If roulette is the cold, sterile, sophisticated martini then craps is the loud, brash and bawdy shots of tequila with a Bud chaser. There is never a casino moment when the craps table isn't rocking. People are high-fiving, pumping fists and screaming. There is no better advertisement for casinos than a lively craps table. It's bedlam. Exactly what a casino desires. For the newbie the action is inviting and intimidating as a club with a rope line and big bouncer. You want in, but how do you get in without making an ass of yourself. Here's a primer on the game and the table.

- The Shooter: This is the person tossing the dice.

- The Point: On the Shooter's "Coming out" roll, he makes a point if he rolls a 4,5,6,8,9,10. This becomes the number the shooter must make before rolling a 7 to continue rolling. If he makes a 7, he passes the dice to the next Shooter.

- The Pass line: This is a bet made prior to the Shooter's first roll. You can up the bet but a new person can't bet until a Shooter's made point or there is a new shooter. With a pass line bet you are betting the shooter will make their point before rolling a 7 (crapping out).

- The Don't Pass Line: Think bizarro pass line. You are betting the shooter will hit a 7 before hitting their point.

- Come Bets/Don't Come Bets: Like the pass line bets but made after the come out roll.

- Place Bets: Place a bet on any of these numbers: 4,5,6,8,9,10 and win if you hit before a 7 is rolled.

- Buy/Lay Bets: A buy bet wins if a 4 or 10 is rolled before a 7. Lay bets are won if a 7 is rolled before a 4, 5, 9, 10

- Horn Bets: Single roll bets betting on a 2, 3, 11, 12 to come up.

- Field Bets: Single roll bet made on 2,3,4,5,9,10,11,12.

- Big Red: Single roll bet on the number 7.

Now that you know how to bet there's no reason you can't stroll right past the crowd on the rope line and into the club. Pick up the dice and roll.