If you walk onto a casino floor, it is usually incredibly easy to locate the Craps pit; just follow the noise.
However, for a beginner, this massive, raucous table can be the most intimidating place in the entire building.
This is a massive mistake, because beneath the chaotic surface, Craps actually offers some of the absolute best mathematical odds in the casino.
Let's learn how to throw the dice, understand the "Pass Line," and experience the most thrilling game on the casino floor.
Understanding the Core of Craps: The Pass Line
Almost every player at the table is betting on the Pass Line, which is why everyone cheers and groans at exactly the same time.
On this initial Come-Out Roll, there are only three possible outcomes that immediately affect your Pass Line bet.
Outcome 2 (The Instant Loss): If the shooter rolls a 2, 3, or 12 (these numbers are called "Craps"), the table groans.
Rolling Craps on the Come-Out roll is an instant loser for the Pass Line. The dealer will sweep your chips away, and you must place a new bet for the next roll.
For example, if the shooter rolls an 8, the puck goes on the 8. The Come-Out phase is over, and the game enters the second phase.
What Happens After the Point is Established
The shooter will now continue to pick up the dice and roll them repeatedly until one of two specific things happens.
If the shooter successfully rolls an 8, the table erupts in cheers! They "Hit the Point."
However, there is a massive threat looming over every single roll: the dreaded 7.
The entire table groans, because a 7 means every single Pass Line bet instantly loses.
You can literally ignore the other 50 bets on the table and have an amazing, mathematically sound evening playing just the Pass Line.
The Best Bet in the Casino: The Free Odds Bet
If you want to play like a true professional, there is one secret, unwritten bet you must learn: "Taking Odds."
The Odds bet is the ONLY bet in the entire casino that carries a 0.00% House Edge.
If the Point is 5 or 9, the true odds are 3 to 2. The Odds bet pays exactly 3 to 2.
To take advantage of this incredible mathematical anomaly, professional players always keep their initial Pass Line bet as low as possible (the table minimum).
With the Pass Line and the Free Odds bet in your arsenal, you are fully equipped to dominate the Craps pit.
The Craps Cheat Sheet for Beginners
Phase 1: The Puck is "OFF". You are hoping the shooter rolls a 7 or an 11 to win instantly. The Danger Zone: During this phase, if the shooter rolls a 7, everybody loses (Sevening Out). The Free Odds Bet: Once the Point is established, place more chips directly behind your Pass Line bet. The Sucker Bets: Ignore the center of the table completely. These bets carry massive house edges (often 10% to 16%).
Understanding the Probabilities in Craps
Result of the ThrowHow Many Ways to Make ItStatistical Likelihood 2 (Snake Eyes) or 12 (Boxcars)Only 1 way each (1-1 or 6-6)Statistically the rarest rolls on the table. 7 (The Most Important Number)6 ways (1-6, 2-5, 3-4, 4-3, 5-2, 6-1)The most mathematically probable roll with two six-sided dice. The Craps ParadoxBecause a 7 is the most common roll, it is your best friend on the Come-Out, and your worst enemy during the Point phase.The entire game is built around the mathematical dominance of the number 7.
You only need to memorize two simple steps: Bet the Pass Line, and Take Odds behind it when the Point is established.
If you roll a massive streak of points, the entire table will literally cheer your name, offering a high you cannot find anywhere else.
Walk confidently up to the table, wait for the black puck to flip to "OFF" (indicating a new Come-Out roll), and drop your chips on the Pass Line.