How To Play Craps

How To Play Craps

Craps is a fast-moving game played on a large table that offers a variety of bets on the layout. Each bet is dependent upon the point value of the uppermost side of two dice that have come to rest after having been thrown by a player or “shooter.”

Pass Line Bet (A)

Bets are placed on the first or “Come Out” roll of the dice. If the dice land on a 7 or 11, the bet wins even money. If the dice land on 2, 3 or 12, then all Pass Line bets are taken down but the same shooter still has the opportunity to shoot. If the dice land on any other number, the number is marked by the dealer with the placement of a puck as the Pass Line Point. That Point must be rolled again before a 7 to win. If the Point is successfully rolled, all bets on the Pass Line are paid and the shooter continues to throw the dice until a Point is established and a 7 is rolled before the Point. The dice are then passed to the next player.

Don't Pass Line Bet (B)

Opposite of the Pass Line bet. If the dice land on 2 or 3 on the Come Out roll, the bet wins even money. If the dice land on 7 or 11, the bet loses. If the dice land on 12, it is called a “push” or a tie. Any other number rolled is the Point. A 7 must be rolled before the Point is rolled again to win.

Come Bets (C)

This bet can only be placed after a Point is established and must be placed in the appropriately marked place on the table layout. The Come bet and Point are independent of the Pass Line Point but follow the same rules as a Pass Line bet.

Don't Come Bets (D)

The Don’t Come bet may be made any time after a Pass Line point has been established. Like the Come bet, the Don’t Come bet allows a player to bet on each roll of the dice. The Don’t Come bet and Point are independent of the Don’t Pass Line Point but follow the same rules as the Don’t Pass Line bet.

Place Bets (E)

You can make a Place bet at any time. You may ask the dealer to place your bet on any one or combination of numbers 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10. These bets win each time a number is thrown and lose if the dice land on 7. Place bets are “off” on the Come Out roll and may be called off by the player at any time.

Odds and Lays

A player may “take” odds on any Pass Line or Come bet. A player may “lay” odds on any Don’t Pass or Don’t Come bet. All odds bets may be removed or reduced at any time. Odds are paid based on true odds and wins if the flat bet wins and vice versa. See the Odds Payoff chart for payouts.

Hardways (F)

Hardway bets are located in the center of the table and can be placed at any time for you by the dealer. There are four possible Hardway bets: Hard Six (two 3s) and Hard Eight (two 4s) pay 9 to 1, and Hard Four (two 2s) and Hard Ten (two 5s) pay 7 to 1. Hardway bets win if the number you are betting comes up before the 7 or your number comes up the “easy way.” This means if you bet a Hard Four and a 3 and 1 rolls before the two 2s roll, your bet is taken down. Hardways are off on the Come Out roll unless called “working” by the player.

Buy & Lay Bets (G&H)

Buy and Lay bets pay odds without requiring a flat bet and may be made directly on a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 at any time without waiting for the number to roll the first time. The Buy bet is a bet that the number will roll before a 7. A Lay bet is a bet that a 7 will roll before the number bet. In either case, the wager is paid according to true odds as shown on the accompanying table. A 5% commission or vigorish is charged on all Buy and Lay bets, either on the amount bet, if it is a Buy bet, or on the amount that can be won, if it is a Lay bet. The vigorish will be collected on Buy and Lay bets at the time of bet placement. If no decision is made on a Buy or Lay bet and the player wishes to take the bet down, the vigorish will be returned to the player.

Field Bet (I)

This bet is a one-roll bet. If the dice land on 2, 3, 4, 9, or 10, the bet pays even money. If the dice land on 2 or 12, the bet pays double.

One Roll Bets

• Any Craps (J) – 2, 3, or 12 pay 7 to 1.
• Eleven (K) – Pays 15 to 1.
• Three (L) – Ace-deuce (or 3) pays 15 to 1.
• Two (M) – Pays 30 to 1.
• Twelve (N) – Pays 30 to 1.
• Any 7 (O) – Players can bet on a 7 coming up on any one roll. If a 7 is rolled, the bet wins 4 to 1.
• Horn Bet (P) – A player may also make a Horn bet which is simply one unit each on 2, 3, 11 and 12. The payoff follows the same rules as the Horn High bet.

Whirl Bet

A Whirl Bet shall be placed in units of five. This is a wager broken down to four units on the Horn Bet and one unit on the Any Seven Bet. A winning or losing Whirl Bet shall be determined as follows, Whirl Bet shall win if a 2, 3, 7, 11 or 12 is thrown on the roll immediately following placement of the Whirl Bet. A Whirl Bet shall lose if any total other than a 2, 3, 7, 11 or 12 is thrown on the roll immediately following placement of the bet.

Hop Bet

Hop Bet is a one roll bet that the dice will land on a specific combination on the next roll of the dice. The bet loses when the dice do not land on the specific combination that was bet.

Fire Bet

Fire Bet is a bet that may only be made during a new shooter’s come out roll. The fire bet will win if the shooter makes 4, 5 or 6 individual points. The bet loses when the shooter makes 3 or less individual points.

House Rules

The player rolling the dice, called the shooter, must hit the back wall when “shooting.” Setting of the dice by the shooter for the deliberate purpose of delaying the game is not allowed. A floorperson’s decision is final in all disputes.

Horn High Bets

Horn High bets are bet in units of five since you are betting one unit on 2, 3, 11 and 12 with one additional unit bet on one number. For example, a $5 Horn High 12 has one dollar bet on 2, 3 and 11 and two dollars bet on 12.

Payoff Odds