To play craps, you bet on the outcome of two dice: the simplest start is the Pass Line, which wins if the first roll (the come-out) is a 7 or 11 and loses on 2, 3 or 12; any other total becomes the point, and Pass then wins if that point is rolled again before a 7. Learning how to play craps is mostly about knowing which of the many bets on the layout are worth making, because their prices differ enormously.
This talk walks through a full round, the bets a beginner needs and the few to leave alone. The odds come from the Wizard of Odds craps analysis, and you can practise every step with play money on our free craps table.
How to Play Craps: The Round in Brief
| Stage | What happens | Pass Line result |
|---|---|---|
| Come-out roll | The first roll of a new round | 7 or 11 wins; 2, 3 or 12 loses |
| Point set | A 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 on the come-out becomes the point | Bet stays on the table |
| Point rolls | The shooter keeps rolling | Point first wins; 7 first loses (“seven out”) |
What Do the Words at a Craps Table Mean?
Craps has its own vocabulary, but only a handful of terms matter at first. The shooter is the player rolling the dice. The come-out is the first roll of a round. The point is the total that has to repeat, and the dealer marks it with a puck turned to “on”. A natural is a 7 or 11 on the come-out, and craps is a 2, 3 or 12. Our casino glossary covers the rest.
Which Craps Bets Have the Best Odds?
The line bets are where the value is. According to the Wizard of Odds, the Pass Line carries a house edge of 1.41% and Don’t Pass 1.36%. Don’t Pass is the mirror image of Pass: it wins on a 2 or 3 at the come-out, ties on 12, and wins if a 7 arrives before the point.
Once a point is set, you can back your line bet with odds. The Wizard of Odds describes the odds bet as paying exactly fair, with zero house edge, which is why it is often called the best bet in the casino. It is not offered on every online table, so check the rules of the game in front of you.
Which Craps Bets Should Beginners Avoid?
The centre of the table is full of one-roll bets with big payouts and steep prices. Any Seven, for example, pays 4 to 1 on a roll that comes up six times in every 36, which works out at a house edge of 16.67%. The Field bet is a middle case: it wins on 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 or 12 and, where one of 2 or 12 pays double and the other triple, its edge is 2.78%.
| Bet | House edge |
|---|---|
| Don’t Pass | 1.36% |
| Pass Line | 1.41% |
| Field (2 or 12 pays triple) | 2.78% |
| Any Seven | 16.67% |
Why Is 7 the Key Number in Craps?
Seven is the most likely total with two dice: six of the 36 possible combinations add up to 7, more than any other total. That single fact explains the shape of the game. It is why a 7 wins at the come-out, why it ends the round once a point is set, and why the points 6 and 8, which have five combinations each, are the most likely to be made before a 7.
How Much Does a Craps Session Cost?
Craps can be one of the cheaper games in the casino if you stay on the line bets. Multiply the total you stake by the house edge to see the average cost (our gambling budget guide shows how to plan for it): putting £200 through the Pass Line at 1.41% costs about £2.82 on average, while the same £200 on Any Seven costs about £33. Our session cost calculator does the sum for any stake and speed of play.
Frequently Asked Questions
Stick to the Pass Line. Place your bet before the come-out roll, then simply follow the round: a 7 or 11 wins straight away, a 2, 3 or 12 loses, and any other total becomes the point, which must repeat before a 7. It is the simplest bet on the table and one of the lowest-cost options.
Don’t Pass is very slightly cheaper, with a house edge of 1.36% against 1.41% for Pass, according to the Wizard of Odds. The difference is tiny, so many players simply choose the side they enjoy. Both are far better value than the one-roll bets in the middle of the layout.
Seven out happens when a 7 is rolled after a point has been set. It ends the round: Pass Line bets lose, Don’t Pass bets win and a new come-out roll follows. On a live table the dice usually pass to the next shooter at that moment.
Yes. Our free craps game uses play money and lets you try Pass, Don’t Pass, Field and Any Seven, with a point puck and the house edge of every bet shown on the layout. Credits have no cash value, and the game stops when they run out until you reload.
The Short Version
Craps looks complicated but plays simply: bet the Pass or Don’t Pass line, understand the come-out and the point, and avoid the expensive one-roll bets. Then decide your budget before the first roll. For more table game explainers, see the game rules track. Should gambling start to feel like more than a game, BeGambleAware can help, free and in confidence.
How we prepared this talk: Rules, payouts and house edges come from the Wizard of Odds craps analysis; the dice probabilities can be checked by counting the 36 combinations. The cover image is an illustrative stock photo.
