Understanding Craps

Played with a pair of dice, the game of craps is far and away the most thrilling game in the casino. For a first timer it can be quite intimidating though, as it is a fast paced game with a language all its own. I will not attempt to explain all of the rules and odds in this post, rather I will focus on the experience as a whole. If you are interested in all of the rules and odds you will find a link at the end of this post which covers all of that and has an online game you can play to practice.

I will start by saying that my favorite place to play craps is at the Wynn in Las Vegas. The dealers are lively and engaging and the players tend be full of energy. The energy of the table is a huge factor for me in playing craps, before I begin to play I tend to stand and watch the floor for several minutes selecting a table that is surrounded by people yelling and cheering tends to be a great start. Once I have made my selection I approach the table, purchase a few hundred dollars in chips, order a drink from the lovely cocktail waitress and then I wait a few rolls observing the players around the table. Once I have a feel for the table I place my passline bet and watch for the point to be set. If the point comes as a six or an eight I bet the odds considerably higher than I do for anything else as I like those two numbers the most. I also like to have a few dollars a piece on each of the hard ways. If the point is not on the six or the eight then you can be sure I have placed bets on them, but depending on my mood and the feel of the table it is not unheard of for me to have money on all of the numbers.

Explaining my love of craps is difficult without first explaining a few things about myself. I have found myself to be an odd split between a very social and very private person. I am not quick to trust new people and generally do not let very many people into my personal space, but as my friends know for those I love I will do anything. As much as I tend to prefer to keep to myself during the day, I love going out at night as the staff at any of the nightlife establishments that I frequent can attest. I love nothing more than a fun filled night out with new faces and old. Going out is the one thing that I do where I don't mind crowds, loud noises, cigarette smoke, or having drinks spilled all over me. When I'm out I don't have to worry about a thing it is the most liberating feeling on earth.

In many ways craps draws on those same feelings as going out. The liveliness of the people, the overwhelming reserve of energy and overall fantastic high of the oxygen rich air its all just intoxicating. I tend to play for hours on end without thinking about anything but the game, a truly rare occurrence for a person who's mind is constantly racing. I suppose it could be said that I find a calming peace in chaos. I'm not sure what that says about me but I definitely think it is a huge factor in my choice to live such a fast paced life. Regardless I think it is worth mentioning that I do not view craps as a way to make money, rather I see it as an expensive activity that brings me tremendous joy. As with every other casino game the winnings come easy and make you feel invincible, but at the end of the day the discipline required to get up while you are ahead is not possessed by most and certainly not by me.

A few craps links for you to take a look at:

history of craps
wizard of odds