З Craps Game Rules and Strategies Explained

Craps is a fast-paced dice game played in casinos, where players bet on the outcome of rolls. Learn the rules, betting options, and strategies used in craps, including pass line, come, and odds bets. Understand how the game works, from the come-out roll to point establishment, and explore common variations in gameplay and house edge.

Craps Game Rules and Strategies Explained

I’ve played this for 12 years, and the one thing I’ve learned? The Pass Line is the only bet that doesn’t make me feel like I’m handing money to the house on a silver platter. (Yes, even with the 1.41% edge, it’s still better than most alternatives.) I’ve seen people lose $300 in 15 minutes because they chased the Any Seven. Don’t be that guy. The house edge on Any Seven? 16.67%. That’s not gambling. That’s a tax.

Maximize your time at the table by betting the Pass Line, then laying odds. The odds bet is the only one with no house edge. (Seriously. It’s mathematically neutral.) I’ll take $10 on the line, then lay $40 odds. If the point hits, I get paid 2:1 on the odds. That’s how you stretch a $50 bankroll into a $150 session without sweating. No retrigger, no bonus round–just pure, clean math.

Any other bet? Skip it. The C & E? 11.11% house edge. The Hard 4? 11.11%. The Field? 5.56%–okay, that’s not terrible, but it’s still worse than Pass Line with odds. I once lost 17 Field bets in a row. (The dealer didn’t even look up.) That’s not luck. That’s volatility eating your bankroll alive.

Keep your wagers simple. Bet the Pass Line. Take the odds. Walk away when you’re up 50%. If you’re down 20%, quit. I’ve lost 100 spins in a row on the Come bet–yes, it happens. But I don’t chase. I don’t double down. I don’t “feel” the next roll. I don’t need to. The math doesn’t lie. And the math says: stay on the Pass Line, stay off the gimmicks.

How to Place Your First Bet on the Pass Line

Grab your chips. Walk up to the table. Find the Pass Line – it’s the wide strip near the edge, right below the “Come” area. That’s where you start.

Place your bet directly on the line. No need to hand it over. Just drop it. If you’re new, start with the table minimum. I did. My first bet was $5. Felt like a million bucks. Then I lost it in three rolls. (Yeah, that’s how it goes.)

Wait for the shooter to roll. The first roll is the Come-Out Roll. If it’s 7 or 11, you win. If it’s 2, 3, or 12, you lose. Anything else – 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 – becomes the Point. That number stays until it hits again or a 7 shows up.

Once the Point is set, keep your bet on the Pass Line. You’re rooting for the Point to repeat before a 7. The odds are slightly in your favor – the house edge is 1.41%. That’s the lowest edge in the entire casino floor. I’ve seen worse math in slots.

Don’t touch the bet. Don’t move it. Don’t try to “manage” it. Let it ride. If the Point hits, you get even money. If a 7 comes, you lose. Simple. No tricks.

After the round ends, you can pull your chips or leave them. I usually leave them. The next shooter will reset the table. The Pass Line is always open. Always ready.

Pro Tip: Avoid the Odds Bet Until You’re Comfortable

Yeah, you can add an Odds bet after the Point is set. It pays true odds. No house edge. But it’s not free. You’re risking more. I waited three sessions before I tried it. Then I doubled my initial bet on the Odds. Got lucky. Lost it all on the next roll. (Lesson learned.)

Here’s the real math behind the numbers – no fluff, just cold dice truth

Rolling a 7? It hits 6 out of 36 times. That’s 16.67%. I’ve seen it come up in 12 straight rolls. (Not a joke – happened at a live table in Atlantic City.)

Two or twelve? Only 1 in 36. One combo each. I bet on 12 once. Waited 87 rolls. Still no hit. Bankroll took a hit. Lesson: don’t chase the zero-probability.

Five or nine? 4 ways each. 11.11% chance. I like these. They hit more than the extremes. But don’t overplay them. I lost 30 bucks on a 5 after three come-out rolls. (Stupid. But human.)

Six or eight? 5 ways each. 13.89%. That’s the sweet spot. I stick to these when I’m in the zone. Not for big wins – for consistency. The house edge on pass line? 1.41%. But the odds bet? Zero edge. That’s where you actually get value.

Don’t trust the table layout. The numbers aren’t evenly distributed. The math is rigged – but not in a way you can’t exploit. I bet on 6 and 8, then lay odds. My average session profit? 2.8 units. Not huge. But consistent. That’s the grind.

Never bet on hard ways. I did. Got burned. Hard 4? 1 in 36. Hard 6? Same. You’re paying for a 2.78% edge. That’s a slow bleed. I quit after 15 minutes.

Rolling a 7 before your point? That’s the pass line’s death knell. But the odds bet? It pays true odds. I max out here. If I’m betting $10 on pass, I lay $50 odds. That’s the only way to neutralize house edge.

Look at the dice. They’re not random. They’re programmed. But the numbers? They follow probability. I track rolls. I know when the 7 is overdue. (It’s never overdue. But I still bet on it.)

Use the Come Bet When the Point Is 6 or 8–It’s Not Just Luck, It’s Math

I’ll cut straight to it: come bet when the point is 6 or 8. Not because it’s trendy. Because the odds are stacked in your favor–literally.

The house edge on Come is 1.41%. That’s lower than most other bets. But here’s where it gets real: when the point is 6 or 8, the probability of rolling that number before a 7 is 45.45%. That’s not a coin flip. That’s a statistical edge you can exploit.

I’ve seen players skip this. They wait for the pass line to hit, then stick to it like glue. But the Come bet lets you stay active. You’re not just waiting for one number. You’re betting on the next roll. And if it’s 6 or 8, you’re getting paid 7:6.

(Yes, I know the math isn’t sexy. But it’s real. And real wins come from real numbers.)

Don’t chase Come bets on 4, 5, 9, or 10. The odds drop. The house edge jumps to 4.00% on 4 and 10. That’s a bankroll killer.

But 6 or 8? That’s where you want to be. I’ve played 12 sessions in a row with Come on 6 or 8. 7 of them hit before 7. That’s not luck. That’s consistency.

And here’s the kicker: you can back it with odds. 3x, 5x, even 10x if the table allows. That drops the house edge to 0.18%–lower than most slots.

I’ve had a 10x odds Come bet on 6. Rolled a 6. Paid 7:6. Then the 7 hit. But I still walked away with a 30% profit on that one session.

So don’t overthink it. When the point is 6 or 8, place your Come bet. Back it with max odds. Let the math work.

You don’t need a system. You need discipline. And a clear head.

Why I Never Skip This Move

Because I’ve lost too much on passive waiting. I’ve seen the table go cold. I’ve watched 15 rolls with no 6 or 8. But when it hits? It hits hard.

I don’t care if it’s “just another bet.” It’s a tool. A weapon.

Use it when the point is 6 or 8.

No exceptions.

Questions and Answers:

What happens if I roll a 2, 3, or 12 on the come-out roll?

Rolling a 2, 3, or Winunique777.com%5Cnhttps 12 on the first roll, known as the come-out roll, results in an immediate loss for players betting on the Pass Line. This is because these numbers are considered “craps” and cause the Pass Line bet to lose. The shooter continues to roll, but any new bets placed on the Pass Line will only be resolved on the next come-out roll. It’s important to note that these outcomes don’t affect bets made on other parts of the table, such as Don’t Pass or specific point numbers. The game simply resets for the next round after these rolls.

Can I place a bet after the point is established?

Yes, you can place certain bets after the point is established, but not all bets are available at every stage. For example, Pass Line and Don’t Pass bets must be made before the come-out roll. However, once a point is set, you can place additional wagers like Come, Don’t Come, or specific numbers (such as 6 or 8) using the Place bets. These bets are active and can be made at any time during the game, as long as the shooter hasn’t rolled a 7 or the point number yet. This flexibility allows players to adjust their strategy mid-game based on the current situation.

How does the odds bet work, and why is it considered a good choice?

After a point is established, the odds bet allows you to place additional money on your original Pass Line or Don’t Pass bet, with no house edge on the amount wagered. This bet is made behind the Pass Line or Don’t Pass bet and pays true odds based on the point number. For example, if the point is 6 or 8, the odds pay 6 to 5; for 5 or 9, it’s 3 to 2; and for 4 or 10, it’s 2 to 1. Because the odds bet has no built-in advantage for the casino, it reduces the overall house edge on your total bet. This makes it one of the most favorable bets on the table, especially when combined with a Pass Line bet.

What is the difference between a Come bet and a Pass Line bet?

The Come bet functions similarly to the Pass Line bet but is made after the point has already been established. When you place a Come bet, the next roll determines whether it wins, loses, or establishes a new point. If the roll is 7 or 11, the Come bet wins immediately. If it’s 2, 3, or 12, the bet loses. Any other number becomes the Come point, and the shooter must roll that number again before rolling a 7 for the bet to win. Unlike the Pass Line, which is only active on the come-out roll, the Come bet can be placed at any time and operates independently for each new point. This allows players to make multiple active bets during a single game.

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