Craps is the most social game in the casino, and also the one with the most unwritten rules. At a low-limit table, a mistake is a minor embarrassment. At a high-limit table, where thousands change hands on a single roll, the same mistake can disrupt the game, upset other players, and mark you as someone who does not belong. The rules of craps are the same at every limit, but the etiquette — how you handle the dice, when you bet, and how you behave — matters far more when the stakes are high.

The Bets Worth Making at High Limits

The pass line bet, with a house edge of about 1.41 percent, is the foundation of sensible craps play, and the best addition to it is the odds bet — an extra wager behind the pass line that pays at true odds with no house edge at all. Casinos limit how much you can place on odds, often to three, five, or ten times your pass line bet, and at high-limit tables those multiples are generous. A player who takes full odds is cutting the overall house edge on their play to well under one percent, which is among the best deals in the casino.

The bets to avoid are the centre-table proposition bets: hardways, any seven, any craps, and the field's worst combinations. These carry house edges from around 9 percent to over 16 percent, and at high stakes they drain a bankroll with remarkable speed. They are also the bets that slow the game down, because the dealer must settle them after every roll. Experienced high-limit players keep their action on the pass line, the odds, and the place bets on six and eight, and leave the centre of the table alone.

Handling the Dice and the Table

The dice are the heart of craps etiquette. Handle them with one hand only, keep them visible above the table at all times, and never let them leave the table. When you throw, aim for the far wall — the dice must hit the back wall to count — and throw them firmly but not violently. A throw that bounces off the table or hits another player is a dead roll, and repeated bad throws will draw the attention of the dealer and the boxman, who may ask you to pass the dice.

Place your bets promptly and keep your hands clear when the dice are out. Never put your hands in the field of play while the shooter is rolling, and never reach for chips while the dice are moving. The crew works to a rhythm, and a player who interrupts it slows the game for everyone. Tipping the dealers — a small bet for the crew on the pass line, or a chip placed for them directly — is expected at high-limit tables, and a player who never tips will be noticed by the people who run the game.

The Social Rules of the Table

Craps is a communal game, and most players at the table are betting with the shooter. Rooting against the shooter — betting the don't pass line — is a legitimate strategy, but it makes you unpopular at a crowded table, because your win is everyone else's loss. At a high-limit table, where the other players have serious money on the outcome, the social cost of betting against the table is real. Many experienced players simply avoid don't bets in a crowded game, or find a quieter table where their strategy will not cause friction.

Finally, know when to step away. Craps is fast and emotional, and the swings at high limits are large. A player who stays at the table too long after a bad run, or who keeps pressing bets after a hot streak has cooled, is making the classic high-limit mistake. Set a win target and a loss limit before you buy in, and honour them. The table will still be there tomorrow, and the players who last in this game are the ones who leave while they still can.