How to Play Craps: Rules, Table Layout, and the Bets Worth Making
Craps rules explained from the come-out roll to the point, with a plain breakdown of which bets carry a real edge and which ones just look exciting.
Craps comes down to one repeating question: will the shooter's point number land again before a 7 shows up? Back that question with a pass-line bet plus free odds, and the combined house edge falls under 1% — among the best-priced wagers on any casino floor. The proposition bets crowded into the middle of the table price in far more risk, some running past 11%. The mechanics: the shooter opens with a come-out roll. A 7 or 11 wins pass-line bets instantly; a 2, 3, or 12 loses them instantly. Any other number — 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 — becomes the point, and the dice keep rolling until that number reappears (pass-line wins) or a 7 shows first, called sevening out (pass-line loses). That cycle, repeated shooter after shooter, is the entire game underneath the noise, the stickman's calls, and the tower of chips at the rail. Every other bet on the felt is really a side wager on how that one sequence resolves — some priced close to the true odds, most priced well below them.
What is the basic goal of a game of craps?
One player, the shooter, rolls two dice while everyone else bets on the outcome. The core wager, the pass line, wins if the shooter rolls a 7 or 11 on the first roll, loses on 2, 3, or 12, and otherwise waits for the established point number to repeat before a 7 appears.
Craps is played in rounds called shooters: one player rolls until they seven-out, then the dice pass to the next player clockwise around the table. Anyone can bet on any shooter's roll regardless of who is holding the dice, and most players bet with the shooter (pass line) rather than against them.
What happens on the come-out roll, exactly?
The come-out roll is the shooter's opening throw of a new round. A 7 or 11 immediately pays pass-line bets; a 2, 3, or 12 (called craps) immediately loses them. Any of 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 sets that number as the point, and the come-out phase ends.
Once a point is set, a marker puck on the layout flips to "ON" and moves to that number. From here, only two outcomes matter for the pass line: the point number rolling again (a win) or a 7 rolling first (a loss, ending the shooter's turn). Every other number rolled in between is simply ignored for that bet.
One roll decides everything, or nothing.
What's the difference between pass and don't pass?
Pass line bets with the shooter — win on 7/11 come-out, win when the point repeats. Don't pass bets against the shooter — win on come-out 2 or 3, push on 12, and win if a 7 appears before the point repeats. Both carry nearly identical house edges, just under 1.4%.
- Pass line house edge: 1.41%
- Don't pass house edge: 1.36% (slightly better, due to the 12 push rule)
- Both are flat, single-roll-cycle bets with no side action required
What does it mean to "take the odds," and why does it matter so much?
Odds bets are an additional wager placed behind a pass-line bet once a point is set, paying out at the true mathematical odds for that point number rather than the casino's usual discounted payout. Because the odds bet itself carries a 0% house edge, it dilutes the combined bet's overall edge the more you're allowed to bet.
A point of 4 or 10 pays true odds of 2:1, a point of 5 or 9 pays 3:2, and a point of 6 or 8 pays 6:5 — the same ratios as the actual probability of that number beating a 7. Casinos limit how much odds you can add (commonly 3x-4x-5x or higher depending on the point), which is why the combined edge varies: at 3-4-5x odds the blended pass-line-plus-odds edge drops to roughly 0.37%, and at 100x odds tables (rare, but they exist) it falls near 0.02%.
The only zero-edge bet on the floor
What are the best bets on the craps table?
Pass line and don't pass with maximum odds are the two best-priced bets in the house, followed closely by come and don't come bets (which work identically but can be placed after the point is set). Place bets on 6 and 8 are the best of the standalone number bets.
- Pass/don't pass + full odds: ~0.02%–0.8% combined, depending on odds multiple offered
- Come/don't come + full odds: identical math to pass/don't pass, started mid-round
- Place bet on 6 or 8: 1.52% house edge
- Place bet on 5 or 9: 4.0% house edge
- Place bet on 4 or 10: 6.67% house edge
Which craps bets should a beginner avoid?
Skip the center-table proposition bets — one-roll wagers like any craps, any seven, and the horn bets. They pay eye-catching odds but carry the steepest house edges on the table, several of them above 11%, because the payout falls well short of the true probability of the roll they're betting on.
- Any seven (one-roll): 16.67% house edge — the single worst bet on the layout
- Any craps (2, 3, or 12): 11.11% house edge
- Horn bet: roughly 12.5%–13% house edge blended
- Big 6 / Big 8: 9.09% house edge (a place bet on the same number is always better)
- Field bet: 2.7%–5.5% depending on house payout rules for 2 and 12
The loudest bets are the worst bets
How is the craps table laid out, and where do I actually put my chips?
The pass-line strip runs along the table's outer edge closest to players; don't-pass sits just above it. Come and don't-come boxes sit mid-table. Place-bet numbers (4,5,6,8,9,10) run along the top rail, and the crowded proposition/prop bets fill the diamond-shaped center, controlled by the stickman.
Two dealers handle the rail bets on either side of the table, the boxman supervises chip payouts and the bank, and the stickman retrieves the dice after each roll and calls out proposition bets. As a new player, the simplest and best-priced way in is to place chips on the pass line before a come-out roll, then ask the dealer to "take odds" once a point is set.
The house always knows this
Learn the point, back it with full odds, and skip the center-table props — that's the entire skill of craps.
Frequently asked
Can you bet against the shooter in craps?
Yes. Don't-pass and don't-come bets wager against the shooter making their point, winning instead if a 7 appears first. These bets are socially frowned upon by some players at a hot table but carry a marginally better house edge than betting with the shooter.
What is a come-out roll versus a point roll?
A come-out roll is any roll made while no point is established — it can instantly win or lose pass-line bets, or set a new point. A point roll is every roll after that, where only the point number or a 7 resolves the pass-line bet.
Why do casinos limit how much odds you can bet?
Because the odds bet pays at true probability with zero house edge, it's the one wager where the casino earns nothing extra. Capping the multiple (commonly 3x-4x-5x) limits how much of the table's total action carries no built-in profit for the house.
Is craps a fast game compared to other table games?
Yes — a single shooter can produce dozens of rolls per hour, and many players have several bets working simultaneously (pass line, odds, place bets, come bets). That speed multiplies total wagers, which is why bet selection matters more here than at slower games.
Do dice control or 'setting the dice' actually change the odds?
No independent testing has found that dice-setting or controlled throws reliably alter outcomes on a standard casino table with a back wall the dice must hit. Craps dice are certified and inspected specifically to keep every roll random and independent of the last.
Sources & further reading
Club 36 Blog is educational. Every casino game carries a house edge, so the mathematically expected result of play is a net loss over time. Responsible play. If play has stopped being fun for you or someone in your family, free, confidential help is available 24/7, in English and Spanish: Florida 888-ADMIT-IT (888-236-4848) · National Helpline 1-800-522-4700 · gamblersanonymous.org. Club 36 is entertainment: ENTokens carry no cash value, and games are never a way to earn money. You must be of legal age to play.