The first thing to do if you want to play Craps is to place a bet.

For some players this is all they want to do. A player can bet no matter whom the shooter is (you can wager for the shooter to win or for the house to win) they don't have to roll the dice themselves to wager. If you don't want to roll the dice you simply decline the offer when the dealer offers you the chance and the dealer will move on to the next player at the table.

Assuming that you want to throw the dice, you have placed a bet, and it is your turn the dealer will slide 5 or 6 dice to you. From these you pick two dice (any two), these are the ones you will play with.

The shooter then throws the dice for the first time. In order to prevent cheating the casino insists that:

1. Prior to rolling the dice the shooter keeps them over the table and handles them only with one hand. This eliminates the possibility of the dice being switched for another set.
2. When the shooter does roll the dice he/she must throw them hard enough that they bounce off the far end of the table. This is the only way that you can be sure that a “true” roll has occurred. In the event that you throw the dice too hard and they bounce off the table the dealer will simply slide more dice over to you and you can start over again.

On the first roll if the shooter throws a 7 or 11 then he/she wins, and if he/she throws a 2, 3 or 12 the shooter loses. If none of these numbers (2, 3, 7, 11 or 12) is thrown on the first throw (the Come-out roll) then a Point is established against which the shooter plays. The shooter continues to throw the dice until either the Point or a Seven is thrown, no other number is important in determining winning or losing. If the shooter rolls the Point before rolling a Seven he/she wins, however if the shooter throws a Seven before rolling the Point he/she loses.

The shooter continues to roll either Come-out rolls or Point rolls until they lose their bet. Then the dealer passes the dice to the next shooter (clockwise around the table).
Betting Options
In Craps there are many different ways to bet. They can be divided into three general categories:

A further variation is that players can bet with the shooter or with the house (against the shooter).

Basic Bets
There are two basic bets (made before or after the Come-out roll) with two variations (betting for the shooter or against the shooter) for a total of four.

Pass Line Bets / Don't Pass Bets are made before the Come-out roll is made. Pass Line bets are for the shooter while the Don't Pass bets are bets against the shooter

Come Bets / Don't Come Bets are made after the Come-out roll, this is the only difference from Pass Line bets and Don't Pass bets. The bets pay the same and have the same odds. Note that the Point for the come bet is not the same as the Point for the Pass Line bet. If you are unsure if the toss is a Come-out roll look for a large white disc, which is placed on one of the numbers 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 on the table layout. This disc lets you know that the Point has been established, what it is, and that the next rolls will be Point rolls.

These wagers pay in the following manner:

Odds Bets
Also called free odds contain no advantage for the house over the player. For this reason they are excellent wagers for the player.

Pass Line Odds Bets / Come Bet Odds Bets are made after you make a wager on the Pass Line. Then if a Point is rolled, you can back up your bet by taking (betting on the shooter) the odds on the Point.

Place Bets are made on the numbers 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 and have nothing to do with the Point number. Once made a Place bet is always on except for the Come-out roll when they are always off, unless you tell the dealer differently. A Place bet is determined in the following manner.

• If a 7 is rolled before your Place number – you lose.
• If your Place number is rolled before a 7 – you win.

Buy Bets are made on the numbers 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 similar to Place bets but with different (true) odds. Again you are betting that the shooter will roll your number before he/she rolls a 7. A Buy bet is determined in the following manner.

• If a 7 is rolled before your Buy number – you lose.
• If your Buy number is rolled before a 7 – you win.

Lay Bets are the opposite of Buy bets. You are betting the shooter will roll a 7 before your Lay number of 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10.

• If your Lay number is rolled before a 7 – you lose.
• If a 7 is rolled before your Lay number – you win.

As with Buy bets the casino charges a five percent service. However, now the charge is based on your potential winnings in multiples of $1 (a $40 bet on the 4 would pay $20, 5% of $20 is $1, so it will cost you $41).

Big Six or Big Eight Bets pay even money if you win.

• If a 7 is rolled before a 6 or an 8 – you lose.
• If a 6 or an 8 is rolled before a 7 – you win.

Hard Six Bets or Hard Eight Bets are different bets, but are won in a similar manner and payoff the same. Hard Six can be rolled only one way (3, 3), and Hard Eight only rolled one way (4, 4). You are betting that the shooter will roll a Hard Six or a Hard Eight (whichever you have chosen) before seven, and before any other combination of six (for Hard Six) or eight (for Hard Eight). They both pay 9 to 1.