When it comes to craps you may have heard mention of a dealer and a boxman. They are part of the four- or five-person crew that works the craps table. This team consists of a stickman, two dealers, and one or two boxmen who, operate the game for the enjoyment of the players and the benefit of the house. The stickman, who conducts the game, uses a hooked stick (hence the name) to control the dice. From a bowl in front of him, he pushes five or six dice to a player, should that player not want to roll the dice, that player simply points to the next player, who then is presented with the dice. The shooter selects any two dice, but must always keep the die is view of the stickman when they are being held. If the die cannot be seen by the stickman, they will be called back and examined by the boxman, and a new set of dice from the bowl will be offered to the player. After the dice are thrown to the opposite end of the table, the stickman then announces the results, which is usually accompanied by a colorful banter. The stickman along with controlling the pace of the game also acts as a barker by calling out all the proposition bets that can be made with him. These are the worst bets for the player and the best bets for the house, and they account for a substantial portion of the casino’s winnings.

The dealers that are positioned opposite the stickman are responsible for placing the puck on the shooter’s number, making change, collecting losing bets and paying off winning bets, and paying off winning bets, and if that wasn’t enough they are also expected to help beginning players. Expert dealers very quickly become familiar with each player’s betting style, anticipating their play, even pointing out an overlooked bet. The other members of the craps crew are the boxmen. The boxmen are the ultimate authorities at the table, they sit between the dealers, watching the dice, the chips, the money, the dealers, and the players at all times.