How to Play Craps
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Craps Basics
A game of craps begins when the dice are passed to a new shooter. Players around the table then make bets for or against the shooter by betting Pass (for the shooter) or Don’t Pass (against the shooter). Both bets pay even money.
The shooter selects two of the five dice presented to him and makes his first roll, known as the Come Out roll. On the Come Out roll, the shooter needs to roll a 7 or 11 to win. If he rolls a 2, 3, or 12 (known collectively as Craps), he loses. If he rolls any other number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10), he has established a Point, and a white puck is placed on the number to indicate this. The shooter must roll the Point again before rolling a 7 in order to win. If he rolls a 7 before rolling the point, he loses.
If the shooter wins, he keeps the dice and rolls another Come Out. If he loses after establishing a point, the dice move to a new shooter.
Odds Bets, Come Bets, and Place Bets
After a point has been established, players may back up their Pass and Don’t Pass bets by making Odds bets. Odds bets are additional chips placed behind the Pass Line. Odds are a great bet because there is no house advantage, and should always be made. You may bet odds up to the amount of the line bet, although most casinos offer at least “double odds,” allowing you to double your odds bet. Odds may be increased, decreased, or removed at any time. The payout is determined by the point (see chart below).
Players may also make Come and Don’t Come bets after a point has been established. These bets are identical to Pass and Don’t Pass bets, except that they are made after the point is established. The bet is made by placing a chip in the appropriate area. If the shooter rolls a 7 or 11, a Come bet wins immediately, and a Don’t Come bet loses. If the shooter rolls a 2, 3, or 12, a Come bet loses and a Don’t Come bet wins. If the shooter rolls any other number, that number must be rolled again before a 7 is rolled in order for the Come bet to win. Odds may be bet on Come and Don’t Come bets just as on Pass Line bets.
Players may also make Place Bets on the numbers 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10. Place Bets pay when the number is rolled before a 7 is rolled, and can be increased, decreased, or removed at any time. The payoff is determined by the number:
| Point | Odds Payoff | Place Bet Payoff | House Advantage on Place Bet | |
| 6, 8 | 6-5 | 7-6 | 1.52 % | |
| 5, 9 | 3-2 | 7-5 | 4.00 % | |
| 4, 10 | 2-1 | 9-5 | 6.67 % |
Note that Place bets on the 4, 5, 9, and 10 must be made in units of 5, while Place bets on the 6 and 8 must be made in units of 6. Odds bets on the 5 and 9 must be made in units of 2. This enables the house to pay the bet correctly; if you bet the wrong amount, the house rounds your payment down to the nearest unit.
Summary
Pass and Come: Win on a 7 or 11 on the come out roll, lose on 2, 3, or 12 on the come out roll. If a point is established, these bets win if the point is rolled again before a 7 is rolled.
Don’t Pass and Don’t Come: Win on a 2 or 3 on the come out roll, lose on a 7 or 11 on the come out roll. Push on a 12 on the come out roll. If a point is established, these bets win if a 7 is rolled before the point is rolled again.
Odds: Win if the Pass, Don’t Pass, Come, or Don’t Come bet wins.
Place Bets: Available on 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10. Win if the number is rolled before a 7 is rolled.
Other Bets
Other bets that can be made, all of which have a larger house advantage than the bets described above:
One-Roll Bets:
| Bet | Payoff | House Advantage | |
| Craps (2, 3, 12) | 7-1 | 11.11 % | |
| Any Seven | 4-1 | 16.67 % | |
| High or “Box Cars” (12) | 30-1 | 13.89 % | |
| Low or “Snake Eyes” (2) | 30-1 | 13.89 % | |
| Eleven or “Yo” | 15-1 | 11.11 % | |
| Three or “Ace-Deuce” | 15-1 | 11.11 % | |
| Field (2,3,4,9,10,11,12) | 1-1 (2,12=2-1) | 5.56 % |
Horn bet: A horn bet is a convenient way of betting the 2, 3, 11, and 12 all at once by giving four units to the dealer. You can also bet five units and say which of the four you are betting two units on. To bet a horn with two units on the 11, you would say “Horn high yo."
Hardway Bets: A bet that doubles will be rolled before the number is rolled “easy” (non-doubles, i.e. 6 and 2 is an “easy 8”) or before a 7 is rolled. Hard 4 and Hard 10 pay 7-1 (house advantage 11.11 %), while Hard 6 and Hard 8 pay 9-1 (house advantage 9.09 %).
Big 6 and Big 8: A bet that a 6 or 8 will be rolled before a 7 is rolled. This pays 1-1, with a house advantage of 9.09 %. Since the same bet can be made at 7-6 odds by making a Place bet, this is the worst bet on the craps board and should never be made.
Craps Etiquette
Craps has certain rules of etiquette that should always be observed:
- Most players bet Pass (called "right bettors"), even though Don’t Pass
has slightly better odds (the house advantage on Pass is 1.41 %, on Don’t
Pass it is a mere 1.40 %). As a result, if you bet Don’t Pass (a "wrong
bettor") and you win, you are expected to basically remain silent, unless
the entire table is betting Don’t Pass; no one likes a wrong bettor who
celebrates.
- All Place bets and odds on Come bets are “off” on the Come Out roll,
meaning they will neither win nor lose. You may turn on these bets by
telling the dealer that the bet is “working.” This is an unusual play,
since it would result in you winning your line bet but losing your odds if
the shooter rolled a 7.
- When placing bets in craps, you may place Pass, Don’t Pass, Come,
Don’t Come, odds on the Pass Line, and Field bets directly on the table.
All other bets must be handed to the dealer or stickman for correct
placement on the table. Bets are placed in a specific position so that it
is clear which player has placed each bet.
- Never put your hands into the craps pit when the dice are “out,” meaning they have been passed to the shooter. The shooter may roll as soon as the stickman passes the dice, he is under no obligation to wait for any more bets to be made.
How to Deal Craps
Craps is a tough game to deal, requiring math skills, patience, and composure. When dealing craps, be sure to place each players bets in the correct position on the layout; always let the players know that you should be placing all place bets, odds on come bets, and any other bets that require specific placement. Be sure the players let you know when they are making center bets such as hardways and horn bets, so you can track those as well.
Prior to each roll, be sure all players have bet before putting the dice out; keep the dice close to you. Check all place bets and odds bets to be sure the base bet is correct (i.e., players must bet units of 6 when placing the 6 or 8, and even numbers when betting odds on the 5 or 9).
After each roll, leave the dice alone and work your way around hte table, paying winning bets and collecting losing bets. Check the field and hardways as well. On a seven-out, collect all losing bets first, then go back and pay winning bets. After all bets are paid or collected, you can rake the dice.
The most important thing when dealing craps is to practice and learn the game inside and out. Players will be patient as you're learning, and you'll be an excellent dealer in no time.