The Craps table can be a very confusing place to the beginner, but it always sounds like the players have the most fun.
Ever play slots next to the craps tables? How distracting…..all that noise…..and smiles…..and camaraderie……and fun…….and, hmmmmmm?
It always seems like it’s a band of warriors, or the underdogs beating the champs. A group of Davids trying to bring down Goliath together, and whether they do or not, the banter, the laughter, the “high 5’s” and the joy of making that long roll supersedes all losing. Together they have made the good fight.
There’s got to be more to it, right?
Let’s inspect this more deeply….. here are five reasons craps players have more fun than any other table games.
1) It’s not just about a beating the house, it’s beating the house TOGETHER! The community, the friends – the kind you bring or the kind you make, and it’s not only OK to vocally yell for their success, it’s encouraged. Even the dealers at the table seem to get into the fun, or they should – it’s encouragement personified – a battle together against the casino.
Fun at craps
2) It’s about tolerance. Yes, there are those nay-sayers that believe in the anti-point – the “Don’t-Pass” bettors. But, if they behave, even they are allowed to bring their bad karma to the Spartans fight for the point to be made.
Don’t Pass Bet in Craps. Not the favored bet on the table.
3) It’s about the “stick man” – a dealer that actually announces what’s happening. A craps stickman is the casino staff member who calls out the dice rolls and then returns the dice to the shooter. It’s like having your own color commentator. Wouldn’t that be cool to have behind you at a VP machine (“four to a Royal…. draw the three of hearts, no Royal, side out” ……hmmm, maybe not…..)
Stickman to the left, boxman in the center, dealer to the right makes for a well-oiled machine.
4) It’s about playing at different levels of proficiency. For a game that looks so complicated – it’s really not hard. And while asking for advice at other table games usually results in grunts and grumbling from players and dealers alike, your new friends are more than happy to help you. Go with a buddy who does play craps is even more fun. “Pass line” – that’s all a craps newbie needs to know to join the fun. All that other stuff on the table? There’s plenty of time to learn about that. K-I-S! (Keep It Simple)
5) It’s about throwing the dice – to throw the dice means you control the fate of the table. As Star Trek’s Spock once said, “”With great power comes great responsibility” – but don’t let that bother you. On no other table game do you have the control – YOU’RE THE ONE TO THROW THE DICE! The roulette dealer never let’s me turn the little ball in the wheel, and the BJ dealer doesn’t even let me touch the cards, never mind deal! (Yes, I know you hold the cards in single deck BJ, but try finding that game.) You can make money just by riding along with a good shooter.
Larry Edell, from Casino City Times writes, “Are you are tired of the hassles and changing rules at the blackjack tables? Are you tired of getting no profits and no comps at roulette? Maybe you should give craps a try! It gives you real player control, the possibility of very high profits, a very low casino edge, the ability to ride along with someone else’s skills, lots of easy-to-get comps, occasional long money-making streaks, and the ability to determine how the table is going by talking to the other players. Where else can you find a better game than that?
Shooting the dice everyone gets the chance.
I think the best way to learn is to ask a real craps player to take you to a real craps table in a casino. Everything I know I can thank Mark Devol and Dr. Mike from “You Can Bet on That” and Cousin Vito from Cousin Vito’s Casino Podcast. In New England, all casinos have real craps tables, except Plainridge Park Casino & Raceway, which sports an electronic version like “bubble craps.”
Want to practice, or learn on your computer or iphone? There are programs and apps galore. Here are some places to start:
Websites: Gambling Teachers – http://www.gamblingteachers.com/craps.html
Software: WinCraps (Online Casinos also offer free craps play)
Books: “Craps: Take the Money and Run” by Henry Tamburin &
“Craps Made Simple” by Tomas B. Gallagher
Apps: “Aw Craps!”
Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’…….keep those dice a-rollin……..
That’s all for now.
Binbin
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I spent ALL day at Mohegan Sun with the folks from Fargo Poker and Cousin Vito’s Casino Podcast. This brief post today will hopefully make you consider adding it to your schedule in October, 2019.
