How Craps Works

When you walk into a casino, you can usually spot the craps tables by the raucous crowds gathered around them. Just in case you happen in at a quiet time, just look for the long, usually green, tables with at least four casino workers standing around them. Here's the rundown on what to expect.

The Table

The craps table is covered in felt that is printed with a diagram showing the spaces for the types of bets. There is a center section where Hardways and One Roll bets can be placed. The ends of the table each have sections for the Pass Line, Come, Place, Field, and other bets. The ends of the table are mirror images of each other.

Usually, the felt layout is green with white lettering, but sometimes casinos use other colors.

There are at least four casino workers at a craps table at all times.

The boxperson oversees everything while seated at the center of the table with lots and lots of chips stacked in front of him. He settles disputes, counts the money, and generally makes sure things are running smoothly. He also watches the dealers to make sure they're paying off winnings (and taking in losses) accurately. If it is especially crowded and especially large bets are being placed, there may be a boxperson at each side of the table.

There are three dealers at each table (actually, four dealers are assigned to each table, but they rotate so that one is always on break). Two of the dealers stand on the back side of the table facing the players -- these are "on base," meaning that they are the ones who keep track of your bets, pay you if you win, and take your chips if you lose. The dealers on base also place your bets for you if you are making certain types of bets (for example, Place bets and Come/Don't Come bets are placed by the dealer -- more on these later) and mark the "point" with a marker called a "puck" once the point has been established (more on points later).

The third dealer is called the stickperson. The stickperson uses a stick (also called a "mop" or a "whip") to handle the dice, moving them from the back wall to the Shooter after each roll. The stickperson is said to be the dealer "on the stick." He doesn't usually deal directly with the players except for moving the dice to them (and occasionally placing bets for players in his area). The stickperson is also the one who talks up the game, encouraging players to place higher bets or to place bets where the casino has a bigger edge. (Watch out for those -- don't get sucked in by the stickperson's banter!) The stickperson can really influence the bets on the table. Talking up the dice when a good roll is going can increase the amount of money being bet -- usually increasing the casino's profits considerably.

Up to eight players can stand on each side of the table. The players in positions 4 and 5 (around the corners) are said to be "on the hook."

When you walk up to a table, just take any open slot. You don't have to worry about taking someone's place: If anyone has to leave momentarily and plans to return, a special "towel" is placed over his chips to save the spot.

The shooter is the player who rolls the dice. The dice are thrown so that they hit the back wall at the end of the table opposite the shooter. Every player takes turns being the shooter, with turns rotating clockwise around the table. When a new shooter steps up to roll, the stickperson pushes several sets of dice up to him so he can select the pair he wants to use.

The long, curving section along the edge of the table closest to where the players stand is called the Pass Line.

"Pass Line" Bets

The most basic craps bet is the Pass Line bet. When you place a Pass Line bet, you're betting with the dice. In other words, you're betting that the either a 7 or an 11 will be the first number rolled (called the "come out" roll). If this happens, you double your money right away. If a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 is rolled, this establishes a "point." When a point is set, you want that number to be rolled again, before a 7 is rolled (when the shooter "sevens out"). If the shooter rolls the point before he rolls a 7, you double your money.

If the number rolled on the come out roll is a 2, 3, or 12 (called Craps), you lose. If, after a point is established, a 7 is rolled before the point number is rolled again, you also lose.

"Don't Pass" Bets

Placing a Pass Line bet is betting with the dice, and placing a Don't Pass bet is betting against the dice. Pass Line bets are also said to be "betting right," while Don't Pass bets are said to be "betting wrong." (Not that either is any better or worse a bet than the other -- this is just craps jargon.) Don't Pass bets are just the opposite of Pass Line bets. Rather than hoping for a 7 or an 11 on the come out roll, you're hoping for a 2, 3, or 12 (the losing roll of Pass Line bets). A 2, 3, or 12 will double your money on a come out roll if you've placed a Don't Pass bet. When a point is established, rather than hoping that the point number will be rolled again before the 7 shows up, you're hoping that the point won't be rolled again before the 7 shows up -- if the 7 comes first, you win.

First, find a table and check the minimum bet to make sure it's in your budget. Lay your money on the table and the dealer will exchange it for chips -- you don't even have to ask. (The dealer won't cash your chips in, though. You have to go to the cashier for that.)

Players take turns rolling the dice. If someone is rolling when you walk up to the table, you have to wait until the next "come out" roll before you can place your bet. As soon as a shooter sevens out (rolls a seven after a point has been established), the next player becomes the shooter. To place a Pass Line bet, you put your bet on the Pass Line before the shooter rolls his come out roll. Let's say you bet $5 (a "nickel" in betting lingo).

The shooter starts off hot and rolls a 7 right off the bat. You just doubled your money and now have $10. You can either take your winnings and keep your original bet on the table or else let it ride and double your bet (called pressing your bet). You decide to press your bet.

Now the shooter rolls an 8, so 8 becomes the point. Remember, you want to see another 8 before you see a 7. The dealer places a white puck called a marker puck on the number 8 in the Place Bets section of the table to mark the point. (When the black side of the puck is showing, no point has been established.)

The next roll is a 3, then a 5, and finally an 8 the hard way (two fours). You've just doubled your money again. Now you can either pick up your bet or place another one for the next roll. That's all there is to the most basic craps game.

Since craps is a game of chance, you need to understand why you have a greater or lesser chance of rolling different numbers. Because you're rolling two dice, your chances of rolling a specific number in craps are determined by the number of die combinations that can add up to that number. For example, 2 can only be rolled with two 1s, but 4 can be rolled with either a 1 and a 3 or two 2s. That means you have twice the chance of rolling a 3 as you do a 2. Because the 7 has the greatest number of combinations (six), it is the number that has the potential to come up most often, which is why 7 is the magic number in craps.

There are 36 possible number combinations in craps. Here is a chart showing the possible combinations for each number using two die.

From the chart, you can see that the most likely number you'll roll is a 7, followed by the 6 and the 8, then 5 and 9, then 4 and 10, then 3 and 11, and finally (and least likely) the 2 and the 12. This means you'll roll a 7 once out of every six rolls, a 6 or an 8 once out of every 7 to 8 rolls, and so on.

Odds for Each Number

By looking at the possible combinations, the "true odds" for each number can be established. Knowing the odds in craps is good so you have a feel for the likelihood of one number being rolled before another one (e.g., is the 4 going to be rolled before the 7?).

House Edge

Now, true odds are not what the casino pays you unless you're also betting "free odds" on top of your main bet. Free odds, which is an additional wager you place with your original line bet, pay true odds so the casino's edge is reduced. (We'll talk more about free odds in Strategies the Winners Use.)

To better explain how the casino edge works, let's take the example of flipping a coin. You have a 50/50 chance of the coin landing on heads, and a 50/50 chance of it landing on tails. If that were a bet on which you were being paid true odds, you would be paid even money. The casino, however, has to have an edge in order to make a profit on the game. So, the payoff for any given bet is less than what true mathematical odds would dictate. For example, on a bet that had true odds of 1:1, you would think that if you bet $1 and win, you would be paid $1 in winnings. But in a casino, depending on the bet, you might only be paid $.96. The difference between the true odds and what they pay you is how they make money -- it's called casino odds.

Another way to better understand casino odds versus true odds is to look at the definition of the casino (or house) edge. WizardOfOdds.com defines it as, "The ratio of the average loss to the initial bet," going on to explain that it's based on the original wager rather than the average wager so that players can have an idea of how much they are going to lose when they place a bet. For example, by knowing that the casino has a 1.41 percent edge in craps, you can know that you'll be losing 14.1 cents for every $10 bet.

For charts of odds for all types of bets, visit the Wizard of Odds.com.

On the next page, we'll talk about types of craps bets, their odds and what the casino pays for each.

There are lots of other bets you can place on the craps table besides the basic Pass Line play, each with its own rules and payoffs.

Below are descriptions of these other bets -- the bets sporting a "thumbs-down" are ones that experts say you should avoid.

Pass/Don't Pass

The Pass Line is the long, curving section along the edge of the table closest to where the players stand. When you place a Pass or a Don't Pass bet, you're betting either with or against the dice. With this type of bet, which pays even money, the casino has a 1.41 percent edge.

Review the section called Craps Basics: Pass/Don't Pass Bets for information on this type of bet.

Come/Don't Come

These bets, placed on the "Come" section of the layout, work just like Pass Line bets but they're placed after the come out roll. Come bets are a way for the casino to get bets in on every roll -- for Come/Don't Come bets, new players don't have to wait for the next come out roll. Come and Don't Come bets pay even money, and the house has the same 1.41 percent edge (actually 1.40 percent for Don't Come) as in Pass Line bets. According to some experts, these bets (along with Pass Line bets) are some of the smarter bets to place in craps.

Place Bets

Place bets can be made on the 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10. When you make a Place bet, you are betting that a particular number will be rolled before the 7 is rolled. Place bets are put on the table (layout) for you by the dealer. Place bets are made any time after the "come out" roll, like Come bets except that you can't add odds. You can also remove or reduce Place bets at any time (unlike Come bets). Place bets made on the 6 and 8 should be in $6 increments, while Place bets made on the 4, 5, 9, and 10 should be made in $5 increments because of the odds they pay. Below are the odds and house edge for Place bets -- the bets in bold black are the ones experts say you should avoid:

Field Bets

The Field is the large area near the edge of each side of the layout with the numbers 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, and 12. You place your chips in the Field yourself, on no particular number. These are one-roll bets that pay off even money with the exception of 2, which usually pays at 2 to 1, and 12, which usually pays at 3 to 1.

So, with a Field bet, if a 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12 is rolled immediately after you place your bet, you win. If a 5, 6, 7, or 8 is rolled, you lose. While the Field bet might appear to be an easy win because you can win on so many numbers, the numbers that make you lose (5, 6, 7, and 8) have much higher chances of being rolled. The house edge on Field bets is 5.55 percent.

Proposition Bets

Proposition bets go in the center section of the layout where the stickperson stands. There are two sections: Hardways and One Roll bets. One Roll bets are just as they say, bets on a single roll on a specific number. Hardways are bets that require the numbers to be rolled the hard way: For example, 8 the hard way is rolled with two 4s, and 6 the hard way is rolled with two 3s.

Big 6 and Big 8 Bets

These are simple bets that pay even money and can be placed at any time. You place your chips on the 6 or the 8 (in the Big 6 and Big 8 section of the layout) or on both, and hope that the 6 or the 8 is rolled before the 7. Some say the Big 6 and Big 8 bets should never be made at all because the house edge is more than 9 percent. Instead, if you really like 6 and 8, make a Place bet on 6 because it pays 7 to 6 with a house edge of only 1.52 percent.

Probably the most important thing to do when you gamble is know how to manage your money. Going into the casino to play craps with a certain amount of money and gambling until it is gone is not smart gambling. Here are some guidelines for making sure you don't have to get "broke money" for transportation home from the casino.

Winning Goals

You may have dreams of hitting it big at the craps table and taking home enough money to pay off your mortgage, but this is rather unlikely. Many professional players say winning 10 percent to 20 percent is a really good day.

If you are winning, some experts recommend putting the amount you started with (and a little profit) aside and continuing to play with only your winnings. That way, you're guaranteed to at least break even (or better if you set aside some profit). Or, you can always stop while you're ahead and go home with the casino's money.

Losing Limits

Even more important than having a goal for winning is having a limit for what you'll let yourself lose. Never play with money you can't afford to lose. And, some experts say that your bankroll (the amount of money you take to the casino specifically for gambling) should never be completely gone when you leave. There are a couple of reasons for this. First, the mental anguish of having "lost everything" is a lot for some players. Second, if you lose everything that usually means you're not playing smart. Set a limit for yourself of how much you can lose -- maybe half of what you take in, for example.

Betting Amounts

Some players base individual bets on how much they bring in to play. Dividing your total bankroll by 50 will give you a good rule-of-thumb amount for each bet. For example, if you bring in $250, you might bet in $5 units. If you bring in $100, you might bet in $2 units. This strategy allows you to play longer and have more chances to win.

If you know you're going to be at the craps tables twice a day for the three days, then make sure you divide your money accordingly. Don't dip into tomorrow's money today -- especially if it's because you're losing.

Most players' strategies center around knowing which bets to place and which bets to avoid. (See The Odds: Bets.) Most avoid all bets except for the Pass Line and Come bets and certain Place bets, leaving the Field, Proposition, Big 6 and Big 8 bets to those pulled in by the stickperson.

Free Odds

The most often noted strategy of craps experts is to always place free odds on line bets. The casino has no edge in the free odds you place, so its edge in your overall bet drops. For example, the house edge in a Pass Line bet is 1.41 percent. When you place free odds on that bet, the house edge drops to .8 percent. If you can place double odds (a free odds bet that is twice your original bet), then the house edge drops to .6 percent. The more you can add to your odds bet, the lower the house edge.

Free odds are added by placing chips behind your original bet on the line. The odds bet can be placed any time after the come out roll and can be removed at any time (unlike your Pass Line bet). The amount you can add for free odds depends on the casino: The casino may allow anything from twice to 100 times your original bet.

Rhythmic or Controlled Shooting

Shooters can sometimes learn to throw in such a way that they lessen the chances of rolling the 7 when they don't want it and increase their chances of rolling the 7 when they do want it. This involves holding the dice in their hand with the numbers they want facing up, and then moving their hand so that the dice bump into each other and rattle but stay in position. The roll itself is also a practiced movement that takes a lot of time to develop. This takes some of the randomness out of the roll, increasing the chances of the shooter getting the numbers he want. More information on the method for rhythmic or controlled shooting can be found in Craps is Math, Mind and Muscle by Frank Scoblete.

Now, the thing to remember is that you can't only bet on your own rolls (the casino will get suspicious and probably won't allow you to play). But you can lessen the effect of bad shooters on your winnings by not betting on every shooter. Try to identify the good rollers and bet when they're shooting. Frank Scoblete details this method in his book, Forever Craps: The Five Step Advantage Player Method.

Spotting Streaks and Trends and Riding Them

If you're ever at a table and someone starts rolling winning numbers, stick with that shooter. For whatever reason, mathematically accurate or not, many craps experts agree that streaks do exist, and if you can spot them you can increase your winnings considerably. Most streaks are probably due to controlled shooting (described above), and as such will depend on how long the shooter can keep it going. The point is to learn to recognize "streaks" both at your own table and other craps tables. (Usually, the ecstatic cheers coming from another table will clue you in.)

Tipping the Dealers

It doesn't hurt to remember your dealers. By tipping (known as toking) the dealers, you can sometimes place higher odds than the table usually allows. Being able to place higher odds means the house has a lower edge. Tipping also makes the dealers happy and the game more fun.

Loaded Dice

The original big cheating technique for all dice games involved dice that were weighted (loaded) or misshapen by sanding or shaving off slivers, causing them to land on certain numbers more often than they would normally. Most casinos now have their own dice with their name stamped on them. The dice may also be numbered. Before dice are put on a table, their numbers are checked to ensure that they are the casino's dice. That doesn't mean loaded dice never enter the game anymore -- dealers and other casino employees are constantly watching when dice leave the table or some other diversion is created. The best protection a casino can have for loaded dice is to have transparent dice.

Past Posting

Probably the most common type of cheating at craps is past posting. Past posting is positioning a bet on the table after the dice have landed. In 2001, a gambler was sentenced to seven to 25 years in prison for past posting. He would ask dealers for change right when the dice were rolled, and then as he got his change (after the dice had stopped) he would drop chips on the winning spot on the table. Using this technique, the man had won about $86,000 from the casino.

Casinos are always on the lookout for past posters, so make sure you're not doing anything that could look like it. For example, if your chips are knocked over by the dice, let the dealer restack them. If you ever do have to touch your chips when they're on the layout, make sure you hold your hands palm up so the dealers (and the casino cameras) see that you're not placing more chips on the table.

Honest Cheating: Rhythmic or Controlled Rolling

Although controlled shooting (described previously in Strategies the Winners Use) is not necessarily cheating, casinos don't like it. They expect the dice to shake freely in the shooter's hand to ensure a random roll. It's not unheard of for rhythmic rollers to be banished from casinos.

For more information on craps, other casino games, and related topics, check out the links on the Lots More Information page. To access the HowStuffWorks Craps Glossary, go to the next page.

Aces: Betting that the next roll will be the total sum of 2; also, $1 chips

Aces-Ace/Deuce: A one-roll bet on 2 and 3

Any Craps: A bet that the next roll will be 2, 3, or 12; pays 7:1

Any Seven: A bet that the next roll will be 7; pays 4:1

Apron: The outer edge of the felt table layout

At Risk: Usually, when a player's bet is active or "in action"

Backline: Same as the Don't Pass Line

Big 6: A bet that a 6 will be rolled before a 7 comes up

Big 8: A bet that an 8 will be rolled before a 7 comes up

Big Red: Placing a bet on Any Seven

Black: $100 chips (which are black in many casinos)

Bones: Another name for dice

Boxcars: Betting on the 12

Boxperson: The table supervisor who sits between the dealers and opposite the stickperson; the one who is responsible for all of the money

Broke Money: Money the casino gives a broke player for transportation home

Buffalo: Placing a bet on each of the Hardways and Any 7

Buffalo-Yo: Placing a bet on each of the Hardways and 11

Buy: Paying the house a 5 percent commission to get true odds on a Place bet

C and E Bet: A proposition bet on the 11 (E) or any Craps (C)

Capped Dice: Crooked dice

Cheques: Another name for chips

Cold Table: When shooters are not making their points

Coloring Up: When a player exchanges small-denomination chips for larger ones; also, when the house exchanges small-denomination chips for larger ones to get the player to make larger bets

Come Bet: Exactly like a Pass Line bet except it's made after the come-out roll

Come-Out roll: The first roll of the dice in a betting round

Craps: The numbers 2, 3 and 12

Crap Out: Rolling the number 2, 3, or 12 on the first roll

Dealer: The one who is responsible for all the bets made on his half of the table

Dime: Two $5 chips

Don't Come Bet: A bet made after the come-out roll

Don't Pass Bet: A bet that the dice will not pass (win); can only be placed right before a come-out roll

Double Odds: An odds bet that is twice as large as the original Pass/Come bet

Down Behind: What the dealer tells a Don't bettor when his bet has lost

Down With Odds: Usually stated and executed by a dealer when paying off a Place Bet and moving the same player's Come bet onto a specific number, ensuring that the player is covered on the specific number

Eyeballs: Two ones; also called snake eyes

Eye in the Sky: Surveillance video or live monitoring of the game from above

Field Bet: A bet that the next roll will be a 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12 (Some casinos make the 5 instead of the 9 a field roll.)

Fifty Yard Line: The middle of the table (a fair roll of the dice always passes the fifty yard line)

Garden: The field

George: A player who always tips the dealers

Green: $25 chips (green in most casinos)

Hard Way: A bet on 4, 6, 8, or 10 that wins only if the dice show the same face; e.g., "hard 8" occurs when each die shows a four

Hi-Lo: A one-roll bet on 2 and 12

Hi-Lo-Yo: A one-roll bet on 2, 12 and 11

Hit a Brick: What the stickperson says when a die hits a stack of chips and does not roll all the way to the end of the table

Hook: Player positions 4 and 5, near the corner of each end of the table; often referred to as "inside hook" and "outside hook"

Hop bet: A single-roll bet on one particular combination of the dice, such as 2-2 or 4-5

Horn Bet: A bet that the next roll will be 2, 3, 11, or 12, placing a bet on each of the numbers simultaneously

Horn High Bet: A bet on three of the horn numbers, with two units on the "high" number (For example, you could place $1 each on 2, 3, 12, and $2 on the 11 -- in this case, 11 is the high number.)

Insurance Bet: Making two (or more) bets at a craps table, one or the other of which is sure to win

Lay Bet: A bet that a particular number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) will not be rolled before a 7 comes up

Layout: The graphic table cover that indicates all places where wagers can be placed

Line Bet: A bet on the "Pass Line" or the "Don't Pass Line," placed before the come-out roll (The shooter has to make a line bet before throwing the dice.)

Little Joe: A pair of 2s, also called a Hard 4

Marker Puck: Plastic disks that the dealers use to mark the point on the craps table (The dealer turns the puck over to the "off" side when all free odds bets have no action on the next roll.)

Midnight: Betting that the number 12 will appear on the next roll

Monster Roll: A "hot roll" lasting more than 20 minutes or that generates a lot of winnings for the players

Mop: The stick used by the stickperson to move the dice

Nickel: $5 chip

Outside Numbers: 4, 10, 5, and 9

Ozzie and Harriet: A hard 8 (two 4s)

Parley: Keep your winnings in action

Pass Bet: A bet that the dice will pass (win), also called a "Pass Line" bet; generally placed immediately before a come-out roll, although you can make or increase this bet at any time

Past Posting: Placing a bet after the dice have landed; illegal

Penny: $1 chip

Pit: The area in the center of the craps tables in a casino, where the floormen watch the games and employees

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

Player Position: Eight player positions on each side of the standard craps table, numbered 1 through eight moving from the stickperson to the dealer (This is the order in which dealers pay off winning bets and position player wagers on the table layout.)

Press Your Bet: Double your bet

Proposition Bet: A one-roll bet usually on the horn numbers (2, 3, 7, 11, 12)

Point: A 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 when it is rolled on the come-out roll (The shooter has to roll the point again before rolling a 7 to win.)

Rack: The grooved rail where chips are placed around the edge of the table

Right Bettor: A player who bets with the dice (e.g., that the shooter will roll the point before a 7 comes up)

Seven Out: When the Shooter rolls a seven after a point has been established (This ends his roll and sends the dice to the next shooter, moving clockwise around the table; this is often incorrectly called "craps out.")

Shooter: The player who is rolling the dice

Single Odds: An additional wager equal to your original bet ("Double odds" means up to two times your bet, "triple odds" mean three times, and so on.)

Skinny: A bet on Any Seven (a.k.a. Big Red)

Snake Eyes: The number 2 (two 1s)

Still Up: What the dealer says to remind players that a wager is still in play (The dealer may also say it when asking a player if he wants the same bet to stay on the board.)

Square Pair: A hard 8, meaning two 4s.

Stickperson: The casino employee who calls out the roll of the dice and returns the dice to the Shooter; also places and pays out Proposition bets

Stiff: A player who never tips (tokes) the dealer, even when he's winning

Table Odds: The multiple a player may bet (usually on Pass Line and Come bets) behind the original flat bet to get true odds of the dice (The house has no percentage advantage on true odds.)

Taking Odds: Adding a bet to an original Pass Line or Come Bet that pays on the true odds of the dice

Tidy the Bowl: (The stickperson) keeping the extra dice (in the bowl) in a neat row

Toke: A tip for the dealer

True Odds: The real odds of dice rolling any total number (as opposed to "house odds," which are the pay-offs written on the layout)

Turning the Dice: When the stickperson flips the dice around with his stick in order to make sure a 7, 11, 2, 3, or 12 isn't showing when they go to the shooter

Wall (a.k.a. Back Wall): The end of the table the shooter throws the dice against in order to complete a fair roll

Whip: The stick used by the stickperson to move the dice

Wrong Bettor: A player who bets against the dice (e.g., that the 7 will be rolled before the point)

Yo or Yo-leven: The number 11 (so it isn't mistaken for the "seven")

For more information on craps, other casino games, and related topics, check out the links on the next page.