Craps
Fast-paced dice game in which players wager on the outcome of two dice rolled across a specially marked table, with dozens of betting options ranging from safe pass line bets to long-shot 'hard-way' proposition bets.
What is Craps?
Craps is a dice game where players make wagers on the outcome of the roll (or series of rolls) of a pair of dice. Bank Craps, the version played in casinos worldwide, evolved in early 20th-century USA from the older 'Hazard'. The game centres on the 'shooter' who rolls a pair of dice against a wall on a long felt table. On the initial 'come-out roll,' a 7 or 11 is a win for pass-line bettors; 2, 3, or 12 is 'craps' — a loss. Any other total (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10) becomes the 'point,' and the shooter continues rolling until they either hit the point again (pass wins) or roll a 7 (pass loses). Craps has some of the best odds in a casino (0.6% house edge on 'don't pass with 5x odds'), plus dozens of side bets. It's culturally iconic — the loud cheering, ritualised betting, and 'hot table' folklore have made it a Vegas centrepiece.
Quick facts
Category
Casino & Gambling
Type
Mixed
Players
1–20
Duration
~5 min
Where played
indoor
Field / court
craps table
Country of origin
🇺🇸 United States
Estimated origin
Bank Craps codified by John H. Winn c. 1907 in New Orleans / New York; evolved from 12th-century Arabic 'Al-Zar' via English Hazard
Olympic
No
Popularity
global
How it works
Objective
Wager profitably on the outcome of dice rolls — either as a 'right' bettor (pass line, come) or 'wrong' bettor (don't pass, don't come).
Match structure
A 'come-out roll' starts the game. Pass line bets win on 7 or 11, lose on 2/3/12. Any other roll (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10) sets the 'point.' The shooter keeps rolling until they roll the point again (pass wins) or roll a 7 (pass loses, dice pass to next shooter). Between come-out rolls, players can make dozens of additional bets: come, don't come, place, field, hardway, big 6/8, hop bets, horn bets, etc. Each has its own payout and house edge.
Rules
Basic rules
Come-out roll
Puck is OFF. Pass line wins on 7 or 11; loses on 2, 3, 12. Any other total (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10) becomes the 'point.'
Point established
Puck flipped to ON. Shooter rolls again — hitting the point wins pass line; rolling 7 loses (7-out).
Dice pass
After a 7-out, dice pass clockwise to the next shooter.
Two dice must hit the back wall
Both dice must bounce off the padded back wall for the roll to count.
Bet placement
Different bets are placed by the player directly (self-service) or handed to the dealer to place.
Advanced rules
Free odds bet
After a point is established, you can back your pass line bet with 'true odds' — paying at true probability (0% house edge). Casinos typically allow 3x-5x-10x odds; some (like Sam's Town) offer 100x.
Come and don't come bets
Behave like pass/don't pass but can be placed anytime after the come-out.
Hardway bets
Bet a specific number will be rolled as a pair before it's rolled 'easy' or a 7 appears. Hard 6/8 pays 9:1; hard 4/10 pays 7:1.
Proposition bets (one-roll)
Any Seven (4:1, 16.67% house edge), Any Craps (7:1, 11.11%), Yo (11) 15:1 (11.11%). All are sucker bets.
Big Red / Any 7 forbidden
By tradition, don't say 'seven' at the table — it's considered bad luck when a shooter is rolling.
Scoring
Wins pay based on the bet placed and outcome; expressed as odds (e.g., 2:1) and house edge percentage.
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Pass line | 1:1 payout; house edge 1.41% |
| Don't pass | 1:1 payout; house edge 1.36% |
| Free odds (behind pass, 3x-5x-10x) | True odds; 0% house edge on the odds portion |
| Place 6 or 8 | 7:6; house edge 1.52% |
| Hardway 6 or 8 | 9:1; house edge 9.09% |
| Any Seven | 4:1; house edge 16.67% |
| Field bet | 1:1 (2:1 for 2, 3:1 for 12); house edge 5.56% |
Win condition · Cumulative bankroll wins/losses over your session; there is no single 'game' to win in casino craps.
Playing area
Called
craps table
Dimensions
3.6 m long × 1.4 m wide (12 ft × 4.5 ft), padded felt.
Rectangular felt table with printed layout: pass/don't pass lines, come/don't come, place numbers, field, proposition (centre), and hardways.
Equipment
Pair of dice
Two precision 19mm casino dice, matched serial numbers, transparent.
Chips
Casino chips of various denominations.
Puck
Marker showing whether table is 'ON' (point established) or 'OFF' (come-out roll).
Stickman's stick
Long curved stick used by the dealer to move dice.
Officiating
Four casino staff manage a craps table: the Boxman (banker), Stickman (moves dice, announces bets), and two Dealers (handle bets on each end).
- Boxman
- Stickman
- Two Dealers
- Floor Supervisor
Strategies
Pass line + free odds
Take max free odds behind pass line — this is the lowest overall house edge play.
Avoid proposition bets
Any Seven (16.67%), Horn (12.5%), and Hardway (9-11%) have terrible odds; stick to pass/come + odds.
Don't pass 'wrong' betting
Don't pass with odds has the LOWEST house edge but is unpopular — you're betting against the shooter.
Fixed loss limit
Set a session bankroll and quit at 50% loss — craps variance is severe.
Terminology
- Shooter
- Player currently rolling the dice.
- Come-out roll
- First roll of a new betting cycle.
- Point
- Number established on come-out (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10) that the shooter tries to repeat before rolling 7.
- Seven-out
- Rolling 7 after a point is established — ends the shooter's turn; pass line loses.
- Pass line
- The most basic bet: wins if shooter makes the point or rolls 7/11 on come-out.
- Don't pass
- Opposite of pass; wins if shooter 7-outs or rolls 2/3 on come-out (12 pushes).
- Free odds
- Additional bet behind pass/don't pass paid at true odds — 0% house edge.
- Craps
- Rolling 2, 3, or 12 on come-out — loses for pass line.
- Yo (Yo-leven)
- Rolling 11; also a common one-roll proposition bet.
- Hardway
- A pair — e.g., 4-4 for hard 8. Betting the number comes as a pair before an 'easy' way or a 7.
- Snake eyes
- Rolling 1-1 (a 2).
- Boxcars
- Rolling 6-6 (a 12).
Major competitions
World Series of Craps (Las Vegas)
annual · USA (Las Vegas) · since 2013
Golden Arm Award (shooters holding dice 60+ minutes)
ongoing · worldwide · since 1989
Where it is played
Governing bodies
Nevada Gaming Control Board
Founded 1955 · Carson City, USA
Official site ↗New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement
Founded 1977 · Trenton, USA
Official site ↗UK Gambling Commission
Founded 2005 · Birmingham, UK
Official site ↗
Famous names & records
Famous athletes
- Patricia Demauro — 154-roll record (4h 18min), May 2009, Borgata Atlantic City
- The Captain (author Frank Scoblete) — 148-roll roll, 2005, Atlantic City
- Stanley Fujitake — 118-roll roll, 1989, California Hotel Las Vegas (first Golden Arm)
Records
Longest recorded craps roll
Patricia Demauro — 154 rolls, 4h 18min, Borgata Atlantic City (2009)
Previous record holder
The Captain (Frank Scoblete) — 148 rolls, Atlantic City (2005)
First 'Golden Arm'
Stanley Fujitake — 118 rolls, California Hotel Las Vegas (1989)
Learn this sport
beginner
- 1
Learn pass line
Bet pass line; win on 7/11 come-out, lose on 2/3/12, otherwise chase the point.
- 2
Understand the puck
OFF = come-out roll; ON = point established.
- 3
Take free odds
Always back pass line with maximum free odds — it's the best bet in the casino.
- 4
Table etiquette
Don't touch other players' bets; don't say 'seven' during a roll; tip the dealers.
intermediate
- 1
Come bets
Once you're comfortable with pass, add come bets to have multiple points working.
- 2
Place vs buy bets
Place bets on 6/8 offer good value (1.52%); avoid buy bets under $25.
- 3
Bankroll discipline
Set win/loss limits; a normal session bankroll is 20-30× your base bet.
- 4
Avoid all propositions
Never place hardway, horn, any-seven, or field bets on impulse.
advanced
- 1
Dice control (controversial)
Some players claim 'setting' and 'controlled shooting' can influence outcomes — evidence is very weak, but a subculture exists.
- 2
5-Count / conservative strategies
Wait 5 rolls before betting on a shooter to avoid short rolls.
- 3
Table game selection
Play at casinos offering 10x/20x/100x odds (Cromwell, Sam's Town) for lowest edge.
Frequently asked
What are the best odds in craps?+
Pass line (1.41%) or don't pass (1.36%) — both improved dramatically by taking free odds (0% edge on odds portion). At 100x odds, overall edge drops to about 0.02%.
Why don't people say 'seven'?+
It's a superstition — rolling a 7 after a point is established (a 'seven-out') ends the shooter's turn and loses for pass bettors. Saying the word is thought to jinx the roll.
What is 'craps' as a roll?+
Rolling 2, 3, or 12 on the come-out roll — pass line loses; don't pass wins on 2 or 3 (pushes on 12).
How do free odds work?+
After a point is set, you can bet an additional multiple (3x/5x/10x/etc.) behind your pass line bet. The additional bet pays true odds — meaning zero house edge on that portion.
How long can one shooter roll?+
There's no time limit. The record is Patricia Demauro at Borgata Atlantic City in 2009 — 154 rolls over 4 hours 18 minutes without rolling a 7.
Sources & provenance
- Wikipedia — Craps— Wikipedia
- Nevada Gaming Control Board— State of Nevada
- Wizard of Odds — Craps— Wizard of Odds