History

The casino game craps was invented in colonial Louisiana in the early 19th century by Bernard Xavier Phillippe de Marigny de Mandeville. The game was meant to be a simplified version of the British dice game hazard. Craps was rejected by the upper class in Louisiana, so de Marigny began marketing it to the lower class where it became a big success. A dice maker named John H. Winn invented a layout of the game that included a “Don’t Pass” bet in 1907 which revolutionized the game and forced casinos to quit their practice of using unfair dice. After this, craps became one of the most popular casino games in the United States.

How To Play

The game begins with what is called the “pass line” bet. This bet offers a 1 to 1 payout, so a $10 bet will win an additional $10. This bet is the first bet of the game while the marker on the table is black and reads “off” and is technically against the dealer at the table. The first “shooter” rolls two dice with the possible outcome of any number between 2 and 12. If the “come out” (first) roll is a seven or 11, you win. But, if the come out roll is a two, three, or 12, the player loses and the dealer wins. If the total is anything other than a two, three, seven, 11, or 12, then that total becomes “the point” and the dice are passed to the next player and the game continues.

The marker gets turned from black to white and off to on. The next person will continue to roll until they roll the point or they roll a seven. If the player rolls the point, then you win. If the player rolls a seven, then the dealer wins. 

Each player can choose to make a “don’t pass” instead of a “pass line” bet at the start of the game. The difference is that the “don’t pass” bet means the player is essentially betting against the dice and with the casino. In that case, a roll of a seven or 11 is a loss, and a roll of a two or three is a win. A roll of a 12 is considered a push which means that the player is simply given their money back. It is common table etiquette to not bet on “don’t pass” if you are playing at a real table because you are essentially betting against everyone else there. This, of course, does not matter if you are playing online.