| Updated: September 25, 2025Offering close to a hundred different bets, craps may seem like a very confusing game. However, it is actually quite easy to play once you understand its rules and the basic types of wagers. It is a fast-paced game that can be played by up to 20 people at a time, and its outcome depends solely on chance. All of this makes craps a unique casino game that does not require any complex strategies or betting systems to guarantee your winnings.
Despite the fundamental simplicity of the game – in which you simply bet on the outcome of a pair of rolling dice – there are a few details players should take into consideration before heading to the craps table. These include the rules for handling the dice in brick-and-mortar casinos and the types of bets that can be made, since your choice of wager has the greatest impact on the game’s return.
Craps Rules of Play
Craps is played in two main phases; however, all bets must be placed first. Once every chip is on the table and the shooter selects a pair of dice from the five to eight dice available in a special tray, he or she tosses them to the opposite end of the table. A roll is valid only if the dice reach the opposite inside wall of the table.
When the dice come to rest, the numbers on their top sides are added together for the final outcome. For instance, if one die shows a 3 and the other a 5, the result is 8. Dealers collect the chips for losing bets, while winners receive their payouts. There are, however, bets that remain on the table without being settled – often referred to as “riding” bets – and they stay active for the next one or more rolls of the dice.
Come-Out Roll
When the game begins – or when a new player becomes the shooter – the first roll of the dice is called the come-out roll. Depending on the numbers shown, it can have three outcomes:
- 7 or 11 – The dice win with a natural, i.e., a 7 or 11. Everyone who bet on the Pass Line also wins. All other bets lose and are collected by the dealers.
- 2, 3, or 12 – These totals are known as craps numbers. If any of them appears, the dice are immediate losers. All Pass Line bets lose, while Don’t Pass bets may win.
- 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 – These totals establish a point, which is crucial for the following rolls. If one of these numbers is rolled, it becomes the “point.”
The Pass Line and Don’t Pass bets mentioned above are the simplest and most fundamental wagers in craps. The term “pass” means the dice win the round with a 7 or 11, whereas “don’t pass” indicates the player is betting that the dice will lose with a 2, 3, or 12.
Typically, if the shooter rolls craps, he or she is given another chance to throw the dice. Additionally, the 2 or the 12 may be treated as a push for Don’t Pass bets, although this rule varies among casinos. Whenever a natural or a craps number appears on the come-out roll, the marker puck on the table is “Off”. The next roll is also considered a come-out roll – this changes only when the dice total matches any of the point numbers.
Establishing the Point
When the initial roll is 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10, that number becomes the point and is marked by the dealer on the table. The dealer flips the button (the puck) to the “On” side and moves it to the corresponding number on the betting layout. After the point has been established, the second phase of the game begins, and the shooter keeps rolling the dice until one of two events occurs:
- The point is rolled – If the point is rolled before a 7, the dice win, paying everyone who bet with them, such as Pass Line bettors.
- The number 7 is rolled – If a 7 appears before the point, the dice lose and the round ends.
If any other number is rolled, it does not affect the outcome, and the shooter must continue tossing the dice until the point or a 7 appears. Certain bets can be placed only when the button is “On,” indicating that a point has been established.
Betting Options
Craps offers the widest variety of bets in the casino, but only a few basic wagers are necessary for beginners. These are the Pass Line and Don’t Pass bets, the Come/Don’t Come bets, and the Odds bets. They are simple to grasp, and players need no prior experience at the craps table to make them.
Pass Line and Don’t Pass
As mentioned above, the Pass Line and Don’t Pass bets are the two fundamental wagers in craps. With these bets, players predict whether the shooter will win or lose. They are mandatory; the game cannot begin until at least one Line bet is on the table, which is why the shooter must place such a bet before making the come-out roll.
If the come-out roll is a 7 or 11, the Pass Line wins and pays even money (1:1). If it is 2, 3, or 12, the bet loses. After a point is established, the Pass Line wins if the point number is rolled before a 7; it loses if the shooter rolls a 7 first. Conversely, the Don’t Pass wager wins when the Pass Line loses – with a 2 or 3 on the come-out roll (12 is usually a push) and with a 7 after the point is set. Once a point is made, Don’t Pass loses when the point appears before a 7.
Both wagers pay 1:1. The house edge is 1.41% for the Pass Line and 1.36% for the Don’t Pass.
Come and Don’t Come Bets
The Come and Don’t Come wagers are very similar to Pass/Don’t Pass bets; however, they can be placed only after the shooter has established a point. When you make a Come bet, you are betting that the next roll will be a 7 or 11. If it is, you win 1:1; if it is 2, 3, or 12, the Come bet loses. If any other number appears, it becomes the come-bet point and remains active until either a 7 or that point is rolled. If a 7 is rolled first, the Come bet loses; if the point for the Come wager is rolled before the 7, the bet wins 1:1.
The Don’t Come bet is the opposite. It also cannot be placed on the come-out roll and is available only after a point has been set. In this case, it wins when a 2 or 3 is rolled (even money) and loses when a 7 or 11 is rolled. A 12 is treated as a push. If any other number is rolled, it becomes the Don’t Come point, and a 7 must be rolled before that point number for the bet to win (also even money). If the point number appears first, the Don’t Come bet loses.
Pass and Don’t Pass Odds
Once a point is established, Pass Line players can take odds by placing an additional wager – typically a predetermined multiple of the Pass Line bet – directly behind it on the table. Pass Odds are essentially an add-on to the Pass Line because they win and lose under the same conditions: if the point is rolled before a 7, the Pass Odds win; if a 7 appears first, they lose. The same principle applies to Don’t Pass Odds bets.
These wagers are usually limited to 1x, 2x, or 3x the Pass/Don’t Pass bet, but some casinos permit multiples of up to 100x the original stake. The key advantage is that the odds of these bets match their payouts, giving them a house edge of virtually 0%. The exact payout depends on the point number.
- Craps History: How Craps Evolved from Ancient Times to 21st Century
- Craps Table and Etiquette
- Dice Combinations and Probabilities in Craps
- Understanding the Game of Craps: Odds and House Edge
- The Line Bets: The Basic Wagers in Craps
- Multi-Roll Bets in Craps
- Craps Proposition Bets
- Basic Craps Strategy
- Craps Variations
- Craps Side Bets
- Advantage Play and Cheating in Craps
- Online Craps: Top Software Providers
- Betting Patterns and Tactics to Win in Craps
- Progressive Betting Systems for Craps
- Bankroll Management Tips for Craps Players
Table Rules
While countless bets are available in craps, this article covers only the fundamental ones. They are ideal for any novice who is just beginning to play craps for real money. However, players should keep several additional factors in mind, especially when playing live craps in a brick-and-mortar casino.
Preventing Dice Control
Shooters must toss the dice hard enough for them to reach the opposite end of the craps table and bounce off the inside wall, ensuring the roll is as random as possible. Additionally, the dice should be thrown through the air rather than slid across the felt. If the shooter fails to throw the dice properly, the boxman (the dealer in charge) may reject the roll.
Other rules are in place to prevent dice control. The shooter may not pick up the dice with one hand and throw them with the other, and it is strictly forbidden to throw the dice with two hands or remove them from the table – casinos prohibit rubbing the dice on clothing or blowing on them for luck.
Handling Chips and Cash
Most casinos do not allow players to hand cash or chips directly to dealers. In fact, nothing should pass directly between patrons and the table crew. When players arrive at the craps table, they exchange cash for chips by placing their banknotes on the table and stating the chip denomination they want. The dealer returns the chips in the same way – placing them on the table for the player to pick up.
The dice follow a similar protocol. The stickman gathers the dice and places them in a tray, which he slides toward the shooter. The player then selects a pair of dice and proceeds with the roll.
Call Bets
Because craps tables are often crowded and noisy, call bets are usually prohibited. Casinos that do not allow them display a warning on the table so the rule is clear. A call bet is any wager announced verbally without placing the corresponding chips on the table.
Some players try to act quickly and forget to position their chips where the dealers can see or reach them. This can lead to confusion once the dice are rolled. To avoid misunderstandings, players should never call out bets without first placing chips on the table and clearly stating what the chips represent.