The Game of Craps is Easy - Don't Be Afraid of It

Without a doubt, craps is the most exciting game in a casino.  The anticipation of the next dice roll is always so much more exciting than the next hand of blackjack or the next spin of a slot machine.  It just is.  But if it’s so much fun, why don’t more people play the game?  Why is it that an enormous casino might have only two or three craps tables going, but there are ga-zillions of brain-dead zombies sitting at the slots losing more money playing those machines than they would playing craps?  The answer is simple.  Most people are either scared to death of the game because they don’t understand it, or they just like to be alone by themselves in front of a slot machine for 10 straight hours.

Don’t be afraid of the game!  All it takes is a little homework and a little practice at home using a pair of your kids’ dice.  It’s natural to fear the unknown, or fear what you don’t understand.  But don’t let all the numbers scare you.  The game is easy.  If you take the time to read some basic information on the rules of the game, you’ll know exactly what to do in a matter of minutes.  The point of this article is not to teach you the basics of craps.  Instead, the point is simply to motivate you enough to do some research and spend about an hour reading about the game.  So, put down the TV remote, go to your computer, and Google “learn craps.”  Find a website you like that provides basic instruction and learn about it.

Once you’re ready to play, walk up to the table and plop down your money to buy some chips.  You’ll probably be nervous the first time, but that’s okay, everyone is the first time.  Before walking up to the table, have your money ready in your pocket so you don’t have to fiddle with pulling it out of your wallet when you get to the table.  You can buy-in at any time.  You don't have to wait for the current game to end.  But don't drop your money on the table if the shooter is getting ready to throw the dice.  Wait until the shooter rolls, then wait until the dealer finishes paying off all bets for that roll.  When you see the dealer is done paying off all the bets, get the dealer’s attention and then drop your money on the table.  The dealers are not allowed to exchange anything hand-to-hand, so you have to drop your money on the table and then dealer picks it up.  As you drop your money on the table, tell the dealer, “Change only, please.”

"Change only, please," tells the table crew that you're not making any bets with your cash.  Instead, you simply want to exchange it for chips.  The dealer then picks up your cash and places it in front of the boxman (i.e., the person sitting between the two dealers).  The boxman counts your cash to verify the amount and then pushes it down the money slot in the table.  When the dealer places a stack of chips in front of you, pick them up immediately, unless the shooter is getting ready to roll again.  Don’t reach down into the table area when the shooter is about to roll because it’s considered bad luck if the dice hit your hand.  Now that you have your chips, you’re ready to have a fun and exciting time!

Craps truly is the most thrilling game in the casino.  Don’t be afraid of it.  Spend a few minutes to learn the game so the next time you go to the casino, you’ll have more fun than you’ve ever had there!