Craps is one of the most exciting, yet misunderstood games in a casino. It’s a common sight to see crowds of people gathered around a craps table, shouting and cheering at each roll of the dice, roaring with excitement as the shooter rolls a 7. But what’s it all about, why the suspense and exhilaration, and how on earth do you play this game of seemingly endless bets?
Well, the good news is it’s actually quite simple to play craps! If you want to find out how to play craps, this craps for beginners guide is for you.
Basic Rules of the Craps Table
The game of craps involves players betting on the outcome of dice thrown on a specially designed craps table layout. There are multiple bets which can be made, each with varying payouts. As craps relies on the throw of dice to determine the outcome, it’s considered a game purely of luck, with no skill or strategy that players need to learn.
In a land based casino like those in Las Vegas, there are normally three types of people who facilitate the game. The “boxperson” is responsible for the craps table, overseeing the entire game. The game has dealers situated in certain points around the table, with some responsible for moving the dice with a long stick, known as the “stickperson”. The stickperson and the “shooter”, the person who throws the dice, are the only people allowed to touch the dice.
As online craps games of course do not have such people, the game can move much more swiftly without interruption and the waiting of dice to be gathered and thrown.
How to Play Craps Online
The aim of casino craps is for a person, known as the “shooter”, to use two dice to roll a number, while other players bet on the outcome. Each player gets a turn at being the shooter, with the role moving clockwise around the table.
While craps tables offer dozens of wagers, the game is structured around the “pass line bet”, where players place their chips and the shooter makes their first roll.
Process a Game of Craps Follows
- The shooter starts with a “comeout roll” and pass bettors win if the shooter rolls a 7 or 11, and lose if it’s 2, 3 or 12.
- If any other number is rolled, this is known as the “point”. A button called the “puck” is placed on the number on the craps layout to show that it is the “point” of the game, with “On” facing upwards. It’s this number that the shooter needs to try to roll on their next roll before a 7 is rolled.
- If the shooter rolls the point number before a 7, the puck is flipped over to show “Off” and the shooter rolls again, with a new comeout roll, indicating the beginning of the game where a point has not been established.
- If the next number rolled was not a 7, it becomes the point number. The shooter makes their next roll of the dice and tries to shoot the point, that is, land on the point number without rolling a 7. If a 7 is rolled before the point, it’s called a “seven-out” and the next roll of the dice goes to the next shooter, who follows in the same process.
- For everyone else standing around watching, their excitement comes from making bets on the outcome of the dice roll, until it’s their turn to be the shooter.
How to Bet on Craps
There are a number of different bets players can choose from when playing craps. Multi-roll bets include bets on the pass line, come bet, don’t pass and don’t come bets, each with different payouts and a fairly low house edge, while one roll bets tend to offer a higher house edge.
Bets are the same when playing craps online or offline, and the game has the same rules, with the only difference being that it’s generally a much quicker and easier process when placing craps bets at online casinos.
To place a bet online on a craps table, players simply need to click on the chips and then again on the number or area on the layout that they wish to bet on, such as the pass line bet area for pass bets.
Types of Craps Bets
There are so many types of craps bets that it’s easy to be overwhelmed. When learning how to play craps, it’s probably best to stick with just a few. It’s also worth bearing in mind that bets on the outside parts of the craps layout offer better odds than those in the middle.
Here are the most popular bets to consider when you play craps:
Pass Line Bet and Don’t Pass Line Bet
These bets are made before the comeout roll and each player needs to place one before they can be the shooter. Winning bets pay out at even money (1 to 1).
Pass Line bets involve the player betting on the first roll (comeout roll). If a 7 or 11 is rolled, you win, but if it’s a 2, 3 or 12 it’s known as “craps” and then you lose. Any other number means the point is established and if it is rolled again before a 7, you win, however, if a 7 is rolled before the point, your bet is lost.
Bets on the Don’t Pass Line are the opposite of the above and are placed on the Don’t Pass bar. This bet loses if a 7 or 11 is rolled and wins if a 2 or 3 (craps) is rolled. A “push” happens when a 12 is rolled, and no one wins or loses. Any other number becomes the point and you win if 7 is rolled before the point, but lose if your point is rolled first.
Come Bet and Don’t Come Bet
The Come and Don’t Come bets are similar to the Pass bet and Don’t Pass bet but are placed once the point has been established after the comeout roll.
Come bets are placed on the Come line in the middle of the craps layout after the come out roll. When players place bets on the come line and a 7 or 11 is rolled, they win. If the roll is a 2, 3 or 12, they lose. Any other number is the “come point” or “come bet point”, and a bet wins if the come point is made before a 7 is rolled.
Don’t Come bets are the opposite of come bets and involve the placement of chips after the come out roll in the Don’t Come section of the craps layout. Don’t Come bets lose when a 7 or 11 is rolled and win on a 2 or 3. If the dice roll a 12, it’s considered a push and neither awards a win or loss. If a 7 is rolled before the come out point repeats, you win, but if the come out point is rolled before a 7, you lose.
Odds Bets / Lay Bets
Free odds or lay bets are bets placed after the come out roll to complement bets made on the Pass Line, Don’t Pass Line, as well as a Come Bet and Don’t Come Bet. Lay odds bets on the Pass or Come bets are known as “taking odds” whereas those on the Don’t Pass Line and Don’t Come are known as “giving” or “laying odds”. The purpose of these bets is to increase the value of payouts on winning bets, paying out as true odds, with no house edge. This makes a lay bet and odds bet some of the best bets on a craps table.
Place Bets
A place bet wager can be made anytime after a come out roll on numbers 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10. If the number placed is rolled before a 7, you win, if not, your place bet loses.
Field Bets
The field bet is a one-roll bet that wins or loses and can be made at any stage throughout the game, as a player bets on every roll of the dice. Single roll bets like field bets are made in the specific field area of the craps table in front of the player.
Best Craps Strategies to Win
- Understand that you’re able to win and lose bets even when you’re not the shooter. The shooter rolls the dice but any players with chips on the table are in the game.
- Start with a pass or don’t pass bet.
- Wager at the table’s minimum to start off with, until you feel more comfortable with the game.
- When you’re ready to bet bigger, once a point has been established, follow your bet up with a free odds bet at a rate as high as you can afford so that you maximize the payout if your bet wins.
- Avoid proposition bets because they have a high house edge and your chances of winning are therefore much lower.
- Avoid making a one roll bet on C (2, 3, 12) or E (11) as these bets have low odds and so won’t pay out as much as other bets on a win.
- Don’t bet more than you can afford. Decide on betting limits and stick to them to ensure you play responsibly and don’t go over your budget.
Ready to Make Some Winning Bets On Craps?
Craps rules might seem a little complicated but when you play craps online it’s all worked out for you and very easy to follow, so you hardly need to know how to play craps at all! A good tip is to start off playing craps with the minimum bet, and stick to the pass line bets initially. Additional bets can be made once you feel you have the hang of things.
While it might be thought of as being one of the harder casino games to play, if you’ve never played craps before we’re sure that after just a few throws of the dice you’ll see that craps is quick to pick up and lots of fun to play! Don’t take our word for it – see for yourself at PlayStar on our exhilarating craps and live craps games.
