Walk past a craps table in any busy casino and you will immediately notice the energy. Players are cheering, chips are flying, and the dealer is calling out numbers in a language that sounds almost invented. From the outside, craps looks chaotic and intimidating — which is exactly why so many casino newcomers walk straight past it and head for the slot machines instead. That is a shame, because once you understand the basic structure of the game, craps is not only accessible but genuinely exciting, and it offers some of the best odds on the casino floor.
This FAQ covers the questions that beginners ask most often, from how the game actually works to which bets are worth placing and which ones you should avoid. Whether you are heading to a land-based casino for the first time or exploring table games at an online casino like viggoslots.se, the fundamentals covered here will give you a solid foundation before you put any real money on the line.
What is craps, exactly?
Craps is a dice game in which players bet on the outcome of one roll, or a series of rolls, of two six-sided dice. In a casino setting, one player — called the shooter — throws the dice while others at the table bet on what will happen. The game runs in rounds, and each round has a defined structure with two main phases: the come-out roll and the point phase. Despite the table looking complicated, most of the action revolves around a fairly small number of core bets.
Who is the shooter, and do I have to throw the dice?
The shooter is the player currently rolling the dice. In a live casino game, the role of shooter rotates around the table clockwise. You are never obligated to throw the dice — if it is your turn and you prefer not to, you can simply decline and another player will take over. If you do choose to shoot, you must place at least the table minimum on either the Pass Line or the Don't Pass Line before throwing. At online craps tables, you are always effectively the shooter since there are no other players involved.
What happens on the come-out roll?
The come-out roll is the very first roll of a new round. Three outcomes are possible at this stage:
- Natural (7 or 11): Pass Line bettors win immediately, and the round ends.
- Craps (2, 3, or 12): Pass Line bettors lose immediately, and the round ends.
- Any other number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10): That number becomes the "point," and the game moves into the point phase.
A small disc — white side up reading "ON" — is placed on the point number to remind everyone at the table what is being targeted.
What is the point phase?
Once a point is established, the shooter keeps rolling until one of two things happens: they roll the point number again, or they roll a 7. If the point is rolled first, Pass Line bettors win and a new round begins. If a 7 is rolled first — called "sevening out" — Pass Line bettors lose, the shooter passes the dice to the next player, and a new round starts. During the point phase, rolling a 7 on the come-out roll would have been a winner, but in the point phase it is a loser. This distinction trips up many first-time players.
What is the Pass Line bet and why do beginners always hear about it?
The Pass Line is the most fundamental bet in craps. You place your chips on the Pass Line before the come-out roll. You win if the come-out roll is 7 or 11, and you lose if it is 2, 3, or 12. If a point is set, you win if the point is rolled again before a 7. The Pass Line bet pays even money (1:1) and carries a house edge of around 1.41 percent — one of the lowest of any casino bet. Beginners are always pointed toward the Pass Line because it is simple to understand and genuinely fair.
What is the Don't Pass bet?
The Don't Pass bet is essentially the opposite of the Pass Line. You win if the come-out roll is 2 or 3, you lose if it is 7 or 11, and a come-out roll of 12 is a push (your stake is returned). If a point is established, you win if a 7 appears before the point is repeated. The house edge on Don't Pass is slightly lower than the Pass Line at around 1.36 percent, but players who bet Don't Pass are effectively rooting against the shooter — which can create an awkward social atmosphere at a busy live table. Online, there is no social pressure at all.
What are Odds bets, and why does everyone say they are so important?
Once a point has been established, players who have made a Pass Line or Don't Pass bet are allowed to make an additional wager called an Odds bet. This is placed directly behind your original bet on the table layout. What makes the Odds bet unique — and genuinely special — is that it pays at true mathematical odds with no house edge whatsoever. It is the only bet in any standard casino game that carries a zero percent house edge.
The payout depends on the point number:
- Point of 4 or 10: pays 2:1
- Point of 5 or 9: pays 3:2
- Point of 6 or 8: pays 6:5
Most casinos allow you to place Odds bets of two, three, or even ten times your original Pass Line stake. The more you back with Odds, the lower the combined house edge on your total action becomes. Any craps strategy guide for beginners will tell you to always take maximum Odds once a point is set.
What are Come and Don't Come bets?
Come bets work exactly like Pass Line bets, except they can be placed at any time during the point phase rather than only before the come-out roll. The next roll after you place a Come bet acts as your personal come-out roll: a 7 or 11 wins immediately, a 2, 3, or 12 loses immediately, and any other number becomes your personal Come point. You win if that number is rolled again before a 7. Don't Come bets mirror this logic in reverse, matching the Don't Pass structure. These bets let you get more action going on multiple numbers simultaneously, which many experienced players enjoy.
Which bets should beginners avoid?
The craps table is covered in betting options that look exciting but come with a steep house edge. Beginners should be particularly cautious about:
- Proposition bets (Props): These are single-roll bets on specific dice combinations, located in the centre of the table. They can pay out attractively — a bet on "Any 7" pays 4:1, for instance — but the house edges on proposition bets typically range from 9 to 16 percent.
- Hardways: A Hardway bet wins only if a specific number is rolled as a pair (e.g., 4+4 for Hard 8) before either a 7 or the easy way combination. House edges range from roughly 9 to 11 percent.
- Big 6 and Big 8: These pay even money for a 6 or 8 appearing before a 7. The Place bet on 6 or 8 achieves the same thing but pays 7:6, making the Big 6 and Big 8 a significantly worse deal.
The principle is consistent: the more dramatic and visually prominent a bet appears on the layout, the worse the odds are likely to be.
What is the etiquette at a live craps table?
Craps has more unwritten social conventions than almost any other casino table game. A few key points for first-timers:
- Buy your chips between rolls, not while the dice are in motion.
- Keep your hands out of the table surface area when the shooter is about to roll.
- If the dice hit your hands during a roll, some superstitious players may be unhappy — especially if a 7 follows.
- Announce your bets clearly to the dealer rather than simply placing chips in random areas.
- Tip the dealers — craps dealers work hard and tips are a significant part of their income.
Online craps eliminates all these concerns, making it an ideal learning environment before stepping up to a live table.
Is craps a good game for managing a limited bankroll?
Craps can be played conservatively or aggressively, which makes it flexible. If you stick to Pass Line bets with Odds, you are playing with one of the lowest house edges in the casino, and your bankroll will stretch considerably further than it would at many other games. The risk comes when players start adding multiple proposition bets and chasing losses with high-edge wagers. Setting a session budget before you sit down, deciding in advance which bets you will make, and walking away when that budget is spent are habits that apply to craps just as much as they do to any other form of gambling.
How should I practise before playing for real money?
The best way to get comfortable with craps is to play in free or demo mode first. Most online casinos offer practice versions of their table games that let you experience the full interface — including placing bets, watching rolls, and seeing payouts — without any financial risk. Spending time in demo mode reinforces the sequence of play, helps you remember which areas of the table correspond to which bets, and lets you develop a feel for the pace of the game. Once you can navigate a round without hesitating over where to put your chips, you are ready to play with real stakes.
Craps has a well-earned reputation for being the loudest, most social, and most electrically charged game on any casino floor. That reputation is built on genuine excitement — but the game is far more approachable than it first appears. Stick to the Pass Line, take your Odds, and leave the proposition bets to players who understand exactly what they are giving away. With those habits in place, craps is a genuinely enjoyable game that rewards patience and basic knowledge in equal measure.