Craps

Scoring Metrics

Pass Line

1:1

Any Seven

4:1

Hard 6/8

9:1

Buy/Lay Commission

5%

Game Rules

• The Shooter: one player, the shooter, rolls the dice each round. This role rotates around the table so everyone gets a turn.
• The Dice: craps is played with two standard six-sided dice. The outcome of each roll is the sum of the two dice.
• The Point: a crucial number established on the come-out roll.
• Come-Out Roll: the first roll of a new round. A Natural (7 or 11) is an immediate winner. Craps (2, 3, or 12) is an immediate loser. A Point (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) becomes the point number for the round, marked with a puck on the table.
• Pass Line bet: a bet that the shooter will win, placed before the come-out roll. Wins if a 7 or 11 is rolled on the come-out, or if the point is rolled again before a 7. Loses if a 2, 3, or 12 is rolled on the come-out (craps), or if a 7 is rolled before the point repeats (sevening out).
• Don't Pass Line bet: a bet that the shooter will lose. Wins if a 2 or 3 is rolled on the come-out, or if a 7 is rolled before the point repeats. Loses if a 7 or 11 is rolled on the come-out, or if the point repeats before a 7. Pushes if a 12 is rolled on the come-out (some casinos push on 2 instead, but 12 is most common).
• Come bet: a 'pass line'-style bet made after a point has been established. The next roll acts as that bet's own come-out roll — it wins on 7 or 11 and loses on 2, 3, or 12. A 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 becomes that bet's 'come point,' and the bet wins if that number repeats before a 7.
• Don't Come bet: a 'don't pass'-style bet made after a point has been established. Wins if the next roll is a 2 or 3, loses on 7 or 11, and pushes on 12. A 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 becomes the 'don't come point,' and the bet wins if a 7 is rolled before that number.
• Field bet: a single-roll bet that the next roll will be a 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12. A 2 or 12 typically pays 2:1; all other winning numbers (3, 4, 9, 10, 11) pay even money (1:1). Loses if a 5, 6, 7, or 8 is rolled.
• Any Craps: a single-roll bet that the next roll will be a 2, 3, or 12. Pays 7:1. A high-risk bet with a significant house edge.
• Any Seven: a single-roll bet that the next roll will be a 7. Pays 4:1. One of the worst bets on the table, with the highest house edge.
• Individual Craps bets (e.g. 'Craps 2,' 'Craps 3,' 'Craps 12'): single-roll bets on a specific craps number. Rolling a 2 or 12 pays 30:1; rolling a 3 pays 15:1.
• Place bets: a bet that a specific number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) will be rolled before a 7. Can be placed at any time after the come-out roll. Pays 7:6 on 6 and 8, 7:5 on 5 and 9, and 9:5 on 4 and 10. You win if your number is rolled and lose if a 7 is rolled. These bets are 'off' on the come-out roll unless the player specifies otherwise.
• Buy bet: a place bet with a true-odds payout, subject to a 5 percent commission on the bet. Pays (after commission) 2:1 on 4 and 10, 3:2 on 5 and 9, and 6:5 on 6 and 8. The house edge is slightly lower than a standard place bet if the wager is large enough to justify the commission.
• Lay bet: the opposite of a buy bet — a bet that a 7 will be rolled before a specific number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10), subject to a 5 percent commission on winnings. Pays 1:2 on 4 and 10, 2:3 on 5 and 9, and 5:6 on 6 and 8. This bet is made against the shooter, similar to the Don't Pass and Don't Come bets.
• Hardway bet: a bet that a specific number (4, 6, 8, or 10) is rolled 'the hard way' — both dice showing the same number (e.g. a Hard 8 is two 4s). Pays 7:1 on Hard 4 or Hard 10, and 9:1 on Hard 6 or Hard 8. Loses if a 7 is rolled, or if the number is rolled 'the easy way' (e.g. a 5 and 3 for an 8).
• Big 6 and Big 8: a bet that a 6 or 8 will be rolled before a 7. Pays even money (1:1). Considered a poor bet, since the house edge is much higher than a Place bet on the 6 or 8, which pays 7:6.
• Place Bet Lose: a Place bet on a number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) loses when a 7 is rolled before that number is rolled.