Craps

Quick Pitch

Craps is the most social casino dice game: one player rolls while everyone at the table bets on whether the dice will hit certain numbers — starting with a "natural" win on the first roll, or working toward a target number before a seven kills the run.

Hook

Everyone gathers around the table. The shooter picks up two dice and throws. A 7 or 11 on the first roll wins — but a 2, 3, or 12 loses immediately. Any other number becomes "the point," and the shooter keeps rolling until they either hit that number again (win) or roll a 7 (lose). While all this is happening, everyone at the table has bets riding on the outcome. Craps creates shared fate — when the shooter is on a hot streak, the whole table is cheering together.

Equipment Needed

• 2 standard six-sided dice
• Craps table (or marked surface)
• Betting chips (for tracking bets)
• Scorekeeper (to track bets and payouts)

Setup

1. Designate a shooter (or rotate shooters)
2. Players place bets on a craps table or marked betting area
3. Determine betting amounts and limits
4. First shooter rolls

Rules

Objective

Win money/chips by correctly predicting dice roll outcomes through betting.

Basic Craps Terminology

• Shooter: The player rolling the dice
• Come Out Roll: The first roll of a new round
• Point: The number established on come-out roll (if not 7 or 11)
• Pass: A winning bet/outcome
• Don't Pass: A losing bet/outcome for pass line bettors
• Snake Eyes: Rolling double 1s (total 2)
• Boxcars: Rolling double 6s (total 12)

Come Out Roll (First Roll)

When the shooter rolls for the first time in a round:

• Roll 7 or 11: "Natural"—Pass line bets win immediately
• Roll 2, 3, or 12: "Craps"—Pass line bets lose immediately
• Roll 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10: This becomes the "Point"—game continues

After Point Is Established

Once a point is set (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10), the shooter continues rolling:

• Roll the point number again: Pass line bets win; game ends
• Roll a 7: "Seven out"—Pass line bets lose; game ends
• Roll any other number: No result; shooter rolls again

Basic Betting (Pass Line)

Pass Line Bet:

• You bet the shooter will win (roll 7/11 on come-out, or establish a point and roll it before rolling 7)
• Pays 1:1 odds (even money)
• Minimum and maximum determined by table limits

Don't Pass Bet:

• You bet the shooter will lose (roll 2, 3, or 12 on come-out, or roll 7 before establishing a point)
• Opposite of Pass Line
• Pays 1:1 odds

Advanced Betting Options (Casino Version)

Most casino craps tables offer many additional bets:

Come/Don't Come: Similar to Pass/Don't Pass but made after the point is established

Place Bets: Bet that a specific number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10) will be rolled before a 7

Taking/Laying Odds: Additional bets made after pass/don't pass, at better odds

Field Bet: Bet on totals 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12 (anything except 5, 6, 7, 8)

Proposition Bets: Various high-risk/high-reward bets (usually poor odds)

Table Layout (Simplified)

[Don't Come]  [Come]  [Don't Pass]  [Pass]
    [Field]
    [4] [5] [6] [8] [9] [10]  (Place betting area)

Example Hand

1. Come out roll: Shooter rolls 6 → Point is 6
2. Roll: Shooter rolls 8 → No result, roll again
3. Roll: Shooter rolls 4 → No result, roll again
4. Roll: Shooter rolls 6 → Point is made! Pass line wins!
5. Game ends, pass line bets are paid, new round begins

Another example:

1. Come out roll: Shooter rolls 7 → Natural! Pass line wins immediately
2. Bets are paid
3. New round begins