Know How To Play Craps? Come & Learn The Rules, The Tables & The Terms

If you’ve read our introductory article about how to play craps, you’ll have a basic understanding of what craps is and how to go about having a roll or two at the craps table. However, in this article, we look deeper into craps rules, the correct way to throw craps dice (yes, there is a right and a wrong way!) and more.

By reading to the end, we can’t promise that you’ll be a craps expert, but you should have a much better understanding about things like the craps table layout, basic strategies and what happens around a craps table - obviously when you’re in a casino, not playing on your mobile.

So, come with us, as we take closer look at the fundamentals of craps so that you can play in-person or online with confidence. Who knows, you might end up winning big there too! Ok, so we can’t guarantee that, but we can assure that it will be interesting. So, if you’re ready, let’s begin.

The Craps Table - Where it All Happens

Ok, so if you walk into a bricks-and-mortar casino anywhere in the world, you’ll likely find that the noisiest part is the craps table . That’s because it is a very exciting and quite social form of gambling, which can lead to people shouting and whooping as they play.

It’s a game that’s played on a very intriguing-looking table (we’ll look at that in more detail in a little while) and two dice. In a real-casino setting, these dice are checked routinely for damage, so as to ensure that a fair game is being played.

During a game, the shooter (the person throwing the dice) will bet at least the table minimum on either the Don’t Pass Line or the Pass Line. Then with one hand, the shooter throws the dice that must strike the walls at the far end of the table without flying off the end. If they do fall off the table, they are inspected and returned.

There are no hard and fast rules on how to throw dice in craps table games - although we do look at that a little later - and you don’t have to be the thrower in craps casino games to make a bet. There are a number of varieties of bet that you can make before the throw is made. In the next section, we look at how the game begins.

Craps Rules - What You Need to Know

So, this is where the action starts and as all craps table aficionados know, it’s a game that’s played in rounds, with the person who’s throwing changing at the conclusion of each round. Each round has two parts; Come Out and Point. In order to begin a round, the thrower makes a Come Out roll and more if needed.

If the shooter rolls a 2, a 3 or a 12, this is what’s known as ‘crapping out’ and if anyone has bet on the Pass Line, they lose. If a natural number is thrown (a 7 or an 11), those on the Pass Line win. The person throwing the dice will carry on making Come Out rolls until the point where they throw a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or a 10, which then becomes the Point Number.

This then triggers the dealer to move the ‘On Button’ to that Point Number, which denotes the beginning of the round’s second phase. If this number is rolled, those on the Pass Line win again. However, if the shooter throws a 7 (this is known as a Seven Out), this is bad news for wagers on the Pass Line, as they lose and that’s the end of the round.

Let’s Now Look a the Craps Table Itself

When you’re trying to learn how to play craps game strategies for the first time, the table itself can really blow your mind. It can all look from the outside that there’s far too much to concentrate on to figure out how to win playing craps . Don’t worry though, as it’s not too tricky to get your head around and to help even more, you should refer to the craps table diagram below as we explain.

The Pass Line

A Pass Line bet is one that newbies should get familiar with, as it’s by far the simplest bet you can make. By placing your chips here, you’re betting that a 7 or 11 will be rolled by the shooter.

The Don’t Pass Bar

This is the antithesis of the Pass Line bet, with bettors wagering against the success of the shooter. This is a successful bet if a 2, a 3 or a 12 is rolled. Should a point be established, the Don’t Pass bet succeeds if a 7 is rolled before said point is thrown again.

The ‘Come’ Area

After the initial come out roll, a come bet becomes active and it’s determined by what was thrown. Should the come out bet be a 5 (e.g. a 4 and a 1), the come bet will win if another five is thrown. This bet pays even money in the event of a 7 being rolled, but loses if craps is thrown.

The Don’t Come Bar

Similar in nature to the Don’t Pass bet, Don’t Come bets are wagers in the Don’t Pass Bar and will win if craps is the result. Conversely, this bet loses if a Natural Number (7 or 11) is thrown.

The Points/Place Area

This is the area of the craps table where bets can be made on numbers of the player’s choice.

The Field Area

This section is where field bets are made, which are one-off wagers that pay out even money in the event of a 3, a 4, a 9, a 10 or 11 being thrown. Should a 2 or 12 be the result, double winnings are paid out.

The 6 or 8 Big Area

This one’s fairly self-explanatory, as it’s where you can wager that a 6 or an 8 will come up.

The Hardway Bet Area

This is where you get to bet on a double number coming up e.g. double 2, double 4, double 7 etc.

The Proposition Bet Area

These are like Hardway bets, but are on a one-roll basis. These bets - which involve choosing a number of your choice - offer good odds, as they are amongst the least likely outcomes. If your number doesn’t come up on the next roll - you lose.

So, as you can see, on a , there’s quite a bit to get your head around, but with a little practice on casino craps rules & strategy guidelines, most people understand what’s what. There are also various different odds offered depending on which part of the table you use.

They would take far too long to go into here, but if you’d like to know more about them, try watching this video that goes into much more detail.

How Do You Play Craps With Dice?

This question might seem like an easy one to answer, however, there is a recommended way to throw the dice that will increase your chances of getting the required numbers to come up. When you learn to play craps online , this isn’t something you’ll have to think about, but it can mean the difference between and losing in a real casino.

Setting the Dice

In order to become a consistently good shooter, you need to reduce the chance of a random roll. You should spend some time at the craps practice table to perfect your throw and an important part of this, setting the dice. This means holding the dice in a certain way before you throw.

Some experienced players will leave the dice on the craps table and turn them until the required number is facing up. It’s then recommended that you lock the dice in place by squeezing them together in the same way each time. Repetition of the same action each time is key.

Your Throw

The throw you make is just as important, which also has to be consistent. To achieve this, pick a spot a few inches back from the craps table wall and aim there every time. Try not to twist your hands or do anything different each time and you’ll likely find that you’re shooting the numbers you want on a more consistent basis.

No Sticky Fingers

If you’re wanting to know how to win playing craps then consistency is something you have to focus on. This means ensuring that you don’t have sticky fingers prior to rolling is important. Rub your hands on yourself or the table before picking up the dice and you’ll better avoid random rolls from occurring.

Gambling Responsibly Wherever You Are

Whether you’re playing craps in the casino or virtually via a smartphone or tablet, you should always practice responsible gambling. Craps, like many other types of casino game are popular because they offer a thrill and that thrill can be addictive. Typically speaking, the house will have the edge overall, so it’s important remember that.

When you win big, it can be exhilarating and when you lose, you can end up chasing that big win again and before you know it, you’ve lost a whole lot more. Organisations like Gamble Aware provide tips and advice on this very subject and many online casinos allow you to set limits, so that you can enjoy your gambling without the worry of losing your shirt.

Frequently Asked Questions

We’ve been as comprehensive as we can be in explaining the game of craps, but just in case we missed anything, we now look at a few commonly asked questions.

“Is craps an easy game to win at?”

It only involves two dice, but craps it also involves understanding how to play and what odds are paid out. So, in terms of ease, there are other casino games that require much less thought.

“Why do casinos drill holes in craps dice?”

This is something casinos do to show that they’ve been used before and it’s a measure to stop them from being snuck back in to be used in live dealer games.

“Is there skill to the game of craps?”

There is a good deal of luck involved, but as we’ve covered, there are things you can do like setting the dice before you throw them to improve your odds.