Outside of the world of serious online gambling, craps is best known from scenes in movies featuring a player on a winning streak as he or she is cheered on by a thrilled table. Even more so than slot machines, craps has an image of being a very simple form of gambling. However, as every successful craps player knows, there is much more to playing craps than a simple roll of the dice. In order to consistently win in the long run at craps, a player must learn to master the odds of the game and dedicate himself to a solid, demanding strategy.
Cracking the game of craps takes a combination of math skills, determination and sheer guts. On the one hand, a winning craps player has to know which parts of the board actually pay off and which are for the tourists and thrill seekers. He also needs to have the patience and will to stick to a tight strategy and not give in to the temptation to start risking more than necessary just to keep things interesting. On the other hand, a good craps player must have the instincts to see when a table is getting hot and be ready to move in accordingly.
Another reason why craps is far more than just a game is that there is considerably more at stake when you are playing craps seriously. If you are new to craps, simply stand behind a serious player and notice just how much money he is putting out on the board. Rather than a sign of a gambling problem, this is actually what a winning craps strategy often looks like. However, all of the money that the player has spread out can be gone with the next roll. Although craps can really pay off if you know what you are doing, it takes a special kind of player to shrug of the highs and the lows that come with this particular game.