Craps Guide
Craps
is the third most popular casino game in the world (just behind
slots and just ahead of
roulette).
Craps is a dice game played on a special felt table, and is unique
because only one person shoots the dice, but up to twenty players
can bet on the outcome of the shooter's rolls.
To play craps you place your wagers on the felt table, and wait for the outcome of the roll. Sometimes you will win, sometimes you will lose, and sometimes nothing will happen and the shooter will roll again. The rest of this article will teach you how to play craps, and explain the most popular craps bets.
How to Play Craps
A game of craps begins with a roll of the dice. This initial roll is called the "come out" roll. If the shooter hits a two, three, or twelve, then all pass line bets lose and the shooter throws another come out roll. If the shooter hits a seven or eleven, all pass line bets win and the shooter throws another come out roll. If the shooter hits any other number, that number becomes the "point".
From there, the shooter rolls the dice over and over again until one of two things happen:
- They hit the "point" - causing all pass line bets to win.
- They roll a seven - causing all pass line bets to lose.
Once they either hit the point or seven out, they then pass the dice to player on their left, and the process repeats.
Ok, so right now you are probably wondering what in the world a "pass line" bet is, and what other kind of bets you can make at a craps table. Let's get into it now...
Craps Bets
In craps there is one main bet that players make, and that is the pass line bet.
Pass Line
You can bet on the pass line by putting your chips in the section of the table named "pass line". As I mentioned before, if the come out roll is a two, three, or twelve, you lose your money. If the come out roll is a seven or eleven, you win. If a point is established, and the shooter this the point before sevening out, you win. The pass line bet pays 1:1.
Taking the Odds
If you have made a pass line bet, you can then make an additional bet on the point after it is established. This is called taking the odds. Since the odds of hitting the point are less than hitting a seven, the casino gives you additional odds to compensate for this:
| Point | Payout |
| 6 or 8 | 6:5 |
| 5 or 9 | 3:2 |
| 4 or 10 | 2:1 |
This is one of the only bets in the casino that has no house edge. Therefore, you should always take the odds when possible, because it reduces the house edge on your pass line bet.
Don't Pass Line
The don't pass line bet is the exact opposite of the pass line. If the come out roll is a two, three, or twelve, you win. If the come out is a seven or eleven, you lose. If a point is established, and the shooter sevens out before they hit the point, you win. The don't pass line pays out 1:1.
Laying the Odds
Laying the odds is exactly the opposite of taking the odds. After you have made a don't pass line bet, you can place an additional wager that the shooter will seven out before hitting the point. Since the odds of hitting a seven are greater than the odds of hitting the point, the payouts are decreased. Here are the payouts for laying the odds:
| Point | Payout |
| 6 or 8 | 5:6 |
| 5 or 9 | 2:3 |
| 4 or 10 | 1:2 |
Just like taking the odds, laying the odds is an even money bet. There is no house edge at all on this bet, so we always recommend laying the odds after betting the don't pass line.
Come Bet
The come bet is exactly like the pass line bet, but it is made after the come out roll. You place your wager, and the next roll acts as your own come out roll. If the come out roll is a seven, you win. If the come out roll is any other number, that number is your point.
Once your point is established, you wait to see if the shooter rolls your point again or sevens out. Even if they hit their own point, your bet stays on the table until someone either sevens out or hits your point. The come bet pays 1:1.
Don't Come Bet
The don't come bet is the exact opposite of the come bet. It is placed after the original come out roll, and if the first roll after you make your don't come bet is a seven, you lose. However, if the roll is any other number, that number becomes your point.
Then, you hope that the shooter sevens out before hitting your point. If they hit their own point, your bet stays on the table until someone either sevens out or hits your point. If they seven out, you win a 1:1 payout. If they hit your point, you lose.
More Craps Resources
This is only a small portion of the enormous amount of craps bets, so if you would like to learn more make sure to check out the sites below:
- Find a full list of craps bets at Craps-Casinos.com.
- Play free craps online at FreeOnlineCraps.org.
- Learn how to play craps online at onlinecraps.net.
