Discovering Craps

This is the trip to Atlantic City where I truly discovered the game of craps. Up until now, I've pretty much written off the game as overly complex and not worth my time. However, a kind base dealer, took me under his wing and showed me the ropes.

While you should really read up on a craps strategy before attempting to play, here are some insights I've learned. Trust none of this.

• Craps really is nothing more than making predictions about the total of the two dice thrown. Are they going to add up to 6? Will the next roll add to up 7?
• Because of this, there are bets to be made for every conceivable combination - hence Craps' reputation for complexity. If there's a way for the dice to appear, they'll let you bet on it.
• In Black Jack, you improve your odds by making the more complex moves (splitting and doubling down at the right times). The good news with Craps is that the complex sounding bets aren't actually the better odds. So, just because you are playing in a simple way, doesn't mean you're ruining your odds.
• Important Rule #1: Once the puck is marked as On (the point being set, I believe it's called), the person rolling the dice will lose when rolls a 7. You don't even want to say say the number 7 out loud. Yeah, Craps players are that superstitious.
• Important Rule #2: As soon you see the dice heading towards a player to be thrown, get your hands away from the table. It's bad, bad news if the dice are thrown and they hit you.
• Craps has to be the most laid back game I've ever seen played at a casino. The dealers have all been consistently nice, walking me through the nuances of the game. They've been kind when I put down a nonsensical bet, and have reminded me when I should have placed a bet.

So, if you're in a casino, find a quiet Craps table and give it a try. I can't promise you'll make any money, but if you do play at it long enough you'll get a whole new vocabulary - plus, you'll get good at throwing dice.