The Craps Table
Perhaps the most intimidating piece of felt you'll ever come across, the crazy
looking craps table has scared away more people than Sigfreid and Roy put together.
This doesn't have to be the case though, mainly because out of all of the bets
on the craps table, at least 90% are pure junk and you shouldn't bother with
them at all. That doesn't mean we wont tell you all about them! So even though
you don't need to be familiar with every inch of the craps table, we're going
to highlight every area you can make a bet on, and teach you all about the bet!
If you're interested in finding out about the casino crew who operates the craps table, read up on our "rules of craps" page, it's a nice introduction that clearly explains who's who at the table.
The first and most important thing to realize is that a craps table is really only half the length you've been led to believe. In the center are a slew of bad bets (hardways and such). On one side of the center is a layout with a pass line, don't pass line, etc. The opposite side from the center is simply a mirror image of the first side. This means that you can mentally cut half the craps table off. In fact, when you play craps online you'll only be presented with the center and one of the two sides, as the rest of the table is superfluous (as in, excessive to an unnecessary degree, kinda like the word superfluous). Because of this fact our example graphic is just half of the board as well. Don't let it confuse you; let it enlighten you. Click on the link of the name of the bet to be presented with a description of that bet.
The Pass line
The pass line is a long wide strip of felt that runs along the outer edge of
the craps table. From here players can place chips for a pass line bet. Our
pass line bet page also covers issues of playing with odds. A bet known as the
put bet is also made on the pass line after the come-out roll ... more.
The Don't Pass bar
Just above the pass line is a thinner band of felt (broken at the corner
by the big 6 / big 8 area). This is where you place your don't pass bets (essentially
the opposite of a pass line bet) on the table ... more.
The Big 6 / Big 8
The big 6 and big 8 bets which reside in a small area above the corner of
the pass line and in between the two sides of the don't pass bar. This bet as
you will read is similar to a place bet, but with overall poorer results. Essentially
it's a sucker bet and should be avoided ... more.
The Field
Playing the field is a common and popular bet. To place this bet find the
box with the word 'field' written in it along with a whole bunch of numbers.
Placing a field bet means you're betting that the next roll will be a 2, 3,
4, 9, 10, 11, or 12 ... more.
The Come bet
The come bet area takes up a sizable portion of the center of the craps table.
The come bet is essentially the same as the pass line bet, but can be made after
a come-out roll has already established a point ... more.
The Don't Come bet
The oppose of the come bet is the don't come bet, much the same as the opposite
of the pass line bet is the don't pass bet ... more.
The Place Bet - Buy and Lay bets
Another favorite of patrons, the place bet, is located along the inside edge
of the table which the craps crew can reach easily. Buy and lay bets are made
the same way as a place bet, but offer different odds ... more.
The Hardway bets
These are those smug little guys sitting in the very middle of the craps
table, making you think they're a really complicated bet. They're not; they're
just a really bad bet ... more.
Other Center Proposition bets
 In
the center of the craps table are a slew of alternate proposition bets including
things like 'any craps', 'twelve or two', 'horn bet', 'C & E', or the 'hop'
bet. All of these bets, while they are explained on their own page, are absolutely
horrific from the player's perspective, so reading about them now should be
all the attention you ever pay them ... more.
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