Craps is the fastest - and certainly the loudest - game in the casino game. With the big, colorful table, chips flying everywhere and players yelling, it's exiting to watch and exciting to play. Craps also has the one of the lowest house edges against you of any casino game, but only if you make the right bets. In fact, with one type of bet (which you will soon learn) you play even with the house, meaning that the house has a zero edge. This is the only casino game where this is true.

The Table Layout

The craps table is slightly larger than a standard pool table, with a wood railing that goes around the outside edge. This railing acts as a backboard for the dice to be thrown against and is sponge-lined on the inside with random patterns so that the dice bounce randomly. Most table rails also have grooves on top where you can place your chips. The table surface is a tight fitting green felt with designs to indicate all the various bets that can be made in craps. It's very confusing for a beginner, but all you really need to concern yourself with right now is the "Pass Line" area and the "Don't Pass" area. These are the only bets you will make in our basic strategy (and for the most part the only bets worth making, period).

Basic Game Play

Don't let the confusing layout of the craps table intimidate you. The basic game itself is very simple. A new game with a new player (the person shooting the dice) begins when the current player "sevens out", which means he rolls a seven. That ends his turn and a new player is given the dice. The new player makes either a pass line bet or a don't pass bet (explained below) and then throws the dice, which is called the "comeout roll". If that first roll is a 7 or 11, this is called "making a pass" and the "pass line" betters win and "don't pass" betters lose. If a 2, 3 or 12 are rolled, this is called "craps" and pass line betters lose, while don't pass line betters win. However, don't pass line betters do not win if the "craps" number is a 12 in Las Vegas or a 2 in Reno and Tahoe. In this case, the bet is push - neither the player nor the house wins. All pass line and don't pass line bets are paid even money.

Barring one of the three "craps" numbers from winning for don't pass line bets is what gives the house it's low edge of 1.4 percent on all line bets. The don't pass bettor has a stand-off with the house when one of these barred numbers is rolled. Otherwise, the don't pass bettor would have a small advantage over the house - something that no casino permits! If a number other than 7, 11, 2, 3, or 12 is rolled on the comeout (in other words, a 4,5,6,8,9,10), that number is called a "place" number, or simply a number or a "point". In this case, the shooter continues to roll until that place number is rolled again, which is called "making the point", at which time pass line betters win and don't pass bettors lose, or a 7 is rolled, which is called "sevening out". In this case, pass line bettors lose and don't pass bettors win. When a player sevens out, his turn is over and the whole process begins again with a new player.

Once a shooter rolls a place number (a 4.5.6.8.9.10), many different types of bets can be made on each subsequent roll of the dice, until he sevens out and his turn is over. However, they all have odds in favor of the house, many of them heavily in favor of the house, with the exception of two: odds on a line bet, and "come" bets. Of these two, we will only consider the odds on a line bet, as the "come" bet is a bit more confusing. You should ignore all other bets, as they carry odds that are too high against you. Yes, this means that all those other players that are throwing chips all over the table with each roll of the dice and making "field bets" and "hard way" bets are really making sucker bets. They may know all the many bets and special lingo, but you will be the smarter casino games gambler by simply making line bets and taking the odds.

Important Notes About Odds Bets

Odds bets can be made any time after a comeout point is rolled. You don't have to make them right away . However, you'd be foolish not to make an odds bet as soon as possible considering it's the best bet on the table. However, you are permitted to make, withdraw, or reinstate an odds bet anytime after the comeout and before a 7 is rolled.

When you win an odds bet, be sure to take your chips off the table. Otherwise, they are considered to be automatically "off" on the next comeout and will not count as another odds bet unless you specifically tell the dealer that you want them to be "working". But in a fast moving and loud game, your request may not be heard, so it's better to simply take your winnings off the table and bet again with the next comeout.

Now that you know some of the bingo game,  you can start playing and have fun.