Craps is a dice game where the players place wagers on the outcome of a roll or series of rolls from a pair of dice. It is commonly played in American casinos but due to the fact all that is really needed is a pair of dice, there are version called street craps that take place around the world.
It is believed that the game was developed using the Old English game called Hazard and it dates back to the Crusades, dating it as far back as the 14th Century. It was introduced to the United States of America around 1813 by a man called Bernard Xavier Phillipe De Marigny De Mandeville, in New Orleans but his version had a severe flaw in it. In his version of craps it was quite easy to cheat the casino by simply used fixed dice. A man by the name of John H Winn created the “Don’t pass” betting option to remedy this and this version of the game still exists today.
The game is actually quite simple and starts when the person throwing the dice, known as the shooter, places at least a minimum bet on the “pass” or “don’t pass” line. He or she then chooses two dice from a possible five from an employee called the “stickman.”
The shooter then rolls the pair of dice which initiates the first of two phases called the “come out.” If the dice total 2,3 or 12 this is called craps or crapping out and anyone who has bet on the “pass” line loses their stake. If the total of the dice is a 7 or an 11 this is called a”natural” and all bets on the “pass” line are paid out instantly. Finally, if the dice add up to 4,5,6,8,9 or 10 the “come out” phase ends and “point” begins.
During the “point” phase the shooter has to roll the same number that initiated this stage, so if he rolled 4 during the “come out” he or she must roll a 4 again before they roll a 7 as rolling a 7 means all bets on the “pass” line have lost and the round ends and reverts back to the “come out” phase.