Craps Rules

So you want to learn how the betting works in a game of craps? Study the following rules below to learn how to play and bet effectively in a game of craps.

Odds: On rolling a five and a nine, the odds are 3 to 2. On a four and ten, the odds are 2 to1. On six to eight, the odds are 6 to 5. These odds apply if a player is taking on a point. If no point is made and the player is betting against it, all odds are identical.

Any Craps: This bet involves a player rolling a twelve, three or two to be successful. The house odds on this bet are 11.11%

The Field: This bet depends on a player rolling a twelve or two to be successful. The house odds on this bet are 5.55%

Horn Bet: This bet is considered highly unfavourable for the player but gives the player the opportunity to bet on all four numbers together (twelve, eleven, three and two) and also on each number individually. The house odds are 16.66%

Pass Line: The pass line bet is one of the best bets a player can make and plays even money with a small house odd of only 1.402%

Don’t Pass Line: This bet also pays even money with house odds of 1.414%

Come Bets and Don’t Come: The house odds for these bets are the same as for Pass Line and Don’t Pass Line bets (1.402% and 1.414% respectively). The payout is even money.

Hard Ways: This bet involves a player rolling a four, six, eight or ten to be successful. The house odds are 9.09% on the six and eight, and 11.11% on the four and ten. These odds make the hard ways a fairly bad bet. The payout on the six and eight is 9 to 1 and 7 to 1 on the four and eight.

Buy Bets: By electing to make a buy bet, the player in effect reduces the house odds to 4.76%. The player pays the house a commission to receive the true odds on the numbers rolled. If a player rolls a ten or a four the bet is worthwhile for the payouts received.

Eleven: A player can win this bet and be paid out at 14 to 1 by rolling an eleven. The house odds are 16.66%

Place Bets: These bets consist of a series of bets on rolling certain numbers. For example, if you roll a six or eight, you receive a payout of 7 to 6 and give the house an edge of 1.51%. If you roll a five or a nine, you receive a payout of 7 to 5 and give the house an edge of 4%. If you roll a four or a ten, you receive a payout of 10 to 5 and give the house an edge of 6.66%.

Seven: Similar to the eleven bet, a player can win this bet and be paid out at 4 to 1 with one roll of a seven. The house odds are 16.66%.

The best bets to make in a game of craps are the Pass and Don’t Pass bets and the Line and Come bets because they each provide the player with the best chance of winning due to more favourable odds.

A few more craps rules to remember:

To achieve ‘box point’ a player must roll a ten, nine, eight, six, five or four on his first roll. This establishes box point and if the player rolls the dice again to get the same number, he wins. However he loses if he rolls a seven instead of the desired number.

When a player makes ‘craps’ he automatically loses the game. Craps is made if he rolls a twelve, three or two on his first turn.

Four casino employees work a game of craps. Two dealers are responsible for monitoring winnings and chips. The ‘boxman’ oversees the entire game. The ‘stickman’ is in charge of the dice and therefore the pace and action of the game. The stickman initiates play in a game of craps by having the player select the dice. If the dice produce a seven or an eleven on the first roll, the player wins. This is called a ‘natural.’