The Complete Beginner's Guide to Craps: Understanding the Game of Dice

Introduction

Craps is one of the most exciting and social games you’ll find in any casino. The energy around a craps table is electric, with players cheering together as the dice tumble across the felt. While the layout may look intimidating at first glance with its myriad of betting options and cryptic terminology, craps is actually quite simple once you understand the basic rules. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know to confidently step up to a craps table.

The History and Origins of Craps

Understanding where craps came from helps illuminate why the game is structured the way it is. Craps evolved from a Western European game called Hazard, which dates back potentially to the time of the Crusades. The game was described in detail by Edmond Hoyle in 1790. Around 1788, a French variation called “Krabs” emerged.

The name “craps” itself derives from an interesting linguistic journey. In aristocratic London, “crabs” was the term for rolling a two or three on the dice, which were instant-losing numbers in Hazard. This term “crabs” (or Krabs) corrupted into “creps” and eventually became “craps.”

The game traveled from London to New Orleans around 1805, though historical evidence suggests Hazard had been played in America since at least the 1600s. The game was initially called “Pass” and gained popularity among the underclass in the early 19th century. Field workers taught the game to deckhands who carried it up the Mississippi River, though interestingly, it never caught on with riverboat gamblers.

A pivotal innovation came around 1907 when Philadelphia dicemaker John H. Winn introduced the “Don’t Pass” betting option, which balanced the game and incentivized casinos to use fair dice. This modern format is what we play today.

Craps exploded in popularity during World War II, when service members from all social classes played the street version using blankets as shooting surfaces. These military memories led to craps becoming the dominant casino game in postwar Las Vegas and the Caribbean.

Basic Game Structure and Flow

At its core, craps is a game where players bet on the outcome of rolling two six-sided dice. In casino or “bank” craps, one or more players bet against the casino rather than each other. Players and dealers stand around a large rectangular table covered with a fabric layout displaying various betting options.

The Basic Game Flow

The fundamental rhythm of craps follows this pattern:

The Come-Out Roll: A designated player called the “shooter” makes their first roll with two dice. This initial roll is called the come-out roll.
Three Possible Outcomes on Come-Out:
- Rolling 7 or 11 is a “natural” and the shooter wins immediately
- Rolling 2, 3, or 12 is “craps” and the shooter loses immediately
- Rolling any other number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) establishes that number as “the point”
The Point Phase: If a point is established, the shooter continues rolling until one of two things happens:
- They roll the point number again (they “make the point” and win)
- They roll a 7 (they “seven out” and lose)
Passing the Dice: Once a shooter sevens out, the dice pass clockwise to the next player who becomes the new shooter.

This basic structure forms the foundation upon which all craps betting is built.

Understanding the Craps Table

A regulation craps table can accommodate up to 16 players, with duplicate betting layouts on each end. In the center of the layout are additional betting options used by players from both ends.

Table Personnel

A fully staffed table has four casino employees:

The Boxman: Seated behind the casino’s chip bank, manages chips, supervises dealers, and handles chip exchanges
Two Base Dealers: Stand on either side of the boxman, collecting and paying bets for their half of the table
The Stickman: Stands opposite the boxman, announces results with distinctive patter, moves dice with a long stick, and handles center table bets

The Dice

Casino dice are manufactured to exacting standards. They’re made from translucent cellulose with perfectly square edges measuring exactly 3/4 inch (19.05mm) per side, with a tolerance of just 0.005mm. The pips are drilled 17 thousandths of an inch deep and filled with paint matching the cellulose density to ensure perfect balance. Each die carries a serial number and the casino’s logo to prevent cheating.

The Core Bets: Pass and Don’t Pass

Every craps player should master these two fundamental bets before exploring more exotic options.

The Pass Line Bet

This is the most basic and popular bet in craps. You’re betting that the shooter will win.

How it Works:

If the come-out roll is 7 or 11, you win even money (1:1)
If the come-out roll is 2, 3, or 12, you lose
If any other number is rolled, that becomes the point
If the shooter rolls the point again before rolling a 7, you win even money
If a 7 comes before the point, you lose

The Pass line bet has a house edge of just 1.41%, making it one of the best bets in the casino. Once you make a Pass line bet, it’s a “contract bet” that cannot be removed or reduced until the round resolves.

The Don’t Pass Bet

This is almost the opposite of the Pass line, often called “playing the dark side” because you’re betting against the shooter.

How it Works:

If the come-out roll is 2 or 3, you win even money
If the come-out roll is 7 or 11, you lose
If the come-out roll is 12, it’s a push (tie) in most casinos
If any other number establishes a point, you win if a 7 comes before the point
You lose if the point is rolled before a 7

The push on 12 (sometimes 2 in some casinos) is mathematically necessary to maintain the house edge at 1.36%. Without this push, players would have an advantage.

Unlike the Pass line, Don’t Pass is a “no-contract bet,” meaning you can take it down after a point is established, though this is generally not advantageous to do.

Taking and Laying Odds: The Best Bet in the Casino

Once a point is established, Pass line and Don’t Pass bettors can make an additional “odds” bet. This is the only bet in the casino with zero house edge, paying at true mathematical odds.

Taking Odds (Pass Line)

After a point is established, you can place an odds bet behind your Pass line bet. This bet pays at true odds:

2-to-1 if the point is 4 or 10
3-to-2 if the point is 5 or 9
6-to-5 if the point is 6 or 8

Most casinos limit odds to a multiple of your original bet. Common offerings include single odds (1x), double odds (2x), triple odds (3x), or the popular 3-4-5x odds system where you can bet:

3x your Pass line bet if the point is 4 or 10
4x your bet if the point is 5 or 9
5x your bet if the point is 6 or 8

This 3-4-5x system has an elegant feature: regardless of which point is established, a maximum odds bet will always pay exactly 6 times your original Pass line bet.

Laying Odds (Don’t Pass)

Don’t Pass bettors can lay odds, betting that a 7 will come before the point. Because 7 is more likely than any point number, you must bet more to win less:

1-to-2 if the point is 4 or 10 (bet $20 to win $10)
2-to-3 if the point is 5 or 9 (bet $30 to win $20)
5-to-6 if the point is 6 or 8 (bet $60 to win $50)

The maximum lay bet is typically expressed so you can win up to the maximum odds multiple available at the table.

Strategy Tip: Always take or lay maximum odds. While it doesn’t reduce the overall house edge to zero (since you still have the initial Pass/Don’t Pass bet), it dilutes the house edge across a larger total wager, giving you the best possible odds in the casino.

Come and Don’t Come Bets

These bets work exactly like Pass and Don’t Pass, but they can be made at any time after a point is established.

Come Bets

When you place a Come bet, you’re essentially starting your own personal come-out roll:

If the next roll is 7 or 11, you win
If the next roll is 2, 3, or 12, you lose
Any other number becomes your personal “come point”
The dealer moves your bet to that number’s box
If that number rolls again before a 7, you win
If a 7 rolls first, you lose

You can take odds on your come point just like the main Pass line point. Come bets allow you to have action on multiple numbers simultaneously.

Don’t Come Bets

These mirror Come bets but work like Don’t Pass:

If the next roll is 2 or 3, you win
If the next roll is 7 or 11, you lose
If the next roll is 12, it’s a push
Any other number becomes your Don’t Come point
Win if 7 rolls before your point; lose if your point hits first

You can lay odds behind Don’t Come points as well.

Important Note: Come and Don’t Come odds are typically “off” (not working) during a new come-out roll, meaning a 7 on the come-out doesn’t lose your odds bets. However, you can request they be “working” if desired.

Place Bets: Direct Number Betting

Place bets allow you to bet directly on specific numbers (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) without waiting for them to be established as a point.

How Place Bets Work

Simply tell the dealer which number you want to bet on: “Place the 6” or “Give me $30 on the eight.” Your chips are placed in the appropriate number box. If that number rolls before a 7, you win and the bet stays up for the next roll. If a 7 rolls first, you lose.

Place Bet Payouts

Place bets pay slightly less than true odds to give the house its edge:

4 and 10: Pay 9-to-5 (true odds are 2-to-1)
5 and 9: Pay 7-to-5 (true odds are 3-to-2)
6 and 8: Pay 7-to-6 (true odds are 6-to-5)

Betting Strategy: To receive correct payouts:

Bet in multiples of $5 for the 4, 5, 9, and 10
Bet in multiples of $6 for the 6 and 8

The 6 and 8 are the best place bets with a house edge of only 1.52%, making them attractive options after Pass/Don’t Pass with odds.

Place bets can be removed or reduced at any time, unlike Pass line bets. They’re typically “off” (not working) on come-out rolls unless you specify otherwise.

Buy and Lay Bets

These are alternatives to place bets that pay true odds but charge a 5% commission.

Buy Bets

Buy bets work like place bets but pay at true odds:

4 and 10: Pay 2-to-1
5 and 9: Pay 3-to-2
6 and 8: Pay 6-to-5

The 5% commission is typically $1 for every $20 you want to win. Some casinos only charge commission on winning bets, which significantly reduces the house edge. Buy bets are most advantageous on the 4 and 10.

Lay Bets

Lay bets are the opposite of buy bets. You’re betting that a 7 will roll before a specific number:

4 and 10: Pay 1-to-2
5 and 9: Pay 2-to-3
6 and 8: Pay 5-to-6

A 5% commission is charged on the potential win. For example, a $40 lay bet on the 4 would pay $20 if it wins, with a $1 commission. Lay bets are always working, even on come-out rolls, unless you specify otherwise.

Hardway Bets

Hardway bets can only be placed on 4, 6, 8, and 10. You’re betting that the number will be rolled as doubles before either a 7 or any “easy” combination of that number appears.

Examples:

Hard 4: Must roll 2-2 before any 7 or any 1-3/3-1 combination
Hard 6: Must roll 3-3 before any 7 or any 2-4/4-2 or 1-5/5-1
Hard 8: Must roll 4-4 before any 7 or any 3-5/5-3 or 2-6/6-2
Hard 10: Must roll 5-5 before any 7 or any 4-6/6-4 combination

Payouts:

Hard 4 and Hard 10: Pay 7-to-1 (house edge 11.11%)
Hard 6 and Hard 8: Pay 9-to-1 (house edge 9.09%)

Hardways are multi-roll bets that stay up until they win or lose. They’re typically always working, including come-out rolls, though some casinos turn them off unless requested.

Proposition Bets: High Risk, High Reward

Located in the center of the table, proposition bets are single-roll bets handled by the stickman. While they offer tempting payouts, they carry significantly higher house edges.

Common Proposition Bets

Any Seven:

Wins if the next roll is 7
Pays 4-to-1 (true odds are 5-to-1)
House edge: 16.67%

Any Craps:

Wins if the next roll is 2, 3, or 12
Pays 7-to-1 (true odds are 8-to-1)
House edge: 11.11%

Individual Numbers:

2 or 12: Pays 30-to-1 (house edge 13.89%)
3 or 11: Pays 15-to-1 (house edge 11.11%)

Horn Bet:

A four-way bet on 2, 3, 11, and 12 simultaneously
Must be in units of $4 or more
Pays according to which number hits

C & E (Craps-Eleven):

Splits your bet between Any Craps and 11
Must be an even amount (minimum $2)
One part always loses, the other might win

Hop Bets:

Bet on a specific combination of dice
“Hard way” hops (doubles) pay 30-to-1
“Easy way” hops pay 15-to-1
Example: “Hop the 5-2” means you win if the next roll is exactly 5 and 2

Verdict: While proposition bets add excitement, they carry house edges from 9% to 17%, making them poor long-term bets. Save them for occasional fun rather than serious strategy.

The Field Bet

The Field is a large area on the layout covering the numbers 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, and 12. It’s a self-service bet that wins if any of these numbers roll on the next throw.

Standard Payouts:

Pays even money (1-to-1) on 3, 4, 9, 10, and 11
Pays 2-to-1 on 2 and 12 (some casinos pay 3-to-1 on one of these)

The Field appears attractive since it covers seven numbers, but remember that more combinations produce non-Field numbers (5, 6, 7, 8) than Field numbers. The house edge is typically 5.56%, though it drops to 2.78% if the casino pays 3-to-1 on both 2 and 12.

Understanding Odds and Probability

To make informed betting decisions, it’s crucial to understand the mathematical foundation of craps.

Dice Combinations

With two six-sided dice, there are 36 possible combinations (6 × 6). Here’s how often each total appears:

7: 6 ways (1-6, 2-5, 3-4, 4-3, 5-2, 6-1) — 16.67% chance
6 or 8: 5 ways each — 13.89% chance each
5 or 9: 4 ways each — 11.11% chance each
4 or 10: 3 ways each — 8.33% chance each
3 or 11: 2 ways each — 5.56% chance each
2 or 12: 1 way each — 2.78% chance each

The seven is the most common roll, which is why it wins on the come-out but loses after a point is established. This mathematical reality drives the entire game structure.

House Edge Summary

Understanding the house edge helps you make smart betting choices:

Best Bets (under 2% house edge):

Pass/Don’t Pass with maximum odds: <1%
Place 6 or 8: 1.52%
Pass/Come: 1.41%
Don’t Pass/Don’t Come: 1.36%

Moderate Bets (2-5% house edge):

Place 5 or 9: 4.00%
Place 4 or 10: 6.67%
Field (2x on 2&12): 5.56%

Poor Bets (over 9% house edge):

Hardways: 9-11%
Any Craps: 11.11%
Proposition bets: 11-17%

Strategy for New Players

As a beginner, follow this straightforward approach:

Conservative Strategy

Start with the Pass Line: Make the table minimum Pass line bet
Take Maximum Odds: Once a point is established, take the highest odds allowed
Consider Come Bets: If you want more action, add one or two Come bets with odds
Place the 6 and 8: These have the lowest house edge among place bets
Avoid Center Table Bets: Skip proposition bets until you’re more experienced

This strategy keeps your total action moderate while giving you the best mathematical chance of success.

Aggressive Strategy

If you have a larger bankroll and want maximum action:

Pass Line with Maximum Odds
Make Continuous Come Bets: Keep two or three Come bets working with maximum odds
Place the 6 and 8: Add place bets on these numbers for additional coverage
Optional Buy Bets on 4/10: If the casino charges commission only on wins

This approach spreads your money across multiple numbers, creating frequent wins but also requiring a substantial bankroll to weather losing streaks.

Table Etiquette and Rules

Craps has unique cultural aspects that beginners should understand:

Physical Rules

One Hand Only: Handle dice with only one hand
Hit the Back Wall: Both dice must hit the far wall of the table
Keep Dice Visible: Don’t raise them above the table edge
Cash on Table: Place money on the table rather than handing it to dealers

Tipping: It’s customary to tip dealers by making bets for them
Don’t Say “Seven”: After a point is established, avoid saying the word “seven” (use “Big Red” or “the S-word”)
Don’t Blame Others: Never blame other players for a seven-out
Don’t Delay: Don’t hold up the game with complicated bets or indecision
Respect the Shooter: Don’t reach onto the table while dice are being thrown

Working and Non-Working Bets

Working: A bet that’s “live” and can win or lose on the next roll
Off or Not Working: Chips are on the table but temporarily inactive
On Button: Dealers use this to indicate bets that are working when they normally wouldn’t be

Understanding when bets work or don’t work by default helps avoid confusion:

Pass/Don’t Pass/Come/Don’t Come: Always working
Place/Buy bets: Working after a point is established, off on come-out (unless you specify)
Lay bets: Always working
Hardways: Usually always working
Proposition bets: Always working

Variations and Advanced Concepts

Put Bets

Some casinos (mainly in Las Vegas) allow “put” betting, where you can make or increase a Pass line bet after a point is established and immediately take odds. This is generally disadvantageous unless you’re taking very high odds (5x or more).

Crapless Craps

In this variation, 2, 3, 11, and 12 all become potential point numbers. While this sounds good, it significantly increases the house edge to 5.38% because these numbers are much less likely to repeat before a seven.

Fire Bet

A side bet (typically $1-$10) that pays escalating odds as the shooter makes multiple different points:

4 different points: 24-to-1
5 different points: 249-to-1
6 different points: 999-to-1

The house edge is relatively high (around 20%), but the jackpot potential attracts players.

Bonus Craps

Players can bet on hitting all small numbers (2,3,4,5,6), all tall numbers (8,9,10,11,12), or all numbers before a seven, with payouts of 35-for-1 and 176-for-1 respectively.

Common Terminology

Learning the language helps you follow the action:

Shooter: The player rolling the dice
Come-Out Roll: First roll of a new round
Point: The target number established on come-out (4,5,6,8,9,10)
Natural: Rolling 7 or 11 on come-out (instant win)
Craps: Rolling 2, 3, or 12 on come-out (instant loss)
Seven Out: Rolling 7 after a point is established (shooter loses)
Making the Point: Rolling the point number before sevening out (shooter wins)
Hot Table: When shooters are consistently making points
Cold Table: When shooters keep sevening out quickly
Pressing: Increasing a winning bet
Regression: Decreasing a bet
Take Me Down: Removing a bet
Same Bet: Keeping the same bet after a win
Colored Up: Exchanging small chips for larger denominations

Managing Your Bankroll

Successful craps play requires disciplined money management:

Bankroll Requirements

A good rule of thumb is to have 20-30 times your average total bet. If you’re betting $10 on the Pass line with double odds on a point of 4, your maximum exposure is $30, so you should have at least $600-$900 as a session bankroll.

Session Limits

Set a loss limit (typically 50% of your session bankroll)
Set a win goal (typically 50-100% of your session bankroll)
Take breaks to avoid fatigue-induced poor decisions
Never chase losses by increasing bets beyond your comfort level

Betting Progression Myths

Avoid systems that claim to beat the house edge through betting progressions (Martingale, Paroli, etc.). While these systems can produce short-term wins, they don’t change the mathematical house edge and can lead to catastrophic losses during cold streaks.

Final Thoughts

Craps offers some of the best odds in the casino when played correctly. The key is sticking to the low house-edge bets (Pass/Don’t Pass with maximum odds, Come/Don’t Come with odds, and Place 6/8) while avoiding the tempting but mathematically poor center table proposition bets.

The social atmosphere makes craps uniquely engaging. There’s nothing quite like the collective excitement when a shooter makes multiple points or the camaraderie that develops among players cheering together. This energy, combined with the fast pace and numerous betting options, makes craps endlessly entertaining.

Start conservatively, learn the fundamentals, and gradually expand your betting repertoire as you become comfortable. With the knowledge from this guide, you’re now prepared to step up to the table with confidence. Remember: the goal is entertainment first, and the best way to enjoy craps is by understanding what you’re betting on and playing within your means.

Good luck, and may the dice be kind!

The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Craps: Understanding the Game of Dice

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