Craps for Beginners: Start with the Pass Line

What is craps?

Craps is a two-dice game where players take turns as the shooter and the whole table cheers together — the liveliest game in Las Vegas, and rarely found in Asia.

Start with the Pass Line

• Come-out roll: 7 or 11 wins, 2, 3 or 12 loses
• The point: a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 becomes the point and the dealer flips the puck to "ON"
• Keep rolling: hit the point again before a 7 and you win; a 7 first loses ("seven-out")

The Pass Line pays even money with a house edge of about 1.41% — one of the best bets in the casino.

The Odds bet: zero house edge

Once a point is set you can back your Pass Line with Odds, paid at true odds (e.g. 2:1 on a 4 or 10). It is one of the very few bets in a casino with no house edge.

Bets to skip

• Centre proposition bets: Any 7, Hardways and the like pay big but cost a lot
• The Field: tempting, but a higher edge than the Pass Line

Etiquette

• Put cash on the layout to buy chips between rolls
• As shooter, use one hand and hit the far wall
• Don't say "seven" at the table — players consider it bad luck