October 23, 2024 10 min read

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Craps Table Layout

A game of craps, whether you play online or at a land-based casino, will very much come down to the same layout. Understanding the craps table layout can seem like a daunting task at first, but it is really simple and straightforward once you get started.

In this article, we will talk about how to find your way at a craps table. We will walk you through the entire setup. We have covered the main betting areas and bet types. To start with, below you can find a quick craps table layout.

Craps Table Layout Reviewed

There are two main areas where the action in a game of craps takes place, the wings and the central area. Both are important, and both can seem a little overwhelming at first glance, but there is nothing to worry about. Let’s see what each of the table’s sectors mean and how they impact your game.

Craps table layout

The Wings

The wings in a game of craps are easily the most important, as they will contain all of the important bet types you will spend the most time using. Those include the Pass, Don’t Pass, Come, and Don’t Come selections.

A game of craps will feature these four specific bets without failure, although the game is spiced up with a selection of individual number boxes, such as 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10, and you will use the wings to bet on these selections as well.

Sometimes, the position you take on a craps table will matter to some players, but this only applies when you are playing at a land-based casino, and there is no direct impact on the gameplay or the bets’ outcomes. This is just personal superstition a player may have, and this is alright.

Wings is also where you will find the so-called Field Bet, as well as Big 6 and Big 8. However, Big 6 and Big 8 are generally considered to not be too favorable to the player and may be missing from some modern craps tables.

The reason why this is the case is simple – you can just opt for Place Bets on 6 and 8, which will offer you a better theoretical payout, so why bother with Big 6 or Big 8 anymore? They are not out of favor just yet, but they are slowly being phased out.

The Central Area

Next up, you have the central area of the craps table, which is where the rest of the action takes place. The area is covered by the so-called proposition or props bets, and players will usually be assisted by the croupier in a live casino setting.

These bets can be fiddly, too, so everything needs to go down meticulously. This area is also quite interesting because you will be able to use single-roll bets, i.e. bets that are resolved after a single roll of a pair of dice.

In most other scenarios, craps is a game that will focus on multi-roll bets, which means that you throw more than once to resolve a bet. The central area usually contains the types of bets that have higher payout value but are much less likely to come through.

You can think of central bets as the equivalent of “inside bets” in roulette, which have the best possible payout, but will also come with the smallest odds to begin with. Props bets can be a lot of fun in a game of craps.

You can come across such selections as Any Seven, Any Craps, Yo, or Hardways. These bets can add variety to your game and certainly appeal to those players amongst you who do not mind taking on a little more risk.

Who Places the Craps Bets

There are generally two parties that place bets in craps – the player and the dealer. These bets are placed by either you, the player, the “stickman,” or the casino dealer.  Please note that when playing an online craps game, you will place all bets by yourself, but there is a difference when you are attending a live casino.

Player Bets

Players’ bets simply refer to the types of bets that you can place on your own, and do not to seek assistance from the stickman – or dealer. These bets usually cover one side of the table. For the rest, you need to ask a dealer to weigh in, as this is the etiquette.

Dealer Bets

It is important to know about this. A craps table layout will come down to the bets you can bet on your own, as a player, and also those that will be placed by the dealer.

This is standard for a game of craps, and you will do well to know which is which, although online games will not expect you to ask a dealer to place bets for you whereas in a live casino setting, you can always ask for help.

Watch Out for the Dealers

Craps dealers are well-trained and professional, but when they play at a live casino table, there is a lot of volume and traffic, and a dealer can make a mistake. This is why it’s a good idea to play while also fully understanding the game.

For example, did the dealer place your bet in the specific box on the table? It’s important to follow the craps table layout yourself, and the better you understand it, the better you become at tracking the game.

It may seem like a cacophony of dice-jotting, and random bets flying all around, but ultimately – craps is a well-orchestrated game that will leave an impression on your and make it easy to track the action.

How Are Bets Placed on a Live Craps Table?

The craps layout plays a crucial role in the game, and dealers often have to manage multiple tasks at once. While a player’s position doesn’t directly affect gameplay, it does influence how the dealer arranges the bets. Dealers aim to place wagers in areas that correspond both to the player’s position and the specific bet being placed. This is why you’ll see bets placed in the same box, but slightly off to the side or in the corners, pointing to the player’s position.

Craps tables can get busy, so dealers must be skilled at managing the layout and organizing different colored chips to ensure every player is properly accommodated. Your wager might be adjusted slightly by the dealer to align with your position, making it easier for the table crew to handle bets efficiently.

Now, it’s time to learn more about how this seeming complexity of the game is mitigated on the brick-and-mortar casino floor. There is a whole team responsible for a live craps table, which is usually facilitated by automated software when playing online!

Meet the People Who Manager the Craps Table

Managing a craps table is a raucous affair with people coming and going, cries of joy and exasperation, and the fastidious clinking of chips that drop on the table with an apparent look of randomness but serve their very own special purpose. Here are the positions you will come across in a game of craps.

Boxman

The boxman is a sort of middleman. They sit and oversee the payouts and ensure that all payouts are accurate and honored as per the pay table. If a conflict arises between a patron and the dealer, the boxman steps in to resolve it.

Stickman

The stickman is called that for the fact that they use a stick to gather the dice, call out the prop bets, and generally encourage people to bet more and keep them in the loop as to what is happening.

Dealers

There are two dealers in a game of crap with both of them managing the table from each end. They will handle the bets, pay winners, and also gather the losing wagers. The dealers need a sharp eye and need to ensure that the bets are positioned so that they are easy to spot and identify the player that had placed them.

Why Does Craps Have to Be So Complicated

Craps is a very fun game, but unlike roulette, which only looks complicated, craps is actually that intricate. Now, this complexity does not arise from arbitrary rules or overly complicated game specifics. Rather, the game boils down to the many moving elements of a craps table layout that need to be used with exactitude and precision.

 A simple bet that has been misplaced could cause a bit of a stir on the table, but generally speaking, people are sort of used to this and the boxman usually does a good job to settle a conflict fairly that both parties accept.

But why is craps complicated? Craps is a dice game that got more complex over time and is still undergoing changes. This continuous evolution makes for some rules and some rules that can appear to be just too much. Either way, the game has been thriving on brick-and-mortar casino floors and online, so why not revel in that fun yourself?  

What Happens on a Game of Craps

To better understand a craps table layout, it’s important to take a closer look at how a game of craps naturally progresses. We have briefly outlined this process for you to peruse at your leisure. The etiquette you ought to follow playing a game of craps is very simple in the first place. 

1. Get Ready to Roll

There is actual etiquette as to how you should roll. When a dealer gives you the dice you ought to get in position and wait for the stickman to let you know that the dice can now be rolled. More importantly, you should avoid touching your clothes or concealing the dice in any way, as this may be misinterpreted as cheating. Please note that you must hit the far back of the craps table with the dice when you roll, as this is customary etiquette.

2. Setup & Clean Up

The setup and cleanup are just as important. They are the opening window you have between the throws of the dice to adjust bets, get cold feet even and recall bets, or adjust bets – whether you can do this yourself or by asking a dealer to sort you out. You will have almost free rein over what bets are on the table short of the contract bets, i.e. pass and don’t pass the line, which cannot be removed during this phase until they have been established.

3. Start Rolling

Before rolling the dice, you must wait for the stickman to announce “dice are out,” indicating all bets are final, and the dice can be rolled. When you throw the dice, they should travel across the table and hit the back wall before coming to a stop. There’s nothing quite as satisfying as a successful roll!

Making Sense of the Craps Table Layout

The craps table layout may appear a little challenging at first glance, and frankly – it frankly is. The etiquette, the bet types, and their meaning can also be a little overwhelming and you will need time and patience to learn. Learning online is probably quicker in terms of making mistakes that teach you, whereas in the brick-and-mortar setting you will enjoy a slightly more social experience. All in all, craps is a fantastic game. Despite its somewhat lower-than-normal odds and a steeper learning curve than other land-based casino games, it’s still very much something to explore and enjoy!

Co-editor

Stoyan holds over 8 years of esports and gambling writing experience under his belt and is specifically knowledgeable about developments within the online scene. He is a great asset to the GamblingNews.com team with his niche expertise and continual focus on providing our readers with articles that have a unique spin which differentiates us from the rest.

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