Here you will find craps rules, strategies and betting advice for all players, beginners to advanced.

Casino Craps Introduction

Craps is a fast moving game played with two dice, and is one of the most popular casino games.

It is also a big-money game, offering good returns if you get it right. There are definite right and wrong bets in craps, so it’s worth finding out how to play before you get swept away by the excitement of the craps playing crowd.

Craps is believed to have originated in the USA from an old dice game called Hazard. In Hazard the term “crabs eyes” was used to describe a throw of two ones – also known as snakes eyes. Crabs eyes quickly became “craps”.

The Rules

The player who is rolling the dice is called the “shooter”. The first roll in a round of Craps is called the “Come Out” roll. If the shooter rolls a 7 or 11, they win. If the shooter rolls a 2, 3 or 12, that’s a Craps and they lose. If any other number is rolled it becomes the “Point”. The purpose of the “Come Out” roll is to set the Point, which can be 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10. The Dealer places a puck marked “On” above the Point number printed on the table.

The shooter’s objective now is to roll the “Point” again before a 7 is rolled, called the “Out 7″. If the Point is rolled, the shooter and his fellow bettors win and the round is over. If the shooter rolls “Out 7″, they lose and the round is over. If the roll is neither the “Point” nor “Out 7″, the shooter continues to roll until they get the “Point” or “Out 7″.

All bets must be placed before the shooter rolls. There are numerous ways of betting on Craps, including One Roll Bets, Pass Line Bets, Don’t Pass Bets and Come Bets.

Basic Strategy

The best place to start is with a bet placed on the “Pass Line”. The Shooter makes his first roll (called the “come Out Roll”) and you win immediately if the numbers of both dice total 7 or 11. But you lose if craps (2, 3 or 12) are rolled. However any other number rolled becomes the “Point” which means you are now betting that number will come up again before a 7 is rolled. If it does, you win.

Alternatively, a “Don’t Win Line” bet is just as easy. It is simply the opposite of the Win Line bet. You lose if 7 or 11 comes up on the Come Out Roll and Win on 3 or 12. (2 is called a “Stand-Off” and you neither win nor lose). Any other number becomes the Point.

One Roll Bets

At any time when the game is in progress you may bet on the “One Roll”

Any Craps – A One Roll bet which wins on a throw of 2, 3 or 12.

Craps 2 – A One Roll bet which wins on a throw of 3 only.

Craps 12 – A One Roll bet which wins on a throw of 12 only.

Any 7 – A One Roll bet which wins on a throw of 7 only.

Eleven – A One Roll bet which wins on a throw of 11 only.

Field – A One Roll bet which wins even money on throws of 3, 4, 9, 10 or 11; pays double on 12.

Horn Bet and Horn High – A One Roll Combination bet covering 2, 3, 11 and 12.

Pass Line Bets

When it is your turn to throw the craps dice, you must determine whether to bet the pass line or the don’t pass line. Most shooters, as well as most of the other craps players at the table, will bet the pass line, as it is the basic wager of craps. The pass line wager is an even money bet that wins if you either roll a total of 7 or 11 on the come-out roll, or if you throw a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 on the come-out roll and repeat that number before you roll a 7. The pass line bet loses if the come-out roll is a 2, 3, or 12 (known as “craps”) or when a 7 is rolled before the established point number is repeated.

If you successfully complete a pass, – that is, if you repeat an established point number before throwing a 7-, you get to roll the dice again. Only when you seven-out will the stickman push the dice to the next player in succession. Once you have established a point, if you roll a number other than your point or a 7, it is disregard as far as pass line bets are concerned, although these additional rolls do affect other bets that can be made at the craps table. As an example, suppose you have established a point of 8 on the come-out roll. If you next throw a 3, then a 5, a 9, and a 10, these numbers will be ignored for pass line bets. But if you then roll 7, you will lose your pass line wager, since the 7 came up before your point number. Out of 990 decisions at the craps table you can expect to lose 14 decisions more than you win.

That makes the house advantage at craps 1.41%. In other words, out of every $100 that you wager at the craps table, you can expect to lose $1.41. Of course this is in the long run. You can win because in the relatively short time you will be playing, there will be fluctuations in this house edge, so at times things will be going in your favor at the craps table. A pass line bet can be made at any time during a shooter’s roll, even after he has established a point. However, a bet placed on the pass line after a point has been established is a very poor wager, since you have missed the opportunity to win on the come-out roll when the shooter throws a 7 or an 11. The only way you can now win is if the shooter repeats his point before he sevens-out.

Don’t Pass Bets

As you’ve seen, a pass line bet is simply a wager that the shooter will win. But you also can bet that the shooter will fail to make a pass and thus lose. The don’t pass line bet wins when he shooter throws a craps of 2 or 3, but not 12, on the come-out roll, or when he rolls a 7 before repeating his established point number. This wager loses when the come-out roll is a 7 or 11, or when the shooter repeats his point number before rolling a 7.

The don’t pass line bet is the exact opposite of a pass line with one exception: Although a roll of 12 on the come out loses for pass line betters, it is not a winning number for don’t pass bettors. It is a stand-off and nether wins nor loses. The reason for this is simple: If don’t betters were permitted to win in this situation, they would have an advantage over the house. So by barring (disallowing) the number 12 on the come-out roll, the casinos retain a small edge. Some casinos bar the number 2, but the effect is exactly the same. Unlike a pass line wager, a don’t pass bet can be removed after a point number has been established on the come-out roll.

This is because once a point is established you have an advantage over the house, thus the casino has no objections to your taking down the bet. Of course you should never do this. After going up against an 8 to 3 house edge on the come-out roll, you will have an overall average advantage of 18.8 after a point has been established.

Come Bets

A come bet is identical to a pass line bet, with one exception: A come bet may be made on every throw of the dice once the shooter has established a point. A come bet is made by placing the amount of chips you wish to wager in the designated come area of the craps layout. After you have placed a come bet, the very next roll of the dice becomes the come-out roll for that wager. Thus if the shooter rolls a 7, you will win even though pass line betters will lose. If an 11 is rolled, you will win while the line bets will not be affected.

Conversely, should one of the craps numbers come up you will lose, but the line bets will be unaffected. Should the shooter throw one of the box numbers on the first roll of the dice after you’ve made a wager on the come, this number becomes an established point for your come bet. To win this bet, your come point must be repeated before a 7 is rolled. Once a point has been established for your come bet, the dealer will move the chips you have wagered, to the corresponding numbered box on the craps layout to await a decision for that point. When you win a come bet, the dealer will pay you off by placing your original wager, along with your winnings, in the come section of the layout. If you do not immediately retrieve your chips, they will be in action on the next roll of the dice as a new come bet. To make an odds wager on a come point, hand the dealer the appropriate amount of chips and tell him that you wish to take the odds on that point.

A Don’t Come Bet is the opposite of a Come Bet. You lose if the next roll is a 7 or 11, and win on a 2 or 3 (12 is a “stand-off”). Here you will win if 7 rolls before your “Don’t Come Point” is repeated, and lose if the “Don’t Come Point” is made before a 7 is rolled.

Other Bets

The Hardway Bet – There are 4 hardways bets that are on the table, “Hard 4″, “Hard 6″, “Hard 8″ and “Hard 10″. A Hardway is when the dice roll doubles, for exampe if a 2 and a 2 are rolled then it’s a “Hard 4″. When you bet on a Hardway you are betting that it will be rolled before a “Soft” version of the same number is rolled or a 7. For example a 1 and a 3 make a “Soft 4″.

Buy and Lay Bets – Buy Bets and Lay Bets are made on the 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10. A Buy Bet wins if the number is rolled before a 7 and a Lay Bet wins when a 7 is rolled before the number.

Place Bets – You can make a Place Bet at any time on 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10. If the number you have “placed” rolled before a 7 then you win.

Big 6 – A bet that a 6 will be rolled before a 7.

Big 8 – A bet that an 8 will be rolled before a 7.

Street Craps

You only bet pass/don’t pass. Each bet has to be covered by another player.

The shooter makes his bet (pass or don’t pass). Then it goes clockwise around the table, with each player having the option to cover a portion (or all) of the shooter’s bet. Once the shooter’s entire bet is covered, other players may wager against each other. Once all wagers are made, the game procedes just like in a casino.

Online Craps

The rules to playing craps online are the same as playing in a casino. Playing online is often better than in live games because many online casinos use random generators for the dice. This gives the player the same odds as in a casino. But online casinos also offer deposit bonuses, where live casinos do not. This is why sucessful craps players often end up making more money playing online than at a live table.