Basic Craps

In a broad spectrum of casino games, Craps is probably the one you’ve only heard of but have never played it. It doesn’t come as a surprise, since playing casino games should be fun and easy, whereas only catching a glimpse of the Craps table makes your head spin.

Three Basic Rules of Craps. By admin 2021-02-03 Rules of craps. When it comes to gambling online, one of the most important things to know is the rules of craps. Knowing these rules can mean the difference between losing more or gaining more money, so knowing them the right way is extremely important. In this article, we’re going. Craps Strategy: Best Craps Bets The best bets to place, whether you’re just starting out or a seasoned pro, are the Pass Line bet and Don’t Pass Line bets. These bets are similar to Blackjack and roulette in that you basically have a 50/50 chance of doubling up and the house only has a 1.41% advantage. Placing Craps Bets. Bets can be placed in craps before the come-out roll or after the point is set. Besides the basic wagers below, gamblers will find an abundance of possible wagers, including one-roll bets and a variety of side bets. Learning how to make these bets are tantamount to learning the rules of craps.

We won’t deny that Craps can be quite confusing if you know nothing about how to play the game.

Nevertheless, if you invest a bit of your time to learn the basics, you will realize that it is, in fact, really simple yet fully amusing.

Also, do not think that being simple equals winning small. After you master the concept of the game, you will dive into various betting opportunities that pay off quite well.

In this guide, we pieced together everything you need to know before entering the Craps table. If you follow along, you will learn the following:

Therefore, let’s waste no time and jump right in.

Back to Basics

To begin with, you need to know what type of game you are playing. For Craps, you have the table and the dice. You also have a laminated marker that is black with “OFF” written on it if the game is about to start.

In case you are a total novice, it might be useful to take a look at the table, or even occasionally check while you are reading the instructions.

The first part of the table looks like this:

  • Initially, there are five dice out of which you choose two to play with while the remaining three are taken away. The dice are carefully chosen, inspected and replaced when they serve their time of use.
Basic craps play

Since we have the dice, logic would say that we need someone to throw them for the game to start, that person is called “the Shooter“.

  • The shooter always has to bet a table minimum on one of the basic lines which are called “Pass Line” or “Don’t Pass Line“.

The game consists of rounds. When one person is throwing, it is their round, and if they lose, the next player is on the move.

Craps rounds are played clockwise around the table, meaning that, when you finish, the person on your left is the next one in line to play.

  • You can also choose not to be the Shooter, yet place bets when others throw the dice.

Now that we have the dice, the Shooter and placed bets, the game can begin.

Before we open the topic of placing bets, there are a few more things to remember.

Let’s imagine that you are the “Shooter”. You’ve placed your bet, got the die and are ready to roll. When you throw the die, they must hit the walls to the opposite part of the table. The first time you do it, it is called a “Come-out” roll.

When the die stop rolling, they show the numbers according to which the game will unfold. Here we have three possible scenarios. In case the sum of the numbers is:

  • 7 or 11, it is called a “Natural”, and it means an automatic win;
  • 2, 3 or 12, it is called “Craps”, and it’s an automatic loss;
  • 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10, it becomes a “Point”.

The first two cases are pretty straightforward:

  • The first, you win your money from the “Pass Line” (the explanation of the Pass Line will come in a minute) and play again
  • The second, the house takes your money and the game belongs to the next player.

If the third option occurs, the situation is slightly different. Whichever of the mentioned numbers you get from the throw becomes a “Point”, and you need to get it again to win.

Remember the laminated marker from the beginning of the story?

If you throw a “Point”, the dealer will turn it over. The other side of it is white and marked as “ON”. The dealer will put it on your “Point” number thus signalizing to others what you are hoping to get.

You can throw as many times as needed to get your point number unless you get a seven. Then you lose and the game moves on.

Basic Craps Rules

Since this can be a bit confusing, let’s pause for a second and clarify the story around the number seven.

So, if you get a seven from a Come-out roll, you automatically win and play again. However, if you get a Point and afterward get a seven, it’s a loss for you.

Now that we clarified the initial moves, we can move on to the bets.

How Do We Place Bets?

Pass

This is the elementary bet in the game of Craps. Usually, the majority of players always go with this bet first.

You put the chips on the “Pass Line” on the table before the “Come-out” roll. You should get a 7 or 11 to win, or 2, 3 or 12 to lose. Get a Point, and then try to get it again to win. If you get a 7 before the Point, you lose.

The Pass bet pays 1/1, so you get even money for what you bet.

Don’t Pass

The Don’t Pass bet is opposite to the Pass bet.

  • You lose with a Natural and win with Craps.
  • When a Point comes out, then you hope for a 7 to win.

With this bet, there is something called Push, or a tie, if the roll is a 12. You don’t lose with this one, but you don’t win either.

Odds

Odds is like a backup bet and it is made after the Come-out roll.

When the Shooter throws a Point, you can put additional money and bet on him throwing the Point again. You place this bet by putting the chips right behind the Pass Line close to yourself.

Certainly, in this case, you win if the Shooter gets the Point again.

However, different numbers carry a different value.

Basic craps bets
  • For Points 4 and 10, the payoff is 2/1
  • For 5 and 9 it’s 3/2
  • While for 6 and 8 you get 6/5 of your bet
  • If a 7 comes up before the Point, you lose

One more thing you should know is that the Odds has zero house edge, therefore, your bet on the Odds is based on your Pass bet. This can differ from casino to casino, but the most common pattern is “3-4-5X Odds”.

In simple terms, this means that on 4 and 10 you can bet up to three times your Pass bet, four times on 5 and 9, and five times on 6 and 8.

Come Bet

Same rules as for the Pass Line bet apply here, with a difference that you place this bet after the Come-out roll when a Point is established.

Here, again, a Natural wins and Craps loses. If you get any other number, it becomes your Come Bet Point and will pay off only if you get it again.

This is when the dealer will move your bet to your Come Bet Point and you can add some odds to it as well. It works the same way as the Odds for Pass Line bet.

Don’t Come

Exactly the same principle as the “Don’t Pass“ bet, only it’s related to the Come Bet.

Place

In case you have a feeling that some other number will appear after a Point is thrown, you can place a bet on that number too and win if it rolls before a 7.

The rates are 9/5 for 4 or 10, 7/5 for 5 or 9, and 7/6 for 6 or 8.

Field

Field bet can be placed at any time and it is considered a one-roll bet.

You win if the roll is 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12, while 5, 6, 7, and 8 take your money away.

With this bet, 2 pays 2/1 and 12 usually pays 3/1, and the rest of the numbers pay 1/1.

Big Six and Eight

This is an even bet which wins only if you get 6 or 8 before a 7.

Experts do not recommend this bet because it is the same as a Place bet on these numbers but pays less.

Proposition Bets

For Proposition Bets, there is another half of the table that looks like this:

To place Proposition bets, we need to shift our focus to the middle of the table and check out all the fields there.

These bets do not require a table minimum and can be placed for any roll. They do pay a lot, but some of them are hard to get. The options look like this:

Bet:Wins if the roll is:Payoff:
Any Seven75/1
Any Craps2, 3 or 128/1
Ace/Deuce316/1
Eleven1116/1
Aces of Boxcars2 or 1231/1
Horn Bet2, 3, 11 or 12Determined according to the rolled number

Hardways

This bet means that you get a sum of the same numbers, for example, you get a 6 with both dice showing a 3, or a 10 with both dice showing a 5, and so on.

The payoff is:

  • 8/1 for Hard 4 and 10
  • 10/1 for Hard 6 and 8

Conclusion

Basic Craps Video

In this guide, we covered the basic rules of Craps, the elementary bets that everyone should understand, as well as Proposition bets that can help you win big.

Now you are equipped with knowledge wide enough to approach the Craps table, you can try your luck with some small wagers to get the feel of the game before moving on to online craps where game variations and winnings are turned up a notch.

Of course, there are more bets to try regarding this game, but make sure to first get some experience in the fundamental bets before you move to more complicated ones.

We would be delighted to find out that our guide helped you fall in love with this game and, on top of that, win some real money, so don’t be shy and let us know!

Laura Klusaite

Table Of Contents

  • Craps rolls are one of the most interesting events that happen on the Casino floor.
  • This Craps strategy guide for beginners helps you understand the ins and outs of the pass or come bet.
  • Read it before your round begins to understand your chances to win playing online Craps.

Craps is one of the most exciting gambling games since the Middle Age. If you don’t know how to play Craps and you haven’t played online yet, now it's your chance.

What you see here is the only craps for dummies guide you'll ever need to learn the game.

This is an all-in-one Craps for beginners resource where you find the best Craps strategies, the best Craps Casinos to play online, and all the proposition bets you should avoid.

Also, I added the basics of Craps etiquette because placing one or two winning bets doesn't authorize you to do everything you want or behave like Will Ferrel, Amy Poehler, and Jason Mantzoukas in The House.

Although it's one of the most popular and played games at land-based casinos, the game of craps not one of the top favorites of online players.

Some believe craps is a complicated game with rules and bets that do not fit the speed of online gambling. They get confused by concepts like odds bets, betting on the pass line, comeout roll, snake eyes, and lay odds- and that’s why they often skip this table game.

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How to Play Craps for Dummies

How to Play Craps for Beginners?

Beginners are often so intimidated by the numbers, the terms, and all the different bets available in a game of craps. Also, complicated tables like the ones you find on Wizard of Odds might push you away from the craps tables and not play the game.

Playing craps is easy. You don’t need anything more than a guide for Dummies like this one to move from beginner to expert.

If you don’t know how to play craps, make sure you read the part that follows carefully enough to pay attention to all the different elements that compose a game of craps.

When you are done with my Craps for Dummies guide, you are ready to play the game.

Once you pass the learning part, the game is simple. So, let’s not beat around the bush and get to the good part – craps rules for dummies, that is.

Learning Craps Rules for Dummies in 3 Minutes or Less

Why three minutes? Because there are three main rules to learn to know how to play craps. This is a guide for dummies - meaning we like to keep things short and simple.

That’s why three minutes is more than enough to learn how to play craps.

Craps betting round starts with a come-out roll.

That’s the first term beginners need to learn and add to their vocabulary.

The come-out roll is the first roll of the dice or the first one after the previous betting round has finished.

The player who throws the dice is called the 'shooter'.

A game of craps plays as follows: you, 'shooter', take two dice and throw them on the craps table - or press 'roll' button if we are talking about online craps.

Once the number rolled is on your screen, there are three possible outcomes:

1. Natural

Here’s when things get really good. A 'Natural' means that the result of your roll is a 7 or an 11. When this happens, you win and get to roll the dice again.

2. Craps

You roll a 2 (also known as the Snake Eyes), 3, or 12. Here’s when you lose.

BUT the round is not over, and you get to roll again.

3. Point

You roll a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10.

In a live casino, a dealer would mark your Point (the rolled number) on the table.

In online craps games, there is a small button that appears once the Point is established. It’s white and says 'On'.

What you need to do now is to roll the dice once more and hope you’ll hit the same number again. It doesn’t have to be the same combination of dice as you had before. As long as it’s the same sum – you win.

Do you know why the sequence above misses a seven?

The number 7 is not a very lucky one in this case since if you roll a 7, you 'seven out' – you lose and end the betting round.

Once you learn this part by heart, you can move on to the betting options.

That’s the fun part. Because that’s the one that can make you win a lot.

Playing Craps for Dummies: Betting Rules

If you take a look at the craps table, both online and offline, you can see that it’s not only dice and numbers.

Now that you know how to shoot craps and how to evaluate the result of your roll let’s have a look at how to bet in a game of craps.

Remember: this is a craps guide for dummies, so I am going to analyze everything looking at a game of craps as a beginner would do.

The layout has a handful of areas for different betting options.

Pass or Don’t Pass Bets

First, you can bet either on the 'Pass Line' or the 'Don't Pass Line'.

The Pass Line bet means you bet that the shooter will pass (win) by rolling out a natural or by winning the point before seven-ing out.

The Don’t Pass Line corresponds to the opposite bet. In this case, you bet that the shooter will not pass (lose). It can happen if the player shoots to get a 2 or 3, or fails to roll the point again before a 7 shows up its ugly head.

Basic

And then there is a 12. If it’s rolled now, your bet is a Push – meaning nothing happens. You don’t win, but you don’t lose either.

You can make these bets only before the point has been established on the table. Once the point has been rolled out and the shooter needs to roll the sum again, you can make a come or don’t come bet.

Come or Don’t Come Bets

These bets can only be made after the point has been determined.

The Come Bet wins if a natural is rolled out and loses if the craps are.

Basic Craps Strategy

If the point is rolled out, it becomes the Come-Bet point.

It works just like the Pass line one: if the come-bet point rolls out again before 7 does, you win. If not, it’s not your lucky round, pal.

Don’t come bet is just like the Don’t pass one. You’re in luck if the shooter rolls a 2 or 3, not so much if it's a 7 or 11. A 12 here is a push again.

Once the point is made, you should hope for 7 before the shooter rolls out the point again.

Neither Pass nor Come bets can be turned off. You bet and wait until it plays itself out. But you can make additional bets on the come-bet point, too. And those you can withhold or increase at any time.

Learning To Play Craps

Proposition Bets in Craps

These are one-roll bets (with one exception, as you can see in the table below) that you can place on any roll.

BetWins if
Any SevenThe shooter rolls a 7
Any CrapsThe shooter rolls a 2, 3, or 12
Ace DeuceThe shooter rolls a 3
AcesThe shooter rolls a 2
BoxcarsThe shooter rolls a 12
HornThe shooter rolls a 2, 3, 11, or 12

The exception I mentioned earlier is called Hard ways. In this case, you win if you roll a 4, 6, 8, or 10 (depends on which one you bet) with the pair of same numbers (2 and 2, 3 and 3, and so on) before any other combination that makes that sum or a 7

Other Possible Bets in a Game of Craps

Place Bets:Once you know the point, you can bet on any number on the table. You win if it’s rolled out before a 7, you lose if it isn’t.

Field Bets: This type of bet is only active for one dice roll. You win if a 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12 is rolled. A 5, 6, 7, or 8 makes you lose.

Big 6 and Big 8 bets: If you want to bet that 6 or 8 will be rolled before 7, These are the two bets for you.

These bets only pay 1:1.

Practice Craps Online: Where Beginners Should Play Craps

The best way to learn craps online is to practice craps online.

Now that you know about the different bets and outcomes of a roll, you should be ready to move from asking how to shoot craps to playing craps online.

And if you don’t want to risk your cash on real money games until you are 100 per cent sure that you know how to win at craps - that’s not a problem.

The best online craps sites for beginners five you the chance to play and practice craps online for free for as long as you need.

You can also use the Casino bonuses you receive on most sites when you sign up but, given the house edge of this game, you should start for free.

The best site to play craps online for free and get a hang of the game is this one.

I suggest you open a free account on this page to find the best Craps tables online and play the game. That’s the best way to learn craps if you don’t have a brick-and-mortar casino next door to go to.

That’s what I did when I first played Craps.

It all will look a lot easier once you practice craps online.

And once you feel that online, free practice has made it perfect, you can move to real money craps games.

The game of craps has really good odds with the house edge of only 1,41%.

That beats roulette and even blackjack when it's played with the basic strategy. There’re many betting rules to remember at first but they come naturally later on. And they actually make the game even more exciting.

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Basic Craps Play

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