To play craps, buy in at the table, place a basic line bet, watch the come-out roll, then follow the point cycle. Pass Line wins on 7 or 11 on the come-out, loses on 2, 3, or 12, and then tries to repeat the point before 7. Start simple. Do not chase every bet on the layout.
Quick Facts
- Craps begins with the puck OFF and a come-out roll.
- Pass Line wins immediately on 7 or 11 on the come-out roll.
- Pass Line loses immediately on 2, 3, or 12.
- A point is 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10.
- After a point is set, Pass Line wants the point before 7.
- Odds can be added behind the Pass Line after a point is established.
- The shooter keeps the dice until a seven-out ends the hand.
Plain Talk
The easiest way to learn craps is to ignore 80% of the table at first.
You do not need hardways, horn bets, hop bets, field bets, or dealer-controlled center action to understand the game. You need three ideas: come-out roll, point, and seven-out.
A live craps table uses two dice, a table crew, and a layout with many betting areas. The shooter throws the dice. Everyone can bet on what happens. You can bet with the shooter using Pass Line or against the shooter using Don’t Pass.
This page is about playing a basic live casino round. For formal dice handling and invalid roll rules, read craps rules. For probability, go to craps odds after you understand the flow.
The basic game flow is also consistent with the public rules described in the Wizard of Odds craps basics. For regulated table equipment and layout standards, see the Massachusetts Gaming Commission equipment rules. For dice probability, compare the numbers with Wizard of Odds dice probabilities.
How It Works
Step 1: Buy in properly
Wait until the dice are in the middle, not flying across the table. Put your cash on the layout and say, “Change only.” Do not hand cash directly to the dealer.
The dealer will convert your cash into chips.
Step 2: Place a basic line bet
For a beginner, the cleanest starting bet is usually Pass Line. Put your chips in the Pass Line area before the come-out roll.
You can also play Don’t Pass, but understand the table mood first. It is mathematically slightly better, but socially it bets against the shooter.
Step 3: Watch the come-out roll
| Come-out result | Pass Line result | What happens next |
|---|---|---|
| 7 or 11 | Wins | New come-out roll |
| 2, 3, or 12 | Loses | New come-out roll |
| 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 | Point established | Puck moves ON |
Step 4: Decide whether to take odds
After a point is established, you may place an odds bet behind your Pass Line bet. Odds are paid at true odds. That is rare in casino games.
But do not misunderstand this. Odds increase your total money at risk. They lower the combined house edge percentage, not the emotional pain of losing chips.
Step 5: Follow the point phase
If the shooter repeats the point before 7, Pass Line wins. If 7 appears first, Pass Line loses and the hand ends.
Step 6: Get paid, collect, or continue
After a win, your line bet may be paid and a new come-out begins. After a seven-out, losing bets are collected, the dice move to the next shooter, and the table resets.
Craps Table Example
You are at a $10 minimum table with $200.
You place $10 on the Pass Line. The shooter rolls 4. The dealer marks the 4 as the point.
You put $20 odds behind your Pass Line. The next rolls are 9, 6, 11, then 4.
Your $10 Pass Line wins $10. Your $20 odds on the 4 pays $40 because odds on 4 and 10 pay 2:1. Your total profit on that resolved sequence is $50, plus you keep the original $30 in wagers.
Now the puck turns OFF again. A new come-out roll begins.
That is a clean beginner hand. No shouting for horn bets. No reaching across the table. No confusion about the center layout.
From the Casino Side:
The crew wants clear bets and clean timing.
Base dealers track player bets, odds, come bets, place bets, and payouts. The stickman controls the dice, announces totals, and moves the pace. The boxman watches the chip bank, dice, dealer accuracy, and disputes. The floor supervisor watches game speed, ratings, fills, credits, and procedure.
A beginner who says bets clearly and keeps hands out of the layout when dice are moving is easy to deal to. A beginner who throws chips late, reaches over active bets, or asks questions mid-roll slows the table and creates risk.
The casino’s job is not to teach every player gently. The casino’s job is to run a controlled game.
Common Mistakes
- Buying in while the shooter is ready to throw.
- Handing cash directly to a dealer instead of placing it on the layout.
- Placing odds before a point exists.
- Touching chips while dice are out.
- Thinking every roll affects every bet.
- Forgetting that 7 is good on the come-out but bad after a point for Pass Line.
- Betting too large because odds “have no house edge.”
Hard Truth
The first skill in craps is not predicting dice. It is standing at the table without making expensive, confused, late, oversized bets.
FAQ
What is the first bet I should learn?
Learn Pass Line first. It teaches the come-out roll, the point, and the seven-out cycle.
Can I play craps without being the shooter?
Yes. You can bet while another player shoots. You do not need to throw the dice.
What do I say when buying in?
Put cash on the layout when the dice are not moving and say, “Change only.”
When can I take odds?
Only after a point is established. Put the odds behind your Pass Line bet.
What is seven-out?
Seven-out means a 7 is rolled after a point is established, before that point repeats. The shooter’s hand ends.
Do I have to bet every roll?
No. You can wait. Sitting out is allowed, and often smarter than forcing action.
Is the Pass Line always active?
A Pass Line bet made before the come-out remains active through the point cycle until it wins or loses.
Deeper Insight
The biggest mental trap in learning craps is treating every roll as a new separate event while forgetting which bets are alive.
A Pass Line bet changes meaning after the come-out roll. On the come-out, 7 is good. After the point, 7 is bad. That switch is what confuses beginners.
Come bets create another mini-version of the same cycle after a point is already established. Don’t Come does the opposite. Place bets skip the line-bet structure and go directly on specific numbers. Proposition bets often resolve in one roll.
That is why you should not learn the whole layout at once. Learn by bet family.
Formula / Calculation
P(7) = 6 / 36 = 16.67%
P(4) = 3 / 36 = 8.33%
P(8) = 5 / 36 = 13.89%
Expected Loss = Total Amount Wagered × House EdgeExample with a $10 Pass Line bet:
$10 × 0.0141 = $0.141 theoretical expected loss per resolved Pass Line betThat does not mean you lose 14 cents in real time. You win or lose whole bets. The expected loss is the long-term average cost.
Formula Explanation in Plain English
The dice decide the short-term result. The payout table decides whether the bet is fairly priced. The casino edge is the difference between true probability and what the table pays. Use the expected loss calculator to turn that percentage into dollars before you play longer sessions.
Related Reading
After this page, read craps rules so you know legal rolls and table procedure. Then use craps table layout to understand where bets are placed. The craps dice combinations page explains why 7 dominates the game, and craps odds turns that into probability. For cost control, compare bets on craps house edge and test them with the craps odds calculator. If you are tempted by “safe systems,” read why low house edge does not mean safe.