Craps
Craps looks like the most intimidating table in the casino and contains some of its cheapest bets. The table is covered in options, most of which you should ignore. Learn one bet — the Pass Line — and you can play the whole game competently, at close to the lowest house edge available anywhere on the floor.
The come out roll
A round starts with the come out roll. You place a Pass Line bet before it.
- 7 or 11 — Pass Line wins immediately.
- 2, 3 or 12 — Pass Line loses immediately. This is craps.
- Any other number — that number becomes the point, and the round continues.
Chasing the point
Once a point is established, the shooter keeps rolling. From there it is a simple race:
- Roll the point again before a 7 — the Pass Line wins.
- Roll a 7 first — the Pass Line loses, and the dice pass to the next shooter.
Note that a 7 is your friend on the come out roll and your enemy afterwards. That reversal is the single thing that confuses new players, and once it clicks the rest of the game follows.
The odds bet — the best bet in the casino
After a point is established you can back your Pass Line bet with an odds bet. This is unusual and worth understanding: the odds bet is paid at its true mathematical odds, which means it carries no house edge at all.
It is the only bet of its kind on a casino floor. It cannot be placed on its own — it exists only as a backup to a line bet — and taking it lowers the combined house edge of your position. If you play craps and take nothing else from this page, take that.
What to ignore
The centre of the table carries the proposition bets — any seven, hardways, horn bets and similar. They are loud, they pay big multiples, and they carry by far the highest house edges on the table. The dealers will not talk you out of them.
Pass Line, backed with odds, is the game. Sic Bo is the simpler dice alternative, and Lightning Dice simpler still. Everything settles in rand — see the table games floor.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Pass Line bet?
The main craps bet, placed before the come out roll. It wins on 7 or 11, loses on 2, 3 or 12, and otherwise sets a point that must be rolled again before a 7 for the bet to win. It carries one of the lowest house edges in the casino.
What is an odds bet?
A backup to a Pass Line bet, placed after a point is established, and paid at true mathematical odds — meaning it carries no house edge at all. It is the only such bet on a casino floor and it cannot be placed on its own.
Why does 7 win then lose?
On the come out roll a 7 wins immediately for the Pass Line. Once a point is established, a 7 ends the round and the Pass Line loses. That reversal is the thing that confuses new players, and the rest of craps follows easily once it clicks.
Which craps bets should I avoid?
The proposition bets in the centre of the table — any seven, hardways, horn bets. They pay large multiples and carry by far the highest house edges on the table. Pass Line backed with odds is the cheap way to play.
18+. Gambling involves risk and can be addictive. Play responsibly. National Responsible Gambling Programme 0800 006 008.