Craps (previously known as
crabs) is a casino dice game. Craps is a simplification of the
Old English game hazard.
Players wager money against the casino on the outcome of one
roll, or of a series of rolls of two dice. Craps can also be
played in less formal settings and is said to be popular among
soldiers. In such situations side bets are more frequent, with
one or several participants covering or "fading" bets against
the dice.
Players take turns rolling two dice, and they all bet on the
same roll, regardless of who is rolling. The player rolling
the dice is called the "shooter". The first roll of a new round
is called the "come-out roll."
All bets are based on the total of both dice together, or on
the specific combination of the roll. Craps features a plethora
of bets, but the most fundamental is the "pass line" wager,
which nearly all players make. On a come-out roll, the pass
line bettors win when either a 7 or 11 is rolled. A 2, 3, or
12 loses, and is called "craps".
When any other number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) is rolled, it is
called the point. Once a point has been set, the pass-line bettor
wins if the point is rolled again, and loses if a 7 is rolled
first ("seven-out"). A shooter will continue to roll (even if
he/she rolls craps) until a seven-out, at which point the dice
pass to the next shooter for a new come-out roll.
