How To Play Craps

Ever walked through a casino when a craps table is in full flow? It seems like the most fun place to be, and that’s often the moment people decide they want to learn how to play craps.

Craps is a dice game that looks simple from the outside, yet the unfamiliar craps rules often discourage players from having a go. That’s a shame, because craps is an iconic table game that has entertaining sequences of play that no other casino game can offer.

I’m going to explain the rules of craps and share a few pointers to help you understand the game, even if you don’t wrap your head around every craps bet in one go.

Before playing, it’s worth setting a budget, checking the rules, and deciding which bets you want to understand first. Craps can move quickly, so taking time to learn the layout can make the game easier to follow.

Craps quick start

1. Two dice are rolled

2. Players bet on the total or on a sequence of totals

3. The Comeout roll starts the round

4. If a Point is set, the shooter keeps rolling until the Point or a 7 appears

Craps in a nutshell

Craps is a dice game famous for its starring role in American movies – think Sharon Stone in the movie Casino – but it has never quite caught on this side of the pond.

Maybe that’s because craps terms are a bit strange, and the game has an unusual format. It’s not like roulette, where each spin of the wheel is totally separate. In craps, each throw of the dice is part of a sequence. You can join the table just before a new sequence begins, or in the middle, but some bets may not be available until a sequence has finished.

So here we go – the internet’s only ‘How to play craps for beginners’ guide that won’t melt your brain.

Craps terminology

Craps has some unusual terms that can be confusing at first. Here's an explanation of the most common ones before we dive into the rules:

• Shooter: The person rolling the dice

• Comeout roll: The first roll in a new sequence

• Point: A number established on the Comeout roll

• Puck: The marker showing whether the table is in the Comeout or Point phase

• Seven-out: When a 7 is rolled before the Point

• Hardway: A paired dice total, such as 4 + 4

The craps table

Craps is a table game like roulette, where the bets are laid out on the table. But instead of a ball, craps uses dice to produce random outcomes. Here’s what a typical game of craps looks like in a casino:

As you can see, craps is played on a long oval table, giving the shooter a good alley down which they can throw the dice. The dice must hit the end wall or it won’t be a valid throw. The total score can be between 2 and 12, and some combinations have special significance.

Here’s a closer look at some of the most popular bets on a craps table:

Craps rules for beginners

The full craps rules can be overwhelming, so here are the most important rules to know when you are learning how to play craps online.

1. In Craps, two 6-sided dice are thrown and players bet on the total. Craps odds range from 4 to 1, right up to 30 to 1. That’s because it's easier to roll a 7 and harder to roll a 12 . With two dice, there are 36 possible dice combinations. A total of 7 can be made six different ways, while a total of 12 can only be made one way: 6 + 6. This is why different totals have different payout odds.

2. Players can bet on specific totals, or combinations of totals. You can bet on one total like 9, or a group of different totals. For example, a Field bet covers 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, and 12.

3. There are 2 types of craps bet: ‘one-roll’ and ‘multi-roll’. This is the most important difference between craps and other casino games. To play multi-roll bets, it’s important to learn what the craps terms Comeout and Point mean.

4. Craps is played in 2 phases, Comeout and Point. These phases only apply to multi-roll bets like Pass and Don’t Pass.

The Comeout roll

This is the most important part of any craps guide. You can place one-roll craps bets any time you like. But the rest of the game revolves around the Comeout and Point. The first part of a typical sequence in craps is called the Comeout. It’s the first roll of a new round, and it either settles some bets immediately or establishes a Point if the shooter rolls 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10.

If the next roll of the dice is the Comeout roll and therefore no Point total has been chosen yet, a button called a puck will be placed OFF side up. If a Point number has been chosen, the puck will show as ON, and be placed next to the Point number on the table.

On the Comeout roll, 3 things can happen:

• 7 or 11: All Pass bets win, and the next throw is a Comeout

• 2, 3 or 12: All Pass bets lose, and the next throw is a Comeout

• Any other number: A Point is established, and the next throw starts the Point phase

The Point phase

For players who have placed multi-roll bets like Pass, Come, Don’t Pass or Don’t Come, the race is now on. This is the most exciting part of craps. Let’s say the shooter threw a 9 on the Comeout roll. That is now the Point. The shooter keeps throwing the dice until they roll the Point again, or throw a 7 to end the sequence.

On every throw after a Point has been chosen, there are 3 possible outcomes:

• Point: All Pass/Come bets win and the next roll is a Comeout

• 7: All Pass/Come bets lose, and the next roll is a Comeout

• Any other number: The main Pass/Come sequence continues

One-roll bets are among the easiest craps bets to understand, but Pass/Come bets are the most fun part of craps, so it’s worth taking a bit of time to see how they work. If you never experience the chase to make the Point before a 7 is rolled, you’re missing one of the game's defining features.

If you’re still unsure how the Comeout and Point work, here’s a quick craps chart which shows how the most popular craps bet, the Pass Line, works:

Craps bets and payouts

Craps odds are fairly similar to online roulette, with a wide range starting from ‘even money’ up to 30 to 1 payouts. I’ve already mentioned several of the most popular bet types, but now it’s time to actually look at each bet, see how you can win, and how much you can win.

Here’s a typical craps table, where I’ve labelled the names and meaning of each bet

1. Pass Line: Bet on 7 or 11, or point number before 7

2. Don’t Pass Line: Bet on 2 or 3 (push if 12), or 7 before point number

3. Come: Same as Pass (but when puck is ON)

4. Don’t Come: Same as Don’t Pass (but when puck is ON)

5. Place win: Bet on specific number before a 7

6. Place lose: Bet on 7 before a specific number

7. Hardways: Bet on a pair before a 7 or same total rolled another way

8. Field: Bet on 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 or 12

9. Any Craps: Bet on 2, 3 or 12

10. Any Seven: Bet on any 7

11. Dice bets: Bet on specific dice outcome

12. C-E: A split bet on 2, 3, 12 and 11

One-roll bets

You can place these at any time, and like it says on the tin, your bet is only for one throw of the Craps dice. Interestingly, as well as single numbers and combination bets which have one payout odds, there are also combination bets with variable odds depending on what number you hit. A bet to roll a specific number on both dice is sometimes called a hop bet in craps. An easy hop is a one-roll bet on a specific combination where the numbers are different – for example 6-5. A hard hop is a bet where both dice show the same number, like 2-2.

Payouts, available bets, and rules can vary between craps games, so always check the paytable before playing.

Although one-roll bets might be the easiest to wrap your head around, and they offer what can look like the most eye-catching payouts, they come with a huge ‘but’ attached. The house edges for most of the bets above are between 5% and a whopping 16%. Purely in terms of mathematical value, bets like Snake Eyes (a one-roll bet on a total of 2) have one of the worst odds in craps.

Multi-roll bets

Multi-roll bets can win or lose on the Comeout, or they may stay active until the Point number or a 7 is rolled. Pass/Don’t Pass and Come/Don’t Come base bets are paid at 1 to 1 odds, while Place and Hardways bets depend on the number or combination you choose.

Pass Line: Played only during the Comeout phase (when the puck is OFF). You win with 7 or 11, and lose with 2, 3 or 12. After a Point is established, you win if the Point is thrown again before a 7.

Don’t Pass: This is the opposite of Pass Line, with a small difference. Here, you win on a 2 or 3, and push (money back) on a 12. You lose on a 7 or 11. After the Point is set, you win if a 7 comes first, and lose if the Point comes first.

Come: Only available during the Point phase. It works much like a Pass bet, but starts from the next roll after you place it.

Don’t Come: Only available during the Point phase, and identical to the Don’t Pass bet.

Place Bets: Once a Point is established, you can bet on selected numbers. A Place Win bet wins if your chosen number is rolled before a 7. A Place Lose-style bet wins if a 7 is rolled before your chosen number. Similar number bets may also appear as Buy and Lay bets. Buy bets back a chosen number to roll before a 7, while Lay bets back a 7 to roll before the chosen number. Rules and commissions can vary by game, so check the paytable.

Hardways: Bet on a specific number (must be made up of paired dice e.g. Four-Four). You win if it appears before a 7, and lose if a 7 comes first, or an unpaired version of your chosen number (e.g. Five-Three).

These aren’t the only Craps bets and you could easily end up down a rabbit hole of numbers, variable odds and strange winning conditions. But if you master the Pass/Come options plus some single numbers, you’ll have a solid grounding in how to play craps online.