Course contents
How to Play, Step by Step
A full craps round in six concrete steps, from placing your pass line bet before the come-out roll to collecting a payout when the point repeats.
You now know the come-out roll and the point from the previous lesson. This lesson turns that theory into an actual sequence of actions, the way a round plays out at a real table or in a live-dealer stream.
Step 1: Place your pass line bet. Before any dice roll, put chips on the pass line. This is the standard bet and the one most new players start with. You can't touch or remove this bet once the point is established.
Step 2: Watch the come-out roll. The shooter rolls two dice. A 7 or 11 pays you even money right away. A 2, 3, or 12 loses your bet. Any other number becomes the point, and a marker (the "puck") gets flipped to ON and placed on that number.
Step 3: Add odds if you want them. Once a point is set, you can place a free odds bet behind your pass line bet. This pays true odds with no house edge, covered in the full odds table lesson, and it's the single best value on the table.
Step 4: The shooter keeps rolling. Every roll matters now only if it's the point number or a 7. Other numbers don't resolve your pass line bet; the shooter just rolls again.
Step 5: Round ends one of two ways. The point repeats before a 7 and your pass line bet wins even money. A 7 shows up first ("seven out") and your bet loses. The puck flips back to OFF and a new come-out roll starts.
Step 6: Collect or lose, then decide again. Winning bets get paid, losing bets get cleared, and you choose whether to bet again on the next come-out.
Your pass line bet is locked in after the point is set — you can add odds, but you can't pull the original wager back.
Step | What happens | Your action |
|---|---|---|
Come-out | 7/11 wins, 2/3/12 loses, else point set | Place pass line bet before this roll |
Point phase | Point vs. 7 | Add odds bet, then wait |
Resolution | Point repeats or 7 out | Collect winnings or lose stake |
A come bet works the same way as pass line but can be placed after the point is already set, giving you your own personal point number. Place bets, which you'll cover in reading the table, let you bet directly on a number without needing a pass line wager at all.
New players often freeze up trying to track other bettors' chips. Ignore them at first. Focus only on your own bet and the puck. Once the come-out/point cycle feels automatic, everything else on the layout starts to make sense, which is exactly what the next lesson covers.
Sources
- Wizard of Odds: Craps — pass line and odds bet house edge figures (retrieved July 2026)
- VegasInsider: Craps Odds Explained — pass line 1.41% and 0% odds bet edge (retrieved July 2026)
- WinStar: How Do You Play Craps at a Casino? — table procedure and back-wall dice rule (retrieved July 2026)
Frequently asked questions
How much money do I need to start playing craps?
Most physical tables have a minimum buy-in between $10 and $25, plus a table minimum bet that's usually $5 to $15 depending on the casino and time of day. Online and crypto casinos typically let you start with much less, sometimes under a dollar per bet.
Can I change or remove my pass line bet mid-round?
No. Once the point is established, your pass line bet is locked in until the round resolves with either the point repeating or a 7 showing up. You can add an odds bet behind it, but you can't pull or reduce the original wager.
What's the single best bet for a beginner to learn first?
The pass line, followed by the odds bet behind it. Pass line has a low house edge on its own at about 1.41% (VegasInsider), and the odds bet you can add once a point is set carries a 0% house edge (Wizard of Odds).
What mistakes do first-timers make most often?
Trying to change a pass line bet after the point is set, forgetting to ask for an odds bet, and touching chips before a roll is fully settled at a physical table. All three are easy to avoid once you know the sequence above.
Finished this lesson?
Mark it complete to track your progress.