Last updated: February 21, 2024
Playing craps is an exciting gambling game, and it won’t matter whether you play online or at a traditional casino. Many bonds have been formed around the table thanks to the camaraderie and the adrenaline-pumping atmosphere that comes with winning streaks.
Before you get started, you will need to learn how to play the game, and there is no better place to do so than right here. We cover everything you need to get started with playing games of craps at casinos and learning how to play online craps. This complete player guide has been expertly curated to help players to understand the basics of this exciting game, while also offering an introduction to some of the more intermediate aspects of playing.
As always, our team at Casino Today has players covered with another helpful gambling resource for learning how to play popular casino games. If you are an experienced player or just starting, be sure to check out this guide before playing your next round.
We kick off this guide with none other than a look back in time to find out more about where this popular casino game comes from and how it made its way into the casinos of Las Vegas and around the globe.
In this chapter, we explore some of the changes that the game of craps has experienced over the past eight centuries. We are believers in knowing where a game has come from to help create an understanding of how to play.
It truly is an odd name, and the meaning behind it has long been debated with some pinning it on the streets, and others linking it back to the French.
Firstly, although the reference to the streets makes sense, it isn’t the real origin of the name. See, many will tell you that the game got its name ‘craps’ from the way the street games are played.
Often these street variants will feature players squatting down in front of a wall. Yes, it looks like players going to the toilet, but vulgarity aside, it is not the exact origin of the name.
Instead, ‘craps’ was derived from the French word crapaud, which means ‘toad’.
It is believed that this term was given because players are squatting or sitting like a toad. Interestingly, it has never been understood why the game was never called ‘frog’ (or Grenouille, the French word) or why the player postures were connected to toads rather than frogs.
That’s an investigation for another time!
The origins of craps can be traced back to the 14th century when mentions of a game called Hazard appear in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. This game of Hazard is where the origin of craps started; however, the game is believed to exist during the Crusades.
Although, one thing we can ascertain from the game of Hazard is that it is likely the English were not the exact origin of the game. This is because the word Hazard was a term borrowed from the French Hasard or Hasart. Therefore, craps would have been introduced to England via the Normans sometime during or just after the conquest of 1066.
The early origins of craps get even more diluted when we look towards where the French learned of the game. Still, to date, scholars are unable to agree over whether the game was picked up by the French from the Spanish (the Spanish word Azar means an “unfortunate card or throw at dice”.
Some views suggest the Arabic word yasara could be the first word to describe the game; however, its meaning is more generalized, meaning “he played at dice”.
If this is the case, then it means that the Spanish would have to have learned the game from the Arabic; however, this would have taken the game back to before the 8th century.
What we do know is that these European variants of dice games were popular among the Roman soldiers. There is light at the end of the tunnel, though, because given Spain was ceded to the Visigoths by the Roman Empire – we can ascertain that the most likely origin of craps is that the Romans were the first to enjoy shooting the dice.
Therefore this Roman dice game links each of the various adaptations of the name with it being translated as Hazard. The Spanish then adopted the Arabic name as it was most commonly referred to.
The game which had sprawled across Europe first found its way to the United States during the 1750s as the French were forced out of Acadia (later becoming Nova Scotia) and ended up in New Orleans, Louisiana. This is also how the area developed much of its French culture.
During this time, the game was played along the Mississippi River on gambling boats. However, the popularity of the game was primarily confined to the Louisiana area.
The game of Hazard was brought over when the English puritans aboard the Mayflower ship made their journey to America. While the two variants of the game were played throughout different areas of the States, by the mid 19th century, the game’s English name was widely adopted and became the norm.
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In chapter two of our craps guide, we look at the basics of learning how to play craps games. We explore the basic rules that you should keep in mind and the common terms and slang that you’ll hear at a table. We also share some basic tips on how you can improve your play at home.
For the most part, playing craps is the same online as it is when playing at a traditional casino, albeit with some slight differences in the shooting of dice (for obvious reasons). Although the games are similar, some players still struggle to come to terms with the basic craps rules when playing – likely because of the focus being on the shooting phase.
With this in mind, here are some basic craps rules that you should know before playing.
Craps is played with two six-sided dice, and this is important because the objective of the game is to place bets on the outcome of a dice roll and the total of the two numbers that are rolled.
One thing that you can be sure of is that there is no wager possible for the outcome of one die.
If you are playing in person at a casino, you may need to cash in for chips from time to time. Whether you do this at a cashier or at the table is up to you; however, it is not guaranteed that all casinos take cash at tables.
If you are exchanging your cash for chips at the table, note that the dealer cannot take cash directly from your hand. Instead, you must notify the dealer that you wish to exchange for some chips and then place your money on the table. The casino staff or dealer will then move your money and provide you with chips.
Playing online craps casino games makes placing bets simple; this is because the game interface is typically easy to use and simply requires players to click the necessary chip amount and then click the bet they wish to place.
Playing at a traditional casino means placing your chips on the table at the necessary betting placeholder on the layout for the more common wagers, these bets are the:
If you are placing other bets, then the dealer will place your bets for you. This is done so that the dealers can keep track of who bets are for and is managed by placing your bet near your position.
As you will learn later in this guide, there can be many players participating at once, which is why multiple dealers are present.
With online games, the limits are often standard, with each developer setting their limits on each game. These could be as low as $1 or as high as $1,000 per round. In traditional casino games, the table will have a sign or placard which sets out the table limits with a minimum and maximum bet amount.
It is important not to stretch yourself too far when looking for games or tables to play at. Placing bets which are too high in proportion to your bankroll can have a detrimental effect on your gaming potential.
If you are playing online games, you won’t have much of a drama with shooting dice by the rules, the dice roll outcome is determined by a random number generator. However, if you are playing at a casino, then knowing how to shoot and why it is important.
The reason you are shooting or throwing the dice is to determine outcomes. The objective is to avoid rolling a seven – unless doing so on your first roll. If you roll a seven after your initial come-out roll, then you lose, and the dice are passed to the next shooter.
If you roll a point, then the sequence starts again with the player looking to win up-front on their new come-out roll or set another point.
Here we have listed out many of the most common words and phrases that you’ll hear at a craps table. It’s unnecessary to learn all of these off by heart, but it does make playing a little less daunting if you visit a casino to play craps.
A wager on the pass line bet is considered betting right as it is often the bet that the majority of players will place.
A wager on the doesn’t pass line is considered betting wrong as it is typically against the bet that the majority place.
Popular slang used when referring to the dice. The origins of the term bones come from the Romans.
The boxman is a casino employee who oversees the exchange of chips and cash and supervises dealers to ensure they are running the game correctly.
Popular slang used to describe a roll outcome of nine.
A term used to describe a table when most of the players are experiencing losses.
The initial roll made in a round of craps. This roll is also what sets the point number.
To crap out is to roll a two, three, or 12 on your come-out roll.
An easy way is a roll outcome of four, six, eight, or ten, which is a result of two numbers that aren’t a pair, i.e., a four and two equalling six.
A slang term for a roll outcome of five.
Another term used to describe the pass line bet.
A term used to describe players who leave generous tips.
A hard number is a term given to numbers that are rolled as a result of a pair, i.e., two threes are a hard six, two fours are a hard eight.
A table is referred to as a hot table when most players are winning.
Popular jargon for a dice roll of four.
Popular jargon for a dice outcome of five.
In craps, the place numbers are four, five, six, eight, nine, and ten.
The rail is part of the table (located at the top), where players will place their chips that aren’t part of bets.
A right bettor is someone who makes a wager on the commonly bet pass line. This is often the bet that the majority of players at a table will go with.
Rolling a seven before rolling the point.
Popular slang used when referring to a roll of two (i.e., two ones).
The casino employee who handles the dice and announces the outcome of dice rolls. This person also holds a big curved stick, which is used to maneuver around the table.
A wrong bettor is someone who goes against the grain and bets on the don’t pass line. This means the player wants a different outcome to the rest of the table as most players typically wager on the pass bet.
You can take the ‘who cares’ approach and just throw the dice onto the table, but there is a better way to increase your chances of winning or reducing the number of bad totals. This is called using dice control, and at its most basic level, it is all about rhythm and control.
Follow these quick tips to having better dice control during your next game as a shooter:
It all sounds effortless in theory, but practicing shooting dice at home can be a little more than just throwing dice around. The reason why players practice the art of the shoot is to get better at releasing the dice in a way that they bounce gently and with the least amount of bounces.
There are a few ways that you can practice at home, and these will feature a varying amount of investment or effort on your behalf.
First and foremost, spend some time by throwing the dice towards a wall or corner of a room, this will simulate the boxed-in nature of a craps table without having to spend money.
If you are really zoned in on perfecting the art of dice rolling, then you can look for a regulation craps table – or a table which closely resembles one in a casino. There is one problem with this, though, as, in some states and jurisdictions, the ownership of gambling equipment is illegal. Plus, this type of table would be costly.
Finally, you can build your own craps box to practice in. This is a lot easier than it sounds too, you could even go as far as using a large set of drawers as your practice box also.
Here we are exploring how to play craps in a general sense. This includes a look at what to expect at the table and some of the basic aspects of playing some single and multi-roll bets.
After reading through this chapter, you should be comfortable enough to play craps at a casino. However, we recommend sticking around and finding out some of the further detailed aspects of the game and how to improve your chances of winning.
The game is easy to learn, the objective is simple, and a round of craps will play out along the following:
The craps table looks quite different at a live casino as opposed to an online casino game. This is mostly because the software online can automatically take care of many of the jobs that the various casino staff is required to do.
It may look different depending on where you play or whether there is a particular variant of craps being played, but for the most part, you will encounter the following at a craps table:
Yes, that is not a typo – there are typically four staff members to ensure the game runs smoothly. Now, you can likely appreciate how players are easily overwhelmed by the game.
There are four team members at the craps table, two dealers – one for each side of the table, the stickman, and the boxman.
The dealers do as you would expect, they hand your chips and help to arrange your bets around the table, they are also in charge of making your payouts if you are lucky enough to win a bet.
The stickman is in charge of the prop bets at the center of the table and holds a long hooked stick used to maneuver dice around the table. They are also the person who will provide you with the dice when it is your turn to shoot.
The boxman is essentially the boss of the table; they are the watchful eyes keeping a check on players to make sure that they aren’t trying anything underhanded and play by the rules. They are also there to ensure the dealers are making the correct payouts and will handle the cash and chips exchange if you are buying in at the table.
There are a few different multi-roll bets to play in craps, and the more commonly played bets are featured below:
While the different multi-roll bets will vary in their house edge and the payouts on offer, they are straightforward to play and often will be the go-to bet for craps players.
Because this is an introductory player guide on craps, we won’t go into each bet with too significant detail; however, read on below, and you’ll get an idea for each of these multi-roll bets.
Pass-Line Bets
The pass-line bets will reward players with even-money payouts and a lowly house edge of 1.41%. This bet revolves around the come-out roll, which is traditionally the first roll from a shooter.
On the come-out roll, the pass line bet will win if the shooter rolls a seven or 11. This bet will lose if the shooter makes a two, three, or a 12. Now, if the shooter manages to roll either a four, five, six, eight, nine, or ten, that number is set as the ‘point’ and alters how the round is played. From this point on, the shooter aims to reach that point number again before rolling a seven.
Come Bet
Similar concept to the pass-line, however, this bet is placed when a point has already been set. Once this wager has been placed, the bet’s winning outcome is reached if the shooter rolls a seven or 11. If the shooter manages to score a two, three, or 12, then your bet loses.
Don’t Pass and Don’t Come
These bets are essentially the opposite of the pass-line and come bets. The objective here is for the shooter to lose, so a don’t come bet will hit if the shooter rolls a two or three (12 is a push instead.
With the don’t pass and come options, the house edge is slightly lower at 1.36%.
Place Bets (6 or 8, 5 or 9, 4 or 10)
A place bet is a player setting their point instead of waiting for the shooter. This will allow you to pick a number that the shooter will hopefully roll before they roll a seven.
Three different place bets can be made, each with their payout and house edge:
Hardways Bets
A hardways wager is when a player is betting against the shooter, hoping that their number is rolled the hard way (as a double) before the shooter hits a seven or the number comes up in another combination.
The house edge and payouts are different for each of the four hardways bets:
If you want to step out from the traditional multi-roll bets, there are a number of single-roll wagers to make, including:
Traditionally speaking, most single-roll bets will pay their odds as ‘odds-to-1’ although some casinos may payout as ‘odds-for-1’. These are quite different and will result in players receiving much more or less money per win.
With a $1 odds-to-1 bet, players would keep their $1 bet and then receive their payout on top in the form of their winnings. However, with an odds-for-1 bet, the same $1 bet would be included in your winnings. For example, a 30-for-1 bet at $1 would return $29 in winnings plus your initial bet, whereas a 30-to-1 bet at $1 would return $30 in winnings plus your initial bet.
The Field
A field bet will hit if the next roll is either a two, three, four, nine, ten, 11, or 12. Most casinos will pay even money on field bets; however, some also offer 2-1 for a roll of 2 and 2-1 or 3-1 if it is a 12. Typically the house edge will be 5.56% or 2.78% on the increased payout bets.
2 or 12
A simple bet on the next roll being a two or a 12. These bets will payout at 30-1 but include a much higher edge at 13.89%. Players will have to specify which specific number they are betting on.
3 or 11
The same concept applies to the outcome of the next roll being a three or an 11. Wins are paid at 15-1 and feature a house edge of 11.11%.
Any 7
This bet will pay 4-1 odds and has a house edge of 16.67%. To win this bet, players simply need one of the six dice combinations that total the number seven to hit.
Any Craps
This bet gives players three numbers to hit on, being the two, three, or 12. This bet pays 7-1 and has a house edge of 11.11%.
Hop Bets
The hop bet would have to be the hardest in craps and will need luck on your side. This bet involves players guessing both of the dice outcomes. Players can place a hard hop which pays 30-1 and includes both numbers being the same, or the easy hop bet which pays 15-1 and is simply a correct prediction of each dice.
Getting the most out of your time playing craps should be one of the top priorities for players, along with enjoying the entertainment value of the game. This might seem easy, however, often players make the mistake of just going in guns blazing.
In this chapter, we will explore the use of craps strategies and hopefully provide you with an understanding of what to consider when you play your next game. Although this chapter is introductory in nature, it is still worth checking out as it creates a solid foundation for learning how to play craps smarter.
Once you have a grasp on the different craps playing strategies, we recommend taking a look at our player guide on how to win at craps.
If you think about it hard enough, you are bound to come up with plenty of reasons why it is crucial to include a well-thought strategy when playing craps. The most important reason is that playing with a strategy will reduce your exposure to running out of money while increasing the enjoyment that you get from playing.
We recommend that you use a strategy if playing with a smaller bankroll, to make playing for longer possible. The ideal strategy for smaller bankroll would be to skip placing the come bets, and focus on just the pass-line plus odds, the downside to this strategy is that many players find it boring with only the one number; however, if you want to come out on top, it is still a good idea.
There is a lot that can be done when playing with strategies. Make sure to focus on aligning why you play with the strategy you choose and that moving away from the better bets will increase your house edge.
Remember that playing craps is about fun – and there is no fun in losing money to silly decisions.
By now, you should know that there are plenty of options to bet on in craps games. That’s one of the reasons that make the game so exciting. With so many options available, what are the most popular craps strategies to play with? Read on as we introduce you to a couple of these, but if you want to learn more, we recommend checking the following strategies to winning at craps.
Placing 6 and 8
If you don’t like waiting around for the shooter to determine the game, then go ahead and use this popular strategy to pick your numbers for the point. Outside of the seven, these two (the six and eight) are the more frequently rolled outcomes.
The edge on this bet is 1.52%, which is higher than the pass-line and come bets (and their opposites), but still much better than many bets in other casino games. Not all the place bets are the same, though. The 6 and 8 are lower than the 5 or 9 and the 4 or 10 by a considerable margin.
The downside to this bet is that there are no free odds on points, but having a low investment on it makes it attractive to players from all backgrounds and bankrolls.
Pass with Odds, Plus the Place 6 and/or 8
This is a popular strategy that is considered more or less a hybrid system that is used by players who can’t afford to back a number of pass and come bets at once. Using this system involves setting a pass-line bet with the minimum amount, and then once the shooter establishes the point, the player must set a wager on the free odds that they can afford.
So, breaking it down – if the point is set at a six or eight, then you must back the other number in this sequence. However, if the point is set at any other value, then make a place bet on both the six and eight.
The benefit to this is that the house edge is lower than going with just the 6 and 8 bet – because of the free odds backing your pass-line bet. Plus, as we just mentioned, these are the two most common numbers after the seven.
The craps strategies we’ve discussed previously have been about the optimal play, and these alternative strategies are focussed around faster play with more significant wins if pulled off. These aren’t guaranteed wins, though, so you’ll even come out on top with a big win, or you’ll exit the table with all of your money gone.
With the few alternative betting strategies below, you’ll be exposed to higher house edges than the popular methods discussed previously.
Hedge Bets
Hedging bets isn’t some new technique, and it’s been around the gambling space since the early days. This method allows players to reduce their risk by placing a side bet to hedge their losses – otherwise, to cushion the blow.
In the game of craps, hedge bets are an excellent way to bet because all craps bets have their own weak point. For example, on the pass-line and come bets, the weakness is that if the shooter establishes a point, the most common roll outcome is a seven – which is a loss for these bets. This can be said for place bets too.
The most simple way to hedge a craps place bet is to make the any 7 bet at the same time. How this works in action is say that you place a $6 bet on 8 and place your hedge bet on any 7 for $2, if the dice roll is an eight then you win $7 on your place wager, but lose that $2 hedge bet – which gives a profit of $5.
If the shooter rolls a seven, you would lose your $6 place bet on the eight but still win $8 on the hedge bet (4-1 odds) – which gives a profit of $2.
These hedge bets are great because they can switch a loss into a win. However, the house edge on hedge bets is often high, and because they are a single-roll bet, you would need to place a new hedge bet after each roll.
Darby’s Field Bet
This bet is often referred to as the ‘iron cross’ or the ‘dinner bet’, and is typically a one-and-done approach. In the darby’s field bet, players look to cover a significant portion of numbers and hope for a win on the first roll. Once that first win is in the books, grab your bets, take your winnings and move on.
This is why it is referred to as the ‘dinner bet’ – because back in the day, you could use it to score a dinner… Nowadays, this won’t net you enough for a casino meal!
So, how does the bet work? In the darby’s field, bet players are covering all numbers except the seven, and this is done via:
With these bets, players have effectively covered 30 of the 36 possible outcomes. However, the six combinations to make a seven is what will make players lose it all.
A typical bet along these lines (using the minimum table expectation of $5) would include a $5 bet on the field, and $5 on the five, followed by $6 on the place bet of six and the same again for the eight. This comes to a total value of $22. This bet could pocket you up to $15 on a dice roll of 12, or as low as $5 across most field bets.
Craps can be a challenging game to master because there are many different factors at play; however, there is a common method that players stick to when trying to win at craps. The most player-friendly winning craps method is combining the pass and come bets with odds.
This method is popular because it already has a low edge of 1.41%, but this can be further reduced down to a lowly:
It is a good way to combine low odds betting while betting with the shooter. The downside is that having multiple numbers in play at once can create plenty of risks as the stake increases. If the shooter manages to get a seven, then you lose it all.
To use this craps method, simply follow your pass bet with two or three come bets, this allows players to have up to four numbers ready to hit.
That concludes our player guide on how to play craps casino games. We hope that you found this resource useful and an informative look into learning more about the game. Throughout this guide, we’ve shared a selection of vital topics in providing an introduction to understanding craps.
We’ve explored the history and origins of craps, including some of the unknown sides of how the game came to be and the journey it has enjoyed throughout centuries.
Having touched on the basics of playing, we hope you can now go into the casino and play this adrenaline-filled casino game without suffering from anxiety or the intimidation that players often experience at the table.
Throughout our learning to play guide, we discussed the many different bets available and the edge that players will come up against when placing these wagers. With so many bets to try, we spelled these out for you and summarized with some of the more beneficial options.
Finally, while craps are a relatively straightforward game – it can still be a chore to put it all together. With our introduction to different betting strategies and tips on playing, we hope that players find the right ways to play and match their chosen strategy with the way they like to play.
Most importantly, give it a go and enjoy yourself!
If you would like to find out more about playing craps casino games, we suggest checking out the how to win craps guide for a more detailed look at improving your chances of winning and a more in-depth look at the various odds and ends of playing.
Having come in the top five of the final for Poker Stars and the WSOP 3 years running, Thomas Orozco is a force to be reckoned with on the felt tables. While he’s yet to win himself a bracelet, he’s come out with the top hand on dozens of games in the past, which has only pushed him further up the ranks. Tom’s unrelenting passion for poker and other casino games bleeds through into his fantastic content writing skills, and we thank him every day for the expert insider tips and the contributions he makes to the site.
