Craps Etiquette: How to Behave at the Table

This one's the biggest. Once a point is established and the puck is on, you don't say the word seven. Not at all, not in any context, not even about the time or the weather or your phone number. The 7 is the bad number during a point cycle, and everyone is rooting against it. The superstition says that saying the word somehow brings it out. Logically this makes no sense; the dice don't have ears. None of that matters.

The superstition is real at every craps table you'll ever play at. Saying seven during a point cycle gets you glared at, and if a 7 comes up shortly after, you'll be blamed, even though that's statistically nonsensical. If you have to refer to the number, use "the bad number," "you know what," or "big red." Just keep the actual word out of your mouth during the point cycle. The rule doesn't apply during the come out roll, since the 7 is a winner there; you can say it freely between rounds when the puck is off.

You don't hand cash directly to a dealer. The casino requires money to go on the felt; the dealer can't take it from your hand. It's a security measure so every cash transaction is visible. When you buy in, wait for a moment between rolls, put your cash on the felt in front of you, and say "change please." The dealer counts it, pushes you chips, and the boxman drops your cash through the slot. The same rule applies to tips: don't hand a chip to a dealer, drop it on the felt or place a bet for them.

Once you have chips, the rules relax; you can pick them up, place them on the layout, and hand them to other players. The cash rule is specifically about cash. One thing to know: the casino tracks who you are by where you're standing, since each place box has positions that map to player spots. Pick a spot and stay there until you cash out. If you have to move, tell the dealer first so they can keep your bets straight.

If you're the shooter, handle the dice with one hand only, and keep them over the table in plain view, not up over your head or below the rail. Some shooters do little rituals before throwing, which is fine, but keep the dice visible above the felt.

If you're not the shooter, don't touch the dice. Ever. Not when they're in front of the shooter, not when the stickman is pushing them around, not when they land near you after a roll. If a die rolls toward you and you instinctively reach to stop it, don't; let it roll and the dealers will retrieve it. Reaching for a die in motion can be interpreted as interference and will at minimum get you a sharp word from the boxman. If a die flies off the table, stay put and let casino staff handle it.

Casinos give out free drinks at craps tables, and the cocktail waitress comes around regularly. What you can't do is put your drink on the rail, the padded edge where players lean and chip racks are built in. Drinks on the rail get bumped, spill, and leak onto chips. Most tables have small drink holders built into the rail area or shelves underneath; use those. Some casinos are stricter than others, but they all draw the line at drinks on the rail proper.

Watch your alcohol intake, too. A few drinks over a long session is fine, but getting drunk at a craps table tends to result in worse decisions, bigger bets, and bigger losses. The casino is happy to keep your glass full because they know what happens. If you're starting to feel it, slow down or switch to water.

Dealers are doing a job, with a script and rules they have to follow, and they can't give you advice on what to bet. They can answer questions about how bets work but can't recommend strategies. Talk to them friendly and concise: "place the 6 for $12" is a clean instruction, while a rambling version is harder to parse and slows the table. Ask questions between rolls during quiet moments, not while the stickman is calling a roll or the dealer is paying four other players.

Basic politeness goes a long way. A hello when you step up, a thank you when they pay you. Some players treat dealers like vending machines, and dealers notice; they're people, so treat them that way and you'll get a warmer experience. Specifically, don't blame the dealer for losses. The dealer didn't cause your bet to lose, the dice did. Players who get angry at dealers aren't popular at any table.

The boxman sits at the middle of the table on the casino's side and is the supervisor for that table. The pit boss is a higher-level supervisor overseeing multiple tables. For most things you talk to your dealer first. Take to the boxman: disputes over a bet, confusion about a payout, a chip in a weird place, anything where you think the dealer made a mistake. Take to the pit boss: comp requests, rewards program questions, complaints about a dealer's behavior. For most players most of the time, you never directly interact with either; they're watching but not engaging. If you do need to, be polite and clear about what you need.

You should tip the dealers when you're winning, in one of two ways. The first is a small bet for the dealers as part of your own, often a "two-way" bet where you say "two-way hardway" and put down chips for both you and them; if it wins, you both collect. The second is to just drop a chip on the felt and say "for the dealers," which goes in the tip box and is shared among the crew on shift.

How much is up to you. A few dollars now and then is fine, more if you have a hot roll and you're up significantly, and nothing if you're not winning. Most regulars tip around 5 percent of their winnings, but there's no rule. One thing not to do: don't stiff the dealers when you've been winning all night. They remember stiff tippers and good tippers, and a warm crew makes the table much more pleasant. The article on being the shooter covers tipping during a hot roll specifically.

You're sharing a table with up to 13 other players, most betting the pass line and rooting for the same outcomes, a few betting don't pass. Basic civility goes a long way.

• Don't give other players advice on what to bet. They didn't ask, and unsolicited advice is annoying.
• Don't comment negatively on others' bets. If somebody's betting hardways or props, that's their choice.
• Don't blame other players for your losses. The dice are random; the don't pass bettor didn't jinx the shooter.
• Do high-five and cheer when somebody hits a big bet. The social side is part of why people play.
• Do leave the don't pass bettors alone. They're betting a slightly better bet mathematically and aren't causing the table to lose. More in our don't pass article.

Live craps moves slowly, with a settling period after every roll while the dealers pay winners and take losers. Your job is to fit smoothly into that pace: make your bets quickly during the settling period and be ready when the stickman is about to push the dice back. Don't delay the table by trying to bet after the dice are already out.

If you need to step away, tell the dealer "off on the come out" or "color me up if I'm not back." Come bets sitting on numbers will work even if you're not standing there, and place bets you can ask to be turned off. Just don't abandon a table with active bets and no instructions. The other side of pace is not rushing: if you need a moment to think about a bet, take it. A few seconds is fine, a minute is not.

The short version: don't say the word seven during a point cycle; don't hand cash to dealers, put it on the felt; handle the dice with one hand if you're the shooter and don't touch them if you're not; keep your drinks off the rail; tip the dealers when you're winning; be polite to everyone; don't give unsolicited advice; cheer when other players win; leave the don't pass bettors alone; make your bets quickly; don't take phone calls at the table; and cash out at the table before taking your chips to the cage.

Once you've done a few sessions, all of this becomes automatic. The most important rule underneath all the specific ones is simple: be a person other players want to play with. Tables with a good vibe are more fun for everyone, and that vibe comes from the people at the table. The next article gets into common craps mistakes, the strategy-error counterpart to this behavior guide.