---
title: '12 Things to Never Do at the Craps Table'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=7WXx33QQ90Q'
video_id: '7WXx33QQ90Q'
date: 2026-07-20
duration_sec: 554
channel: 'Color Up'
---

# 12 Things to Never Do at the Craps Table

> Source: [12 Things to Never Do at the Craps Table](https://youtube.com/watch?v=7WXx33QQ90Q)

## Summary

This video outlines 13 critical mistakes to avoid at a craps table, covering etiquette, betting strategies, and superstitions to ensure a smooth and respectful game for all players.

### Key Points

- **Don't Buy In During a Roll** [00:14] — Never buy chips when the puck is on a number (point established). Wait for the puck to be turned off, or play another game like blackjack. Buying in mid-roll pauses the game and often leads to a seven, making you hated.
- **Bet Proper Increments on 6 & 8** [00:54] — Place bets on 6 and 8 pay 7:6, so bet in multiples of $6 (e.g., $12, $18). Betting $10 pays $11 (rounded down), $15 pays $17 (rounded down), shorting yourself a dollar each time.
- **Don't Say the Word 'Seven'** [01:51] — Avoid saying 'seven' as it's considered bad luck because the seven causes most bets to lose. Use nicknames like 'big red' or 'the devil' instead.
- **Respect the Table** [02:35] — Keep drinks on the shelf below, not on the table. Don't desecrate the table with ashes or other items. Treat it like a shrine to the dice gods.
- **Don't Remove Don't Bets** [03:04] — Once a don't pass/don't come bet survives the first roll (the hardest part), you have an advantage. Removing it is a mistake; instead, consider placing a bet against it if you're nervous.
- **Don't Mess with the Dice** [04:11] — Don't switch hands, take dice outside the table, blow on them, or kiss them. Setting dice is okay but don't take too long. Tip: opposite sides add to 7, so flip to find the number you want.
- **Boycott $25 Tables** [05:02] — Encourage players to refuse $25 minimum tables to force casinos to lower them back to $15. High rollers can play $50 tables, but $25 tables are becoming too common, especially on the East Coast.
- **Don't Make Late Bets** [05:31] — Place bets early, not when the dice are about to be thrown. If you place money on the line between the field and come, the dealer will ask what you want. Avoid having hands in the table when dice roll.
- **Tip the Dealers** [07:06] — Dealers rely on tips as they work for minimum wage. Tipping brings good karma. Don't be a stiff.
- **Don't Chase Losses** [07:33] — Bring only the amount you're willing to lose. If you lose it all, walk away. Don't go to the ATM. Take a break or come back another day.
- **Don't Criticize Others' Play** [07:59] — Everyone plays differently. Craps is a negative EV game, so the casino always wins in the end. Respect others' choices.

### Conclusion

By avoiding these 13 common mistakes, you'll have a better experience at the craps table and be a more welcome player among dealers and fellow gamblers.

## Transcript

should never do at the crafts table let's get right to it let's get right to it [Music]
dealer they can't take it from you place it in the [ __ ] or on the felt right in front of you don't try to buy in in the middle of the roll when the puck is on wait for the puck to go off before buying in now the average roll is eight
wait long if you think you're going to miss out on that super long roll and you do buy in the game is going to be paused while they count up your money and count out your chips and then after that long pause of the game
the seven comes and now you're going to be the most hated person at the table if of the hand when the puck is on a number go play a hand of blackjack or just go to the cage and get some chips if you have chips and you come to the table and
game that's fine you can make some bets but don't try to buy in when the puck is on wait for the puck to go off don't bet the six and eight improperly they get paid seven to six so you should always bet in increments of six
if you bet ten dollars that ten dollars pays 11.67 and the casino is going to round you down to 11. so 10 is going to win 11. if you bet properly 12 your 12
is going to win 14. if you bet 15 that 15 is going to get paid 17.50 and what round down and you're going to get paid 17 a proper bet of 18 that bet is going to pay
so you're basically shorting yourself a dollar every time now the dealers might try to help you or suggest betting higher but you certainly can just bet higher but you certainly can just bet 10 15 20 amounts which would get an
improper payoff as long as it meets the table minimum it is allowed but you know you're just throwing a dollar away don't say the word seven now personally i don't care i'm not superstitious i'm just a little stitious
now once the point is set and we're on a number ninety percent of the players they're betting on numbers and the seven will cause all their bets and all their money to lose so that's why we avoid saying the word seven at the craps table
so there's other nicknames for it the devil the skinnies i think the most popular it's usually big red so even if you want to bet on big red you certainly can just try to avoid saying the word seven don't desecrate the holy table
think of this as a church or a shrine a mosque or a memorial to the dice gods you keep your drinks away there is a shelf below the table that you can put your drinks and if you're smoker then keep your ashes off the table you
definitely don't want to be this guy check it out
why do not remove or call no action on your don't bets let's say the point becomes your five and you don't like that you shouldn't the same with it don't come let's say it travels to the six or eight
roll and you're gonna lose your bet do you can call no action and get it returned to you but you don't wanna do that if it's a number you don't like just place bet it for the equal amount the worst case in this scenario is
you'll push the best case scenario is your place bet wins and you win a couple dollars remember with the don'ts you have to get past the seven for the very first roll and that's where the big trouble is so if you can avoid that
you've gone through the hard part you've now established a don't and you are always at the advantage over the casino so don't remove that bet after you've went through the hard part of getting there now i'm not recommending that you
hedge your bets by placing against your don'ts but i'm saying it is a lot better option than removing your don'ts there is no number seven because we try not to say that number at the crabs table and we want to avoid it as much as possible
don't mess with the dice don't switch hands with the dice don't take the dice outside of the table you'll definitely hear from the dealers if you do these type of things don't blow on the dice or kiss the dice like maybe you've seen in
kiss the dice like maybe you've seen in the movies set your dice to a particular number or you think setting them might affect the can do that just don't take forever doing it you'll see people looking
around for their numbers and they just can't find them here's a little tip the opposite side of the dice always equals seven so we have a five here if on the opposite side so you just flip it over and there's your two the opposite
four and there it is so it's just that quickly if you're showing a one you know the six is on the other side you could set that and then we won a five it's on the opposite side and then you're off
for your throw don't play 25 tables let's boycott them let's come together and refuse to play if no one plays at 25 tables they'll be forced to bring them back down to 15 tables at least i wish we could boycott
15 tables but i think that ship has sailed so i get it maybe you're a high roller and you don't want to be bothered with players like me with my measly you guys could play at the 50 tables that's fine but the 25 tables are
starting to become too common especially for folks in the east coast so let's band together and let's force them to get rid of the 25 table don't make late bets once the dice rolls and the stickman pulls the dice to the middle of
the table you'll have plenty of time to make your bets if the table is super fast and lots of bets are happening place your bet here on this line if you so if you place your bet right here on this line between the field and the com
field bet is it a combat so he's going to be forced to ask you what is this bet get his attention or something like that so if it's on the line he's going to say whose bed is this and what do you want i want 44 inside sure there's your six
dollars and change and he'll set up your bets if your money is here your bets and the dice are about to move to the player they they may take your bet you can call it out they'll repeat the
bet back to you and you have a verbal bet in place so when the dice roll you know then he'll set you up and hopefully he won now you'll see a lot of tables that are marked no call bets and that means you're calling out a bet without
actually having money on the table but if you have your money on the table if you have your money on the table usually it's not a big problem again situation you're making your bets early enough the last thing you want to do is
have your hands inside the table you're trying to make a bet and the dice are thrown and they hit your hands a 7 is gonna show up you know for those that are superstitious and then you're gonna be the goat of the table and you
know again no one's gonna appreciate that no matter what number rolls hands out of the table so make sure you heading the shooter you should be done
don't be a stiff dealers work for minimum wage and rely on your tips to take care of their household feed their families whatever the case is sure maybe the casinos should pay them more and take care of them but that is just not
how the system is that we have i'm not going to tell you how to tip just that they are appreciated now if you are superstitious you can also think of tipping as bringing good karma so make sure you tip your dealers
mean by this is don't go to the atm because you ran out of cash bring the amount you want to play with if you lose it all be done with that session it's just not your day come back maybe later after a break or go have some lunch or
maybe the next day or try a different game for a little bit don't criticize or judge how others play it is gambling and it is their money sometimes the guy betting the props and the field bets well he's going to actually win more
than the line player with odds and the combats with odds sure over time you're going to do better because you have lower house edge bets but craps is a negative ev game that means expected value which means in the end only the
casino is going to win so there you have the 13 things i think you shouldn't be have some more ideas and you can go ahead and put those down in the comments i'd love to read them and maybe i'll make a different video but if you stick
things you stick to those you'll have a good time at the crafts table and again however you like to play don't criticize others but good luck on criticize others but good luck on coloring up