Rolling Dice Tricks and Tips in Craps

Mastering the game of craps requires a learning process for rolling dice. There are rules to which the shooter, the person rolling the dice, must conform. There are then specialized techniques that you can study so you avoid making sloppy mistakes.

If you're rolling craps at an online casino, you don't have to worry too much about shooter rules. Instead, you simply click a button and roll, with a random number generator determining what occurs. This is in contrast to players at physical casinos, who have to master the art of rolling dice. One great way to start is to online craps practice, which enables you to master your method without any risk.

Read below to learn everything you need to know about rolling dice in craps. I will discuss fundamental rules that shooters must comply with and show some fundamental dice-throwing techniques.

Craps Dice-Throwing Rules

To be a good craps player, you must be good at the game of shooting. Some rules that are to be complied with by players when rolling dice in craps exist.

First, you should understand that the dice should hit the back wall of the craps table. If you don't throw the dice right, the dealer might give you a second chance or simply select a new shooter.

Also, never let go of the dice and then roll them across the length of the table. The dice need to remain in the dealer's view at all times, so don't remove them from the table except to see the pit boss. 

Some casinos do have additional requirements for the way the players should behave when shooting.

Not all casinos use the same rules, but bouncing dice on the table, across the dealer, or with two hands is generally frowned upon. These actions also won't help when trying to control your roll for specific outcomes.

Dice-Throwing Techniques

There are a few tricks and tips for how to improve your dice throws. Dice control at craps can make particular methods of the dice more probable. Some became so proficient at it that the craps tables started using wavy back walls to introduce randomization during rolls.

Understanding casino rules is just half the battle in becoming skilled at rolling dice. Below are four ways to throw craps dice that will make you an improved shooter:

Don't Bash the Dice against the Back Wall

You must make hit the back wall for your roll to be counted. But you should not bash the dice against it.

Crashing the dice onto the wall is not typically a good idea. It worsens your throw by making it more random. That's okay for the come-out roll, since high randomness favors you rolling a seven—the most common number. But if you crash into the wall after the come-out roll, you don't want to crash that hard. 

Roll the Point Number Facing Up

The dice must strike the back wall for your shot to score. But do not strike it so forcefully.

Toss dice end over end, not tumbling sideways, so the sides to the left and the sides to the right of your point numbers don't come on top.

To set the dice, position both sixes facing upwards with the fives facing towards each other. Presuming the dice are tossed end over end and as a pair, this arrangement prevents the combination that would yield a seven. Professional craps gamblers say that this reduces the probability of rolling a seven considerably.

Pinch Grip vs. Two-Finger Grip

Your grip is perhaps the most important part of craps dice throwing. Don't have the dice cupped in your palm or held within the palm of your hand. Insert four fingers in the front and your thumb in the back, effectively pinching the dice.

This holds them together and is also the cause of a more consistent throw. Your palm gets sweaty too, which can disturb your roll.

Another intense grip is the two-finger grip. To do this grip, you should hold the dice in your two fingers on one side and your thumb on the other.

While this is a common grip, the majority of experienced rollers believe that it does not produce good rolls. Ultimately, whatever grip wins you the most games is what you should be using. Try both and see what works best for you.

Throw at a 45-Degree Angle

Once you've decided on a grip pattern, you're able to start consistently throwing the dice at one angle. I typically choose a 45-degree angle, as do many other dice players.

Consistent angle will yield more consistent results. A 45-degree angle is good for minimizing "bounce," or the effect of the dice hitting the wall. Reduced bounce is necessary in order to successfully implement any method of dice control.

At a 45-degree angle, the dice will hit the table relatively flat. This spreads the force of your roll across a larger area. In theory, the dice should lose all but a small amount of energy by the time they hit the back wall.