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Introduction

It is common knowledge that, invariably, the craps players make the most noise.  They cheer and shout and laugh as if they were at the millennium party.  Sometimes it seems almost unfair that they were having so much fun.  Fair or not, one thing is certain: Craps is among the most exciting games you can play in a casino. 

At first glance, craps looks daunting.  There are numerous bets that you can make, and some of the terminology sounds complicated.  This is probably why the popularity of craps has waned over recent years.  But the effort it takes to learn the game is worth it, considering all the fun you can have once you understand the basic concepts.  

The Dice

The game of craps revolves around rolling a pair of dice.  The person who rolls the dice is referred to as "the Shooter."  A player, not a dealer, is chosen to become the Shooter.  Each player is given a chance to be the Shooter if they stay at a table long enough.  The turn to be the Shooter rotates around the table clockwise starting with the player closest to the two o'clock position on the table

Since the game uses two dice, a Shooter can roll any number between 2 and 12.  It is important to remember that certain numbers are more likely to come up than others.  For example, there are 6 different ways to roll a 7, giving it a roughly 16.6% chance of coming up on each roll.  On the other hand, there is only one way to roll a 2 or 12, and the chances of rolling either is less than 3%.  

The following chart gives you an idea of which numbers occur most frequently.  There are 36 possible outcomes for each roll.

Since 7 is the most frequently rolled number, it comes as no surprise that the game revolves much around rolling this number. 

The Layout

Before we go any further, let's take a look at what a craps layout looks like.  The following layout is used by Imagine Casino, our company based in Southern California.

The layout above is actually only slightly more than one-half of a full craps layout.  If you play craps at a casino, the left portion of the layout is duplicated on the right, allowing more players to gather around the table to place bets.

The Rules

The basic game of Craps has two distinctive halves.  The first half of the game is identified by the two base dealers' pucks      and lasts just one roll of the dice.

At the start, the Shooter places an initial mandatory bet on the Pass Line (or the Don't Pass for advanced players).  The Shooter then chooses two die from the five die that are offered by the croupier dealer (the dealer with the L-shaped stick standing center stage on the players' side of the table - he is often times called the "Stick").

The Shooter rolls the dice, and this first  roll is called the "Come Out" roll.  At this point, there are three possibilities - the Shooter wins (rolls a 7 or 11), loses (rolls a 2, 3 or 12 better known as "Craps") or establishes a "Point" (rolls a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10).

In the cases of a win or a lose, these would be considered one roll games.  With a 7 or 11, all Pass Line bettors will be given an even money payoff.  With a Craps roll, a 2, 3 or 12, all Pass Line bets will be collected.  In either case, the Shooter gets to roll again to start a new game (Come Out).

When a Point is established, the base dealers will flip their pucks over to display the On side      and move the pucks to the boxes on the layout that identify the established Point.  We then move on to the second half of the game.  In the second half, the Shooter continues to roll the dice until either a 7 is rolled (in which case all Pass Line bets are lost) or the number that has been established as the Point is rolled again (then everyone wins).  More on this later.

Basic Betting - Pass Line and Don't Pass    

Prior to the Come Out roll, players may make one of two bets, by placing chips on either the "Pass Line" or the "Don't Pass".  You are not required to make this bet unless you are the designated Shooter..  By far, the more popular bet to make is the Pass Line bet.

The Pass Line bettor is betting with the dice (with the Shooter), and is often called the "right bettor."  The Don't Pass bettor is betting against the dice (or against the Shooter), and is called the "wrong bettor."  The difference between the two bets is as follows:

The Pass Line Bet

When you bet on the pass line, one of the following will occur.

• The Come Out roll will be a 7 or 11, in which case you immediately win even money (1:1).

• The Come Out roll will be a 2, 3, or 12 (again called "Craps), in which case you lose.

• The Come Out roll will be a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 which then becomes the Point.  If the shooter repeats the Point on a subsequent roll, you win and get paid even money.  If a 7 shows up before the Point repeats, you lose your bet. 

The Don't Pass Bet

When you bet on the Don't Pass, one of the following will occur:

• The Come Out roll will be a 2 or 3, in which case you immediately win even money.

• The Come Out roll will be a 7 or 11, in which case you lose.

• The Come Out roll will be a 12.  The 12 is "Barred" and you "Push," neither winning nor losing.

• The other six number combinations become the Point.  The Don't Pass bet wins even money if the shooter rolls a 7 before repeating the Point.  The bet loses if the Point repeats first.

With the exception of when a 12 is rolled, the Pass and Don't Pass bets are exact opposites of each other. 

Odds Bets

Once the shooter makes a point, you can place another bet called an "Odds Bet" or "Free Odds Bet."  An Odds Bet is an additional bet that compliments your Pass or Don't Pass wager.  Odds Bets are the best bets you can make in a casino because the house will pay you the "True Odds" of the number winning against the 7 or the Point.  This means the house has absolutely no edge on these bets. 

In a real casino, you would make an Odds Bet by placing chips behind your original Pass Line bet.  If you are a Don't Pass bettor, you will make a Don't Pass Odds Bet by placing chips next to  your original bet.

The Odds Bet will pay off if you win your original bet.  If your original bet was a Pass Line bet, and you make an additional Odds Bet, both bets win if the shooter repeats the point.  If your original bet was a Don't Pass bet, and you bet the odds, both bets win when a 7 comes up before the Point.

Here is the good part.  While your original Pass or Don't Pass bets only pay you even money when you win, the Odds Bet will pay whatever the true odds are.  For example, if you are a Pass Line bettor, and the point is 4, you will receive a 2:1 payment on your Odds Bet.  The amount you win depends on what the point is, and how difficult it is to repeat that point.

Generally most casinos are two times odds (2x odds) houses. You can bet up to twice your original bet on a Pass Line Odds Bet.  Some casinos consider it a draw to offer 10x or 100x odds on their craps tables.  In these cases, bet a small Pass Line bet and back up your bet with a higher Odds Bet.

Don't players bet odds that are equal to the payoff on the Pass Line bet.  The actual amount depends upon the value of the Point.  By all means, you should bet the maximum possible on odds bets because they are the most favorable bets you can possibly make in a casino.

The following chart will give you an idea of what the odds bets pay:

Now you know the basic bets that you can make in Craps.  But we're not done yet.  There are plenty of other bets you can make.  Click here for page two of Craps instruction.

Intro   The Dice   The Layout   Rules   Basic Betting   Odds   Next Page