How To Play Craps

Craps is easily the most exciting dice game around, with players taking turns to be the shooter and roll two dice. A variety of bets can be made on the total of the roll of both dice. The rules of play are very straight forward, but some of the bets can be a little more complicated.

Firstly, the basic bets are the Pass or Don’t Pass bets. If the first roll equals either 7 or 11, Pass bets automatically win, while Don’t Pass bets lose. If the first roll is 2, 3, or 12, Pass bets lose and Don’t Pass bets win on a roll of 2 or 3 – 12 is a standoff, to give the casino a slight advantage.

If any other number comes up on the first roll (4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10), that number becomes the "point" and the aim of the game is for the shooter to roll that number again before rolling a seven. Pass bets will win when this occurs, while Don't pass bets win if the seven is rolled first.

For players who come late and miss the come out roll, there are the Come and Don’t Come bets, which are virtually the same as the Pass and Don’t Pass, with the exception that these bets are made after the point has been set.

There are numerous other bets that can be made on individual rolls or the outcome of several rolls, such as one-way bets, that the next roll will be a specific number, hard-way bets, that a specific double will be rolled before a certain number, Horn bets, which bet on 2, 3, 11, and 12 simultaneously, Hop bets which specify any combination of dice on the next roll and many more.