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A Guide On How To Play Craps

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If you’ve come across this guide, chances are you are trying to find out just how to play this undeniably confusing game. From the moment you lay eyes on a craps table, the game can seem intimidating, but you’ll be relieved to know that this isn’t actually the case. Okay, so it may not be as simple as learning how to play tic tac toe, but we’re here to guide you through the process regardless! Without further ado, here is our ultimate guide on how to play craps.

What Is Craps?

If you are truly at beginner level, understanding the purpose of craps is a great place to start when it comes to learning how to play. Craps is a dice game involving wagers where players will bet on what they think the outcome of a roll, a series of rolls, or a pair of dice will be. What makes craps different from many other casino games, however, is that players wager together unless you opt to play Street Craps, which often involves wagering against other players. Bank Craps – also known as Casino Craps – involves one or more players betting against the casino as opposed to each other. With very little equipment involved, all we need to understand is just how the table works.

The Set Up

As mentioned before, craps involves very little equipment and as a result, alternative methods of play have been around for decades. Of course, street craps has been the game of choice for those not in casinos, and in more recent years, there have been more and more sites offering craps to players who prefer the online experience. However, the basic set up for Craps is fairly simple to understand.

When you walk up to a table, you’ll often see the table with a double layout. At one end will be the boxman. This is the man that handles and stores away any cash, and at the opposite end of the table will be the ‘stickman’ who, quite literally, operates the stick. This stick will be used to push the dice around, but the stickman will also control the entire tempo of the game by calling results, working the dice, and encouraging players to make decisions. Of course, there will be dealers who manage the bets, but anyone else at the table will be just like you – a player.

Types Of Bets

In order to play Craps with any hope of placing good wagers, you’ll need to understand the different bets that you can place when you play. This isn’t as simple as choosing a winning or losing outcome like it may be with checkers or chess, so make sure you read carefully!

Line Bets

  • Pass Line – The Pass Line bets are some of the most important in the game. The shooter (a player, this will alter per ‘go’) will roll the come-out roll, but before this happens, players must place a pass line bet. There are three outcomes: 7 or 11 means that the bet wins and the game ends, a 2, 3 or 12 that means the bet loses and the game ends, or a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 which will establish a point and the game will continue.
  • Don’t Pass – This is the opposite of a Pass Line bet, however there is a little more to it. 7 or 11 means that the bet loses and the game ends, 2 or 3 means the bet wins and the game ends, 12 means the bet is a push and the game ends with the bets being returned to the player, and the remaining numbers continue as before.
  • Pass Line Odds – If you’ve played the Pass Line and a point number comes through, you can place odd bets up to three times the original bet. You’ll need the point number to be rolled again before a 7 to win.
  • Come Bet – This is similar to a Pass Line bet but can only be made after any point number has been established.
  • Don’t Come– This is the opposite of a Come Bet.
  • Come Odds – When a Come Bet is placed on a point number, players can place further bets behind the Come Bet. This will lose is a 7 is rolled, but will pay out well if the Come point number is rolled again.

Single Roll

  • Roll 2 – You are betting on two 1’s being rolled. Odds are 30/1.
  • Roll 3 – The total of the dice needs to be 3. The odds are 15/1.
  • Roll 11 – You need a total of 11. Odds are 15/1.
  • Roll 12 – You need two sixes. Pay-out odds are 30/1.
  • Roll Craps – Craps isn’t often bet on. If you choose a 2, 3 or 12 and it comes out, then you win 7/1.
  • Roll 7 – You need a total of 7. Odds are 4/1.
  • The Field – This is a popular bet. You need a 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 or 12. If you win this, you are payed even money, and if you get a 2 or 12, you’ll get 2/1 odds.
  • The Horn – This is four different bets made together. You play a bet on 2, 3, 11 and 12.

Multi-Roll Bets

These bets could take multiple rolls before a winner or loser is determined.

  • Hard Way Bets – You choose either 4, 6, 8 or 10, and hope that it is rolled the ‘hard way’. In other words, you need a double roll. 6 or 8 pay out at 10/1, and 4 or 10 pay out at 8/1. If a 7 is rolled, all hard way bets are lost.
  • Big 6 & Big 8 – These are the easiest bets in the games. You’re betting that a 6 or 8 will be rolled before a 7, and if you win, you get even money.
  • Place & Buy – Place and buy bets are similar, but have different pay outs. In both cases, you’ll place a bet on any of the point numbers being rolled before a 7, but will only become live once any point number has been established.
  • Lay & Place Lose – This is the opposite of a Place and Buy bet, as you’ll want the 7 to come up before the point number.

The Lingo

Craps lingo is one of the most entertaining parts of the game, and learning it to start with can make the gameplay much easier from the get-go. We’ve compiled a quick list of some of the most common lingo to get you started, or you can find a full list here!

  • Craps – 2, 3 or 12
  • Yo or Yo-leven – 11
  • C And E Craps – 11
  • Snake Eyes – Two 1s
  • Boxcars – Two 6s
  • Little Joe or Little Joe From Kokomo – 4, usually rolled as a 1 and 3.
  • Jimmy Hicks – 6
  • Skate and Donate – 8
  • Skinny Dugan – a losing 7
  • Centre Field– 9
  • Puppy Paws – Two 5s. This is more often called ‘hard 10’ or ’10 the hard way’.
  • Natural Winner – 7 or 11 on the come-out roll.

Hopefully you have more of an insight into how Craps is played, and feel ready and raring to go whether at a bricks and mortar casino, or online. While learning how to play the game can seem like a confusing process, with research, practice, and plenty of support from your fellow players, you’ll be well on your way to winning those much-deserved jackpots!

Infographic: Cheltenham Festival Leading Jockeys

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The famous four days at the Cheltenham festival has finally arrived again and it looks as competitive as ever. With the weather forecast continuing to be uneasy the ground is likely to come up soft which could scupper some connections preparations with their horses needing better ground. This is however likely to have less of an influence as usual as the ground has been similar throughout the season so most horses form will have been on the slower surface.

One race that had everyone talking at the start of the season was the Champion hurdle and the anticipated clash of 2017 winner Buveur D’Air and the returning previous winner in Faugheen. The latest Cheltenham 2018 betting on the race has Buveur D’Air as the solid 8/15 market leader ahead of the 13/2 Faugheen. Buveur D’Air has barely had a race all season so this would be a slight negative to his chances but on all recent form there is no horse in the race who would get near him so he is likely to follow up from last year’s victory.

Faugheen on the other hand returned this season following a 665 day break through injury but had previously looked one of the most dominating champions of recent times. He had only been beaten on a reappearance by stablemate Nichols Canyon back in November of 2015. His final performance before the injury was a stunning 15 length victory over Arctic Fire at Leopardstown which resulted in an RPR of 177. This puts him in with the best in history and he would have likely been a multiple champion hurdle winner if he had not picked up an injury.

Faugheen returned and looked as good as ever in beating another previous champion hurdle winner in Jezki by 16 lengths. This prompted him to favouritism for the race with expectations high that he was the same horse. However a pulled up effort followed at odds of 2/11 with connections having no answer for his poor performance. Faugheen then returned at the start of February and ran with a lot more zest in finishing second behind stayers hurdle bound Supasundae. However this was far below his previous brilliant best so it seems that we have seen the best of the horse. The Champion hurdle is next and if connections were able to get him to win the race this would have to be one of the greatest training performances alike to that of Henderson and Sprinter Sacre. Check out the infographic below which covers the leading jockey title race and the horses heading the chances.

5 Cool Facts About the History of Card Games

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Card games are such a versatile form of entertainment. Although playing cards are incredibly simple – 52 cards of four different suits – they can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. There are all sorts of card games that you can play, with Snap! (match cards by number or suit) and Solitaire (where you must ultimately sort each card into its suit) among the most enjoyed card games.

But have you ever wondered where card games originated and how they came to be so popular? Here are five cool facts about the history of card games.

Playing Originated in China

Playing card and dice via Pexels.

 

It is widely believed that the first set of playing cards originated in China in the ninth century. Those who have studied the matter also say that the first ever deck of playing cards contained just 32 cards and featured the 21 combinations of a pair of dice (dice were created thousands of years ago).

The card game phenomena then spread out to Europe, including France, with the French design being the most commonly used today.

The Cards Are Based on Historical Figures

Another interesting fact about modern-day playing cards is that the face cards (the King, Queen, and the Jack) are reportedly based upon real-life royalty. Some of the people whose likenesses were used to inspire the playing card pictures are King David, Alexander the Great, and even Julius Caesar. Altogether, a Queen, a Jack, and a King card are referred to as the ‘Court.’

It is also said that the suits of playing cards represent the four main pillars of society in the Middle Ages. For example, Clubs represents agriculture, Hearts represents the church, Spades represents the military, and Diamonds represents the merchant class (the economy).

Card Games Have Gone Digital and Virtual

Woman wearing VR glasses via Pexels

Although we typically think of card games as being played physically, on road trips and vacations, many millions of people around the world also enjoy card games digitally. Traditional casino games in particular, have made the jump to mobile casino apps, with many of these apps allowing you to play card games such as blackjack on the go.

What is even cooler is that card games can be played in virtual reality since recently. VR casinos are a new phenomenon that let you enjoy card games like poker or blackjack in first-person through the lens of a VR glass. This brand-new technology makes it able for you to enjoy the thrills of playing cards in an all-new and even more immersive way.

 

United States Playing Card Company is the Biggest Producer

The United States is home to the world’s biggest manufacturer of playing cards. The United States Playing Card Company is based in Cincinnati, OH. and produces 100,000,000 cards each year. In addition to the standard versions you commonly see, it also creates special versions such as Coca-Cola and Harry Potter-themed decks.

The United States Playing Card Company is also famous for the packs of cards that it produced during World War 2. The company collaborated with the United States government in order to send packs of playing cards to soldiers stuck in German camps. What was special about these packs of cards is that when they got wet they could be peeled apart, revealing sections of maps that could help the soldiers escape to freedom.

There Are Regional Card Games

Because of how card games have migrated around the world, there are also many regional card games. Although the decks used are mostly the same (the 52-card deck with four different suits), the ways that these may be used may differ.

For example, some popular British card games include the oddly named Scabby Queen or Old Maid, Happy Families, and Whist.

Card games are well-loved around the world and many families will have fond memories of playing cards together. Although the ways in which we play card games (e.g. physically or digitally) may change, the entertainment factor of card games will remain the same.

 

The Evolution of Backgammon

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Source: Backgammon Galore

 

The word “backgammon” may have been derived from “baec” – “gamen” or “back game” in Saxon or the variant “bac/bach” – “gammon/cammaun”, which means “little battle” in Welsh. But this is 1645, and we get ahead of ourselves, for the game had already been popular by then for thousands of years under a multitude of different names and cultures. Tracing the history of this interesting game requires travelling back in time and space, coming to grips with its many variants, names and formats. Its evolution is also in a way the evolution of cultural attitudes, an insightful look into what both peasant and king found entertaining and how it remained relevant to this very day.

Origins

The first ever record we have of the game dates back 5,000 years to Mesopotamia, or modern day Iran, Iraq and Syria. Artefacts such as dice made of human bones were found in the area but the game seems to have swiftly travelled south, though little is known about how this happened. Boards in different sizes were found in Egypt with little to distinguish them from other similar boards found between 3000 – 1788 BC. Back in Sumer, Mesopotamia, boards made of wood were found in the royal tomb of Ur al Chaldees dated around 2600 BC. These were known as The Royal Games of Ur and despite also finding dice in the area, no rules for the game as it was played then were ever found. It was only on a cuneiform tablet dated about 177BC, that a set of rules was finally found.

A Roman Legacy

When Rome adopted the game, it helped its spread throughout its vast empire. The first recorded evidence we have of the game was one called Ludus Duodecim Scriptorum, or The Game of 12 Lines. This format was very similar to that found in Egypt, later replaced by a slightly different variant with 2×12 lines instead of 3×12 lines, morphing it into something which we can more easily recognise and associate with today’s backgammon. It acquired the name “Tabula”, a generic name that made reference to the board it was played on. Tabula quickly became a favourite with the aristocracy and Emperor Claudius himself favoured it, proving its namesake as The King of Games. Claudius even wrote a history of the game but unfortunately this never surfaced. With Rome’s conquest into British territory, so the game spread to Britannia. By the 6th century, despite making it illegal to play except on Saturnalia, the game became known as Alea, “the art of gambling with dice”, a game which swept the whole of Rome into a gambling stupor.

Backgammon in Asia

To speak of Backgammon (or Tabula or Alea or any other name you wish to call it by) and its spread only in the Old Continent would be halving the extent of it popularity. In Asia, Backgammon was known as Nard (wood) or Takhteh Nard (battle on wood) and it was spread through the continent by the Arabs. This version was played with 2 dice as opposed to the three dice played with in the older version of Tabula. Later on, the two-dice version also caught on in central Europe. In Asia, Nard appeared at around 800AD and had different names in every country, though there are doubts as to the provenance or their relation to Nard in the first place. The Chinese called it T’shu-p’u while in Japan the name cited was Sugoroku and it enjoyed popularity up until 1000AD. Nard was also introduced to Europe through the Arab’s conquest of Sicily. A fusion of Tabula and Nard may have occurred at this stage, bringing together two variants of the same game finally under one roof.

Medieval & Renaissance Backgammon

At this point in time, the game was firmly played with 2 dice and it was very popular amongst soldiers and crusaders. So much so in fact, that the church tried to outlaw it – with very little success. The game has the tenacity of a strong hook as it was repeatedly banned or made illegal, only to survive thanks to the ingenuity of man’s ideas. The last time this happened was under the order of Cardinal Woolsey who described the game as “the devil’s folly” and ordered it to be burnt. Naturally, the common folk devised a plan to outwit the cardinal, having the board fold in half and making it look like the spine of a book when put away. This arrangement is how we still find the backgammon board today.

Modern History & Today

Source: Pinterest

 

In the last century, Backgammon saw spikes and dips in popularity mainly due to the wars and the consequent depressions in different countries. In the 1920s, the doubling cube was introduced by an unknown individual, enhancing the element of skill in the game. The rules of the game were also changed and finalised in 1931, but this was followed by a decrease in popularity which lasted until the 1960s when tournaments were promoted to bring the game back to life. With the advent of poker and the video game, backgammon was once again pushed to the dusty back shelf, untouched until the recent revival of classics in all their forms. The computer as an opponent bolstered the understanding of the intricacies of the game, which is perhaps why the game is still relevant to this day and age.

Infographic: Basic Card Odds and Probabilities

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There’s two things you need to have if you want to be truly good at playing cards: Luck and Maths. That first part is a little tricky, you can’t be reliably lucky because of the nature of gambling, so you’re best bet is to make sure you have something like a Betfair Casino Bonus in your pocket to give you an edge. You can, however, get a good grip on the maths involved relatively easily to help you predict what’s likely to come out of a deck. This infographic goes over a few of the more basic calculations and gives you a feel for the kind of numbers you’ll need to think about as you play (and how complex it can get depending on what it is, exactly, you’re after). The most important one to remember is that the odds of being dealt any single card is 1.9% and the odds will shift as cards come out and you need to adjust your figures. Good luck!