HOW TO PLAY
CRAPS
How Do You Play Craps at the Casino
Ever wonder what’s going on around that oval table on the casino floor with all the people cheering? Craps is an exciting casino floor game that draws a crowd and generates a lot of excitement. Craps is a fairly simple game but can get complicated with the sheer number of bets you can make on the table and odds you need to keep track of.
Allow our experts to guide you through the basic rules of craps and teach you how to play …
What You Need to Know About Craps
Craps is one of the only games in the casino where a player is in charge of their own hand. Meaning, instead of you being dealt cards, you get to select and roll your own dice. The goal in craps is to predict how the dice will land.
The table is played in rounds with two phases in a round; the come out and point. Each player’s turn to roll the dice moves clock-wise around the table at the end of each round. There can be up to 20 players at a craps table and everyone will get a chance to throw the dice. If you don’t’ want to throw the dice, you can still play, but you bet on the shooter, or the person throwing the dice.
How Do You Play Craps at the Casino?
When it’s your turn to roll, you’ll be presented with five dice on the table, pick up two of them. You can only handle and throw these dice with one hand. Before you throw you must place a bet on the pass line or don’t pass line (more on this later).
First Phase in Craps: Come out
This is the first roll of the game and the black puck in the middle will say “Off.” A dice roll of 2, 3 or 12 (rolling these numbers is also known as craps) ends the roll and the players lose their bets on the Pass Line, but you get to roll again! A come out roll of 7 or 11 results in a win for bets on the pass line (this is the only time in craps where 7 is good!). The shooter will continue to make come out rolls until they roll a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10. When they land on one of those numbers, it becomes the point. When this happens, the dealer moves the ON button to the point number on the table and this signifies the beginning of the second round.
To recap: Pass line bets on the come out roll: 7 or 11 wins; 2, 3, and 12 lose.
Second Phase in Craps: Point
In the second round, it’s the shooter’s goal to roll the point number they established in the first round.
If the shooter rolls a point number, it’s a win for bets on the pass line and you get to roll again. If the shooter rolls a seven before their point number they “seven out,” and have lost; bets on the pass line lose and the round ends.
To clarify, the first roll in a round is the come out roll and is the beginning of a new game. A come out roll can only happen after the previous shooter makes their point or rolls a seven. When this happens, the dice move to the left of the shooter (clock-wise).
Craps Table Layout
A craps table is divided into two sides, both a mirror image of each other, to allow bettors on each side of the table to play without reaching all over the table.
Each area on the table signifies a different bet.
How to Place Basic Craps Table Bets
There are dozens of bet variations you can place on a craps table, and we won’t cover all of them here.
Pass and Don’t Pass Bets
Two of the best and safest bets in craps are bets on the Pass and Don’t Pass lines. When you bet on the Pass line, you’re betting that the shooter will win. The opposite is true for the Don’t Pass line.
To place these bets, simply place your chips in these areas on the table before the come out roll. Once the point is established, you cannot remove your pass line bet. Be sure to ask the dealer if you have any questions before placing bet!
Odds Bets
Once the point is established, you can place odds bets or “bet behind the line.” The odds bet is a great bet because the casino has no advantage. To make this bet, simply place your chips behind your bet in the pass or don’t pass line. These bets can be removed or changed at any time during the round.
Numbers Bets
During the points roll, you can place bets on certain numbers that are on the table. If they come up during the points roll, you win! Different numbers have different odds. When you want to place a bet on a number, place your chips in front of you and tell the dealer where you want your bet placed.
Field Bets
If you want to play the field, place your chips in this area on the table. If the dice lands on any of the numbers in the field (2, 3, 4, 9, 11, 12) you win! These are one-roll bets, meaning they removed after the dice is rolled.
Tips for Playing Craps
- Never say the number seven at the craps table. It’s bad luck!
- When rolling the dice, roll them hard enough to hit the back wall of the table.
- When on the other end of the table, keep your hands and arms clear to avoid contact with the dice.
- Don’t intentionally hit the chips at the end of the table with the dice
- Don’t make late bets! Know how much and when you want to place a bet.
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