Craps is a table based dice game offered by most land based and online casinos. The game is played by the shooter rolling two dice. Bettors are around the table and can wager for or against the player, or bet on a number of different specific outcomes or rolls of the dice. This craps guide will show you the basics of the game.

To sum up the game simply, the shooter is either trying to roll a 7 or 11 on the first roll. If the shooter rolls a 7 or 11 on the first roll the shooter wins, keeps the dice, and the game starts over. If he throws a 2, 3, or 12 on the first roll, the shooter loses.

If the shooter rolls anything else (4,5,6,8,9,10), this is called a point. The shooter must roll the point again to "win" before he rolls a 7 to "lose". If the shooter repeats the point number before rolling a 7, the shooter will start the whole process over again. If a 7 comes up before the point number, the shooter has to pass the dice to the next player.

Craps Terminology

Craps is a game that has it own language. There are a number of exotic terms that the game has, and a few are essential.

Come-Out Roll - The first roll of the shooter.

Craps - Rolling 2, 3, or 12 on the come-out roll

Pass - A successful outcome by the shooter. A 7 or 11 on the come-out roll is considered a pass. Rolling or making your point is the other.

Point - The number thrown on the come-out roll when it is not a pass (7 or 11) or a craps (2, 3, or 12).

Making point - Rolling the same number as your point before rolling a 7.

Playing Craps

Craps is a very exciting game to play live at a casino. It is by far the loudest and rowdiest of games played at the casino. This is what usually lures me to the craps tables. I remember the first time I looked down and saw:

There are usually 2 or 3 dealers at a craps table. Everyone can bet, not just the shooter, so people are going to be placing chips and dealers will be taking and paying bets after almost every throw. The betting and commotion can be a little overwhelming for a beginner, but once you have played for a while you will realize why craps is an exciting games to play because of all these betting options.

Here is the breakdown of all the different bets that you can make while playing craps online or at a live craps table.

The Basic Bets in Craps

"Right" bets are wagers that the shooter will make a pass. "Wrong" bets are wagers that the shooter will fail at making a pass.

Pass Line Bet - the pass line bet is the most basic right bet in craps. If the player makes a pass, either on the come-out roll or by making point, the pass line bets are paid at even money. Chips are taken from the pass line area when either the player throws craps on the come-out roll or if a 7 is rolled after the come-out roll and before the point was made.

Don't Pass Line Bet - the don't pass line bet is most basic "wrong" bet in craps and is not surprisingly the opposite of the Pass Line bet. If craps is rolled on the come-out roll or a 7 is rolled before the point, the Don't Pass Line (or Don't Pass Bar as seen above) bets are paid at even money.

Come Bet - the come bet is a right bet. It is exactly the same as a Pass Line bet, except it can be placed after the come-out roll. When you place a come bet, the next throw becomes the come-out roll for that wager. If the shooter throws a 7 or 11 the come bet will win, and if he throws craps the come bet loses. If another number is rolled, this number becomes the point for the come bet. This new point number must be thrown before a 7 is thrown for the come bet to win.

Don't come bet - the don't come bet is a wrong bet. It can be placed after the comeout roll just like the come bet. The next throw after you placed the don't come bet becomes that bets point. To win a don't come bet, the shooter must roll a 7 before he rolls this new don't come bets point.

Odds Bets

When the shooter establishes a point, a player who has made a pass line bet is allowed to "take the odds". You can bet on the odds up to 3 times your pass line wager if the point is a 4,5,9 or 10, or up to 4.5 times your pass line wager if the point is a 6 or an 8. This pass line odds bet wins if the point is repeated before a 7 is rolled and is paid out at:

- 2-to-1 if the point is 4 or 10
- 3-to-2 if the point is 5 or 9
- 6-to-5 if the point is 6 or 8.

A player that has made a don't pass line bet can also "lay the odds" after the point has been established. You can bet up to 6 times your don't pass line bet if the point is 4 or 10, up to 4.5 times your don't pass line bet if the point is a 5 or a 9, and 3.6 times your don't pass line bet if the point is a 6 or an 8. This don't pass line bet wins if a 7 is rolled before repeating the point. It is paid out at:

- 1-to-2 if the point is 4 or 10
- 2-to-3 if the point is 5 or 9
- 5-to-6 if the point is 6 or 8.

Other Craps Bets

Place bets are wagers that a particular number will be rolled before a 7. Place bets have the following odds:
- the 6 and 8 are paid at 7-to-6.
- the 4 and 10 are paid at 9-to-5
- the 5 and 9 are paid off at 7-to-5.

Lose bets are wagers that a 7 will be rolled before a particular number will be. Lose bets have the following odds
- 6 and 8 are paid at 4-to-5
- 4 and 10 are paid off at 5-to-11
- 5 and 9 are paid off at 5-to-8.

The Big6 and Big8 bets are wagers that a 6 or 8 will be rolled before a 7. These bets pay even money.

A Hard-Way bet is a wager that a 4,6,8 or 10 will be rolled by rolling doubles (2-2, 3-3, 4-4 or 5-5) before that number comes up non-doubles (the easy way) or before a 7 is rolled. For example, you bet Hard Way 4. You win if a 2-2 is rolled before a 1-3 is rolled or before a 7 is rolled. The payoff is
- Hard Way 4 or 10 pays 7-to-1 4 and 10
- Hard Way 6 or 8 pays out 9-to-1

Next Roll Craps Bets

A field bet is a wager that either a 2,3,4,9,10 or 12 is thrown on the next roll. The payout on a field bet is
- Even Money (1 to 1) if a 3,4,9 or 10 is rolled
- 2-to-1 if a 2 is rolled
- 3-to-1 if a 12 is rolled.

A number bet is a wager that a particular number will be thrown on the next roll. It may be placed on 2,3,7,11 or 12. The payout on a number bet is
- 30-to-1 on a 2 or 12
- 15-to-1 on a 3 or 11
- 4-to-1 on a 7

An any craps bet is a wager that a 2, 3, or 12 will be thrown on the next roll. This wager is paid at 7-to-1.

The C-E bet or craps-eleven bet is a bet that a 2,3,11 or 12 is thrown on the next roll of the dice. The payout on a C-E bet is
- 3 to 1 if a 2,3 or 12 is rolled
- 7 to 1 if an 11 is rolled