Craps has more unwritten rules than any other table game in the casino, and most of them exist because the game is communal. Fifteen people are betting on one shared outcome, shoulder to shoulder, often for an hour at a stretch. The customs that grew up around that setup exist to keep things moving, to protect everyone's bets, and to maintain a level of decorum that keeps a loud, high-energy game from turning into a chaotic one. None of it is complicated once you know what to look for, and dealers at a live table are generally happy to walk a new player through it — but walking in already knowing these habits will make your first session feel far more comfortable than walking in blind.
When and How to Join a Table
The best time to buy in is right after a round ends — when the dice are with the stickman, the dealers are settling payouts, and the puck is sitting black-side-up to show no point is established. At that moment you can walk up, set your cash flat on the felt (never hand it directly to a dealer — the cameras need to see it), and get your chips without interrupting anything.
If a point is already established when you arrive and the dice are in motion, just wait at the rail. Don't put chips down mid-roll, don't ask the dealer to process your buy-in while the stickman is calling out a number, and don't announce yourself while a shooter is about to throw. Let the roll resolve, then step up cleanly.
Check the table minimum before you sit — it's posted on a placard at the corner of the layout. A $10 table at 2pm can become a $25 table by 9pm once the floor fills. If you arrived expecting one limit and it's changed, just ask the floor supervisor — it happens, and it's not a problem to ask.
Hands Off the Felt During a Roll
Once a shooter has the dice in hand and is preparing to throw, your job is simple: hands off the layout, eyes on the table. Don't pick up chips, don't move bets, don't reach across the felt to adjust anything. This rule is more than courtesy — if a die hits your hand mid-throw, the roll is called no-roll, and depending on the casino, the dice may be changed out entirely. That's an interruption nobody at the table appreciates, especially during a hot hand.
The same principle applies after the throw while the dice are settling: wait for them to fully stop and for the stickman to call the number before you touch anything. Dealers move fast — the payouts will come to you, you don't need to rush toward them.
How to Handle the Dice as Shooter
If you choose to shoot (you can always decline — just say "pass" and the stickman will send the dice down), a few firm rules apply to how you handle the dice:
- Use one hand only. Once you pick the dice up from the stickman's presentation, handle them with one hand throughout the throw. No switching hands, no cupping them in both palms.
- Keep them in full view. Don't drop the dice below table level, move them toward your body, or handle them in any way that takes them out of the dealers' and cameras' sight lines.
- Hit the far wall. A valid throw requires both dice to reach the far end of the table and bounce off the wall. Soft rolls that barely travel are usually called back — the stickman will tell you if your throw didn't count.
- Don't touch the dice once they've left your hand. If a die hits the rail, bounces off, or ends up off the table, let it go. The stickman retrieves it.
If a die leaves the table entirely, the stickman will bring a new set out and let you or the boxman choose a replacement. This is routine — it happens at every table eventually.
The Word You Don't Say
Don't say "seven" out loud at a craps table. This is the oldest superstition in the game, and even players who will tell you straight-faced that they don't believe in superstitions will flinch when someone says it. At a table with real money on the line, saying the number that ends all pass line bets is just asking for glares from people who just watched their stack get cut in half. Say "big red" if you absolutely need to reference it, which is what floor regulars use. Better yet, don't bring it up at all.
Late Bets and Bet Timing
At a craps table, late bets — trying to get a chip down after the shooter has already thrown — are not accepted, and trying to push one through will get you corrected by the dealer fast. The line between "just in time" and "too late" moves quickly at a busy table, and the dealers enforce it consistently because they have to. If you missed the window, you missed the roll. Get your bet down for the next one.
If you're unsure whether your bet made it in time, ask the dealer — don't assume. It's better to clarify quickly than to discover three rolls later that the chip you thought was working was sitting off to the side.
Talking to the Dealers and Crew
The crew at a craps table moves fast but they're not unapproachable. You can ask a dealer to place a bet for you, verify a payout, or explain how a bet works — this is part of their job and they handle it routinely while the game is running. Keep your questions short and direct, and time them for moments between rolls rather than while the stickman is calling numbers.
The stickman's cadence of calling out rolls — "five, no field five," "eight the hard way," "seven out, line away" — is part of how information flows around the table. Once you learn the calls, you'll start hearing the game in a way that makes everything move faster for you.
Don't argue about payouts in a loud or disruptive way. If you think a payout is wrong, say so calmly to the dealer on your side. The boxman reviews disputes, and the cameras overhead can verify any call if it comes to that. Wrong payouts do occasionally happen, and dealers would rather correct one quietly than have it escalate. You're entitled to accurate payouts — just raise the issue without making a scene.
Tipping the Crew
Tipping dealers at a craps table is customary and entirely voluntary. The two most common ways to do it: place a bet "for the dealers" by adding a small chip next to yours when you're making a pass line bet and announcing it, or tip directly in chips after a big win. Either way works and both are appreciated — the crew works hard, moves fast, and deals with everything from confused beginners to drunk high rollers, all at once.
How much is up to you. Most regulars drop a $1 or $5 tip after a good run, or include a dealer bet when they're feeling the table. There's no required amount and no obligation — but if you've had a winning session and the dealers made it run smoothly, it's the kind of thing that makes a table feel like a good room to come back to.
Handling a Seven-Out Graciously
When a shooter sevens out, money moves fast in the wrong direction for most of the table. That's part of the game. Don't berate the shooter, make comments, or groan loudly in a way directed at the person who just rolled. They didn't choose to roll a 7 any more than the dice chose to land that way. A shooter who holds the dice for twenty minutes before sevening out gave the table a run that most players would take happily — acknowledge the good hand, not just the ending.
Conversely, if you're shooting and you seven out, don't apologize excessively or make it a moment. Slide the dice to the stickman and step back from the shooter's position. The table resets, the chips are sorted, and a new come-out is moments away.
Cell Phones and Personal Space
Most casinos do not allow photography or video at the table — it's a rule that applies to the entire floor and enforcement varies, but pointing a phone at a craps table is a quick way to get a floor manager involved. If you want to check your phone, step back from the rail and don't hold it up where it might look like you're filming the action or the other players.
Craps is a tight-quarters game. You're at the rail with people in close enough proximity that you're sharing the same energy of every roll — that's part of what makes a hot table feel alive. Keep your own space organized, don't let your chip stack spread across the rail beyond your spot, and be aware of the people on either side of you.
The Short Version
Most of craps etiquette boils down to a few things: don't slow down a live game, don't touch anything during a throw, don't say seven, tip when it feels right, and be a decent rail neighbor. The rest you'll pick up naturally over a few sessions. Dealers will correct a new player on mechanics without making it uncomfortable — the table culture at craps is generally inclusive as long as you're engaged and respectful. Show up ready to pay attention and the rest follows.