Craps Guides: Rules, Bets & Odds Explained
Craps looks complicated, but you only need a few bets to play well. Our craps guides explain the come-out roll and the point, the best and worst bets, payouts and house edge, and how online and live craps work.
How Craps Works
Craps is played with two dice. One player – the shooter – rolls, and everyone bets on the outcome. A round has two phases:
- Come-out roll. A 7 or 11 wins for Pass Line bettors; 2, 3 or 12 ("craps") loses. Any other number – 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 – becomes the point.
- Point phase. The shooter keeps rolling. If the point is rolled again before a 7, Pass Line bets win. If a 7 comes first ("seven out"), Pass Line bets lose and the dice pass to the next shooter.
Dice Probabilities
| Total | Ways to roll | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| 2 or 12 | 1 | 2.78% |
| 3 or 11 | 2 | 5.56% |
| 4 or 10 | 3 | 8.33% |
| 5 or 9 | 4 | 11.11% |
| 6 or 8 | 5 | 13.89% |
| 7 | 6 | 16.67% |
Seven is the most likely total, which is why it plays such a central role in the game.
Craps Bets and House Edge
| Bet | What wins | House edge |
|---|---|---|
| Pass Line | 7/11 on come-out, or point before 7 | 1.41% |
| Don't Pass | The opposite of Pass (12 pushes) | 1.36% |
| Odds behind Pass/Don't Pass | Extra bet at true odds after a point | 0% |
| Come / Don't Come | Like Pass/Don't Pass, placed after the point | 1.41% / 1.36% |
| Place 6 or 8 | 6 or 8 before 7 | 1.52% |
| Place 5 or 9 | 5 or 9 before 7 | 4.00% |
| Place 4 or 10 | 4 or 10 before 7 | 6.67% |
| Field | 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 or 12 on the next roll | 2.78%–5.56% |
| Any 7 | 7 on the next roll | 16.67% |
The Odds bet is the only bet in the casino with no house edge. Combining a Pass Line bet with odds is the classic way to keep the overall edge very low.
A Simple Craps Strategy for Beginners
- Bet on the Pass Line on the come-out roll.
- When a point is set, add an Odds bet behind it – as much as you are comfortable with.
- Optionally add Come bets with odds or Place bets on 6 and 8.
- Avoid proposition bets in the middle of the table.
Where Does the Name "Craps" Come From?
Craps descends from Hazard, an English dice game played since the Middle Ages. It reached New Orleans in the early 1800s, where the losing throw – "crabs" in Hazard – is believed to have become "craps", possibly via the French word crapaud (toad). The modern casino game, with the Don't Pass bet, took shape in the 20th century.
Online and Live Craps
Online RNG craps lets you learn at your own pace, often in demo mode, while live craps streams a real table. Some myths – like "dice control" – don't apply online, where results are random. Learn more in our craps winner's guide.
Pass Line or Don't Pass with the maximum Odds bet you are comfortable with. The Odds bet has no house edge.
A 7 or 11 wins for Pass Line bets, 2, 3 or 12 loses, and any other number becomes the point.
It means the shooter rolled a 7 before repeating the point. Pass Line bets lose and the dice move to the next shooter.
Licensed casinos use certified random number generators for online craps, and live games use real dice on camera.
Most proposition bets in the centre of the table, such as Any 7 and hardways, carry very high house edges.
It is an extra bet placed behind a Pass or Don't Pass bet after a point is set. It pays true odds, so it has no house edge.