Learn to Play Craps: Craps Etiquette

Be smart, play smart, and learn how to play craps the right way!

Etiquette at the craps table is more about common sense and courtesy than anything. Apply these principles and you'll have a lot more fun at the table.

The number one tip about craps etiquette is to be nice and polite. Don't be a jerk to the dealers or criticize other players. Don't be a know-it-all trying to explain all the wrong things the guy next to you is doing. If a player asks for help or clarification of what just happened, then by all means be nice and spread the knowledge. Say "please" and "thank you" to the dealers. A little courtesy does, indeed, go a long way to improving your fun at the table.

Learn the game. Know the bets, their odds, and their payoffs. Don't delay the game by asking questions about why you got paid a certain amount.

Never say the word "seven" during a game. If you must say the "S" word, say it after the shooter sevens-out. Even the most sensible people are superstitious at a craps table. When they lose, they must blame someone for their bad luck. Don't give them an opportunity to blame you. Don't curse the dice with your bad-luck mojo by saying the word "seven" during a game. Yes, it's silly, but you you'll save yourself a ton of aggravation by accepting the fact that people have these ridiculous superstitions.

Don't spill your drink or flick your cigarette ashes on the table. Turn away from the table when taking a gulp or sucking on your cigarette. Have a bit of courtesy and blow your cigarette smoke straight up. The casino's air-handling system will draw it up and minimize how much of it we inhale. People usually stand to your side and behind you, so tilt you head and blow straight up.

Wait until the dice are in the middle of the table to buy-in or make a bet. Don't make late bets. When the stickman pushes the dice to the dealer, don't try to make last-minute bets.

If the shooter is at the opposite end of the table from you, don't hang your arms and hands over the railing into the playing area. If the dice hits your hands, guess who gets blamed for causing a seven to appear.

If you're a "Don't" player, don't root for a seven and don't cheer when a seven appears. Most people play the "Do" or "Pass" and you'll irritate them by rooting for a seven. The game just isn't as much fun if the entire table hates you. They won't like you because of the simple fact that you're playing the "Don't" so don't make it worse by screaming, "Yes, I love the seven," when the shooter rolls a seven-out.

Don't waste time setting the dice before each roll. Read my other articles on the absurdity of dice control (a.k.a. dice setting). Dice control does one thing and one thing only--it delays the game. If you believe in dice control and take forever to set the dice before each roll, then you're showing everyone at the table your ignorance. The idea of dice control is just plain silly. Don't do it.

Don't blow on the dice before each roll. Your lucky mojo isn't going to transfer to the dice through your bad breath. The only things that transfer to the dice are your germs.

Don't bang the table with the dice before each roll. It's okay to gently tap the table, but don't overdo it.

When rolling the dice, don't aim for chip stacks on the opposite end of the table, and don't throw the dice at the mirror. It's okay if the dice hit chips and knock them out of position as long as the crew knows you're not intentionally doing it. Don't throw the dice so hard that they bounce and fly off the table.

Don't constantly complain and cry about other players, the dealers, or anything. If you don't have anything nice to say, then please leave. We don't want to hear you whine about your life's problems. We don't care. We're there to have fun, so take your misery elsewhere.

Don't forget to tip the dealers. They make minimum wage so they rely on tips. I usually make a $5 Pass bet for the crew every 30 minutes, or a $1 Hardway bet every 15 or 20 minutes. The dealers greatly appreciate those bets and you'll be surprised at how much more fun the dealers can make your time at the table.

Now you know! Remember, learn how to play craps the right way.

W. Enslen is a reliability engineer who routinely works with statistics. Having played and analyzed casino craps for 30 years, he has compiled his winning secrets in a new Ebook, which you can sample at Learn to Play Casino Craps. Be smart, play smart, and learn to play casino craps in reality instead of a Fantasyland of false hope.