Craps is one of the most popular casino dice games in the industry because it allows players to place bets on the outcome of the dice. Your job is to determine the outcome of either one roll or a series of rolls. There are two types of craps; street crap and table crap. We are going to address these two variations of craps in this piece. First of all, let’s answer the question you’re asking; why is nine called centerfield in craps? The answer is simple. Nine is called the centerfield because it is the middle number shown on the layout in casinos. The numbers are usually in this order (2–3–4–9–10–11–12). So, you can understand why nine is called centerfield. If you’ve never played craps before, it might be difficult for you to understand how the game words or even how the numbers are named. The good news is that you don’t need a Ph.D. in gambling to learn how to play craps.
What You Need to Know About Playing Craps
Like every other dice game, a significant level of your success in craps depends on luck whether you’re playing street craps or table craps. While the logic behind both types of craps is the same, street crap is played without a table. It is called street craps because the dice are rolled on the floor and the players bet against each other. In table craps, however, the dice are rolled on a table, usually in a casino setting and the bet is placed against the bank (casino). Just like other forms of gambling, craps has a glossary that you should study if you want to learn the common words, phrases, or terminology associated with playing craps. However, this piece is your beginner’s guide to playing craps in the streets or the casino.
First things first, the earliest record of craps can be traced to 1788. At the time, it was spelled krabs. Unlike many other gambling games that originated in China and ancient Greece, craps originated in the United States. It is a simplified version of a then-popular European game called Hazard. In Hazard, the player has an option to choose any number between five and nine as their lucky number before they roll the dice. It was brought to New Orleans from London by Bernard Xavier Philippe de Marigny de Mandeville, a young gambler from a wealthy family in Louisiana. Instead of allowing the players to pick any number of their choice from five to nine, de Marigny fixed the main number as seven. According to de Marigny, seven was the mathematical optimal choice.
While Hazard was a fun game, some Americans didn’t like it or its simpler versions. So, it didn’t stick. Americans in the same social class as de Marigny were not happy with Hazard. Eventually, he thought the game to people of the local underclass. Little by little, the game started to spread until it got to Mississippi River and its environs. It was around this time that de Marigny changed the name of the game from Hazard to Rue de Craps.
For up to 100 years after craps game was invented, casinos abused it by sampling the wrong dice. Most of these casinos made custom made dice that made it difficult for players to hit the lucky number no matter how hard they tried. It wasn’t until 1907 that the problem was solved by John H. Winn, a legendary dice maker. The Philadelphia-based dice maker solved the cheating problem by creating a layout that featured bets on “Pass” and “Don’t Pass”. This layout design was eventually adopted by reputable casinos across the globe. Modern casinos started using the layout because it served as an incentive for them to use regular dices instead of unfair ones.
Crap may have come to America as a small game from Europe but it increased in popularity other the years. The game even became more popular in the country and across the globe during World War II. It was no longer a game that was enjoyed by lower-class members of society. People from different social classes played craps in the military to pass time and entertain themselves. Most of these service members played street craps more than table craps. This is because it was easy to play and there was no need for a table or any other fancy equipment. All they needed to make the game work was a pair of dice and other willing players. This is what led to the dominance of craps in the Caribbean and Las Vegas after the war. Casinos in Europe, Macau, and Australia started offering craps as one of their major games after 1960. In 2004, an online version of craps was introduced. This promoted the global adoption of craps.
How to Win at Craps
Craps is indeed a game of chance but you can still spice things up and increase your chances of winning with a few professional tips. Craps is one of the casino games that offer players maximum communal spills and thrills. These smart betting strategies will help you get great results whether you’re playing table craps or street craps. Keep reading to find out more;
1. Bet Smart
The thrill of winning a bet is second to none. However, you need to bet smart if you want to be in control of the game and prevent spending everything in your bankroll. The best way to bet smart is to take risks according to the situation. This means that you will take risky bets when you have a large bankroll. This way, losing isn’t going to be the end of the world since you’ll have money to fall back on. On the other hand, you should stick to small and safe bets when your bankroll is shrinking. This is the best way to minimize your risks even if the house still has an edge. It also helps to stick to the simplest bets. In craps, the simplest bet has a house edge of 1.36% and it is the “Don’t Pass” bet. Placing bets with a high house edge will expose you to unnecessary risks.
2. Consider Sticking to Street Craps
As stated above, table craps in a casino is played against the banker instead of other players. Since the house always wins thanks to their mathematically accurate edge, your chances of winning during street craps is higher than table craps. If you must play table craps in a casino, you need to be smart about it. Don’t play for too long and don’t keep playing you’re on a losing streak. If you’re fortunate enough to win more money than what you visited the casino with, simply walk away. The casino will always take your money in the long run. This is why you should not bet with more money than you can afford to lose.
3. Join Tables With Experienced Dice Setters
There is a theory that some experienced dice setters have a unique technique of rolling dice that gives them an extra edge over other players. While there is still a lot of controversy surrounding the validity of this theory, there is no harm in trying. If you find a dice setter in the casino, you should consider wagering according to their bets. Even if you find a reliable dice setter, you should only place low-risk bets. Don’t make a high-risk bet because you’re watching a dice setter.
4. Set Limits
When you’re in the zone, stopping yourself from gambling with everything you have might be difficult. This is why you need to set a limit. Most people think that limits should only be placed on losses and not winnings but the truth is that limits should set on both sides. This is because you have finite resources. So, no matter how many times you win, you’ll eventually start losing money if you keep playing. Most advanced players set their limits at a given percentage of their bankroll. It can be 50% of your bankroll. So, you need to stop gambling when you either lose or win 50% of your bankroll. You don’t double your bankroll or lose everything before you stop betting. Save some money for next time.
Bottom line
Craps is a great dice game that is enjoyed by players across genders in different parts of the world. A standard crap table can accommodate up to 20 players at a time and this makes it one of the most accommodating tables in casinos.
