Many people don’t know how to play craps, which is unsurprising as an estimated 1% of casino visitors have tried the game before. We think this is a little bit sad as craps has such a low house edge if you know how to play it properly.
Learning is effortless, though. We have created an easy to follow beginner’s guide to craps, which explains all you need to know to get started. We also provide casinos with free games if you want to practice.
Play Craps Online Here
How to Play Craps Links
- Play Craps Online Here
- How to Play Craps for Beginners
- Types of Craps Bets
- Top Craps Strategies
- How to Play Craps – FAQs
How to Play Craps for Beginners
Craps seems intimidating because of its jargon, but the game really isn’t hard to play. Here is a quick walkthrough of an average craps game:
- Every round starts with a bet. You place a bet on what you predict the dice total will be. You place your bet on the relevant area of the craps table.
- The game consists of two phases: the come-out roll and the point phase. The come-out roll is the first roll of the dice. Based on the score of the dice, the game will proceed as follows:
- If the come-out roll is a 2, 3, or 12, line bets instantly lose.
- If the come-out roll is 7 or 11, line bets instantly win.
- If the shooter (the person who rolls the dice) rolls a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 as the come-out roll, the point is established. Point numbers mark the beginning of the point phase.
- If the shooter rolls a point number during the point phase, then all pass line bets win. If the shooter rolls a seven, then all pass line bets lose, and the round comes to an end.
Types of Craps Bets
There are many bets available in craps. Here are the bets you are most likely to find in online games:
Pass Line
- A bet placed before the come-out roll.
- The pass line bet wins instantly if the come-out roll is 7 or 11.
- The pass line bet loses instantly if the come-out is 2, 3, or 12.
- If any other number is rolled, the point number is established.
- In the point phase, the bet wins if the point number is rolled again.
- It loses if 7 is rolled before the point number is rolled again.
- The payout is 1:1.
Don’t Pass Line
- A bet placed before the come-out roll.
- The don’t pass line bet wins instantly if the come-out roll is 2 or 3.
- The don’t pass line bet loses instantly if the come-out is 7 or 11.
- If any other number is rolled, the point number is established.
- In the point phase, the bet wins if 7 is rolled before the point number.
- It loses if the point number is rolled before 7.
- The payout is 1:1.
Come Bet
- A come bet can only be placed after the come-out roll.
- It is similar to a pass line bet.
- You win if the point number is rolled again before a 7.
- You lose if 7 is rolled before the point number.
- The payout is 1:1.
Don’t Come Bets
- A don’t come bet can only be placed after the come-out roll.
- It is similar to don’t pass line bets.
- You win if 7 is rolled again before a point number.
- You lose if 7 is rolled before the point number.
- The payout is 1:1.
Field Bet
- A one-roll bet.
- It can be made at any time in the game.
- It pays out if the next number rolled is 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12.
- The payout is 1:1.
Over 7
- A one-roll bet.
- It wins if the total of the roll exceeds seven.
- The payout is 1:1.
Under 7
- A one-roll bet.
- It wins if the total is below seven.
- The payout is 1:1.
Odds Bet
- One of many popular proposition bets.
- It is placed after the point number is established.
- It is the only bet in craps that pays out true odds.
- There are three variations:
- Points 4 and 10 (payout 2:1)
- Points 5 and 9 (payout 3:2)
- Points 6 and 8 (payout 6:5)
Big 6 and Big 8
- A bet on 6 or 8 to be thrown point number.
- The bet stays up until the shooter throws a 7.
- The payout is 6:5.
- The bet features a 9% house edge.
Hardways
- A bet on four numbers.
- You must roll an exact pair of doubles.
- They win if the “hard” number is rolled before an easy or a 7.
- A hardway bet pays out:
- 9:1 for hard 6 and 8.
- 7:1 for a hard 4 and 10.
Top Craps Strategies
We all play casino games to win real money prizes. While no tips will ensure you win every game, there are a few that will increase your odds. Below are some of our favorite craps strategies:
Focus on Pass and Don’t Bets
These wagers have the lowest house edge in the game, which means the biggest chance of winning bets.
Make Free Odds Bets When You Can
These wagers have no house edge, so why wouldn’t you place them?
Avoid Bets with a High House Edge
Placing one-roll and hard roll bets can lead to big losses very quickly. Sure, you will win big prizes if the roll is in your favor, but it usually isn’t, so don’t take the chance.
How to Play Craps – FAQs
When craps players ask about the basic rules of craps, we refer to the pass and don’t pass line bets. These are bets placed before the come-out roll. These are the only bets you need to make to stand a chance of winning or losing.
Yes, it is easy to learn craps. The game seems more intimidating than it really is. As long as you understand the rules behind the pass and don’t pass bets, you can play the game. However, we recommend that you get a better understanding of the game before jumping in like that.
There is an element of skill involved with craps, but this does not negate the fact that it is still chance-based. When we say there is skill involved, it has to do with rolling the dice a particular way. Or calculating probabilities.
There is no skill in guessing a single-roll bet with odds set at 36/1, which is why they are so hard to win.
If you’ve read some of our other guides, you have probably read this before – there is no way to ensure that you win at a gambling game every single time, including craps. It is a gambling game; you are bound to lose sometime.
You could cheat to win, but the consequences are spending a few years in a federal penitentiary, especially in Nevada.
The average house edge in the game is 1.58% if you stick to low edge bets like the pass and don’t pass bets and the come and don’t come bets. If you make stupid bets, including the snake eyes side bet, you could face a house edge of up to 20%.
There are some tricks you can learn to manipulate dice rolls. While not all techniques are illegal, a casino will more often than not ask you to leave if they find out that you are using one.