How to play craps
Craps is a dice game where players bet on the outcome of rolls. One player (the shooter) rolls two dice, and others bet on what those dice will show. It can look complex at the table but the basic game comes down to a few simple bets.
The come-out roll
Every new round starts with a come-out roll. If the shooter rolls a 7 or 11, Pass Line bets win and the round ends. If they roll a 2, 3, or 12 (craps), Pass Line bets lose. Any other number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) becomes the ‘point’. The dealer marks the point on the table. The shooter then keeps rolling until they either roll the point again (Pass Line wins) or roll a 7 (Pass Line loses — this is called ‘sevening out’).
Other ways to bet
Beyond the Pass Line, craps has dozens of additional bets. Come bets work like Pass Line bets but are placed after the point is established. Place bets let you bet on specific numbers (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10) winning before a 7. Proposition bets sit in the center of the table and pay on specific dice combinations. Most proposition bets have very high house edges and are best avoided.