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How To Shoot Dice in Craps | LeoVegas

How To Shoot Dice in Craps

Shooting dice is an essential part of craps. That’s easy to understand, especially when you consider that craps is said to be the king of dice games. Of course, if you’re playing at an online casino, shooting dice is as easy as pushing a button. However, if you’re playing at a brick and mortar casino, you’ll want to know everything there is about shooting dice.

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Unlike most casino games where there is a dedicated dealer or croupier in charge, in craps, it’s the players who get to shoot the dice. This gives players some influence over the outcome. However, it also comes with the added responsibility of learning the best techniques and avoiding common mistakes when shooting the dice. And that’s exactly what we’ll cover today. Keep reading if you want to know all about shooting dice, key techniques, and becoming a pro at craps.

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Introduction to Craps

A Brief History of Craps

There isn’t a consensus on the origins of craps. Some say it originated among Roman soldiers, while others trace it back to Al Dar (meaning dice), an Arabic game brought to Europe around the 12th century. Regardless of its origins, craps gained widespread popularity in the early 20th century with the expansion of the gambling scene in Las Vegas.

Importance of Dice Shooting in Craps

Since craps is all about shooting dice, learning the skill is crucial to being a successful player. Although it might seem easy, “it's just rolling dice”, mastering it can significantly improve your odds and help you roll the dice in your favour.

Overview of Craps Gameplay

The premise of craps is quite simple. Craps is a table game that involves rolling two dice. The goal is to roll the same number twice before a seven is rolled. There are many types of bets you can make in craps but the most common ones are pass line bets, don’t pass line bets, come bets, and don’t come bets.

The Role of the Dice Shooter in Craps

As the name indicates, the shooter is the person at the craps table who’s in charge of rolling the dice. It's a fairly pivotal role on the game, as the outcome of each roll of the dice determines the course of the game and the bets that will get placed.

Game Rules

To win at craps, you need to roll the same number twice before a seven is rolled.

When a number is rolled, it becomes the ‘point’ of the game, and the goal of each shooter is to match it before a seven is rolled. If one of them makes a point, the shooter rolls the dice again (called a ‘come out roll’) and the game restarts. If a seven is rolled, that’s called a ‘seven out’, and the dice are passed onto the next shooter.

Probability of Winning

In craps, there are 36 possible outcomes in total, out of which eight are favourable. This means that the probability of winning is 8/36 or 22.22%.

Average Points Hit

On average, you can expect the following points on these combinations: 8.33 on a four or 10, 13.33 on a five or nine, and 18.94 points made on a six or eight, respectively.

Shooting Techniques

As you might imagine, as shooting the dice is such an important part of craps, there are several different techniques used by players to try and reach their desired outcome. These techniques are made up of different shooting angles, grips, ways to set the dice, and more, and we’re having a look at all of these below.

The Mechanics of Dice Shooting

Proper Grip and Hand Positioning

The grip is one of the most important aspects of shooting dice. It takes practice to find what grip works best for you. Having said that, there are tips you can incorporate into your strategy to make sure your grip is working in your favour. One of the most famous types of grips is the two-finger grip. This is where you hold the dice with your thumb on one side and two fingers on the other.

Setting the Dice

Setting the dice is allowed in craps. In fact, a common practice among dice shooters is to start with the same number on top of both dice. Oftentimes this will be the point number.

Another common practice is placing both sixes up and the fives facing in, which is said to decrease the likeliness of rolling a seven.

Whether or not you follow this practice, one important thing to remember is that both dice should be positioned in a way that the diagonal lines formed by the three spots are aligned in the same direction.

Controlled Shooting

All the tips on this page will help increase your control over the dice you’re shooting. All in all, making sure the dice hits the table in a flat way is crucial for a more controlled shooting and will make your desired outcome more likely. The ideal roll sees the dice bounce only once after hitting the back wall and then come to a stop.

Shooting Angle

In terms of what angle to shoot dice from, most players would recommend a 45-degree angle. Among others, this ensures less bounce and thus a less unpredictable roll.

Consistent Rolling

Whatever you choose to go for in every aspect of shooting dice, make it consistent. This is especially advantageous angle-wise because shooting from the same angle each time will increase consistency in your outcomes.

Dice Influence

There is a belief that players or the casino can manipulate the dice used in table games and thus influence the outcome. However, this is largely considered a myth as the outcome of proper dice is random.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Shooting Dice in Craps

Let’s now have a look at a few common mistakes most players make in their first time as shooters.

Improper Grip

One of the biggest mistakes you can make in dice shooting is laying the dice on the palm of your hand. Instead, gripping the dice is recommended as it gives you much more control over the roll.

Inconsistent Shooting Angle

One other valuable piece of advice we can give you is to always shoot from the same spot. You might think that shooting from different angles makes for a more varied approach and increases your chances of winning. However, this couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Shooting from the same spot helps you develop consistency in your technique, allowing you to fine-tune your grip, stance, and throw. When you stick to one spot, you eliminate variables that can affect your roll, leading to more predictable and controlled outcomes. Consistency is key to mastering the role of the shooter!

Hitting the Table Corners

Hitting the corners of the craps table can be a fatal mistake. When shooting dice, you want to aim for the middle part of the back wall. Hitting the corners of the table will only make it harder to control the outcome you’re going for. That’s because the corners are curved, so the dice will likely take more turns and tumbles, making the outcome increasingly random.

Throwing Too Hard

Throwing the dice too hard can be a craps player’s worst enemy. Throwing the dice too hard makes it more difficult to control the outcome you’re aiming for. The softer you roll it, the easier it will be to get the numbers you’ve pre-selected. In fact, we highly recommend practicing soft rolling at home with dice of your own.

Improper Dice Setting

Above, we gave you a few examples of dice-setting best practices, but it’s up to you to find what works best for your own personal strategy. An example of improper dice setting would be to take too long setting the dice. Not only will this annoy other players as they wait, but it could also lead them to think you’re controlling the dice. Remember, craps is a game that offers ultimate camaraderie on the casino floor, so you want to keep the social fun and entertainment aspect of the game ‘rolling’!

Distracting Behaviour

Just like any other casino game, etiquette is important in craps too. Topping the list is keeping your hands over the rails, being late to making bets, throwing money on the craps table, or talking to the shooter while the dice are in their hands. These are all considered examples of rude behaviour and should be avoided at all costs.

Betting Mistakes

Some of the most common betting mistakes in craps are not taking odds on line bets, betting the pass line after a point has already been established, and betting without a pre-defined strategy.

Shooting Craps FAQ

Is there skill in shooting dice?

Even though the outcome of dice in the casino is random, the techniques and tips in this article can improve how much control you have and thus increase your winning chances.

How do you throw the dice in craps?

The most important thing to remember when rolling dice in craps is gripping the dice so as to minimize the amount of bounce on your roll. The fewer jumps, turns and tumbles there are, the more controlled and intentional your throw will be.

Is there a trick to rolling dice?

Although there is no trick to rolling dice that guarantees wins, practicing a controlled roll at home using a firm grip and a consistent shooting angle are some of the most efficient ways to get your desired outcome.

Are craps the same as shooting dice?

In American English, shooting dice simply means playing craps.

Learn about other casino games in our guide: