JeffBet by JeffBet |
Date of Publishing: 8 November 2022

How to Play Craps

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Craps is one of the most entertaining casino games in the world. For craps players, the game’s strategic element, entwined with its action-packed nature, helps make the game so popular.

At JeffBet.com we know the high level of interest there is in playing this wonderful game, which is why we want to help beginners learn how to play craps more easily. After reading this brief guide, you should be in a position to play the game with confidence. When you watch the game not knowing the rules, you would be forgiven for thinking that the game of craps is incredibly complex, but once you know how to play, you will understand that it isn’t.

Learning the Basic Rules for Craps

If you want to learn how to play craps, you must first become familiar with the rules of the game. The craps game rules are fairly simple to learn, and after you have watched a few throws of the dice you should have a good understanding of what is taking place.

The game of craps involves the act of throwing dice. The player throwing dice is known as the shooter, and the total they throw will determine the outcome of a round. Before the shooter rolls the dice, there is a betting round that starts with a come out roll.

The come-out roll is the first roll of the dice or the first roll after the previous round of betting is completed. A shooter throws two dice in one roll on the craps table, and the total this comes to reveals which bets are won. When a player rolls a seven or an eleven, they will win the game and get to roll the dice again. This is called a “Natural”.

A number marked by the “pucks” while playing craps means that the same number is chosen as the “point” in the game. When this occurs, the players roll a number with two dice, and they then have to roll the same number on the next roll before a seven is rolled on the table. Every shooter has seven rolls to hit the point number while playing craps game casino.

If the shooter rolls the point on the craps table, then the puck will be turned off, and the shooter will throw the dice once again. After that, the next roll in the craps gambling game will be the come-out roll. This essentially means that this is the beginning of the game without an established point.

What is the Point of Craps?

The point of the game will be set if the player rolls a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 in a craps dice game. Then the player will once again try to roll the point before rolling a seven.

Getting a seven on the table is called a “seven out” in a game of craps. When that happens in craps at the casino, the dice will be taken from the shooter and given to the next player. The new shooter will then make a point and try to roll it with the dice before a total of seven is scored just as the previous player.

You will lose a game of craps if you manage to roll a 2 (aka Snake Eyes), 3, or 12. But, it is worth noting that you won’t end the round there, as you are given a chance to roll the dice once more.

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The Betting Rules in Craps

There are all kinds of bet types to choose from in a game of craps, and every single one of them comes with a different payout and a different house edge.

At every casino with craps, the game begins with a pass line bet, in which players get to choose whether to bet on the dice landing on a 7 or 11, or on a 2, 3, or 12. Betting on a 7 or 11 is called passed the line while betting on 2, 3, or 12 is known as a don’t pass bet.

The pass line and don’t pass line are the most commonly placed bets in this game and they have to be placed before the come-out roll.

The come bet and don’t bet allow players to wage on the same numbers and outcome as the pass bets, with the main difference being that they are placed after a point is established in the game.

Once a shooter makes a point in the game, you are free to make a place bet on the following numbers, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10. You will win the bet if the shooter rolls any of the mentioned numbers before a 7. You can also bet a place loss bet, which is the opposite of the place bet.

Placing a big 6 or big 8 bet means that you are betting that a 6 or an 8 will be rolled before a 7. This is possibly the simplest bet in the game.

A field bet is a one-roll bet, where you can win the wager if a shooter rolls a 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12, where the payout varies on the rolled number. You will lose the one-roll bet if a 5, 6, 7, or 8 is rolled.

You will also find four different one-roll bets called proposition bets, where every bet comes with a different payout. The proposition bets are the following:

  • Any Craps – 2, 3, or 12
  • Aces or Twelve – 2 or 12
  • Ace-Deuce or Eleven – 3 or 11
  • Seven

With these bets, you are betting that on the next roll any of the mentioned numbers will be rolled.

A hop bet is yet another one roll bet, which is placed on a specific combination of the dice. With this bet, you have the freedom to bet on what combination you think the next roll will be. This bet pays between 16:1 and 31:1, depending on the combination.

Last but not least, we have the hardway bet. This is a bet on the shooter rolling a pair. The players can bet on a hard 4, 6, 8, or 10 to be rolled before a 7.

Useful Tips and Strategies for Craps

To help you get better at this game, the JeffBet team has come up with a few tips and strategies on how to play craps with dice. Below we will reveal the most useful tips and strategies for this casino game.

Be Aware of the Odds

Every bet in craps comes with different odds for winning, and you need to be aware of the odds of the bet you are placing.

The most basic bets in a game of craps are pass, don’t pass, come, and don’t come bets. It is worth noting that the pass bet comes with a house edge of 1.41%.

Avoid the Lousy Bets

Craps offers all kinds of bets to the players. Some bets offer small house edges, while others come with a pretty high house edge. Our tip is to study the house edge of each of the available bets so you know which ones to avoid. 

Some of the lousiest bets that can be placed are Any 7, Betting on 2, Betting on 12, Whirl Bet, etc.

Iron Cross Strategy

With this strategy, you wait for the point to be set, and then you will place bets on 5, 6, 8, and the Field. This way you will win the bet on any roll that isn’t a 7.

By using the Iron Cross strategy, you will win on 30 out of 36 potential outcomes in the game. The best-case scenario with this strategy is to hit the Field bet, which will double your Field bet and leave the other bets untouched.

The KISS Strategy

The KISS strategy, aka Keep It Simple Stupid, is a very simple strategy that involves betting on the Pass line and maxing out your winning odds, and then betting on 6 and 8. It might be a boring strategy, but it will allow you to get more bets on the board while keeping the house edge at a lower level.

How To Play Craps FAQs

We often receive a lot of questions about the game of craps here at Jeffbet.com. Below are answers to some of these questions.

Despite the game looking complicated, when you get to know the rules, after a few games you should feel comfortable with how everything works. We recommend you play no casino games on our site without learning about them.
While it helps to know the rules of the game and the odds of your bets, it would not be accurate to describe craps as a game of skill. Your success will be largely determined by the roll of the dice which is completely random.
The don't pass/don't come bet, gives the house an edge of just 1.36%. This would be the most conservative bet to place in a game of craps.
To win at craps every time is not possible. You can improve your odds of winning, though by placing bets with a low house edge.

About the Author

Author: JeffBet

JeffBet is an online gambling company founded in 2022. Its product offerings are online casino, online slots, live dealer games, table games and sports betting. The organisation holds regulatory gambling licenses in the UK and Malta.

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