How to Play Craps
Craps is a fast-moving game where players wager on the outcome of a dice roll or a series of rolls. As in most casino games, chance determines the result; no particular skill or strategy is needed to win.
Craps is often noted for a low house edge of 1.41%, which is said to give players a better chance of ending ahead. This figure does not guarantee a winning session.
The Rules
At a land-based casino, craps is played against the house, with as many as 12 to 16 people able to take part at once. The table has a wide felt layout surrounded by high rails, allowing players to bounce the dice while keeping them in bounds. Online games generally recreate the look and format, using a virtual pair of dice instead of physical ones.
A round begins when the shooter places a wager above the table minimum on either the Pass Line or Don’t Pass Line. The shooter rolls two standard six-sided dice, numbered one through six. The total number of spots facing up is the result. Craps is usually played over a series of rolls, not just one throw.
The first throw is called the “come-out roll.” A total of 2, 3, or 12 is called “craps.” If craps comes up on the come-out roll, the game ends. A first roll of 7 or 11 also ends the game. Each round has two phases—come-out and point—and a payout may follow one roll or, in some cases, several rolls.
Game Play
The opening throw, or come-out roll, is easy to follow and has three possible outcomes:
- A total of 2, 3, or 12 is “crapping out,” a loss. The shooter and other players can bet on this outcome, but it ends the shooter’s turn.
- A total of 7 or 11 wins, and the player can continue shooting.
- Any other total sets a point. The shooter keeps rolling until that point comes up again or a 7 appears. Repeating the point wins; rolling a 7 first loses.
Learn the available wagers before you play. Although bets can be placed at any time, the beginning of a new shooter’s turn is generally considered the best time to bet. Common craps wagers include:
Pass Line Bet
The Pass Line is the basic craps bet. On the come-out roll, 7 or 11 wins, while 2, 3, or 12 loses. If a point of 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 is set, that number must come up again before a 7 for the bet to win. A 7 before the point loses.
Don’t Pass Line
This wager is the reverse of the Pass Line: you bet against the shooter and want a 2, 3, or 12 on the come-out roll so the shooter “craps out.” If the come-out roll sets a point, you want a 7 to appear before that point.
Come Bet
A Come bet follows the same basic rules as a Pass Line bet, but you can place it only after a point is established. Put your intended chips in the table’s Come area. Once the bet is placed, the next dice roll acts as the Come-out roll for that wager.
Don’t Come Bet
A Don’t Come bet is the reverse of a Come bet. After a point is set, 2 or 3 wins, while 7 or 11 loses. A 12 is a tie. Any other roll wins if a 7 appears before that number on a later throw.
Odds Bets
When the shooter establishes a point on the come-out roll, a player with a Pass Line bet can “take the odds.” This is widely described as the best craps wager because it has no built-in house advantage. An odds bet is an additional wager, limited to the amount of the original bet, that the point will repeat before a 7.
Field Bets
A field bet is settled on a single dice roll. You win if the total is 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12, and lose on 5, 6, 7, or 8. Payouts vary: a 2 pays double (2:1), a 12 pays 3:1, and all other winning totals pay even money (1:1).
Proposition Bets
Proposition bets can be made at any time. With the exception of hardways, they are wagers on a single roll. They include:
- Craps: A roll of 2, 3, or 12 wins, paying 8:1.
- Seven: A roll of 7 wins, paying 5:1.
- Eleven: A roll of 11 wins, paying 16:1.
- Horn bet: A roll of 2, 3, 11, or 12 wins; the number rolled determines the payout.
- Ace Deuce: A roll of 3 wins, paying 16:1.
- Boxcars or Aces: A roll of 2 or 12 wins, paying 30:1.
Getting Started
Only a few major online casino software providers have released popular craps games. They include Microgaming, NetEnt, and Playtech.
Players are drawn to online craps for several reasons. Minimum bets are often much lower than at online casinos, and games may be available around the clock. There are also many free online craps games for practice before you risk real money. Once you learn the rules, you may find craps exciting, but practice does not eliminate the risk of loss.
