Craps

Craps (previously known as crabs) is a casino dice game. Craps is a simplification of the Old English game hazard. Its origins are complex and may date to the Crusades, later being influenced by French gamblers. What was to become the modern American version of the game was brought to New Orleans by Bernard Xavier Philippe de Marigny de Mandeville, scion of wealthy Louisiana landowners and a gambler and politician. The game, first known as crapaud reportedly owes its modern popularity from its being spread through the African-American community.

In craps, 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.

Rules of play
Craps is a game played by 1 or more players. Players take turns rolling two dice. The player rolling the dice is called the "shooter". The game is played in rounds, with the first roll of a new round called the "come-out roll."

On the come-out roll if the total of the two dice are 7, 11, 2, 3 or 12, the round ends immediately and the shooter must roll another come-out roll. A result of 2, 3 or 12 is called 'craps' while a result of 7 or 11 is called a 'win' or a 'natural'. When any other number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) is rolled on the come-out roll, this number becomes what is called the point. If a point is established then the shooter will re-roll the dice continuously until either a 7 is rolled, or the point is rolled again. If the shooter rolls the point again, the round ends and the game starts over with the same shooter rolling another come-out roll. If the shooter rolls a 7 instead of the point, this is called a 'seven-out', the round ends and the dice pass to the next player to the left, who becomes the new shooter.

Players can make any of a large number of bets. Most of these are betting on the way the round will end (point comes or a seven out). Other betting can include betting on a specific total being rolled, or a specific total being rolled before a 7. In a casino players will make bets with chips on a specially made craps table.

A casino craps table is run by four casino employees: a boxman who guards the chips, supervises the dealers and handles coloring out players; two base dealers who stand to either side of the boxman and collect and pay bets; and a stickman who stands directly across the table from the boxman and announces the results of each roll and then collects the dice with an elongated wooden stick. He is also in charge of managing the bets made on the center of the table (hardways, yo, horn, etc).

A new shooter, who must bet the table minimum on either the pass line or the don't pass line to play, is presented five dice by the stickman and picks two.

The dealers will usually insist that the shooter roll with one hand and that the dice bounce off the wall surrounding the table. These requirements are meant to prevent cheating attempts by players switching the dice or making a "controlled shot." If a die leaves the table, the shooter will usually be asked to select another die from the remaining three but can request using the same die if it passes the boxman's inspection. This requirement is used in an effort to reduce cheating the game by players substituting loaded dice for the regulation dice.