Craps Rules & Strategy

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Craps is a table game played by several players, with one of the players who rolls the dice called the "shooter." It involves the shooter rolling the dice, and all of the players betting on the numbers that come up or don't come up. Players place bets before the shooter rolls the dice.

The outcome of every throw is a combination of fallen dice and a sum of the numbers from 2 to 12. The game consists of rounds. Before a first roll bets are made on win (Pass Line) or on loss (Don't Pass Line) of the player who is tossing dice. Other bets besides Come and Don't Come are also permitted. Then the first throw (called Come Out Roll) is made.

Below is a list of the bets you can make at craps :

Pass Line Bet - You win if the first roll is a natural (7, 11) and lose if it is craps (2, 3, 12). If a point is rolled (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10) it must be repeated before a 7 is thrown in order to win. If 7 is rolled before the point you lose.

Odds on Pass Line Bet - After a point is rolled you can make this additional bet by taking odds. There are different payoffs for each point. A point of 4 or 10 will pay you 2:1; 5 or 9 pays 3:2; 6 or 8 pays 6:5. You only win if the point is rolled again before a 7.

Come Bet - It has the same rules as the Pass Line bet. The difference consists in the fact you can make this bet only after the point on the pass line has been determined. After you place your bet the first dice roll will set the come point. You win if it is a natural (7, 11) and lose if it is craps (2, 3, 12). Other rolls will make you a winner if the come point is repeated before a 7 is rolled. If a 7 is rolled first you lose.

Odds on Come Bet - Exactly the same thing as the Odds on Pass Line bet except you take odds on the Come bet not the Pass Line bet.

Don't Pass Line Bet - This is the reversed Pass Line bet. If the first roll of a dice is a natural (7, 11) you lose and if it is a 2 or a 3 you win. A dice roll of 12 means you have a tie or push with the casino. If the roll is a point (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10) a 7 must come out before that point is repeated to make you a winner. If the point is rolled again before the 7 you lose.

Don't Come Bet - The reversed Come Bet. After the come point has been established you win if it is a 2 or 3 and lose for 7 or 11. 12 is a tie and other dice rolls will make you win only if a 7 appears before them on the following throws.

Place Bets - This bet works only after the point has been determined. You can bet on a dice roll of 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10. You win if the number you placed your bet on is rolled before a 7. Otherwise you lose. The Place Bets payoffs are different depending on the number you bet on. 4 or 10 will pay 9:5; 5 or 9 pays 7:5, and 6 or 8 pays 7:6. You can cancel this bet anytime you want to.

Field Bets - These bets are for one dice roll only. If a 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 12 is rolled you win. A 5, 6, 7 and 8 make you lose. Field Bets have the following different payoffs: 2 pays double (2:1) while 12 pays 3:1. Other winning dice rolls pays even (1:1).

Big Six, Big Eight Bets - Placed at any roll of dice these bets win if a 6 or 8 comes out before a 7 is rolled. Big Six and Big Eight are even bets and are paid at 1:1.

Proposition Bets - These bets can be made at any time and, except for the hardways, they are all one roll bets:

• Any Craps: Wins if a 2, 3 or 12 is thrown. Payoff 8:1
• Any Seven: Wins if a 7 is rolled on. Payoff 5:1
• Eleven: Wins if a 11 is thrown. Payoff 16:1
• Ace Duece: Wins if a 3 is rolled on. Payoff 16:1
• Aces or Boxcars: Wins if a 2 or 12 is thrown. Payoff 30:1
• Horn Bet: you bet on 2, 3, 11, and 12 all at once.. Wins if one of these numbers is rolled. Payoff is determined according to the number rolled. The other three bets are lost.
• Hardways: The bet on a hardway number wins if it's thrown hard (sum of pairs: 1-1, 3-3, 4-4...) before it's rolled easy and a 7 is thrown. Payoffs: Hard 4 and 10, 8:1; Hard 6 and 8, 10:1