Understanding the Craps Table Arrangement: A Comprehensive and Easy Approach
If you've taken a swing at playing craps online or in a casino, you know that the craps table design is a bit complicated. A regular craps table measures around 12 feet long and 4 feet wide, featuring a central section for Proposition bets and two identical wings for the most popular craps wagers.
Check out this diagram for a single wing of a standard craps table layout, along with the central area for Proposition bets.
Craps Table Wings: A Quick Look
Regardless of your position around the craps table, it's practically equivalent. The wings are identical, so you'll be right in the thick of the action no matter where you stand.
The main attractions of the craps table wings are the most common craps bets:
- Pass
- Don't Pass
- Come
- Don't Come
These are the multiroll bets that make the game so thrilling; your wager is a winner or loser depending on a particular sequence of dice rolls rather than a single roll.
Additionally, there are point boxes numbered 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10 in each wing. Here's where the Dealer places number-specific bets (Come, Place, Buy, and others) on behalf of players.
The wings also harbor a popular single-roll bet known as the Field bet. Although not a widely bet-on bet, Big 6 and Big 8 are multiroll bets that rely on those numbers hitting before a 7 appears.
*Note: There's one exception to this rule that we'll discuss further on.
Inside the Central Area
The central portion of a craps table houses a category of bets called Proposition or Prop bets. The casino attendant guides all wagers and payouts in this region, and it serves both halves of the table.
Central Prop bets host a number of single-throw wagers, such as bets on specific dice combinations. You'll also find spaces for the exclusive multi-roll Hard Way bets, where you wager that one (or more) of the even-numbered throws will appear in its less typical combination of identical dice. For instance, a Hard Six bet wins if the dice show 3-3, but loses if they show 4-2 or 5-1 — or, if the untimely arrival of a 7 occurs.
Each proposition bet features the dice combination needed to earn a win, as well as the associated payout odds. Keep an eye out; 6-to-1 odds indicate the payer scoops $6 profit and keeps your $1 bet. However, 6-for-1 odds have you receiving $6 while the casino keeps your $1 wager.
Proposition bets add flair to the game, but note that these bets have a steep house advantage.
Betting on Craps
Craps bets are either self-service or dealer-assisted. Below is a chart showing how this separation plays out on the craps table.
Self-Service Bets
The following is a list, along with a brief description, of your personal bet-placing options:
- Pass / Don't Pass / Odds: The strip running all the way around the edge of the craps table is for the most popular wager in the game: Pass. Players may also put down their own Odds bets (an option only accessible after establishing a point) by plunking their chips directly behind their Pass wager. The opposite — don't pass — is similarly self-service.
- Field: This unlikely yet popular single-roll bet is won with 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12 appearing. Some casinos even pay double or triple on 2 and 12.
- Big 6/8: This is a self-service multiroll bet that bets 6 or 8 will come up before a 7 does. You may place this bet by yourself, but it's strongly recommended to avoid it due to its high house edge.
- Come / Don't Come: During point rolls, players can drop these bets, which act similarly to Pass/Don't Pass bets. Here's the unique part: if a point is thrown, the Dealer will move your wager chips to the associated point Box.
Dealer-Assisted Bets
There are many types of point-specific bets (bets on or against 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) that require the Dealer to place them for you. These bets include:
- Come: During point rolls, players can place this bet. It functions like a Pass bet.
- Don't Come: During point rolls, players can also lay this bet. It functions like Don't Pass, but resting in the Come bet positions.
- Place Bets: You can place bets on the numbers 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10 before they show.
- Buy Bets: Much like a Place bet, you can purchase these bets to put wagers on your chosen numbers before they show.
Note: There's just one spot on the table where self-service isn't allowed. It's in the Last Chance position after the roll of 777, which the Dealer will inform you about.
To place specific wagers and add Odds bets to existing Come bets, a gambler simply places chips in the Come betting area between dice throws. They instruct the Dealer where to place them. For example, a Place bet on 6 or 8 pays out 7-to-6. A player might put a $25 chip in the Come area and say to the Dealer, "Place $12 each on the 6 and 8." The Dealer will change the $25 chip into two sets of $5 and $1 chips, put them in the 6 and 8 betting boxes, and return a $1 chip in change.
For Proposition bets, players follow a similar procedure, but get the attention of the Stickman between throws, gently toss their chips towards him, and state the bets they want to make. The Stickman will place the chips in the right betting areas.
Where to Set Your Chips on a Craps Table
With a busy table, new players often wonder where they should place their chips. Unlike roulette, where each player gets a unique chip color, a craps table is just a jumble of standard casino chips. Don't worry; the dealers have a system for keeping things straight.
Here's a simplified diagram of a single wing of a craps table with the central Proposition area.
Three players, Blue, Violet, and Black, are at the table. They've all made various bets, which we've color-coded.
Dealer-assisted bets are always placed based on your relative position at the table. For instance, all three players have placed some sort of number bet (Come, Place, etc.) on the 8.
- Blue, who's at the table's upper left corner, has placed his bet in the upper left of the 8 square.
- Violet, in the lower left corner, has put her bet in the lower left of the 8 square.
Follow this same rule for self-service bets. Place wagers in front of you directly on the craps table layout. If that's not possible, choose a spot close to you or consistent with your position around the table.
Above all, be consistent. It helps your dealer immensely.
Special Considerations for Placing Bets
- Dealers aren't infallible. They can get confused when it's busy, just like other players. To avoid mix-ups, regularly check on your bets with your dealer.
- A friendly word of advice for the wrong-way players: Craps tables are designed for more right-way bettors. But you're not a problem if you position yourself close to the Don't Pass/Don't Come areas when betting against the dice.
The Craps Table Crew
A craps table requires a dedicated crew of four people to manage the area.
The Stickman
This person stands over the center section, handles the dice, and manages the Proposition bets. They use a 30-inch rattan L-shaped stick to help with dice and chips, and to point out players owed a payout.
The Dealers
There's a Dealer in each wing of a craps table. They're responsible for moving and placing all number bets. They also collect losing bets from the wings and pay out winning bets. When a winning Proposition bet occurs, the stickman signals the amount and the dealer handles it.
The Boxman
The Boxman is stationed opposite the Stickman. They supervise the crew, manage the chip bank, deal with players' club cards, and monitor the dice. The Boxman settles any disputes.
Casino Craps Table Etiquette
As with any casino game, there are some unwritten rules players should follow at a craps table.
1. Throwing The Dice
When it's your turn to shoot, the Stickman pushes several dice towards you. Take only two dice and keep them visible and away from your body. Don't touch the dice with any body part or clothing. Gently toss them across the table so they hit the far wall.
2. Between Rolls
Between dice throws, use the time to manage your bets. Be aware of your wagers and check with your dealer to avoid confusion. If you're betting against the dice, try to position yourself near the Don't Pass/Don't Come areas.
After the Dealer announces the outcome of the dice roll and before the next throw, the Dealer gathers all losing wagers and pays out winning bets. The Dealer then shifts Come bets to their designated place on the board and works with players to put other bets that pertain to specific numbers.
When the chips are pushed towards you, you can then grab them. At this point, you have the option to place any autonomous bets by yourself, or hand the chips over to the Dealer or Stickman for managed bets.
If you experience any hesitation regarding any bet, including multi-roll bets, you have the liberty to withdraw or diminish any autonomous bet, or request the Dealer to do so for managed bets. The only exceptions to this rule are Pass and Come bets once a point has been determined. These are regarded as contract bets and must remain on the board until they either win or lose.
3. "Dice Are Out"
When the Stickman makes this announcement, it signifies that the shooter is free to roll. The players seated opposite the shooter should ensure their hands are out of the possible path of the dice. Gamblers are quite superstitious. If the dice touch you prior to landing, anyone with a losing bet will blame you.
Why Does The Craps Table Appear So Complex?
While it may initially seem as though the game's designers have randomly slotted bets into every of the felt's crannies, the reality is that the craps table design is an example of efficient planning. Consider the many responsibilities it must fulfill.
- Primarily, it grants up to 20 players a clear view of the state of the game and of any bets they've made.
- The layout is also designed to position bets within convenient reach of the appropriate hands; players can place self-service bets, and the dealers are stationed close to the bets that necessitate assistance from the casino staff.
- For gamblers in a physical casino, the craps table is akin to a stadium, uniquely designed to accommodate a thrilling, fast-paced event.
Casino Craps Table Variations
When you approach a craps game, either virtually or in an online casino, don't be taken aback if you come across subtle variations in the layout.
For instance, the prop bets in the central section of the layout are often more intricate. Besides the typical Hard Way, Any, Craps, and Eleven bets, you'll encounter additional unique bets that cover all conceivable combinations that can appear on a single dice roll in the form of Horn and Hop bets.
Crapless Craps Table Layout
Crapless Craps games can be found both online and at certain casinos. This variation of craps alters 2, 3, and 12 into points instead of losing come-out rolls.
This results in two noticeable changes to the craps table layout:
- To begin with, 2, 3, and 12 now have their own individual boxes where they can accommodate Come and Place bets.
- Due to the inability to "crap out" in Crapless Craps, there's no role for counterproductive bettors, and thus, the Don't Pass and Don't Come betting areas are omitted.
Concluding Remarks on the Casino Craps Table Layout
I have detailed the basic components of the craps table layout, their purposes, and how they contribute to the overall gameplay. Anticipate the game to progress and let us know if you notice something unusual and intriguing in your experience.
Simply remember — regardless of its configuration, the action never slows.
All the best and happy rolling!
For further information on craps, refer to my article on craps strategy.
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