Craps Rules for Beginners: The Pass Line and Beyond

For adults 18+.

A craps table can look overwhelming: a crowded layout, fast dice and players calling out bets. Underneath, though, the main game is straightforward. Here is how a round works, using the most common bets.

The come-out roll

Each round starts with the shooter’s first roll, called the come-out roll. With a pass line bet:

• a 7 or 11 wins straight away;
• a 2, 3 or 12 (“craps”) loses;
• any other number — 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 — becomes the point.

Rolling for the point

Once a point is set, the shooter keeps rolling. If the point comes up again before a 7, pass line bets win. If a 7 comes first, they lose and the round ends.

Don’t pass

The don’t pass bet is roughly the opposite: it wins on 2 or 3 at the come-out, loses on 7 or 11, and then wins if a 7 arrives before the point. A 12 on the come-out is usually a tie for don’t pass bets.

Come and don’t come

These work like pass and don’t pass, but can be placed after the point is set, starting a new mini-round with the next roll.

The odds bet

After a point is set, many tables let you add an “odds” bet behind your pass line bet. It pays at true odds, so it carries no house edge of its own — but it can only be added to a bet that does.

Bets to think twice about

The single-roll bets in the centre of the table — such as any seven or hardways — pay attractive-looking amounts but carry a much higher house edge than the pass line. The same logic as roulette payouts vs real chances applies: the payout is always set below the true odds.

Keep control

Craps is fast, which makes time and money easy to lose track of. Set limits in advance and stop when you reach them — and watch for the signs it’s time to take a break.