Wheel and Dice Games
How to Play Craps
A two-dice game with more bets than any other; the odds bet is the only wager in the casino with no house edge.
Craps is played with two dice thrown in turn by the players themselves. A round consists of a come out roll and, where required, a series of further rolls until the point is repeated or a seven appears. A craps table carries more bet types than any other casino game, with a house edge ranging from zero to above sixteen percent.
A new player needs only four bets to play through an entire session: pass line, don't pass, odds and place. Together they cover every low-edge wager on the table, including the odds bet, which is paid at the true probability of the result and therefore carries no house edge at all.
The Come Out Roll and the Point
The first roll of a round is the come out roll. Its result decides whether the round ends immediately or continues with a point.
| Dice total | Effect on the pass line bet |
|---|---|
| 7 or 11 | The pass line wins and the round ends |
| 2, 3 or 12 | The pass line loses; this is called craps |
| 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 | That number becomes the point and the round continues |
Once a point is set, a marker reading ON is placed on that number. The shooter keeps throwing until the point is repeated, which wins the pass line, or until a seven appears, which loses it and passes the dice to the next player.
The Four Bets Worth Knowing
The four bets below cover a full session at the lowest house edge available on the table.
| Bet | How it works | Payout | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pass line | Wins if the point is repeated before a seven | 1:1 | 1.41% |
| Don't pass | Wins if a seven appears before the point | 1:1, a 12 is a push | 1.36% |
| Odds | An extra bet placed once a point is set | Paid at true odds | 0% |
| Place 6 or 8 | Wins if that number appears before a seven | 7:6 | 1.52% |
The odds bet can only be placed after a point is set, and its size is capped as a multiple of the pass line bet, usually three to five times. Because odds are paid at the true probability, adding them lowers the combined house edge: a pass line bet with 3-4-5 times odds leaves a combined edge of about 0.37%, among the lowest figures anywhere on the gaming floor.
Odds Bet Payouts
Odds payouts follow the true probability of each point, so there is no margin left for the operator.
| Point | Combinations making the point | Odds payout |
|---|---|---|
| 4 or 10 | 3 of 36 | 2:1 |
| 5 or 9 | 4 of 36 | 3:2 |
| 6 or 8 | 5 of 36 | 6:5 |
On a don't pass bet the odds are placed in reverse, known as laying odds: the player stakes more to win less, again with no house edge.
How a Round of Craps Is Played
A single round of Craps follows the sequence below. The same sequence applies at a physical table and at a live dealer table streamed to a screen.
- Buy chips at the tablePlace cash on an empty part of the layout rather than in a betting box, and wait for the dealer to exchange it.
- Place a pass line or don't pass betThese bets are placed by the player, on the line in front of the seat, before the come out roll.
- The come out roll is thrownA total of 7 or 11 wins the pass line, a total of 2, 3 or 12 loses it, and any other number becomes the point.
- Add an odds bet once the point is setPlace chips directly behind the pass line bet. This bet is paid at true odds and carries no house edge.
- The shooter continues to rollThrows continue until the point is repeated or a seven appears.
- The round is settledRepeating the point wins the pass line and the odds behind it. A seven ends the round and the dice pass to the next player.
- Take down any bets that can be removedPlace and odds bets may be taken back at any time, unlike the pass line, which is committed until the round ends.
Place, Buy and Field Bets
These bets can be made and taken down at any time while a round is in progress.
| Bet | Payout | House edge |
|---|---|---|
| Place 6 or 8 | 7:6 | 1.52% |
| Place 5 or 9 | 7:5 | 4.00% |
| Place 4 or 10 | 9:5 | 6.67% |
| Buy 4 or 10 with 5% commission | 2:1 less commission | 4.76% |
| Field with 12 paying 2:1 | 1:1 except on 2 and 12 | 5.56% |
| Field with 12 paying 3:1 | 1:1 except on 2 and 12 | 2.78% |
| Big 6 or Big 8 | 1:1 | 9.09% |
Big 6 and Big 8 pay 1:1 for the same result that place 6 and place 8 pay at 7:6. The two sit side by side on the table layout, which is how new players end up on the version with six times the house edge.
Centre Bets to Avoid
The boxes in the middle of the table hold one-roll bets and hard way bets with large payouts. Every one of them carries a house edge far above the main bets.
| Bet | Payout | House edge |
|---|---|---|
| Any seven | 4:1 | 16.67% |
| Any craps | 7:1 | 11.11% |
| Hard 4 or hard 10 | 7:1 | 11.11% |
| Hard 6 or hard 8 | 9:1 | 9.09% |
| Total of 2 or total of 12 | 30:1 | 13.89% |
| Total of 3 or total of 11 | 15:1 | 11.11% |
| Horn | A combination of 2, 3, 11 and 12 | 12.50% |
At a busy table, centre bets are called out to the stickman rather than placed by hand. The etiquette involved is covered on the casino table etiquette page.
Dice Control and Where It Stands
Some players believe that the way the dice are held and thrown can influence the result. Casinos require the dice to bounce off the far wall of the table precisely to remove that possibility.
There is no repeatable evidence that dice control confers an advantage at a table requiring a wall hit. What can be stated with certainty is the effect of bet selection: the gap between a pass line bet with odds and the any seven bet exceeds sixteen percentage points.
Craps Terminology
The terms below are the ones heard most often at the Craps table. A wider list is available in the casino glossary.
- Come out roll
- The first roll of a craps round.
- Point
- The number 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 established on the come out roll, which must be repeated.
- Odds
- An additional bet placed after the point is set, paid at true odds with no house edge.
- Seven out
- A seven appearing before the point is repeated, which ends the round.
- Hard way
- A bet that an even total will be made from two dice of equal value.
- Shooter
- The player throwing the dice in that round.
- Laying odds
- The don't pass form of the odds bet: staking more to win less.
Craps FAQ
Which craps bet is the best one to make?
Don't pass at 1.36% and pass line at 1.41%, in both cases backed by an odds bet that carries no house edge. A pass line bet with 3-4-5 times odds leaves a combined edge of about 0.37%.
Why does the odds bet carry no house edge?
Because it pays exactly the true probability: 2:1 on points of 4 and 10, 3:2 on 5 and 9, and 6:5 on 6 and 8. No margin is left for the operator, which is why casinos cap its size relative to the main bet.
What is the difference between place 6 and Big 6?
Both win on the same event, but place 6 pays 7:6 for a house edge of 1.52% while Big 6 pays 1:1 for 9.09%. The Big 6 box is best left alone.
Must a player throw the dice?
No. The turn can be declined and passed to the next player. A player may bet throughout a session without ever throwing.
Why is don't pass less popular despite the lower edge?
Because it wins when most of the table loses. The difference from the pass line is also small, at 0.05 percentage points.
Can controlling the throw produce an advantage?
There is no repeatable evidence that the manner of throwing affects results at a table requiring the dice to hit the far wall. Bet selection has a far larger effect on long-run results.