Craps

Craps owes its origins to the old English game of hazard, which in turn is derived from the Arabic version of the game called az zahr, which translates as a pair of dice. The modern casino version is more closely associated with the French game of crapaud. Wildly popular in American casinos today, the game was transported by slave traders from Africa back in the 17th and 18th centuries.

The craps table involves a main playing area, which is surrounded by two game wings. Each area includes betting fields where players place their bets for or against the player rolling the dice, called the "shooter". Rolls are made by participating players in turn using one hand and throwing the dice bouncing off the back board.

Gamblers normally bet on the pass line bet, wagering that the shooter will roll a 7 or 11, with a 2:1 payout. If the player rolls a 2, 3, or 12, the shooter loses. Any other point roll moves the dice to the next player who must roll the point roll total before a 7 or 11. If they roll a 7 or 11, they lose. Many other betting regimes exist in this complex yet fascinating game.

Game play summary: 

• Players take turn to shoot the dice
• A roll of 7 or 11 wins; a roll of 2, 3, or 12 loses
• Rolls of 1, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 moves the dice to the next point player
• Point players must roll their point numbers before rolling a 7 or 11
• Players place their own chips - dealers are forbidden to do so
• Never shout "seven" when you shoot - use "Big Red" instead