A new game in Craps begins with the ""Come Out"" roll. A ""Come Out"" roll can be made only when the previous shooter fails to make a winning roll -- more correctly known as "not making the "Point"" or "seven out". A new game then begins with a new shooter. If the current shooter does make his "Point", the dice are returned to him and he then begins the new "Come Out" roll. This is a continuation of that shooter's roll, although technically, the "Come Out" roll identifies a new game about to begin.
When the shooter fails to make his or her "Point", the dice are then offered to the next player for a new "Come Out" roll and the game continues in the same manner. The new shooter will be the person directly next to the left of the previous shooter.
On the "Come Out" roll, the "Pass Line" bet wins if the shooter rolls a 7 or an 11. The bet loses automatically if the shooter rolls 2, 3 or 12. This is known as "rolling craps". If the shooter rolls 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 the shooter must roll this same number again (to win) before rolling the number 7. Rolling any of these numbers on the "Come Out" roll is called "establishing the "Point". Any number so rolled is thereafter referred to as the "Point".
Establishing a "Point" is an event that happens as the immediate result of the "Come Out" roll, unless that "Come Out" roll results in 7, 11, 2, 3 or 12, in which case more rolls must be made until a "Point" is established.
It now becomes important to mention a device that looks like a hockey puck called the "Puck". It is white on one side and black on the other, and is used by the dealers to identify the "Point". Once the shooter establishes the "Point", the dealer will move this puck to that "Point" number and turn it the white side up. The puck stays on this "Point" until the shooter either makes his "Point" or until he sevens out. When the puck is moved to the "Don't Come" bar 12 area and turned black side up. The significance of this device is only in tracking the game. White side up over a "Point" indicates the game is in progress and that this box number is the "Point". Black side up means a new "Come Out" roll is about to take place.
As with all table games, you will begin by changing your cash money into gaming chips. In Craps you do this by throwing your money on the table and yelling, "change". If the table is playing well there will be a lot of people crowding around and a lot of noise, so make sure you yell out. Also it is a good idea to wait and ask for change between rolls of the dice.
In Craps, winning or losing depends on a variety of different possible outcomes on any roll of the two dice. The two dice can produce many different number combinations; some can be made several ways, others only one way. For example, two dice can roll the number 6 as follows: 5/1, 4/2, 3/3, 2/4 and 1/5. But the number 2 can only be rolled one way: 1/1. Numbers such as 6, which can be rolled several ways, don't pay as much as numbers which can be rolled only one way, unless you are betting that the number will be rolled in a specific way, such has 3/3, known as "Hardways". All winning payoffs are, therefore, determined by the frequency in which any two-dice number combinations can be rolled. Generally, the harder the combination is to roll, the more it will pay, and vice versa.