Craps Dice Games Rules

1. Printable Dice Game Instructions
2. Shooting Craps Rules
3. Easy Craps Rules
4. How To Play Craps

Advanced Craps Topics. Analysis and advice for experienced players who have mastered basic strategy, and are looking to add an extra edge to their game. Calculation of the player's edge for all the major bets in craps. House edge for all the major craps bets. Dice Setting Expectations for the Dice Setter. RULES Play begins after all bets have been made and the dice are handed to the chosen Shooter. The Shooter continues throwing until they roll a losing combination. The Craps table's layout offers a variety of exciting betting options. The shooter's first roll of the dice is known as the come-out roll and he wins if he throws 7 or 11 (known as a natural) and loses if he throws a 2, 3, or 12 (known as craps). Craps Rules: Understand the Basics of Playing the Best Dice Game Ever We on from our craps guide to bring you the craps rules. Here we discuss how to play craps, well, it's fairly simple and it follows on from our casino game rules for all the free games we hold. To begin, the Shooter (one of the players) must bet at least the table minimum on either the Pass Line or the Don't Pass Line (sometimes called 'win' or 'right' bets and 'don't win' or 'wrong' bets). The shooter is presented with multiple dice (normally five) by the Stickman, and must choose two to roll with.

Craps is a top favored and quite exciting casino game that attracts numerous players both in online and offline casinos. Gamers play the game according to defined craps rules on a unique table and utilize two dices. The production of the craps dice follows specific requirements and high standards. Also, the dice need to undergo a periodic checks to ensure there are not any damages and problems. Casinos have exacting rules about the way players handle the dice to avoid damaging them, and dice are substitued with new after eight hours of usage. These stringent measures are in use to prevent impairments that may influence the game.

Craps is a highly exciting game that provokes positive emotions, so it is not implausible to hear shouts and yells if you prefer playing in traditional casinos. The rules of craps can appear somewhat confusing at the beginning, but once gamers get familiar with the basics and get some practice, they will quickly master the game and start playing it skillfully.

Below we have provided a detailed guidance as to the rules for craps and the basics of the game that all players should know. Hopefully, the information will assist you in learning the rules and become more confident at the craps table.

Best Online Casinos For Craps

The Basic Craps Rules All Gamers should be Aware of

The game follows special craps rules. Each new game has a predefined minimum that players should pay if they are eager to participate. Thus, the shooter, who is one of the players, wagers the selected minimum sum on the Pass Line or the Don't Pass Line of the craps table. Players often call these wagers win/right bets or don't win/wrong bets. The stickman who runs the game gives the shooter some dice, which usually reaches five. The player then selects two of the dices to roll and returns the others to the bowl of the stickman where they keep dice that are not in use.

The active craps rules specify that the shooter should throw the dice with one hand and the dices should hit the opposite walls of the table. Sometimes the dice fall off the craps table and then the stickman should check them for damages and puts them back to the table only if there are no troubles with the dice.

Craps tables usually have room for twenty players or so. Each player has a round of shooting, which means a round of throwing the dices. It is attainable to miss a throwing round, and in this case, you can place a wager on another thrower.

There are several various kinds of bets that gamers can make while playing craps. We will discuss these bets below.

The casino crew which is responsible for the craps games include four people: a stickman, a boxman and a couple of dealers. Each of them has a particular function in the games.

Craps Rules

As we have already mentioned, each craps game consists of different rounds. Gamers throw the dices one after the other in a clockwise direction around the table. According to the rules for craps, players can miss a turn to roll the dice, but they are still able to place wagers.

The rules of craps stipulate that each round consists of two stages. Starting a round requires that the gamer who shoots the dices make a single or more Come Out rolls. If the come out throw is 2, 3 or 12, then the round finishes and players lose the Pass Line wagers they have made. However, if the come out roll is 7 or 11, which expert call a natural roll, then players win their Pass Line wagers.

The player who throws the dice proceeds to the Come Out rolls until they throw 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 and the resulted number turns into the so-called Point. As a Point is set, the dealer places the appropriate On button on its number and puts the start of the second of the craps game. Then, in case the player who throws rolls the number of the point, this player wins the wagers on the Pass Line. However, if the shooter throws 7, this roll bears the name Seven-out, and it loses the wagers on the Pass Line. According to the craps rules, this loss signals the finish of the game.

Each new craps game starts with the Come Out roll, which is the initial round of the game. Participants can do this roll only after the previous shooter does not register a winning throw, i.e. does not score the Point or rolls a seven and loses the bets.

The functioning craps rules say that each new game starts with a new shooter. However, in case the shooter has made the Point, then they get back the dices and put the start of a new round, i.e. a new Come Out round. The same shooter continues their roll, but this roll indicates the beginning of a new craps game. What happens in case the shooter does not make their Point? According to the rules for craps, the next participant in the game takes turn to throw the dices and the play continues in the same way as before. As the craps rules stipulate, the next shooter is the player who is sitting on the left-hand side of the previous one. It means that the players take their turns to throw in a clockwise direction.

The way the players throw the dice is also set by the existing craps rules. There is a particular division on the craps table, and the players roll the dice across the table, which consists of three different areas – a center zone and two side zones around it. The two side zones practically mirror each other and include the following elements: Don't Pass and Pass Line bets, Odds bet, Don't Come and Come bets, Field bets, and Place bets. The central piece features the Proposition bets.

Craps rules say that Pass bets win if the Come out rolls registers 7 or 11, and these bets are losing if the Come out roll stops at 2, 3 or 12. The craps rules for the Don't bets is the another way round – they lose if the Come out roll comes at 7 or 11, and they win in case the roll is 2 or 3. If the Come out roll is 12, the Don't bets become a tie. Some casinos call it a tie when the Bar roll is on the layout.

If new players are eager to join the game and to start playing craps, they should go to the table and check whether the button of the dealer is On or Off. When the button is off, this means that the game has reached the Come out round and new players cannot enter the game. Following the crap rules, if the button is On, the game is in the Point round, and gamers can place Pass Line wagers, and new players can join the play. The casino accepts both single and multi-throw proposition bets.

The rules of craps say that there should be sometime between the dice throws and dealers utilize these breaks to pay cash for the winning wagers and to collect money from the losing ones. There is a stickman whose job is to monitor the advancement of the game and to select the appropriate moment to place the dice at the disposal of the shooter. When the shooter takes the dice and prepares to throw, players cannot place wagers anymore.

Types Of Bets For Playing Craps

As you have noticed so far, the rules for craps define different kinds of bets that players use during the craps games. Each bet has its specifics and gamers perform it during individual rounds of the play. Let us list and explain these bets, in short, to further clarify the rules of craps.

Pass Line Bet

According to the craps rules, this is the essential bet for the game. The shooter places it to win a point number. In case the initial roll is 7 or 11, the throw wins. The shooter loses if the roll is 2, 2 or 12 and the rules call this roll craping out. The player should roll any other number besides the mentioned ones to get the point. After that, the player throws until they roll a 7, which gives them the win. However, in case the thrower rolls seven before getting the point, they lose the game, and experts have named this roll a seven-out.

The Pass Line Bet wins if the shooter rolls 7 or 11 with their initial throw of the dice. In the case of a winning Pass Line bet, the game pays out even cash.

What are the odds for this bet? Immediately after the shooter rolls a point players can place additional wagers. Each registered point has different odds and brings a various amount of payout. Thus, 4 and ten pay at 2:1 odds; 5 or 8 pays out at 3:2, while 6 or 8 provide a payment at 6:5. The dice should roll the point once again before getting 7 to become victorious.

Come Bet

Almost the same craps rules apply for this bet as for the previous one with a slight difference. Here players can place the wager in discussion after the game has already determined the point on the pass line. When the participants perform a Come Out roll, they put the Come Bet directly on the pass line. As soon as the player places their wager, the initial roll after that defines the come point. The current craps rules say the player wins if the roll comes at 7 or 11 and loses if they reach 2, 3 or 12. Rolling any other number gives you the win but only in case the shooter repeats the come point before they roll 7. You lose immediately if the first roll hits 7.

The Come Bet consists of two rounds and it is very much alike the Pass Line Bet. However, here the player places the bet on the initial point number, which comes from the next roll of the shooter. The round of the table is of no importance for this bet. If the shooter throws 7 or 11 in the opening round, the bet directly wins. On the contrary, the craps rules say the wager loses if the shooter rolls 2, 3 or 12. However, in case the shooter rolls any other number except for the listed ones, the dealer places the Come Bet in a Box bearing the number of the point registered by the shooter. These particular numbers become the Come Bet point, and the player can add other odds to the wager at this stage of the game. According to the rules for craps the dealer should put the new odds over the original Come Bet but they put them a little sideways so that players can distinguish between the initial bet and the added odds.

Then the craps rules allow the game to proceed to the second round and here the bet will win in case the shooter throws the Come Bet before rolling 7. On the contrary, rolling 7 before the Come Bet means that wager loses.

Typically, the Come Bet is in play during the Come Out roll, but the dealer waits for indication coming from the player to consider the odds are working.

Due to the craps rules and the Come Bet, it often happens so that players have a Come Bet and the next roll is a Come Out one. In this case, the odd on wagers on the come bet does not function during the Come Out roll. Thus, if the shooter throws 7, the players who have placed Come bets on the come point lose the amount of the original wager but they get back the cash for the odds. In case the shooter rolls the come point, the odds are not winning, but the Come Bet wins, and the players get back the odds. The rules of craps allow players to inform the dealer whether their odds are functional and when. Such a situation can happen when the shooter throws a number which equals the come point and then the odds on the wager, and the Come bets win. However, in the event the shooter throws 7, then both the odds and the Come Bet will lose.

The odds on this wager are analogous to the odds on the Pass Line Bet. The single dissimilarity is that players can take odds not on the Pass Line bet but the Come Bet.

Don't Pass Line Bet

As the name indicates, this bet is contrary to the Pass Line one, meaning that the player loses if the dice reach 7 or 11, and the player wins in case the roll is 2 or 2. The rules for craps stipulate that rolling 12 means the player has a tie with the casino. Throwing any other number gets the point, and the player wins if the shooter rolls 7 before throwing the point. However, if the shooter rolls the point once again before they throw 7, the player loses the game.

Don't Come Bet

This type of craps bet is opposite of the Come Bet. First, the shooter establishes the come point. Then, the player wins if the roll is 2 or 3, and they lose if the throw is 7 or 11. Rolling 12 creates a tie. The craps rules allow the player to secure a win in other rolls if the shooter throws 7 before the number.

Place Bet

This particular bet becomes functional after the play fixes the point. The rules of craps allow the player to place wagers on rolling 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10. Your wager will win if the shooter throws the number you have betted on before they roll 7. If it happens the other way round, your bet loses. The amount of payouts here depends on the number you have placed a wager on, meaning there are different odds for the various numbers. Thus, rolling 4 or 10 pays at 9:5; the payoff for 5 or 9 is 7:5 and you get 7:6 payoff for 6 or 8. Players can cancel their bets at any time of the game.

Field Bet

According to the craps rules field bets are valid only on a single roll of the dice. Your wager wins if the shooter throws 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 or 12. Your bet loses when the shooter rolls 5, 6, 7 or 8. The wager has different payoffs for the different numbers. If the thrower rolls 2, the casino will double your bet, and in case the shooter throws 12, the player gets 3:1 payment. Other numbers pay off even.

Big Six and Big Eight Bets

The craps rules allow players to place these wagers on any rolls. The bets win in case the shooter rolls 6 or 8 prior to rolling 7, and the payouts for them are even.

Proposition Bets

Players can place these wager at any time of the game, and they are valid for a single roll except hardways. Any craps – the bet wins if the shooter throws 2, 3 or 12. The payout is 8:1. Any seven – the wager is winning if the shooter rolls 7. The payout is 5:1. Eleven – the wager wins if the shooter rolls 11 and the payout is 16:1. Ace deuce – the bet is winning in case the shooter throws 2 and the payout is again 16:1. Aces or boxcars – the wager wins if the shooter throws 2 or 12. The payout here is 30:1.

Horn Bet

This type of craps bet functions as wagers on 2, 3, 11 and 12. The bets win if the shooter rolls these previously mentioned numbers. The rest three bets lose. The payouts depend on the particular number that the shooter rolls.

Wagers on Hardways

The rules of craps say that if the shooter throws hard, then the bet wins. Throwing hard means to roll a sum of these pairs: 1-1, 3-3, 4-4. The wager loses if the shooter rolls easy and throws 7. The payouts are the following: Hard 4 and 10 get payments at 8:1, while the pay for hard 6 and 8 is 10:1. The house advantage typically ranges between 2 and 17 percent.

Craps rules refer to the different rules, customs, and strategies applying to the popular casino game of craps.

What is Craps?

Follow the shouting, hooting, and hollering in any casino and you won't find yourself at a poker or blackjack table. That's where players go to practice their imitation of a house cat, betting on cards with blank expressions and hardly a peep. Instead, you will probably find yourself at the craps table.

The craps table is a volcano of excitement. Players shout at each other, at the dealers, and at Lady Luck, exploding in cheers of excitement over a favorable roll, dissolving into cries of despair over a losing one.

Craps is a casino dice game dating back to early-1800s New Orleans. However, its origins in Europe may run even deeper.

At its heart, craps is a very simple game. A player (the 'shooter') rolls two dice ('shoots craps') and the shooter and other players bet on the outcome.

Around these basic principles, a whole universe of rules, customs, specialty terms, and forms of 'side action' have evolved.

Certain dice rolls are always winners for the shooter, while other rolls are always losers. Side wagers can be staked on whether or not the shooter wins.

A Brief History of Craps

Thrill-seeking Louisiana heir Bernard Xavier Philippe de Marigny de Mandeville returned from a trip abroad in 1807 to his colonial home, where his family had become wealthy in plantation agriculture. While overseas, he had developed a taste for a dice game called Hazard, the roots of which may extend back to the Crusades.

Hazard players select a winning dice outcome of any number between 5 and 9 before betting. De Marigny discovered that 7 was the most likely winning outcome and taught a version to his peers where only 7 was the winning roll.

His peers rewarded his innovation by roundly rejecting the game, considering it boorish. Indignant, De Marigny sought out other 'boors' to share his dice-throwing passion.

The game caught on among New Orleans' lower classes. They called it 'shooting crabs,' which eventually morphed into 'shooting craps.' The name later acquired a scatological twist when 'using the crapper' entered the lexicon thanks to the famous toilet manufacturer Thomas Crapper. Subsequently, losing dice rolls of 2 or 3 came to be known as 'craps.'

Today, craps is played informally among friends who bet and play against each other. Especially popular in its origin city of New Orleans, 'street craps' is popular because all you need to play is a pair of dice.

It's also played at low-end, mid-range, and high-end casinos across the world on purpose-built tables, with players betting against the house. Online casinos also offer craps.

What Are the Basic Rules of Craps?

The Craps Table

Craps need not be played on an official craps table. However, casino craps uses a specialized table to keep the wagers organized.

The craps table is divided into side sections, managed by dealers, and a center section, manned by the stickman. The side sections contain areas for each type of bet, including Pass Line, Don't Pass Line, Come, Don't Come, Field, and Big-6/Big-8 wagers. Players can lay chips down in the appropriate section to indicate the nature of their bet.

The table is deep-set and surrounded by high bumpers lined with pyramidal rubber, which the dice bounce off when thrown.

The Players

Players encircle the table. Shooting turns pass clockwise (to the left) of each player.

In addition to the shooters, the house fields a team of four:

Dealers

At least two dealers–who are sometimes called the 'dealer on base'–man the table on each side, keeping track of bets, paying out winnings, placing pucks on the 'Point' marker when the Point has been established, and placing certain bets for you (e.g. Come or Don't Come bets).

Stickman

Also called 'stickwoman,' 'stickperson,' or 'dealer on the stick,' the stickman is the keeper of the dice used in the game. (S)he uses a long stick–sometimes called a 'whip' or 'mop'–to handle them.

Boxman

At least one 'boxman' (or 'boxwoman' or 'boxperson') monitors the whole game, settling disputes and visually confirming fair play on the part of both players and dealers.

The Dice

Casinos maintain tight control of their craps dice, often right from the factory to the table, as they are susceptible to tampering by cheaters.

Once in play, casinos maintain equally tight control, constantly inspecting the dice for damage. As in all casino games, craps yields a predictable edge to the house when you factor in all shoots. Damaged dice produce unpredictable outcomes, and unlike the players, casinos are not betting their financial fortunes on chance.

The stickman inspects the dice after each use, the dice usually being retired after eight hours of gameplay.

Rules for Dice Handling

Certain rules also govern the way dice are handled at a casino craps table. The stickman presents a selection of dice–usually five–from which the player selects two. The stickman then retrieves the unselected dice with the stick; these dice are then not used in gameplay.

Shooters must shake and roll the dice with one hand only, not two hands. For the shoot to be valid, the dice must also hit and bounce off the bumper walls surrounding the inset table.

If a shooter accidentally shoots the dice off the table, the stickman or other casino official inspects them before they can be used again in gameplay.

Stages of the Game

A craps game is played in two main stages, both of which involve the throwing of two dice. The stages are:

The Come Out

This round is to establish a 'point' value for the next round. Moving clockwise around the table in turn, players shoot the dice as many times as necessary to establish a 'point' value. If, on a Come Out shoot, the dice show a value of 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10, that number becomes the shooter's 'point' value for the next round.

If the dice show 7 or 11 on the Come Out shoot, the player automatically wins his/her Pass Line bets but must make another Come Out shoot on the next round to establish a Point value for that round. A winning shoot of 7 or 11 is also called a 'Natural.'

If the player shoots 2, 3, or 12, this value is called 'crapping out' and the shooter automatically loses his/her Pass Line bets.

Point Throws

In this round, the roll of a natural 7 ends the round. The player must roll his/her point value, i.e. repeat the final result of the last round, to win any Pass Line bets on that shooter. If the shooter rolls a 7 before the point value is hit, the player loses; this is how a player 'sevens out.'

Types of Bets

While craps is built on the simple shoot of two dice with only a few possible winning outcomes, many different kinds of wagers can be placed on those outcomes. The most popular craps bets include:

Pass Line

A 'Pass Line' bet is basically a bet on a particular shooter to win the shoot. They could do this by rolling a 7 or 11 on the Come Out shoot, or by hitting their point value on the Point shoot before 'sevening out.' This is also called 'betting right.'

A Pass Line win doubles the money of the bettor. A shooter must make a table-minimum Pass Line bet on him/her self before shooting. Other players can make Pass Line bets on other players' shoots.

Don't Pass Line

'Don't Pass Line' wagers bet against the shooter to win the shoot. They are also called 'betting wrong.'

If the targeted shooter rolls a 2, 3, or 12 in the Come Out round, or fails to hit his/her point roll before 'sevening out' in the point round, then the 'Don't Pass Line' bettor doubles his/her money.

Come

A 'Come' bet is similar to a Pass Line bet and one of the more basic craps bets you can place. The player bets on 'Pass Line' outcomes after the initial Come Out shoot has been made and the point value established.

If the shooter rolls a 7 or 11, the Come bettor wins. If the player rolls something other than a 2, 3, 7, 11, or 12, that roll may become the 'point' value for the Come bet. Later shoots that hit the point value will double the Come bettor's money, even if the shooter does not win a Pass Line bet on that shoot.

Don't Come

Like Don't Pass Line bets, 'Don't Come' bets are the opposite of Come bets. They bet that the shooter will lose the standards of a Pass Line win on a shoot taking place after the Come Out and the establishment of a point value.

Odds ('Buy/Lay')

An 'Odds' bet is a side bet to the Pass Line or Come bet. A player can 'take odds' or 'buy odds' when they've made a Pass Line or Come bet; they can also 'lay odds' when they've made a Don't Pass Line or Don't Come bet.

Odds bets are typically limited to 2x-3x of the original bet. Payout depends on the likelihood of a particular roll—for example, 2/1 for points 4 and 10; 3/2 for points 2 and 9; 6/5 for points 6 and 8.

Place

A 'Place' bet is similar to an Odds bet but does not offer 'true odds' the way an Odds bet does. As such, they usually pay out lower. A Place bet can be made whether a Pass Line bet has been made or not.

The craps table is divided into side sections, managed by dealers, and a center section, manned by the stickman. The side sections contain areas for each type of bet, including Pass Line, Don't Pass Line, Come, Don't Come, Field, and Big-6/Big-8 wagers. Players can lay chips down in the appropriate section to indicate the nature of their bet.

The table is deep-set and surrounded by high bumpers lined with pyramidal rubber, which the dice bounce off when thrown.

The Players

Players encircle the table. Shooting turns pass clockwise (to the left) of each player.

In addition to the shooters, the house fields a team of four:

Dealers

At least two dealers–who are sometimes called the 'dealer on base'–man the table on each side, keeping track of bets, paying out winnings, placing pucks on the 'Point' marker when the Point has been established, and placing certain bets for you (e.g. Come or Don't Come bets).

Stickman

Also called 'stickwoman,' 'stickperson,' or 'dealer on the stick,' the stickman is the keeper of the dice used in the game. (S)he uses a long stick–sometimes called a 'whip' or 'mop'–to handle them.

Boxman

At least one 'boxman' (or 'boxwoman' or 'boxperson') monitors the whole game, settling disputes and visually confirming fair play on the part of both players and dealers.

The Dice

Casinos maintain tight control of their craps dice, often right from the factory to the table, as they are susceptible to tampering by cheaters.

Once in play, casinos maintain equally tight control, constantly inspecting the dice for damage. As in all casino games, craps yields a predictable edge to the house when you factor in all shoots. Damaged dice produce unpredictable outcomes, and unlike the players, casinos are not betting their financial fortunes on chance.

The stickman inspects the dice after each use, the dice usually being retired after eight hours of gameplay.

Rules for Dice Handling

Certain rules also govern the way dice are handled at a casino craps table. The stickman presents a selection of dice–usually five–from which the player selects two. The stickman then retrieves the unselected dice with the stick; these dice are then not used in gameplay.

Shooters must shake and roll the dice with one hand only, not two hands. For the shoot to be valid, the dice must also hit and bounce off the bumper walls surrounding the inset table.

If a shooter accidentally shoots the dice off the table, the stickman or other casino official inspects them before they can be used again in gameplay.

Stages of the Game

A craps game is played in two main stages, both of which involve the throwing of two dice. The stages are:

The Come Out

This round is to establish a 'point' value for the next round. Moving clockwise around the table in turn, players shoot the dice as many times as necessary to establish a 'point' value. If, on a Come Out shoot, the dice show a value of 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10, that number becomes the shooter's 'point' value for the next round.

If the dice show 7 or 11 on the Come Out shoot, the player automatically wins his/her Pass Line bets but must make another Come Out shoot on the next round to establish a Point value for that round. A winning shoot of 7 or 11 is also called a 'Natural.'

If the player shoots 2, 3, or 12, this value is called 'crapping out' and the shooter automatically loses his/her Pass Line bets.

Point Throws

In this round, the roll of a natural 7 ends the round. The player must roll his/her point value, i.e. repeat the final result of the last round, to win any Pass Line bets on that shooter. If the shooter rolls a 7 before the point value is hit, the player loses; this is how a player 'sevens out.'

Types of Bets

While craps is built on the simple shoot of two dice with only a few possible winning outcomes, many different kinds of wagers can be placed on those outcomes. The most popular craps bets include:

Pass Line

A 'Pass Line' bet is basically a bet on a particular shooter to win the shoot. They could do this by rolling a 7 or 11 on the Come Out shoot, or by hitting their point value on the Point shoot before 'sevening out.' This is also called 'betting right.'

A Pass Line win doubles the money of the bettor. A shooter must make a table-minimum Pass Line bet on him/her self before shooting. Other players can make Pass Line bets on other players' shoots.

Don't Pass Line

'Don't Pass Line' wagers bet against the shooter to win the shoot. They are also called 'betting wrong.'

If the targeted shooter rolls a 2, 3, or 12 in the Come Out round, or fails to hit his/her point roll before 'sevening out' in the point round, then the 'Don't Pass Line' bettor doubles his/her money.

Come

A 'Come' bet is similar to a Pass Line bet and one of the more basic craps bets you can place. The player bets on 'Pass Line' outcomes after the initial Come Out shoot has been made and the point value established.

If the shooter rolls a 7 or 11, the Come bettor wins. If the player rolls something other than a 2, 3, 7, 11, or 12, that roll may become the 'point' value for the Come bet. Later shoots that hit the point value will double the Come bettor's money, even if the shooter does not win a Pass Line bet on that shoot.

Don't Come

Like Don't Pass Line bets, 'Don't Come' bets are the opposite of Come bets. They bet that the shooter will lose the standards of a Pass Line win on a shoot taking place after the Come Out and the establishment of a point value.

Odds ('Buy/Lay')

An 'Odds' bet is a side bet to the Pass Line or Come bet. A player can 'take odds' or 'buy odds' when they've made a Pass Line or Come bet; they can also 'lay odds' when they've made a Don't Pass Line or Don't Come bet.

Odds bets are typically limited to 2x-3x of the original bet. Payout depends on the likelihood of a particular roll—for example, 2/1 for points 4 and 10; 3/2 for points 2 and 9; 6/5 for points 6 and 8.

Place

A 'Place' bet is similar to an Odds bet but does not offer 'true odds' the way an Odds bet does. As such, they usually pay out lower. A Place bet can be made whether a Pass Line bet has been made or not.

Field

A 'Field' bet is a bet on the outcome of one particular roll of the dice. Less likely outcomes win, while the four most likely outcomes—5, 6, 7, and 8—lose.

A Field bet on a roll pays out 1/1 for rolls 3, 4, 9, 10, and 11. It pays out 2/1 for a roll of 2, and 3/1 for a roll of 12.

Bix Six or Big Eight

At any time, a player can place a bet that a 6 or an 8 will be the outcome of the roll. A 'Big 6' or 'Big 8' bet doubles the bettor's money if the dice show the winning number to be 6 or 8.

Proposition

A player can make a 'Proposition' bet at any time, receiving a payout based on the likelihood of the outcome they bet on:

• 'Any Craps.' If the shoot lands on 2, 3, or 12, the bettor reaps 12/1.
• 'Any Seven.' If the shoot lands on 7, the bettor reaps 5/1.
• 'Eleven.' If the shoot lands on 11, the bettor reaps 16/1.
• 'Ace Deuce.' If the shoot lands on 3, the bettor reaps 16/1.
• 'Horn Bet.' If the shoot lands on 2, 3, 11, or 12, the bettor wins a return determined by the number shot.

Hop

Hop bets can be placed at any time. A player can wager on any dice outcome they like, down to the number on each die. Not all casinos or tables accept hop bets. Ask in advance, or check for signs indicating that hop bets are forbidden at the table you are playing at.

Hardways

Many combinations of two dice can result in an '8' shoot—2 and 6, 1 and 7, etc. These are called the 'easy way.' A 'Hard 8'–the hardway of 8–is from a pair of dice, or 4 and 4. Players can bet on a shoot to land on a 'Hard 4,' 'Hard 6,' 'Hard 8,' or 'Hard 10' to bet on a matched pair of dice.

('Hard 2' and 'Hard 12' isn't a thing, since a pair of 1's and a pair of 6's is the only way to produce this outcome.)

This long-odds proposition bet is also sometimes called the 'sucker's bet.'

How to Win at Craps

Red stag casino instant coupon 2019. Anyone can get lucky with a big-winning long-odds bet on a single die roll like Hardways or Big 6/Big 8, but it's unlikely; these risky bets carry house edges over 10%.

Some gamblers swear that with practice, they can 'control' the dice in the hand where they shake them and increase their ability to predict the outcome of the shoot. This is unproven and would take so much practice that the potential payout might not be worth your time. It also doesn't apply to online craps.

Winning gamblers do not try to predict outcomes—they bet in such a way that maximizes the mathematical likelihood of them coming out ahead, while everyone else throws away their money and solidifies the house edge.

By picking a strategic system and sticking to it, you could lose a few shoots and still come out ahead. Just remember—the longer you play, the more the house edge reveals itself.

Some basic rules of thumb:

• Predicate your next bet based on your last bet, not on a 'hunch.' Bet lower if you're losing, higher if you're winning.
• If you want to enjoy a long session at the table without going broke (maybe even coming out ahead), stick to low-house-edge bets like Pass Line, Don't Pass Line, Come, and Don't Come.
• If you want a short session with a chance of a big payoff, indulge in some long-odds bets.
• Never bet more money than you are willing to lose.

Professional or experienced gamblers stack wagers to increase the likelihood of coming out ahead. Here's an example of a craps wager stack:

Wager Stack 1:

1. Pass Line Bet
2. Single or Double Odds on the Pass Line Bet
3. Come Bet
4. Single or Double Odds on the Come Bet
5. When you win on one of the Come bets, place another immediately.

The odds on various wagers are as follows:

Pass Line Bet

Payout: 1/1

Odds: 251/244

House Edge: 1.41%

Don't Pass Line Bet

Payout: 1/1

Odds: 976/949

House Edge: 1.36%

Come Bet

Payout: 1/1

Odds: 251/244

House Edge: 1.41%

Don't Come Bet

Payout: 1/1

Odds: 976/949

House Edge: 1.36%

Buying Odds Bet

Payout: 2/1 on 4, 10; 3/2 on 5, 9; 6/5 on 6, 8

Odds: Same as Payout

House Edge: 0%

Laying Odds bet

Payout: 1/2 against 4, 10; 2/3 against 5, 9; 5/6 against 6, 8

Odds: Same as Payout

House Edge: 0%

Field Bet

Payout: 1/1, except 2 (2/1) and 12 (3/1)

Odds: 5/4

House Edge: 2.78%

Bix Six or Big Eight Bet

Payout: 1/1

Odds: 6/5

House Edge: 9.09%

Proposition Bet

Payout: Varies (7/1 or more)

Odds: Varies (8/1 or more)

House Edge: Over 10%

Hop Bet

Payout: 15/1

Odds: 17/1

House Edge: 11.11%

Place Bet

Payout: 6/5 on 6, 8; 3/2 on 5, 9; 2/1 on 4, 10

Odds: 7/6 on 6, 8; 7/5 on 5, 9; 9/5 on 4, 10

Printable Dice Game Instructions

House Edge: 1.52% on 6, 8; 4% on 5, 9; 6.67% on 4, 10

Hardways Bet

Payout: 30/1 on 2, 12; 7/1 on 4, 10; 9/1 on 6, 8

Odds: 35/1 on 2, 12; 8/1 on 4, 10; 10/1 on 6, 8

House Edge: 13.89% on 2, 12; 11.11% on 4, 10; 9.09% on 6, 8

Common Questions and Answers about Craps

Question: Can you play craps online for money?

Yes, you can … but laws vary. A few states have expressly legalized online gambling and license online casinos. Other states have no specific laws prohibiting it, or they state that online gambling is illegal but set out no penalties for it (making it effectively legal).

Other states prescribe penalties of varying harshness for the crime of online gambling, though it's unclear how strictly they're enforced.

Regardless, online casinos will accept deposits by ACH, credit card, mobile wallet, wire transfer, or cash deposit at an affiliated casino, and do accept online wagers on digital craps games.

It is worth noting that state-licensed casinos must comply with oversight rules monitoring the fairness of the games, the protection of sensitive user data such as social security and credit card numbers, and the honoring of withdrawal requests.

The safest and fairest online craps games are probably those offered by the states that license online casinos, including:

• Delaware
• Michigan
• New Jersey
• Pennsylvania.

States have different laws about whether you have to be physically located within the state (verified by GPS) or a resident of the state in order to gamble legally. You must also be of legal age to gamble in whatever locality you choose. Legal gambling ages vary by state and country.

Online craps games look like video-game versions of a craps table on a mobile or desktop browser. Animated dice may be thrown, but remember that the shoot result is determined by random-number-generating software, not the role of actual dice. In this digital environment, it is even easier for a casino to build in a predictable house edge.

However, state-monitored casinos must adhere to their house edge and not unfairly slant the game or make it unwinnable. This means that within the parameters of the house edge, it is perfectly possible for a player to get a lucky online shoot and win big money.

Question: What is the best bet in craps?

Everyone has to make a Pass Line bet to shoot craps at a casino, and this is actually a pretty good bet, with a house edge of only about 1.41%.

However, a better bet is a Don't Pass Line bet. With this bet, you are betting with the house, that another player is going to lose money. Don't Pass Line bets still carry a house edge, but it's down to 1.31%. Remember, though, to sit at the table and bet, you still have to make a Pass Line bet on your own shoots. You can't just stand off in the corner and make Don't Pass Line bets on everyone else!

A Pass Line bet with odds has the lowest house edge in the game.

Hardways bets have the best payouts because they have the longest odds. Place bets are some of the most-likely-to-win bets, but their payout is small.

Again, craps players with longevity devise strategies that mathematically reduce their chances of losing money while increasing their chances of winning money.

An example wager stack was presented above. Here's an example of another:

Wager Stack #2:

1. Once the point is determined, place two equal proposition wagers on 6 and 8 (the most likely outcomes).
2. When one of the bets hits, come down one unit on each bet, extracting your winnings while leaving short-odds wagers on the table.

Question: How do craps odds work?

Calculating the odds of any particular roll of the dice coming up is fairly straightforward math. It behooves you to know how to do this before you play. The casino has definitely done the math!

The odds of any die roll coming up is calculated by ascertaining the number of possible ways the outcome could be generated, divided by 36 (6 sides on die 1 x 6 sides on die 2).

There are six ways two dice could land on 7. Six divided by 36 equals 1/6. Therefore, the odds of rolling a 7 at any given time would be 1/6.

Conversely, there's only one way to roll a Hard 10, so the odds of that outcome of a shoot would be 1/36.

The casino builds its 'house edge' into the difference between the payout and the actual odds. This is why 1/36 odds pays out 35-to-one, whereas 1/6 odds pay out 5-to-one.

Question: How do you play video craps?

Some casinos offer video craps machines. These games are played in a similar fashion to online and mobile web craps games. You place your bet, with options including Pass Line, Don't Pass Line, Come, Don't Come, Odds, and other popular craps bets.

You then press a button and random-number-generator software produces the shoot result, often with a pleasing 'dice roll' animation.

Video craps machines in legal casinos can be used to play for money using chip, cash cage, or payment card deposits.

Question: How do you play the crap line in craps?

Before the Come Out round, place your desired bet on the Pass Line or Don't Pass Line section of the craps table.

Remember, when you play the Pass Line, you are betting on the shooter to win the shoot. A Don't Pass Line bet is a wager that the shooter will lose the shoot.

Question: How do you make an Odds bet in craps?

Once the point is thrown, Odds bets can be placed on any Line bet. Casinos usually allow you to bet:

• 3x the Line bet on point 4 or 10
• 4x the Line bet on point 5 or 9
• 5x the Line bet on point 6 or 8.

Shooting Craps Rules

Some casinos allow Odds betting of 5x, 10x, 20x, or even 100x of the Line bet on any point value.

Question: Can casinos rig craps?

The main way to cheat at physical craps is to use loaded dice. Casinos could rig a craps table with loaded dice.

Since online and video craps determine the outcomes of their shoots with random-number-generating software, it would also be easy for them to skew the outcome in their favor.

However, casinos have no reason to rig either physical or digital craps games. Their profit is built into the house edge, not into the result of any one shoot.

Moreover, regulated casinos would lose their licenses if inspectors discovered a rigged craps game on the casino floor or an online casino app.

Summary

Easy Craps Rules

With colonial and potentially medieval roots, craps is one of the most low-tech and purest casino games of chance. You can't fake or skew the odds on the outcome of a craps shoot—it's literally a 'roll of the dice.' In fact, 'crapshoot' has entered the English lexicon as a synonym for an unpredictable outcome.

However, with many bets, side bets, and combinations of odds to choose from, meticulous and mathematically-inclined players have devised multi-step, stacked-bet strategies that can skew in their favor the odds of coming out ahead.

Alternatively, players looking for the thrill of a big win can plunk money they won't miss on an unlikely outcome and join in the rowdy good fun. Either way, it's more lively than a sedate blackjack or poker table.

How To Play Craps