If you're looking for a straightforward gambling game, Street Craps could be for you and today we're going to talk you through Street Craps rules!
If you're familiar with Craps, then the rules for Street Craps are somewhat simplified. If you're a complete novice, the great news is that the game isn't too difficult to grasp and can be a fun pastime once you get to grips with it.
There are some rules and guidelines you need to be aware of before you play, and that's where we come in.
We'll cover all the most popular slang terms, Street Craps for Dummies and everything in between so you can go and have a fun game with knowledge behind you!
Street Craps Rules and Terms
Our Street Craps rules for dummies all start with learning the lingo. Keep in mind that there are different versions of the game, such as crapless craps, but if you go into any game without researching its rules and terms first, you may as well be throwing your money away.
Street Dice Slang
As with other casino games, rules for street craps come with slang words. So let's look at some craps terms so you can get more familiar with the game:
Dice - Street dice rules say that there needs to be two regular dice in the game. Unfortunately, some players who want to cheat could use trick dice, which will help them gain an advantage over their opponents.
The Shooter - Someone always has to throw dice in craps, and this is the Shooter. Craps Street rules state that there can only be one Shooter, and they can decide whether to place a bet or make a pass.
Placing Bets - According to Street Craps dice rules, you can only place a bet when the Shooter has taken the dice.
To come out - This is the first roll of the dice that sets the tone for the rest of the game. This signifies the start of the new round.
To crap - To crap is to roll a 2, 3 or 12 on the come out roll. This can also be referred to as Don’t Pass.
To pass - to pass is to roll a 7 or 11 on the come out roll.
The point - This is any value from 4 to 10 on the come out roll. The point is crucial for the next phase of the game. The shooter must now try to hit that point again to win.
To seven out - Hitting a 7 before you hit the point.
Bounce - One of the essential rules of Street Craps is that the dice bounce after the Shooter throws them. Should the dice not bounce, it will invalidate the throw, and the Shooter will be required to start again.
Fingers - No body parts should be in the shooting areas, including fingers, toes and feet.
It may be possible to come across other slang words, but these are the most popular ones that will help you get more familiar with the game.
Street Craps Rules for Dummies
Every casino game has rules and how to play street dice is no different. We'll simplify the most popular rules so you can pick up the game quicker and put your practice into play.
Let's look at the list of rules now:
- There is no ruling on how to choose the Shooter
- The Shooter selects the betting amount to wager
- It's up to the Shooter to offer odds during the game
- The Shooter can reduce the betting amount if the wagers can't cover the initial bet
- In Street Craps, players can also make side bets
- After the Shooter throws the dice, all bet placing must stop
- All Passes get a win if the result of the dice roll is seven or eleven
- Don't Pass bets will win if the results are two, three, or twenty
Street Craps Rules Step-By-Step Recreation
Now let's get down to the nitty-gritty and show you step-by-step how to play Street Craps so you can start forming a craps strategy and winning your bets!
Get to know the basics
If you're a serious player, you'll know by now the first step for trying any game is knowledge. Knowledge is power, so if you learn the basics first, you're already one step ahead. You should also know your moves before you play so you have a good idea of the kind of craps payout you can expect for the bets you're about to make.
Get ready to play by anteing up
Once your basic knowledge is there, you're ready to play. First, you need to ante up by placing a small amount into the pot. This must happen before any bets are placed and before the Shooter is decided.
See who the Shooter is
There always has to be one Shooter. You and all the players who are anted will roll to decide who the Shooter is. It is the person who rolls the highest that becomes the Shooter.
Place a pass or no pass bet
If you are the Shooter, you will be first. If you were not the Shooter, the person who is would always place their bets first. This will either be a "pass" or "crap", but the Shooter may bet on themselves.
Roll the come-out
The Shooter will always do the initial come-out roll, but if the Shooter passes or craps, it immediately ends the game. Any money in the pot is distributed between the players according to how much they bet.
However, if the Shooter rolls a point, pass bets turn into point bets, and crap bets become bets that the Shooter will 7 out.
If necessary, roll for point
This final step may not always be required, but you can continue rolling until the Shooter points up or goes 7 out. This particular rule will depend on which version of Street Craps you're playing, but sometimes the betting goes into a higher gear if the point is reached. It is also common for a round of side bets to occur.
Pro Street Craps Tips
It’s hard to become a professional street craps player because, like all casino dice games, there isn’t a clear strategy which you can rely on. However, just like any other casino rules, street craps come with the math behind it. If you want to win at street craps more commonly, make sure you check out our tips below.
Try to Use Statistics
If you want to become a better street craps player, you have to learn the probability of each roll and apply them to a game. Let’s see the percentage of winning at the game of craps. To win with your first roll, the total must be 7 or 11.
The probability of rolling a 7 is 6/36. There are a total of 36 possible outcomes for two dice and 6 desired outcomes to roll a seven (1,6), (2,5), (3,4), (4,3), (5,2), (6,1). The probability to roll 11 is 2/36, since you can only get it with (5,6) and (6,5). So, the probability to win on the first roll is 8/36 or 2/9. Turn this into percentage and you get a 22.22% chance of winning with your first roll.
But what happens when you roll a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 on your first roll. This is known as the point and you get the dice back again, giving you a chance to win with the same rolls. This is where conditional probability is applied, for which there is a nice formula we won’t get into. After conducting the calculations and adding everything together, we’ve determined that the probability of winning at the game is 49.3%.
Therefore, if you were to bet on Don’t Pass Line 1000 times, you’d expect to win 507 times and lose 493 times. You can use the statistics to your advantage the next time you play street craps.
Bet Big If You’re The Shooter
As a shooter, the highest likelihood is that you’ll roll a seven. Therefore, you want to maximise this by placing the highest bet. Shooters often bet on the pass line, as you statistically have the highest chance of winning.
Rolling 2, 3 of 12 is really rare, so don’t make bets resulting in crap outs as they are unlikely to happen.
Is Street Dice the Same as Craps?
If you learn how to play Craps, you can apply the same strategy to Street Dice, also known as Street Craps. Street Dice is a simple game and very similar to Craps.
The main difference between the games is that Street Dice can be played outside rather than using a traditional 'Craps' table.
How Many Dice Do You Need for Street Craps?
Street Craps is played with two dice that the Shooter rolls; this applies to a regular game of Street Craps. You will bet on the outcome of these two dice based on your own roll or a roll made by another player. The dice will usually be six-sided, although some rules may allow four-sided dice.
How to Play Craps at Home?
The beauty of Craps is that you don't have to visit a casino to play it! If you like the privacy of your home, then play at home.
You will need to create a Craps table, but you may need a lot of room. As a rule, these Craps tables are big, so make sure you clear up some space.
Difference Between Street Craps and Casino Craps
There are no major differences between street craps and casino craps, except that in the casino, the house banks the game. In street craps, the shooter can be the one banking the game, but that doesn’t always have to be the case.
Also, street craps rules tend to vary depending on the location. Players can agree on the basic rules before the game and stick to it.
Is Street Craps Legal?
Since street craps have been widely popular in the US, you should know that the casino game played outside of a licensed casino is considered illegal in many states. Before you organise a street craps game, you should check your state laws first.
Although on paper, the game is illegal outside licensed casinos, the reality is different. Street craps are usually played for fun and among friends, so it’s highly unlikely people who play the game will be bothered, especially when the stakes are really low. However, organising street craps regularly for larger amounts of money can attract the attention of authorities, resulting in fines.
Street Craps in History and Popular Culture
Craps first appeared in the United States as a simplified version of the name called Hazard, whose origins date back to the Crusades. The history of craps is a long one and the early versions of the game that were played in casinos charged shooters for rolling dice and offered short odds on various wagers.
In the late 1900s, John H. Winn introduced the possibility to wager on Don’t Pass. Because the game was simple to understand and all you needed was two dice, people were playing it commonly outside casinos. The game exploded during WWII among the US soldiers who played it in their free time.
After WWII, the game spread out and today, you can find various versions of craps and street craps in casinos and online casinos worldwide.
Is It Difficult to Learn How to Play Street Dice
The best craps players in the world only got to where they are now by practising. Skills don't develop overnight. Practice makes perfect!
Learning how to play Street Dice is all about getting that practice in. It's not as challenging to learn as traditional Craps, and if you're familiar with Craps already, you'll be able to pick this game up relatively quickly.
It's always a good idea to have a basic craps strategy in place, but again, this will come with time and experience. Our top tips would be to build your basic knowledge first, which is everything we have included in today's blog.
Street Dice is full of rules, so understanding these rules before you play could be the key to your success. The same goes for the jargon: familiarise yourself with the abovementioned terms before you play!
Finally, read our step-by-step instructions to know what to expect. There are a lot of different steps required in Street Dice. Know your next moves before they happen, and you could just have the edge over your opponents.
Good luck!
