If you walk through any major casino, you can always hear one game that is completely chaotic and crazier than the rest. The crowd is going wild as the dice bounce down the length of a massive, incredibly confusing green felt table. This chaotic scene is the game of Craps. To someone who has never played, the betting layout looks like an alien language. There are dozens of different betting sections, and the dealers are shouting slang. But this is a huge misconception. Despite the crazy layout, craps is actually one of the simplest, and most profitable games on the floor. If you just learn the basics, you can join the fun.
The Only Bet You Need to Know: The Come-Out Roll
The absolute best way for a beginner to learn how to play craps is to look away from the center of the board. The weird proposition bets are terrible traps designed specifically to drain your bankroll. You only care about one line that wraps around the entire edge of the table: the “Pass Line”. Placing a chip on the Pass Line is the foundation of craps. When a new shooter gets the dice, the shooter makes the Come-Out Roll. If you bet the Pass Line, you instantly win even money on a 7 or 11. You lose immediately if the Come-Out roll is a 2, 3, or 12 (known as “Crapping Out”). The math is that basic: 7 or 11 wins, 2, 3, or 12 loses.
The Second Phase of the Game: The Goal of the Shooter
But what happens if the Come-Out roll is not a winner or a loser? If the shooter rolls any other number a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10, the Point is established. The pit boss takes a marker and flip it to the “ON” side onto the corresponding box. The goal now changes. To win your Pass Line bet, the shooter must roll the dice again and again until that specific number hits. When the Point rolls, the table cheers and wins. Here is the danger: if the shooter rolls a 7 prior to the Point, this is a “Seven Out”. Every single Pass Line bet instantly loses, the round completely ends, and the dice are passed to the next player at the table. The entire game of craps is a group effort trying to avoid the 7.
- The Secret Odds Bet: Once a Point is established, you can back up your bet. This is called “Taking Odds,” and it is the only wager that has a house edge of exactly 0.00%. The house has no advantage here.
- The Villain Bet: You can bet that the table will lose. This means you win if the shooter rolls a 2 or 3 on the come-out, or when the shooter sevens out. It is technically a smarter bet, but you will be the most hated person at the table because you are betting with the house.
- The Sucker Bets: The center layout with the pictures of dice are terrible math traps that will drain your cash. Do not touch those bets.
The Rules at a Glance: A Quick Summary
To simplify the game, to guarantee you know what to do, memorize this table. It breaks down the math of the fundamental craps bet: the Pass Line.
| Phase of the Game | The Dice Result | The Result |
|---|---|---|
| The Start | Shooter rolls a 7 or an 11. | You instantly WIN even money. The round resets. |
| The Come-Out Roll (First Roll) | Craps | Instant Loss |
| Setting the Point | The Point is set | The number becomes the Point. The game moves to the next phase. |
| Trying to Hit the Point | Hits the Point | Massive Win |
| The Ongoing Game | Rolls a 7 (Seven Out) | Table groans, you lose |
To wrap it up, craps is not a game you should be afraid of. The casino purposefully designs the table layout to look incredibly complex and confusing specifically so uneducated tourists will guess and lose their money. When you arrive, betting only on the Pass Line, taking your odds, and completely ignoring the screaming center of the board, you are playing the best games in the entire casino industry. Join the fun, and enjoy the absolute most thrilling, high-energy social gambling experience Las Vegas has to offer.