at our casino.

To give you some idea of the complexity of just walking up to a land-based casino craps table and playing, let’s run through some tips, etiquette rules and behavioral guidelines specific to the environment.

Craps has a lexicon unique to the game. The most common terms can be picked up quickly but some of the more arcane pieces of jargon take longer to assimilate. Further complicating the process there are terms unique to certain countries and regions. Just because you know the lingo in Nevada doesn’t mean you’ll have the same fluency in other parts of the world.

To get up to speed on your Casino lingo, you may check our Casino Terms.

It’s bad form to put drinks on the table. There is a shelf built under the chips for these purposes. It’s also bad form to sit at a craps table or to lean against it. It’s also important to roll the dice properly so that they bounce off of the opposite wall of the table. Using the word ‘Seven’ as in ‘C’mon Lucky Seven!’ is also a faux pas and considered ‘unlucky’ by more superstitious gamblers.

Also, if you’re playing casino craps for the first time you’re known as a ‘virgin’–but don’t tell anyone. Actually, don’t tell anyone if you’re a male. For some bizarre reason male craps table ‘virgins’ are considered bad luck while female virgins are considered to be ‘lucky’.

Got all of that? This is just the tip of the iceberg.

The Fundamental Rules and Gameplay of Craps

As if the game wasn’t already unwieldy enough to explain succinctly the fact that there is a different ‘house edge’ for many of the myriad bet types further compounds the situation.

The way that a craps round starts is with the ‘shooter’ rolling two dice in what is known as the ‘come out’. If the sum of the roll is a 2,3, or 12 it is known as ‘craps’. A roll of 7 or 11 is a good thing—it’s called a ‘natural’ much in the same way as being dealt an ace and a ten in blackjack. If any other number comes up this number becomes the ‘point’ and the betting process moves into the next phase.

Once a point is established, the ‘point’ phase begins. The goal now is to roll the number established as the ‘point’ before a roll of seven appears.

Pass Bet

The most basic bet for the first phase is the ‘Pass’ bet. If a player hits ‘craps’ all ‘Pass’ bets lose. If a player hits a 7 or 11, all ‘Pass’ bets win.

For any other number the player must hit their ‘point’ before a seven appears and if he does all ‘Pass’ bets are graded as winners. Players also have the option of betting against the roller by making a ‘Don’t Pass’ bet.

Come Bet

The other fundamental type of craps bet is the ‘Come’ bet. This is very similar to the aforementioned ‘Pass’ bet only it takes place after a point is established.

One way to think of a ‘Come’ bet is that it allows a player to make a new ‘Pass’ bet specific only to that player. The terminology refers to the player betting on the next point number that will ‘Come’ from the shooter’s next roll.

The rules of a ‘Come’ bet are almost identical to the ‘Pass’ bet—a ‘Come’ bet loses on a 2,3 or 12, it wins on a 7 or 11 and if any other number comes up a ‘Come’ bet point is established in the same way as on the come out roll. The ‘Come’ bettor must then hit the point before a 7 appears.

Like the ‘Don’t Pass’ bet there’s also the option of betting the ‘Don’t Come’ wager. The Pass, Don’t Pass, Come and Don’t Come bets are known as ‘line bets’ and are the most rudimentary plays on the betting board.

As you’ve probably figured out by now the best way to learn craps is by playing it. So what are you waiting for? Play at Payday Casino Today.