Workers at the Craps Table: Who’s Who?
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Introduction: Workers at the Craps Table
Take a stroll up to the craps table in any casino and you might be surprised as to the number of workers at the craps table. Other table games normally have a single dealer who runs every aspect of the game. But craps always has multiple workers at the craps table. And each person has a distinct and different function.
Another important thing that’s going to stand out to you is that it appears that all the staff are rooting for the player to win. Giving lots of encouragement and consoling any losses. But there’s a reason for this. It’s because in caps most tips are given in the form of bets for the staff. And that’s why they have a vested interest in the bets coming home as winners. Remember that most staff only receive absolute minimum wages, so tips are a very important part of their take-home pay.
If you’re going to the casinos to win the jackpot, and be playing at the craps table, then it’s important to know the roles of each member of staff. Let’s have a look at each one in greater detail.
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The Craps Dealers
Every craps table in the casino will have four dealers. You’ll only see three of them at any one time as one is always away on break. The three dealers present will move around the table taking on different jobs as the needs arise. One of them will “be on a stick” and the other two will be standing on the opposite side of the table from him. They are described as being “on base”. The dealers standing around the table are very easy to spot as they are all required to wear a distinct uniform, normally of black and white pants and a white shirt.
The Stickman
This is the craps dealer who’s “on a stick”. Of all the workers at the craps table, you’ll identify him instantly, simply because he’s holding a stick. It looks like a thin hockey stick and it used to gather the dice after someone shoots. He’s also in charge of all the proposition bets at his table. We will not get into the in’s and out’s of these types of bets. But suffice to say, they are a lousy bet and you should always stay well clear of them. essentially, the Stickman is taking the losing position on these bets. He will instruct the standing dealers about the various payouts if you happen to win a proposition bet. The craps table can appear very formal with a lot of ceremony surrounding the gameplay. The Stickman is there to help enforce this structure of gameplay.
A Carnival Showman
Normally there’s a tray of 6 or 8 dice in it. This tray is the charge of the Stickman. When a player is ready to shoot, the Stickman will push this tray towards the player so that he may choose his dice. Once then the player has made his selection, then the Stickman will pull the tray back towards himself. Another important job for the Stickman is the announcement of the results. It goes without saying that this is not a job for a shrinking violet.
The Stickman is to all intents and purposes, quite a showman whose more akin to a carnival barker than a casino employee. His job is also that of a salesman, as he needs to drum up interest in this game and draw customers to the craps table. He’ll be constantly chatting and encouraging the players. In fact, in any reputable casino, he’s by far the liveliest character to be found on the games floor and he really sticks out among the other workers at the craps table.
Workers at the Craps Table: The Standing Dealers
The two other dealers are the “standing dealers”. Their job is to look after the players by exchanging cash for chips. Sitting beside them will be the “Boxman”. He’s the only seated guy at the craps table and his job is to count out the money and then pass the chips to the standing dealers. The casino chips for the craps table are normally in the following denominations:
$1
$5
$25
$100
$500
Should you wish to bet for less than $1 or receive a payout that might include an amount of less than $1, then that’s normally done using normal coins. If you wish to change the denomination of your chips during gameplay, then simply ask the standing dealers to change colors. One important rule of craps etiquette is that you never put anything into the dealer’s hand. Conversely, he’ll never put anything into your hand. You’ll place your cash on the table, and receive your chips in the same manner. This is designed to stop any collusion between players and dealers.
Betting and Getting Paid Off
There are just two aspects to playing craps, shooting the dice, and placing your bets. The dealers are heavily involved in both processors. In some casinos, you get to place your own bets, but in the majority of cases, craps bets must be placed by a dealer. In the former case, you place the chips in the appropriate location on the table. If it’s the latter, then place your chips on the table and instruct the dealer as to where you want them placed. Once the dice are thrown, then the resulting numbers are known as the dice “resolution”. After this, the payout is made by the dealers. In the same manner, the dealers will pick up any losing bets. As a matter of procedure, losing bets are always picked up before winning bets.
Workers at the Craps Table: The Table Dealers
The two standing dealers are on opposite sides of the craps table for the obvious reason that one handles the players on that side and the other the players on the opposite side of the table. You’ll often see between 12 – 20 players are the craps table at any one time. This means that each dealer is handling between 6 – 10 players each time. Here’s a tip: because of the speed of the game, and the number of players, it’s quite common for mistakes to happen. And some of these mistakes will not be in your favor. We suggest that you shouldn’t be shy about pointing out mistakes that are against you.
But we also suggest that if a mistake is in your favor, then you keep silent. Just let it slide and keep the money. Your job in the casino is to look after yourself. You have no obligation to the establishment you’re playing in. We have a general guide to help you play a better game of craps here.
The Buck
Errr…what’s the “buck”? It’s a round disc with a distinct color on each side. One side of the buck shows that the points are not yet set. Once the points have been set, then the dealer will turn it over. The other side indicates that the shooter has made the point or sevens out. The dealer will also place the buck in the appropriate spot.
Workers at the Craps Table: The Boxman and the Floorman
Look upon the Boxman as the banker in Monopoly. He’s not really a dealer. And he doesn’t even wear the same uniform. His job is to keep an eye on the chips that belong to the casino. He also oversees the dealer’s payouts in order to make sure that they’re correct. He’s like a quiet boss, always there to make sure that everything is run correctly. It’s the Floorman’s job to oversee the entire craps pit. A craps pit always consists of a total of four tables. And the area in and around them is “the pit”. If the craps pit gets very busy, then more Floormen can be bought in to supervise. The Floorman reports to the pit boss, who’s yet another supervisor.
The Proposition Bets and the Mouthy Stickman
You’ll notice that it’s really the Stickman’s job to control the flow of the game. But one of his main jobs is to convince customers to make proposition bets. As you probably already know, these bets certainly don’t favor the player but are rather a better proposition for the casino. Yes, these bets are cheap to make, as they tend to start at around $1 per round. But the house edge on such bets is prohibitively high, and you’ll lose a lot of money very quickly, to the advantage of the casino. Keep in mind that it’s the difference between the odds of winning and the payout odds is where the casino’s house edge lies.
As an example, if you were to wager with 35 to 1 odds, but it only pays out at 30 to 1, then the casino gets to keep a huge edge. We always suggest that when playing at the craps table, you only stick with the most basic bets. These are Pass, Don’t pass, come, don’t come, and free odds bets. With these, you’ll increase your jackpot winning chances.
Conclusion: Workers at the Craps Table
The seems to be a huge number of workers at the craps table. And that can be off-putting for many first-time players. But they all have a fixed purpose. Learn each role, and you’ll feel more comfortable in who to address and how to play. With our winning at craps guide, you’ll be winning in no time.
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