How to Play Craps: Learn Craps Rules in Minutes

Craps starts with a pass line bet, and then various betting options are available from there. The basic structure of craps breaks down as follows:

• The game starts by making a pass line bet

• The shooter rolls the come out roll

• A 7 or 11 (natural roll) is an instant win for pass bettors, and a 2, 3, or 12 (craps) is an instant loss

• Any other number becomes the point, and the shooter rolls again

• At this point, numerous other bet types become available

• If the shooter rolls the point number again (or any additional point numbers that are rolled) they win. If they roll a 7, they lose

• If the shooter makes the point, they roll a new come out roll

• If the shooter loses (rolls a 7 before they reroll the point) they lose, and the dice rotate to the next shooter

As with most table games, knowing how to play craps at the casino includes getting to grips with the jargon. There are numerous terms that are individual to craps, and others that are general terms for casino games, which need to be understood in order to play the game with as much focus as you can.

Come Bet – Betting with the shooter after the come out roll (the opposite of a Don’t Come bet)

Come Out Roll – The first roll of the dice that results in either a win (7 or 11), a loss (2, 3, or 12), or a point number being established (any other number)

Crap Out – Rolling a 2, 3, or 12 on the come out bet, resulting in an immediate loss for the player and for Pass Line bettors

Hardway – A result made from two matching numbers on the dice (a hard 8 is an 8 made of two 4s, for example). A Hardway bet is a high-risk bet on such a result

Hi-Lo – A bet on a 2 or a 12

Hot Streak – A shooter who has thrown several winning rolls in a row

House Edge – The advantage the casino has over the player, normally shown as a percentage

Natural – A roll of 7 or 11 on the come out roll, resulting in an instant win for the player and Pass Line bettors

Parlay – Keeping winnings in place to repeat your bet on the next roll

Pass Line – The part of the table used to make Pass Line bets, also known as the Front Line

Pass Line Bet – Betting along with the shooter, you win if they win (the opposite of a Don’t Pass bet)

Place Numbers – The numbers 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10

Point – A target number established on the come out roll, this can be 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10. To win, the shooter must roll the point again before rolling a 7

Seven Out – Rolling a seven after establishing a point, but before the repeating the point, resulting in a loss and the dice moving to the next shooter

Snake Eyes – Rolling a 2 (1 and 1)

Shooter – The player rolling the dice

Stickman – Employee at the table responsible for returning the dice to the shooter, calling the results of dice rolls, placing certain bets on the table, and upselling riskier bets

Wrong Bettor – Someone betting against the shooter using Don’t Pass or Don’t Come bets

There are numerous bets that can be made in craps. Some are simple, and others a little more complex. Here is a breakdown of the available bets in craps.

Multi-Roll Bets

• Pass Bets Vs. Don’t Pass Bets

Betting with or against the dealer on the come out roll. A Pass Bet will win instantly for a natural outcome, lose instantly if the shooter craps out, and follow the player if a point number is established. Don’t Pass Bets are the exact opposite.

• Come Bets Vs. Don’t Come Bets

A Come Bet is to bet with the player after the come out roll, once a point number is established. If they lose, you lose and if they win, you win. Don’t Come Bets are bets against the shooter from the same point.

• Free Odds

Free Odds are bets that have no house edge. These bets can only be played in conjunction with other bets such as Pass or Come bets. For example, if you bet on a 4 on the next roll, there are three ways to roll a 4, so if that is the outcome, the payoff is 2:1. Most casinos have limits on these bets of around 5x the Pass Line bet.

• Lay Odds

Laying the Odds is to bet against the point after a Don’t Pass bet. This is another bet with no house edge. Laying the Odds against a point of 4, to follow the above example, pays off 1:2.

• Place Bets

Place Bets are bets made on prospective point numbers, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10. These bets can be made at any time, including on the come out roll. If the number(s) you bet on land before a 7, you win. These bets can be increased, decreased, or removed at any stage.

• Buy Bets

Buy Bets are similar to Place Bets. The differences are that Buy Bets have a significantly reduced house edge, and that Buy Bets can only be placed on one prospective point number. These bets must be ‘bought’ with a 5% commission before being laid.

• Hardways

Hardways are bets on a single dice roll resulting in a hard number, meaning a number made up of matching numbers on the two dice, such as a hard 8 (an 8 made up of a four on each dice). This is a high-risk bet and is not advisable.

One-Roll Bets/Proposition Bets

• The Field

Betting on The Field is to bet that the next roll of the dice will show 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12. If any of these numbers shows on the next roll, you win.

• 2 or 12

2 or 12, also known as a Hi-Lo Bet, is to bet on 2 (snake eyes) and 12 (boxcar) for the next roll. If either of these numbers shows on the next roll, you win.

• Any 7

Any 7 is a one-roll bet that pays off if any combination resulting in 7 appears on the dice. The possible combinations are 1-6, 2-5, and 3-4.

• Any Craps

Any Craps is also known as a Three Way bet and is a bet on the shooter rolling a 2, 3, or 12 (crapping out) on the come out roll.

• Craps and 11

Also known as C + E, this is a combination bet. Here, you are playing the Any Craps bet and combining it with the Yo bet (a bet on eleven) to expand your chances of winning slightly.

• Hop Bets

Hop Bets are similar to Hardway bets, in that this is a bet on a specific combination. However, these bets are on non-matching combinations. For example, a 4+2 bet would be on an outcome of 6 made up of a 4 and a 2 on the dice.

• Boxcars

The Boxcars Bet has numerous other names such as Cornrows, Midnight, and Twelve Craps, and is simply a bet placed on an outcome of 12 on the next dice roll.

• Horn

The Horn Bet is the same as the Craps and 11 Bet, except made after the come out roll. At this point, you are betting on 2, 3, 11, or 12 to be rolled as a point number.

• Horn High

Horn High is a Horn bet with a double bet on one number, for example, ￡1 on the 2, 3, and 11, and ￡2 on the 12. These bets work in increments of ￡5.

• World or Whirl

Known as both the Whirl and World bet depending on casino preference, this is a combination bet. The Whirl bet combines both the Horn Bet and the Any 7 Bet.

• Ace Deuce

Ace Deuce is a bet on an outcome of 3 on the dice, made up of a 1 (Ace) and a 2 (Deuce) on the dice. This bet is also known as Three Craps.