How To Play Craps — Craps Rules & Tips for Beginners

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Are you interested in learning how to play craps? This exciting dice game doesn’t require much skill to play, making it a great choice if you’re new to gambling online. The true origins of craps are murky, but some say that it hails from the Roman era when soldiers used pig bones as dice. Later, craps became extremely popular in 17th-century France. The game may have gotten its name because gamblers hunched over on sidewalks resembled toads, or “crapaud” in French.

If you’re itching to win big at the craps table, this craps playing guide is for you. You’ll learn craps techniques, craps rules for beginners, bets, and a few craps game strategies.

How To Play Craps — The Essentials

Craps is a fairly simple game, but to come out ahead, you must understand a few important terms. You might also benefit from applying a craps strategy to maximize your winning potential. Below, you’ll find the essentials of how to play a game of craps.

The Come Out Roll

The come out roll is the very first roll of the dice in the game. At a brick-and-mortar casino, gamblers take turns throwing the dice. The person who rolls the dice is called the shooter.

In an online game of craps, the computer “throws” the dice for you instead. Online casinos use a random number generator (RNG) to make sure that the computer’s throws are fair.

If you’re playing at a land-based casino, there are a few shooter rules to know. Firstly, you must throw both dice at the same time, and you can only throw with one hand. Secondly, the dice should hit the wall of the table across from you.

Establishing Points

Three things can happen when the shooter rolls:

• Natural: A “Natural” is a seven or 11. If the shooter rolls a seven or 11, they can roll again.
• Craps/Crapping Out: If the shooter rolls a two, three, or 12, this is called “crapping out” or “rolling craps.” The shooter loses this roll, but they get to roll again.
• Point/Rolling the Point: If the shooter rolls a four, five, six, eight, nine, or 10, their roll is called the “point.” The dealer will mark the point on the table (or, at an online casino, a button labeled “On” will appear over the point).

Once the shooter establishes points, the goal is to roll the same number as the point again. They don’t have to have the same combination of numbers, though. For instance, if they first rolled a three and two to make five, they can roll a four and a one to get the same number.

Winning and Losing Bets

Next, you’ll bet on which number the next throw of the dice will land on. There are many different types of bets, which I’ll explain further in detail below. In general, though, if the shooter rolls the point before rolling a seven, any pass line bets will win. But if the shooter rolls a seven before rolling the point, all of the pass line bets lose.

Understanding Basic Craps Rules

If you want to know how to play craps, you must first understand a few basic rules. Here’s a quick primer on how to play craps for dummies.

The Dice

Craps games are played with two six-sided dice. When the shooter throws the dice, the numbers that land face-up establish the point.

Some craps pros say that it’s possible to learn dice control and throw the dice so that they land on specific numbers. You’ll need plenty of practice if you want to learn this trick.

The Craps Table Layout

The craps table can look a bit intimidating if you’ve never played the game before. Craps tables have two sides, both with the same layout. There’s no difference between the sides, so you can play at either one.

At the left and bottom of the table, you’ll see the Pass Bar. Above and to the right of the Pass Bar is the Don’t Pass Bar. In the center sits the Come Bar.

To the right, you’ll see a few dice combinations that you can bet on, along with their odds.

The Dealers, the Boxman & the Stickman

At in-person casinos, you’ll see a few casino staff hovering around the craps table. First, there are two dealers, one for each end of the table. The dealers give you chips when you buy in, place bets on the table for you, and pay out chips when you win.

The boxman monitors the table and makes sure that everyone follows the rules. They also collect cash placed on the table after dealers have given out the chips.

The stickman is so named because of the long, curved stick they carry. They use this stick to push the dice toward the next shooter. They also manage proposition bets for you.

About the Shooter & RNG

As mentioned above, the shooter is the player who throws the dice. But in an online game, there are no physical dice to throw. Instead, the shooter clicks the “Roll” button to toss the dice.

You might worry that it’s possible for casinos to rig online craps games. However, if you’re playing craps at a reputable casino, you have nothing to fear. Good casinos use RNG to make sure that every craps game is completely fair.

RNGs create random number patterns that are impossible for anyone to guess. The main drawback to RNGs is that you don’t have physical control over the dice.

Betting Limits

Each craps table has its own betting limits. Some start at $1, while others can go up to $100 per bet or even much more. If you’re playing online, you can select a table with a betting range. For instance, your table may have a range of $1 to $50. That means you can bet as little as $1 but no more than $50 per bet.

It’s best to avoid tables with high betting limits until you’ve fully learned how the game works. Even then, craps is largely a game of luck, so tables with high limits can be risky.

Main Craps Bets

Learning how to play craps isn’t hard, but the sheer number of different bets can trip you up. Below, I explain what each of these bets are in detail.

Pass Line Bet & Don’t Pass Line Bet

Pass bets and Don’t Pass bets will probably be the easiest for you to wrap your head around. If you make a Pass bet, you’re wagering that the shooter will throw a seven or 11. If they do, you win. Otherwise, you lose the bet. If you choose a Don’t Pass bet, you’re betting that the shooter will throw a two, three, or 12.

Pass and Don’t Pass bets remain in play until the shooter rolls the point or craps out. Both bets are excellent for new and experienced gamblers alike. They have the lowest house odds at just 1.41%.

Come Bet & Don’t Come Bet

Come and Don’t Come bets become available once the shooter rolls the point. If you think the shooter will roll a seven or 11, you can place a Come bet. If you think they’ll roll a two, three, or 12, place a Don’t Come bet.

If the shooter rolls any other number besides a two, three, seven, 11, or 12, that number is now your personal point. Having two points (yours, plus the shooter’s) gives you double the chance of winning.

Odds Bets

You can make an Odds bet in addition to a Pass/Come bet. Placing and removing Odds bets is allowed at any time after the come out throw and the point is established.

Odds bets pay out differently depending on the point, like so:

• Four or 10: Pays 2:1
• Five and nine: Pays 3:2
• Six and eight: Pays 6:5

Odds bets are allowed in multiples of the original flat bet, and they have limits which you must adhere to. For instance, if the flat bet is $20 and the allowed odds are 2x, you can take odds up to $40.

Odds bets don’t have any payoff for the house, so most casinos have strict rules regarding their use.

One Roll Bet

One Roll bets are quite easy to understand. You win money if the shooter rolls a two, three, 11, or 12. A roll of three or 11 scores you a payout of 15:1. If the shooter rolls a two or 12, the payout is 30:1.

Place Bets

With a Place bet, you’re betting on the shooter to throw a four, five, six, eight, nine, or 10 before they roll a seven. You can also make a Place to Lose bet. This means that you think the shooter will roll a seven before rolling any place numbers.

The house edge for Place bets ranges from 1.52 to 6.67%, depending on the numbers you pick. You can make Place bets at any time after the shooter establishes the point.

Field Bets

When you make a Field bet, you’re betting that the shooter will throw a three, four, nine, 10, or 11 in one roll. You can also double or triple your wager by betting that the shooter will roll a two or 12.

Many experts swear by Field bets, but you should know that the odds aren’t great, and such bets have a less than 50% chance of paying out. Statistically, the shooter is more likely to roll a five, six, seven, or eight.

If you’d like to try Field bets, consider using the Iron Cross strategy. This strategy pairs a Field bet with Place bets on losing numbers. The benefit of this strategy is that you can only lose if the shooter rolls a seven.

The Iron Cross strategy reduces the house edge to just 2.37%, and you only have a 16.67% chance of losing. Thus, Iron Cross bets typically have better odds than Place bets alone.

The Big Six & Big Eight Bets

The Big Six and Big Eight bets are easy enough to understand. With them, you’re betting that the shooter will roll a six or an eight before a seven.

The house edge for Big Six and Big Eight bets is quite high at 9.1%, and these bets only pay even money.

Proposition Bets

Proposition bets are bets that you can make on any single roll of the dice. They’re also called Center bets because of their position on the table. Depending on the number, prop bets have a house edge ranging from 10% to 16.7%.

You can make Proposition bets at any time during the game. You can win with:

• Any seven
• Any craps (two, three, or 12)
• Ace deuce (a three)
• Aces (a two)
• Boxcars (a 12)
• Horns (two, three, 11, or 12)

Hardways Bets

Hardways bets are essentially the opposite of proposition bets. With these bets, you’re wagering that the shooter will throw a four, six, eight, or 10. To win, both dice must show the same number.

For instance, say you place a Hardway bet on four. If the shooter rolls a pair of twos, you win. But if they roll a one and a three, you lose the bet.

If you like playing Hardways bets, try the Buffalo bet strategy. With it, you bet an equal amount on each Hardway, then hedge those bets by wagering the same amount on Any Seven. If the shooter gets a seven, the Any Seven pays 4x, which covers the lost Hardways. Essentially, you come out ahead no matter which way the game goes.

Note that the Hard Six and Hard Eight pay more than the Hard Four and Hard 10. That’s because there are more ways for them to lose. The Hard Six and Hard Eight pay out 9:1, while the Hard Four and Hard 10 payout 7:1.

Step-By-Step Guide to How a Craps Game Rolls Out

If you want to learn how to play craps, refer to this handy guide. It explains every step of a craps game, from initial bets to the finale.

Place Your Bet

First, you’ll need to make a Pass or Don’t Pass bet before the shooter rolls the dice. If you think the shooter will throw a seven or 11, make a Pass bet. If you think they’ll roll a two, three, or 12, make a Don’t Pass bet.

Dice Roll

Now it’s time to roll the dice. If you’re the shooter and you’re playing online, simply click “Roll.” If you’re playing in a brick-and-mortar casino, collect both dice in one hand and give them a throw. Try to throw the dice so that they bounce off the back wall of the table.

Analyze Your First Bets

Next, the dealer will review whether any Pass or Don’t Pass bets have won. If you made a Don’t Pass bet and the shooter rolled a two, three, or 12, you win. If you placed a Pass bet and the shooter threw a seven or 11, you also win. Otherwise, you don’t win, but your bet stays in play for the next round.

Point Has Been Established

If the shooter throws any other number (four, five, six, eight, nine, or 10), this is called establishing the point. The shooter now keeps rolling until they either hit the point again or roll a seven (called crapping out).

Place More Bets

Once the point has been established, you’re free to place more bets. For instance, you could bet on the Hardways or place a few proposition bets. It’s impossible to predict where the dice will end up in the next round, so whether you win any bets comes down to luck.

Shoot Again

After everyone has finished placing their bets, the shooter rolls again. You will continue betting and rolling until the shooter throws a seven.

Finale

If the shooter rolls a seven before hitting the point, all Pass line bets lose, and Don’t Pass bets win. If they roll the point before throwing a seven, the opposite occurs.

Once the shooter hits a seven, the game ends, and then it begins again with a new round of betting.

Craps Variations

There are many different variations of craps, but all hail from the original classic variety. Roman soldiers played a game similar to craps, but the game as it’s known today didn’t evolve until about 1788. Originally, the game was called “Krabs,” and it was an English variation of the European game Hazard.

As mentioned above, the game may have received its name because gamblers hunched in the street resembled toads, the French word for which is “crapaud.” The game’s name may also come from a Louisiana mispronunciation of the word “crabs” (what aristocratic Londoners called the numbers two and three).

Craps became extremely popular during World War II. After the war, craps became the dominant game at casinos throughout Vegas and the Caribbean. Not long after, casinos in Europe, Australia, and Macau began to offer craps games as well.

In addition to the craps variants described below, there are a few others you may want to know more about. One of these is New York craps, which doesn’t have Come/Don’t Come bets. You can only bet on box numbers from four to six and eight to 10. Scarney craps is a similar variant that also has no Come/Don’t Come bets.

Bubble craps is another interesting new variant. Also called Shoot To Win, this is the electronic version of craps. Bubble craps games have no dealer; rather, the machine acts as the dealer. In Bubble craps, you can play by yourself, allowing you to move at your own pace. You won’t have to worry about slow gamblers or dealer mistakes.

Diceless craps is yet another variant to try. Instead of dice, it uses a deck of cards, and the rules are the same as classic craps. It developed in places where using dice to gamble is illegal.

I’ll go over some other popular craps variations below.

Classic Craps

Classic craps, also called traditional craps, is the most common variant you’ll find at casinos today. You might also see it referred to as bank craps. In classic craps, you place bets before the shooter throws the dice.

Simplified Craps

Simplified craps uses the same table as classic craps. The main difference is that the shooter only throws the dice once. If they throw a two, three, four, 10, 11, or 12, they win. Any other number is a loss.

Simplified craps may seem a bit similar to crapless craps, but it does differ in some ways. First, crapless craps has a higher house edge (about 5.4%). Also, simplified craps is easier to play because there are no point numbers. You only need to watch the six winning and five losing numbers.

Crapless Craps

You may also see crapless craps referred to as bastard craps or ruse craps. In crapless craps, the numbers two, three, 11, and 12 are counted as a point on the come out. If the shooter rolls a seven on the come out, it’s a winner. Any other number will become the point, and the shooter will win if they roll the same number before a seven.

In classic craps, the pass line is usually a good bet, but not so much in crapless craps. In this game, the house edge for a pass bet increases to 5.3%. Most experts avoid the pass line bet and just stick with the six and eight bets.

Die Rich Craps

Die rich craps is a rather new variant you may want to try. This variant is popular with beginners because it’s very easy to learn, and it only involves a single die. Thus, it’s sometimes called “craps for dummies.” The downside is that the house edge is rather high, putting you at a disadvantage.

In die rich craps, only four numbers can serve as the point. One number instantly wins the pass line, and another number “craps out” a pass line bet. Once the point is set, the pass line moves to the come line, as it does in classic craps.

Here’s what you must know before trying die rich craps:

• There are no Don’t Come or Don’t Pass bets, which means you must bet with the shooter.
• The shooter has three rolls to hit the point before they lose.
• The one is the “crap out” number. If the shooter rolls a one on the come out, all bets are lost.
• The six is an instant winner. If the shooter gets a six on the come out, all pass line bets pay even money.
• There are only four possible proposition bets in a die rich craps game. In die rich craps, prop bets pay out 4:1, and the house edge is very high at 16.67%.

Low/High Limit Craps

Low-limit craps are ideal for newbies who are just learning how to play craps. These tables may have limits of $1, sometimes lower. Although the payouts aren’t as juicy as those you’d earn from high-stakes tables, you have a lower risk of losing your entire bankroll. Plus, with enough games, you can turn a tidy profit.

You won’t find too many low-limit craps tables in land-based casinos, likely because they’re not very profitable for the house. Online casinos, on the other hand, offer plenty of low-stakes tables. Crypto casinos often have dozens of these tables, and what’s more, they’re open 24/7.

At high-limit craps tables, the minimum bet can start at $50 and go up to $1,000 or more. You can certainly win big at such tables, but you risk losing a ton of money, too. Avoid high-limit craps games unless you’re prepared to take a big loss.

Playing Craps Online vs. at a Land-Based Casino

Now that you’ve learned how to play craps, you may wonder whether you should head to a land-based or online casino. There’s no right answer, as both types of casinos have perks and drawbacks. I’ll cover some of these for you below.

Playing Live Craps Online

As you can see from the table above, online craps offer quite a few advantages over the land-based variety. If you choose to play with a live dealer, you can even enjoy a Vegas-like experience, without actually having to book a flight.

During a live dealer game, a real person will oversee your experience, usually via a livestream. This lets them make sure that everything proceeds fairly, in addition to helping to emulate the experience of playing in a land-based casino. By playing a live game, you can enjoy the best of both worlds.

In addition, online craps games often have a chat function that allows you to talk with other gamblers, as well as the dealer, in real time. It’s the next best thing to sitting at a land-based craps table in Vegas.

Playing online with a live dealer comes with a ton of additional advantages, too. For example, not everyone has the time or money to book a trip to a land-based casino. With online casinos, that’s not a problem. You can always fire up your favorite craps game from the comfort of your couch.

Access A Big Variation of Craps Online

Online casinos can offer a massive variety of craps games. You simply won’t find a variety like this at most land-based casinos. Plus, craps tables are typically open 24/7 online, which means you can find a game whenever the urge strikes you.

Online casinos cater to both low and high rollers. You can find tables with limits as low as $1 per game, perfect if you’re new to the world of craps. If you’re feeling lucky, check out a high-limit table. Some of these have limits of up to $1,000.

Online craps games are typically much faster-paced than their land-based counterparts, too. Land-based craps games can proceed at a snail’s pace while people chat and decide on their bets. With an online craps game, there are far fewer distractions, allowing for speedier, more engaging play.

Many online casinos have a demo mode for their craps games. This mode allows you to try out the game before betting real money. It’s a great way to learn how the rules and mechanics work.

One of the best things about online casinos is that they’re accessible no matter where you live (although you might need to use a virtual private network, or VPN, to access your favorite offshore casino). Plus, you can play at them even if gambling isn’t yet legal where you live.

Most online casinos also give huge welcome bonuses when you make your first deposit. These bonuses match your initial deposit by 100% or more, up to a certain amount. You could earn a bonus worth anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000. Crypto casinos (those that don’t accept fiat money) usually offer the highest welcome bonuses.

And that’s not all. Online casinos also have fantastic promotions for regulars. Many offer tournaments, free spins for slots, and weekly cashback on losses. Most have a VIP loyalty program, too. With such a program, you earn points for each game you play. You can then redeem those points for cash rewards and other goodies.

In short, you’re sure to have a blast by playing craps at an online casino. Not sure how to pick a good one? Try a gambling site from our list of the top crypto casinos and the best no-KYC casinos.

Top Craps Tips

Although craps is largely a game of chance, it’s possible to come out ahead by following these playing craps basics:

• Know the rules when getting started with craps. It may seem obvious, but you’re not likely to win if you don’t understand how to play the game.
• Carefully manage your bankroll, and never bet more than you can afford to lose. If you think you might have a gambling problem, consider calling the National Problem Gambling Helpline, which can direct you to supportive resources in your state.
• Develop your craps strategy by playing craps games in demo mode. This mode allows you to play craps for free before betting real money.
• Pick craps games with a high RTP (return to player) percentage. The RTP refers to the average percentage of money returned to the player per game.
• In classic craps, always go for the Pass/Don’t Pass and Come/Don’t Come bets. These bets have a house edge of just 1.41%.

Conclusion

Now you’ve learned the basics of how to play craps for beginners, but don’t let your journey end here. With time, patience, and a few advanced strategies, you can learn how to triumph over even the savviest craps experts. Take the time to find the right casino, then try out your luck playing a game. I wish you good luck at the craps tables!

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