Craps Table Layout

Craps is a dice casino game that looks immeasurably more complicated than it actually is. The game is simple, in itself, and the rules are as clear as can be. What is confusing for new players, though, are the seemingly infinite number of bets one can place.

Stepping up to a craps table might be rather intimidating for total novices because of the huge number of boxes and fields available there. Gaining proper knowledge about the rules the game follows is certainly a must if you want to be a successful craps player and to ensure that you will be able to follow the rhythm of the game. This article will help if you are a total novice, and you want to have an easy time comprehending the nuts and bolts of the layout of the craps table.

• ✓ Understanding the Basics
• ✓ Craps Numbers
• ✓ Craps Table Layout Explained
• ✓ Casino Personnel
• ✓ Proper Etiquette

Understanding the Basics

The huge variety of betting options is what makes craps look more intricate than it is in actuality. Fortunately, as soon as gambling enthusiasts learn the ropes of the layout of the craps table, they will not encounter any difficulties playing the game, no matter if they prefer to join the tables at brick-and-mortar or interactive casinos.

The only distinctive trait of the craps tables that are to be found at the casinos in Las Vegas is that they feature two additional sections that are designed for the Big 6 and the Big 8 bets. Still, such wagers have already become uncommon, and joining a craps table that offers them might be a rarity. The most probable explanation of why such wagers are not widely available is that when they are made, the edge the house enjoys is greatly boosted.

What is specific about the layout of the craps table is that it is made up of two main sections – a center section and a side section. Craps tables consist of two end sections that are exactly the same, each of which is managed by a particular dealer. So, no matter, which side of the craps table you will pick, you will have exactly the same betting opportunities that are available at the other side section.

Something important gambling enthusiasts need to know is that while playing offline, they can make wagers only on the side of the craps table they have picked. This does not apply to the center section of the table layout as the betting opportunities featured there are available to all players, no matter the side they have opted for. The central section of the craps table falls under the oversight of the stickman.

There are a few more things players need to become familiar with before we delve into the crux of the matter. As players might already know, craps is a casino game that is based upon the outcome of the toss of two six-sided dice. What makes the game so intriguing is that the ways in which the dice can land are truly diverse, which translates into the many and various betting options.

As the game is kicked off, there are three possible scenarios players can see.

Craps Numbers

Numbers including 2, 3, and 12 are referred to as craps numbers, and if any of these values are tossed out during the come-out roll, players who have made a Pass Line bet win, while Don’t Pass bettors will lose the staked amount. Opting for a Pass Line bet means you think that the dice will pass or otherwise speaking, it will win. Therefore, going for a Don’t Pass wager in practice means betting that the shooter will lose. The best thing about rolling any of these values is that players will be given one more chance to shoot the dice.

Natural Numbers

If a 7 or 11 lands during the first toss of the dice or the come-out roll, this dice combination will be referred to as “natural”. Getting any of these values will render Pass Line bets winning ones while Don’t Pass bets will be unsuccessful. If a natural is tossed out, casino enthusiasts can roll the dice again.

Point Numbers

As long as a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 lands during the initial toss of the dice, the number that has tossed will be marked as a point. That number should be rolled out before a 7 appears for Pass Line bets to win. If this happens, players will be allowed to shoot the dice again. If a 7 appears before the point number is rolled out, the effect will be reversed as Don’t Pass bets will be winning ones.

Once we have shed light on the different types of craps numbers, we can proceed with the deciphering of the different fields featured on the table layout and explain the function of the different markings.

Craps Table Layout Explained

As we mentioned above, the craps table is divided into several sections, two identical sections that are available only to players that are sitting at that end of the table and a central section that is shared by all players who have joined the craps table.

While playing at a land-based casino, there is yet another distinction that can be made in terms of the sections that are available at the craps table as there is an area that is dedicated to the self-service bets, as well as such that is reserved for bets that are managed by the dealers. Naturally, when playing craps online, bets will be managed entirely mechanically, and casino enthusiasts will simply need to decide on the field that corresponds to the preferred bet type.

Self-service Area

As it may be deduced from their name, self-service bets are wagers players will handle completely on their own, without any assistance from the dealers. Whenever players want to go for any of the wagers available within that area, they only need to lay out their chips in the area that matches the preferred bet type.

The types of wagers craps players will need to handle on their own include Pass Line bets, Don’t Pass bets, Come bets, Don’t come bets, and Field bets. Big 6 and Big 8 also list among the stakes that are managed by players and not the dealers.

There is one vital thing that should be noted in terms of winning Field, Pass, and Don’t Pass bets, gambling enthusiasts should not forget that they need to take their chips off the table. In the event that you do not do so, the dealer will assume that you want to increase the value of your next wager by adding the winnings you have just received. Yet, if you do not want to enlarge your next wager, you should make sure that you have collected your chips from the table layout before the dice are tossed again.

On the outermost part of each of the side sections, gambling enthusiasts will find the fields reserved for Pass Line bets. Right next to that field is the one dedicated to Don’t Line bets. What might draw the attention of casino enthusiasts about this section is that “Bar 12” is printed there. What this means is that if a 12 is rolled out, the Don’t Pass bet does not offer a payout.

The other big area from the craps table layout is the one dedicated to Field bets. The set of numbers that are printed there includes 2, 3, 4, 10, 11, and 12. If you believe than any of these numbers will be tossed out, making a Field bet is the way to go. On both sides of these numbers, casino enthusiasts will notice two circles in which the numbers 2 and 12 are printed. What is special about these two numbers is that when players have bet on them, and their wager was settled as a winning one, their winnings will be doubled or tripled.

The Come and Don’t Come bets also fall within the self-service area. When the Don’t Come bet is concerned, players will see Bar 12 printed there as well. The main peculiarity of these wagers is that they are placed after the come-out roll. In fact, the Come and Don’t Come bets are similar to the Pass Line and Don’t Pass bets as making a Come bet will mean you think the dice will pass, while opting for a Don’t Come will mean you think they will not pass.

Dealer’s Area

Naturally, this area is reserved exclusively for bets that are handled by the dealers. There, players will see six boxes that contain the numbers 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10. Most of the time, 6 and 9 are written in words to clear up any confusion that can arise in terms of which number players have bet on.

Once a point is established during the come-out roll, the dealer will position the pug in the corresponding point box to remind players, which the point number for the particular game is. Furthermore, this field of the table layout is used when gambling enthusiasts request wager types the likes of Place bets, Buy bets, and Lay bets. Players should be mindful of the fact that although Come and Don’t Come bets fall within the self-service field of the betting layout, the dealer is responsible for handling the odds for such stakes.

In the event that casino enthusiasts have already laid a Come or Don’t Come bet, adding odds to their wager involves moving their chips in the apron, which is the outer blank area of the table layout. Once they have told the dealer that they would like to add odd to their Come/Don’t Come bet, he/she will adjust players’ chips together with their original wager.

By closer inspection of the layout of the table, gambling enthusiasts will notice that each point box goes together with a wider and two thinner rectangles. What is specific about the thinner rectangles is that they come into play when casino aficionados opt for Place bets, while the wider ones are utilized for Don’t Come and Lay bets.

When players opt for any of the above-mentioned bets that fall within the dealer’s area, they will not be permitted to move their chips around that field or to collect their winnings.

The central area that allows for making proposition bets is the one that is available to players who are sitting on both sides of the craps table. In spite of the fact that such wagers are not managed by the dealers, but by the stickman, players should once again avoid placing their chips within that field or collecting their winnings. Such wagers can be made on just about any roll of the dice, and to opt for a proposition bet, players will be required to toss their chips in the middle of the craps table and then call out what bet they wish to lay.

While tossing your chips, you need to pick an empty area of the table so that you could make sure that you will not hit the chips of any of the other players. Some casino enthusiasts might find the betting options that are available in the middle of the craps table a bit dizzying as they can opt for Any Craps, Hardway bets, and Any Seven.

Casino Personnel

As long as the craps table they are playing at is a standard-sized, players will see that it is managed by five people, more specifically, four dealers and one boxman. While the boxman does not change roles with any of the other members of the casino personnel, the role of the stickman will move around the dealers.

There is the boxman who is in charge of the table, and sits in the middle of it where all piles of chips are laid. Some of his core responsibilities are to observe that the game will run swimmingly at all times and that the payouts players will receive are managed properly, and neither the casino, nor players are defrauded. In addition to this, the boxman will be constantly on the alert to make sure that players do not attempt to cheat.

If a problem should arise between players or some claims of unfairness are made, the boxman would be the one to resolve the issue. Furthermore, he/she would make sure that nobody can tamper with the dice, even if they are thrown out of the table.

When players need more chips and they leave their money on the craps table, the dealer will take them and will give it to the boxman so that he/she could verify the count and give the dealer the requested chips.

Aside from the boxman, casino enthusiasts will see that there are two dealers that will be responsible for the stakes players make within the specific side section of the layout. On some occasions, especially when the volume of the bets is greater, the dealers can also assist the stickman to handle the proposition bets. The dealers provide payouts for winning bets and take losing bets down the table.

The stickman also plays a vital role at the craps table. Players will be able to recognize the stickman right away as he/she will stand at the center of the craps table and on the opposite side of the dealers and the boxman. Interestingly enough, the stickman is the one that will determine the pace of the game and is responsible for the management of the proposition bets that are positioned in the middle of the table layout.

He/she is the one who would deliver the dice to the shooter for another throw (when it comes to the first throw, the dice will be delivered by the boxman, and not the stickman). The stickman never touches the dice and instead uses an l-shaped stick that is called a whip or a stick to get the dice and deliver it to the other shooter. Yet, managing the dice is not the only function of the stickman. The stickman also announces the results of each throw, reminds bettors of the point number, and endeavors to prompt them to make proposition bets. As we mentioned above, such wagers come with a high house advantage, which is why gambling enthusiasts should be rather careful with them.

Proper Etiquette at the Craps Table

To ensure that their craps playing time will be much more enjoyable, players should also read up on the etiquette they should stick to while making their wagers. One of the first things casino enthusiasts are recommended to do before they start playing is to learn the basics of the game in order to avoid asking questions all the time, thus interrupting the work of the dealers.

Additionally, it is not advised to tell other players what stakes to opt for. No matter how confident in your skills pr your knowledge you might already feel, expressing your opinion might not be a good idea. Yet, if any of the fellow players ask you for help, you can provide it without obtruding your opinion.

Another thing craps novices should do is to be polite to the dealers. Do not forget to thank them when they give you your winnings or to say “please” when you would like to make a wager. Of course, you should be respectful to the other players who are sitting at the table as well.

If it is not your turn to shoot the dice, you should keep your hands out of the playing area in order to make sure that you will not touch the dice when they bounce. If this happens, however, the other player might blame you for his/her bad luck, thus making your betting session less enjoyable.

Another thing players should avoid doing is to late placing their wagers. Gambling enthusiasts should make sure that they have made up their minds about the stake they would like to place while the dice are in the middle of the craps table and are managed by the stickman. If you see that the stickman has moved the dice to the shooter, this should hint you that no more bets will be accepted.

Players should also avoid holding up the game in order to make use of any dice setting techniques. Since such techniques will not have an effect on how the dice will fall, it will be best to avoid them as other players might get irritated when they see you repeating them, and in this way, slowing up the game.

It is of vital importance to keep your drinks and cigarettes away of the table. If you dirty the table, the game will be stopped so that the crew could clean it up. Needless to say, this can annoy the other players, and the casino personnel as well.

When all is said and done, craps is an exceptionally entertaining and social casino game. Do not worry even if you are a total greenhorn at it. Just learn the nuts and bolts about it, and make sure that you will have an enjoyable time.