Beginners don't need to be afraid to try live craps at Rockford Casino

It can look intimidating to a beginner, but craps can be a fun casino game, especially when the shooter — the person rolling the dice — gets on a hot streak and other players start cheering them on.

Generally, the better the shooter does and the longer he or she rolls, the more money the other gamblers at the table make. Of course, your chips can disappear fast with a cold shooter rolling the bones.

A live craps table debuted Dec. 22 at the Rockford Casino: A Hard Rock Opening Act. Don't let all the betting options and loud players stop you from getting in on the action.

Here is a brief guide for beginners.

Getting started

Probably the best way to learn is to play, preferably alongside a friend with experience. You learn quick once you start playing. Find an open rack along the rail and put your money down on the table in front of you between rolls, or, better yet, between shooters. A dealer will exchange cash for chips that you put in your rack.

Your first bet

There are a lot of bets in craps that can seem complicated until you start to understand the game. Some bets are exotic and rarely seen while others are standard and can be fun for beginners.

The basic bet on a craps table is the pass line bet. This is the one almost everyone starts with. You put your chips on the pass line. If the shooter rolls a seven or 11, you win. But you lose if the shooter rolls a two, three or 12, called craps — very sad.

The point

Any other number rolled like four, five, six, eight, nine or 10 and you get what is called the "point." Now you are rooting for the shooter to throw that number again (you win) before rolling a seven (you lose). If the shooter hits the point, your pass line bet gets paid.

Taking odds

Once there is a point established, myriad other bets are possible. One of the best is what is called the "odds bet." This is a bet you place behind your pass line bet. With this bet your are essentially doubling down on a bet that the point will be rolled before a seven. And according to the Wizard of Odds Michael Shackleford it is a rare casino bet that is "exactly fair" with "zero house edge."

Place bet

Another common bet that can be made once a shooter has a point, is called the "place bet." With this bet, you choose another number besides the point you think the shooter will roll before a seven. For instance, you can do a place bet on the six and/or eight and if he or she rolls a six or eight before a seven, you get paid. That bet stays on the table as long as the shooter is rolling without hitting a seven. If you bet on the eight and the shooter rolls an eight three times, you get paid three times.

Rolling dice

Don't be afraid to roll the bones. You never know, you might get some beginner's luck. Usually the dealer will offer you five dice when it's your turn to throw. You choose two of them. Keep the pre-throw rituals to a minimum because it slows down the game, but if on a hot streak, keep doing what you're doing. Try to keep the dice from flying off the table, but throw them hard enough to hit the back wall of the craps table.

Once you jump in the fray and start mixing it up, you learn there are other more advanced bets that can be made and lots of intricacies that go with them. For instance, you can place a wager that the shooter will hit a number in one of the "hard ways," meaning double twos for four, double threes for six, double fours for eight or double fives for 10. There are also players who bet against the shooter with a "Don't Pass" bet, meaning they are betting that the shooter will hit a seven before the point. And there are other proposition bets that can empty your bankroll fast, but sometimes pay off big.