Craps Guide — How to Play and Best Bets
Craps looks intimidating — the table layout is covered in dozens of betting options, experienced players shout jargon, and the pace is fast. But beneath the chaos, the core game is remarkably simple: one person rolls dice, and you bet on the outcome. Better yet, craps offers some of the best odds in the entire casino — if you stick to the right bets. This guide strips away the complexity and focuses on what you actually need to know.
The Basic Flow of a Craps Round
Every craps round has two phases: the come-out roll and the point phase.
The Come-Out Roll
A new round starts with the come-out roll. The shooter (the person rolling the dice) throws two dice. Three things can happen:
- Natural (7 or 11): Pass Line bets win immediately. The round ends and a new come-out roll begins.
- Craps (2, 3, or 12): Pass Line bets lose immediately. The round ends and a new come-out roll begins.
- Point (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10): The number rolled becomes "the point." The round continues to the point phase.
The Point Phase
The shooter keeps rolling until they either roll the point number again (Pass Line wins) or roll a 7 (Pass Line loses, called a "seven out"). All other numbers during this phase are irrelevant to the Pass Line bet — though they may affect other bets on the table.
The Essential Bets
Pass Line (House Edge: 1.41%)
The most fundamental craps bet. You're betting that the shooter will win — either by rolling a 7 or 11 on the come-out, or by hitting the point before rolling a 7. This is where you start, and for many players, it's the only bet you need.
Don't Pass (House Edge: 1.36%)
The opposite of the Pass Line. You win if the come-out roll is 2 or 3 (12 is a push), and you win during the point phase if a 7 comes before the point. Slightly better odds than the Pass Line, but you're betting against the shooter — which some players consider bad etiquette at a live table. The maths don't care about etiquette.
Odds Bet (House Edge: 0%)
The best bet in the entire casino. After a point is established, you can place an additional "odds" bet behind your Pass Line (or Don't Pass) bet. The odds bet pays at true mathematical odds — meaning the casino has zero house edge on this portion of your wager.
| Point | Odds Payout (Pass) | True Probability |
|---|---|---|
| 4 or 10 | 2:1 | 33.3% chance before 7 |
| 5 or 9 | 3:2 | 40.0% chance before 7 |
| 6 or 8 | 6:5 | 45.5% chance before 7 |
Casinos limit how much you can bet on odds — typically 3x, 5x, or 10x your Pass Line bet. The more you can put on odds (relative to your Pass Line), the lower your overall house edge becomes. At a 10x odds table, the combined Pass + Odds house edge drops to about 0.18%.
The Optimal Strategy
The mathematically best way to play craps: make a minimum Pass Line (or Don't Pass) bet and take maximum odds. This minimises your exposure to the 1.41% house edge on the flat bet while maximising your exposure to the 0% house edge odds bet. It's one of the lowest-edge strategies available in any casino game.
Other Common Bets
| Bet | House Edge | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Come / Don't Come | 1.41% / 1.36% | Good — same as Pass/Don't Pass but placed mid-round |
| Place 6 or 8 | 1.52% | Acceptable — if you want action on specific numbers |
| Place 5 or 9 | 4.00% | Mediocre — significantly worse than Pass+Odds |
| Place 4 or 10 | 6.67% | Bad |
| Field | 2.78–5.56% | Mediocre to bad depending on paytable |
| Any 7 | 16.67% | Terrible |
| Hard Ways | 9.09–11.11% | Terrible |
| Proposition bets | 11–16% | Terrible |
The pattern is clear: the centre of the table (proposition bets, hardways, any 7) has the worst odds. The edges of the table (Pass, Don't Pass, Odds) have the best. As a rule, the more exciting a bet sounds, the worse the maths are behind it.
Craps Dice Probabilities
Two six-sided dice produce 36 possible combinations. Understanding the probability of each total helps you evaluate any craps bet:
| Total | Combinations | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 2.78% |
| 3 | 2 | 5.56% |
| 4 | 3 | 8.33% |
| 5 | 4 | 11.11% |
| 6 | 5 | 13.89% |
| 7 | 6 | 16.67% |
| 8 | 5 | 13.89% |
| 9 | 4 | 11.11% |
| 10 | 3 | 8.33% |
| 11 | 2 | 5.56% |
| 12 | 1 | 2.78% |
The 7 is the most common outcome — it appears on 16.67% of rolls. This is why the 7 is so central to craps: it's the number that ends the point phase, and it appears more than any other total.
Online vs Live Craps
Online craps is available in both RNG and live dealer formats. The maths are identical to live casino craps, and all the same bets are available. The main differences are pace (online is faster), atmosphere (craps at a live table is a social experience that's hard to replicate), and bet limits (online minimums are typically lower).
If you're learning, online craps is an excellent starting point — you can take your time with decisions without the pressure of a live table. Many online casinos offer free demo versions.
18+ | Play Responsibly
Craps moves fast and it's easy to place multiple bets per round. Keep your strategy simple, stick to Pass/Don't Pass + Odds, and set a session limit. For support, visit BeGambleAware.org.