Course contents
Craps Basics
How a round of craps works: the come-out roll wins 8 ways out of 36 and loses only 4, which is why the pass line's house edge lands near a low 1.41%.
Craps is one core bet with two phases, buried under a loud layout. You bet the pass line and someone rolls two dice: the come-out roll. The result either settles your bet instantly or sets a "point" the shooter must roll again before a 7. Everything else on the felt is an optional side bet.
The two phases, step by step
- Come-out roll of 7 or 11: pass line wins even money immediately.
- Come-out roll of 2, 3, or 12: pass line loses ("craps").
- Any other total (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) becomes the point, and a marker goes on that number.
- The shooter keeps rolling: point before 7 wins, 7 before the point loses ("seven out"), and every other number changes nothing for the pass line.
One wrinkle: those rules invert for the "don't pass" bet, which wins when the shooter craps out and loses on 7 or 11 (a come-out 12 pushes). It's betting against the table, slightly cheaper, and socially chillier. Most beginners stick with pass.
Notice the shape: the come-out roll favors you, and the point phase favors the house. That balance is why the pass line's overall edge lands near 1.41%, low by casino standards. The next lesson derives more of that; first, get comfortable counting dice.
Counting the 36 rolls
Two dice make 36 equally likely combinations (six faces times six faces). Here is every total that matters on the come-out roll:
Total | Combinations | Ways |
|---|---|---|
7 (instant win) | 1-6, 2-5, 3-4, 4-3, 5-2, 6-1 | 6 |
11 (instant win) | 5-6, 6-5 | 2 |
2 (craps) | 1-1 | 1 |
3 (craps) | 1-2, 2-1 | 2 |
12 (craps) | 6-6 | 1 |
The 7's six ways make it the most common total, landing once every six rolls on average. Add it up: the come-out roll wins for you 8 ways out of 36, about 22%, while the craps numbers cover just 4 ways, about 11%. You start every round twice as likely to win instantly as to lose instantly, which is exactly the sweetener that keeps the pass line's overall price low.
A full round, played through
You put $10 on the pass line. The come-out roll is 5-3: 8 becomes the point, and the dealer flips the puck to "ON" atop the 8. The shooter rolls a 6 (nothing for you), an 11 (nothing now, it only mattered on the come-out), then a 4 (nothing again). Fourth roll: 5-3 once more. The point repeats before a 7, so your pass line bet wins $10. Had any 7 arrived first, the round would've ended with your chips gone, and the dice would pass to the next shooter.
Is any of this skill? No. The dice have no memory, no legal throwing technique reliably influences them, and "dice setting" claims haven't survived controlled testing. What you control completely is bet selection, and that matters enormously here: the wagers on a craps layout range from under 1.5% house edge to well over 10%. Same table, wildly different prices.
Craps has more etiquette than any other table game, mostly practical. Keep your hands off the layout while the dice are out; a die hitting your hand and landing badly makes you briefly unpopular. Set cash on the felt for the dealer rather than handing it over. Throw so both dice hit the back wall. And the superstition you'll actually feel pressure about: players avoid saying "seven" mid-roll. The dice can't hear, but the table's mood is real, so most people just play along.
A "hot shooter" is a streak that already happened, not a forecast. Every roll of two dice carries the same 36 combinations as the first roll of the night. Ride the fun of a hot table; never raise your bets because of it.
Learn the pass line cold before you look at anything else on the felt. Once the two phases feel automatic, you're ready for the next lesson, where one bet behind the line turns craps into the best-priced action in the building.
Frequently asked questions
What happens when you roll a 7 in craps?
It depends on the phase. On the come-out roll, a 7 wins the pass line even money immediately. Once a point is set, a 7 arriving before the point ends the round as a loss for pass line bettors, called a "seven out," and the dice pass to the next shooter. Every other number rolled during the point phase changes nothing for the pass line.
Why is 7 the most common number in craps?
Two dice produce 36 equally likely combinations, and a 7 can be made six different ways: 1-6, 2-5, 3-4, 4-3, 5-2, and 6-1. No other total has that many combinations, so a 7 lands about once every six rolls on average. By comparison, an 11 can only arrive two ways out of the 36.
What is the house edge on the pass line in craps?
The pass line carries an overall house edge near 1.41%, which is low by casino standards. The come-out roll actually favors the player, winning instantly 8 ways out of 36 (about 22%) versus losing instantly on only 4 ways (about 11%), while the point phase favors the house. Other bets on the same craps layout range from under 1.5% edge to well over 10%.
Is craps a game of skill or luck?
Craps is luck, not skill. The dice have no memory, no legal throwing technique reliably influences the outcome, and "dice setting" claims have not survived controlled testing. What a player fully controls is bet selection, and that matters enormously: wagers on a single craps layout range from under 1.5% house edge to well over 10%, so choosing the right bets is the real decision.
What is the don't pass bet in craps?
Don't pass inverts the pass line rules: it wins when the shooter craps out on the come-out roll and loses on a 7 or 11, with a come-out 12 counting as a push. It amounts to betting against the table, is slightly cheaper than the pass line, and is socially chillier, which is why most beginners stick with the standard pass line bet.
Should you bet more when a shooter is on a hot streak?
No. A "hot shooter" is a streak that already happened, not a forecast of future rolls. Every roll of two dice carries the same 36 equally likely combinations as the first roll of the night, so past results do not change the odds. Enjoy the energy of a hot table, but never raise your bets because of a streak.
Finished this lesson?
Mark it complete to track your progress.