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How to Play Craps: Rules, Tips and How to Win

Learn how to play Craps with our easy guide. Discover the rules, table layout, bet types, and winning tips to boost your game at online casinos.

Online Casino LOS editorial deskUpdated 4 min read
How to Play Craps: Rules, Tips and How to Win

One of the most popular dice games in land-based casinos around the globe, Craps is becoming one of the most popular table games online too! An entertaining and easy game with a rather complicated reputation, once you master the basics, you will be off to a good start.

Ready to get started with this all-the-rage game? Look no further than our guide below, in which we go over all the basics that beginners need to know! Read on to learn how to play, the table layout, the types of bets, tricks and tips, commonly made mistakes, and more so that you can have the best possible start to playing Craps at best craps sites!

The Basics: How to Play Craps

Hailed as one of the most thrilling table games in a casino, Craps is a dice game in which gamers wager on the outcome of a roll of the dice. Its online forms are now one of the most popular games to play over the internet casinos.

It starts with the simple roll of two dice, called the 'come-out roll,' by 'the shooter'. If the roll is a 7 or an 11, then the shooter wins. When the roll is a 2, 3, or 12, the shooter loses - this is 'craps'.

If any other number, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10, this is the 'point number'. The shooter must roll the point number again before rolling a 7 to win.

These can also be called:

  • Natural - 7 or 11
  • Craps - 2, 3 or 12
  • Point - 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10

The Craps Table Layout

At first glance, the Craps table layout can be overwhelmingly filled with information and numbers. Don't worry! Once you learn the general sections of the table, you'll be playing the game in no time.

It is a fast and popular game with one simple goal, bet on the numbers that you think a pair of dice will land on.

The most significant betting areas on a Craps table that you will most likely find are typically:

  • Pass Line & Don't Pass Line
  • Come & Don't Come Bets
  • Place Bets
  • Proposition Bets

There are many different sections and while it may look complicated at first glance, once you start playing, we're sure you'll find that it is quite possibly one of the best-designed games!

To help new players learn the game, the simplest way to think about it is that the game of Craps is just one main bet and a bunch of side bets.

Types of Bets in Craps

When you play Craps, you can expect to come across a great number of varying types of bets. To help you learn what all of them are and what they involve, we've talked about them below.

Pass Line & Don't Pass Line - The pass line bet is that the shooter will pass (win) with a 7 or an 11. Don't Pass is a bet for the contrary, that the shooter won't pass (lose) if the player rolls to get a 2 or 3 or misses rolling the point against prior to rolling a 7.

Come & Don't Come Bets - Another outcome of the shooter's roll, the 'come' bet wins if a 7 or an 11 are rolled and loses if the 2, 3 or 12 are rolled. If the point is rolled out, it becomes the come-bet point. A 'don't come' bet works the same as the Don't Pass, if the shooter rolls a 2 or a 3, you're a winner! If they roll a 7 or an 11, you know what to do. Once the point is established, you are looking for a 7 to roll before the point rolls again.

Odds Bets - A side wager in Craps in which players may put additional money behind the point number, an Odds Bet is among the best bets in the game because it pays true odds and has no house edge. Once your 'Come' bet goes to a number, you may then put an Odds bet. This wager wins when your Come bet wins - when the number your Come bet is on rolls before a 7.

Place Bets - In this, the players wager that their selected number will come before a 7. You can place bets on 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10. But if 7 is rolled, though, before your number, your Place bet will lose. You can take off a place bet at any time before the next roll.

Proposition Bets - These are one-roll bets that are made on any roll of the dice. They can also be called 'Center' bets and can be found in the center of the craps table. The dealer will place all proposition bets in the center of the table and will pay off or take all of the bets on the next roll of the dice.

Responsible Gambling

It is important during your playing career at an online casino that you are practicing responsible gambling where you can. This involves setting for yourself a budget that you can afford and stick to for the period of time that you will be betting or playing games. Take advantage of the various responsible gambling tools available at sites to help you further, like setting deposit limits and time limits and applying self-exclusions on your account to prevent access for longer periods of time. For further help or assistance with responsible gambling or if you are concerned that your gambling is getting out of hand, you can call the likes of GamCare and GambleAware, which are recognised organisations offering assistance and advice for online gambling.

18+ only. Gambling can become harmful; free, confidential help is available 24/7 from the National Responsible Gambling Programme on 0800 006 008. This page is general information, not legal or financial advice.

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