Gambling dice games once ruled the casino scene, and there are some fun ones still out there. Here’s what you can play at the online casinos and in-person.
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Long before there were gambling dice games in casinos, people used the small cubes primarily for fortune telling in Ancient China.
But somewhere along the lines, one of the forefathers of casino wagering realized these six-sided cubes with numerous combinations and possibilities were ideal for games of both skill and chance.
Flash forward to the 21st century, and gambling dice games are all the rage. But with the growing popularity of slots machines and poker and blackjack tables, is playing dice games in U.S. casinos a thing of the past?
The answer is an emphatic no. And for one main reason – camaraderie. In games using dice, several people at one table can be rooting for the same outcome, which creates a more collegial, enjoyable wagering environment. And the best example is the king of the casino dice games.
How to Play Craps
We’re not going to try to teach you every wrinkle to playing craps in this article. Just know this – with the right skill set and group of players, playing craps is the most fun you can have in a casino.
A quick tutorial: the ‘shooter’ is the star of the show, as he/she rolls the dice that determines the outcomes of everyone’s wagers. Don’t worry, you will get your turn, as the shooting position rotates around the table.
Before the first roll, players can make ‘pass line’ bets. In short, you have two choices: pass or don’t pass.
- If the first roll sees the two dice add up to 7 or 11 – you win even money on your ‘pass’ wager but lose on a ‘don’t pass’ wager.
- If the first roll sees the two dice add up to 2, 3, or 12 – you lose your ‘pass’ wager but win on a ‘don’t pass’ wager.
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Why is Craps So Popular?
Things get interesting if the player rolls another other combination (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10). Technically, the wagers on ‘pass’ or ‘don’t pass’ are a push, but what happens is that the number rolled (say, a 9) becomes the point. Now you’re rooting for the shooter to roll as many 9s as possible before ‘crapping out,’ or rolling a 7.
Sound complicated? Well, it can be, but it’s more than worth learning for the fun the game provides. We could write several articles on craps strategies, possibilities, and outcomes – so let’s move on!
Other Gambling Dice Games Available in U.S. Casinos
Plenty of gambling dice games are available to play in American casinos, whether that be online or in-person.
Klondike
This game using five dice saw its greatest popularity during frontier times, but is still available at many tribal-based U.S. casinos.
If you’ve never heard of Klondike, that’s because a board game based on this game came out in the 1950s and became the go-to means of referencing this particular dice game in American culture. Maybe you’ve guessed it – you’re playing a variation on Yahtzee!
Here’s how traditional Klondike is different, however: you’re trying for combinations, which means there are no ‘straights’ in Klondike. In order, the best combinations in this game are:
- Five of a kind – All 5 dice show the same number.
- Four of a kind – 4 of the dice show the same number.
- Full house – 3 dice show one number and 2 dice show another number.
- Three of a kind – 3 dice show the same number.
- Two pairs – 2 dice pairs show the same number.
- One pair – 2 dice show the same number.
The dealer rolls first, then sets his dice aside, allowing the player to roll.
In original Klondike, known as ‘counter Klondike’ winning your wager required beating the dealer’s best combination.
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Casino Klondike
But today, the game known as ‘Casino Klondike’ allows you to place one of three wagers:
- Win – You must roll a better combination than the dealer to win your wager.
- Lose – You win if the dealer rolls a better combination than you.
- Beat Two Aces – Quite simply, since no ‘pair’ beats a pair of ones, you’re wagering that your roll will result in at least two pairs or better.
In the case of a tie, the house wins on all wagers.
Sic Bo
This game of Chinese origin involves three six-sided dice. The name translates to “precious dice” and has some similarities to craps.
Introduced to the U.S. by Chinese immigrants, Sic Bo gained popularity in the 1980s and 1990s and is now available at many U.S. casinos.
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Like craps, Sic Bo wagers can be as complicated or as simple as you prefer, and serious players could go into much greater detail. But for starters, we’ll lay out the main wagers:
Big/Small:
With possibilities ranging from 3 to 18, there are sixteen ‘total’ outcomes available.
A bet that the three dice will add up to a number between 4-10 is a ‘small’ bet, while any total from 11-17 is a ‘big’ bet.
Wait, what happened to 3 and 18?
‘Triple’ Bets:
A combination of three 1s, three 6s, or three of any single number is a separate bet. You can bet on ‘any triple’ and if a triple is rolled (of any number) your payout is 30:1.
High rollers can bet on a specific triple – three 1s, three 6s – in return for a payout of 180:1!
Sounds too good to be true? Well, the odds of any specific triple are 216:1, so good luck!
One note: any triple beats a ‘big’ or ‘small’ bet. So if you bet ‘big,’ for example, and the roller gets a 15 by rolling three 5s, you lose on the ‘big’ bet even though the dice added up to 15.
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Bets on Specific Numbers:
You can bet on the three dice adding up to any number between 4 and 17, with the odds varying according to the diverse ways in which you can accomplish that number.
For example, there’s only one way to get a 4 (two 1s and a 2) or a 17 (two 6s and a 5) so a bet on 4 or 17 pays out at 60:1.
On the other hand, three dice can add to numbers like 9, 10, 11, 12 in a number of ways (you could get to 10 by rolling 1-6-3, 3-5-2, 4-5-1, etc.) so the payouts for these exact totals are only 6:1.
Like craps, we could go on and on describing different Sic Bo bets and their potential outcome. It’s suffice to say it’s another game that promotes camaraderie between the players at a table. It adds to the fun of a trip to the casino.
Why Are Gambling Dice Games Still Popular?
It’s true that card games and slots machines are the most prominent happenings in your average U.S. casino. But gambling dice games are anything but obsolete. Others like Liar’s Poker or Hazard may be available depending on your location.
People enjoy dice games in casinos for many reasons, but our favorite is that you’re not competing against the other players. Even if you have competing wagers, the dice determine the outcome rather than the players. It’s a great way to meet new people at the casino, which can be (almost) as much fun as winning!
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