Craps Rules

When you walk into a casino the craps table always seem to attract the most crowd. Players are barking out bets and yelling for good rolls. However when I was first standing at a craps table it all seemed very complicated for me.

When a new player looks at the craps table for the first time he probably finds himself confused because of all the different types that seem to be possible on a craps table. The good news is that it’s not as hard as it seems. There is one fundamental bet that almost all players make. You can easily start playing with this bet and get more experienced by watching other players make bets. After 10 minutes you should be able to play like a natural.

Craps Rules

Craps can be played by 1 or more players which take turn by rolling 2 dice. The one that is rolling the dice is called the shooter. Craps is played in several rounds and the first roll of each new round is called the come out roll.

If the outcome of the roll is a 2, 3, 7, 11 or 12 then the round ends immediately. When any other total is rolled (4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10) that number is called the point. When a point is established the shooter will roll continuously until either a 7 is rolled or the same point is rolled again. If the point is rolled again then the round ends and the game starts over with the same shooter. If the shooter rolls a 7, the round ends and the dice is passed to the player to the left.

Names of Rolls in Craps

	1	2	3	4	5	6
1	Snake Eyes	Loose Deuce	Easy Four	Fever Five	Easy Six	Natural
2	Loose Deuce	Hard Four	Fever Five	Easy Six	Natural	Easy Eight
3	Easy Four	Fever Five	Hard Six	Natural	Easy Eight	Nina
4	Fever Five	Easy Six	Natural	Hard Eight	Nina	Easy Ten
5	Easy Six	Natural	Easy Eight	Nina	Hard Ten	Yo
6	Natural	Easy Eight	Nina	Easy Ten	Yo	Boxcars

Craps Rules for Betting

Line Bets

The Pass Line: The most fundamental bet in craps is called the pass line bet. When the outcome of the roll is 7 or 11 you win, when the outcome is 2, 3 or 12 you lose. If the out come of the roll establishes a point, and the point is rolled again, then the bet wins. If a 7 comes before the point then the bet is lost. The house edge on the pass line bet is only 1.41%.

Don’t Pass: This is the opposite of the pass line bet. When a 2 or 3 is rolled you win and a when a 7 or 11 is rolled you lose. A 12 is a draw. If the roll is a point then a 7 must come out before that point is repeated to make you win. If a point is rolled again before the 7 hits you lose.

Pass odds and don’t pass odds bet: This is a bet with no house edge but it requires for you to bet on the pass line or don’t pass bet first. The odd bet is usually limited to 2 or 3 times the original bet but some casinos allow you up to 100x.

Come Bet: The come bet has the same rules as the pass line bet and is made by placing a wager on the come line after a point has been made. You win if the roll is a 7 or 11 and you lose if it’s a 2, 3 or 12. If the come point is repeated before a 7 is rolled you win and if a 7 is rolled first you lose. If a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 is rolled the come bet will be placed on the number rolled. The come bet is a good strategy for a player that likes constant action.

Don’t Come: The don’t come bet is the opposite of the come bet.

Single Roll Bets

These bets should be avoided as they have the highest house edge.

2 (snake eyes): Wins if a 2 is rolled. House edge 13.89%

3 (ace-deuce): Wins if a 3 is rolled. House edge 11.11%

7: Wins if a 7 is rolled. House edge 16.67%

12 (box cars): Wins if a 12 is rolled. House edge 13.89%

Yo: Wins if a 11 is rolled. House edge 11.11%

Craps: Wins if a 2, 3 or 12 is rolled. House edge 11.11%

Multi Roll Bets

Hard Way: This is a bet that the shooter will throw a 4, 6, 8 or 10 before he throws a 7 or the corresponding easy way. House edge 11.11%

Easy Way: The opposite of the hard way.

Big 6 and Big 8: The player bets that a 6 will be rolled before a 7 (big 6). The big 8 is similar only that the player bets that an 8 will be rolled before a 7. House edge 9.09%

Place and buy: Players can buy or place certain individual numbers (4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10), which means that they bet the number will be rolled before a 7. You must pay a 5% commission when making a buy bet and your bet will pay fair odds if it wins. House edge 4.76%

Lay: The lay bet is the opposite of the buy bet.