Craps is an old favorite for American gamblers. It is featured in just about every casino and is one of those games that is synonymous with gambling. 

The game was invented in Europe, and some historians have traced it back to medieval times when it was called hazard. Hazard is mentioned in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, which means people were learning how to play craps as far back as the 14^th century. 

The game eventually evolved into craps as we know it today, and just like other much-loved casino games, it is now available online. And like any other online casino game, those who understand it have a better chance of winning than those who don’t. 

As a beginner, this game may look a little intimidating, especially because so many people love to play it. You may assume that it is about big wagers and plenty of experience. This isn’t quite true; anyone can play craps, and everyone stands a chance to win. 

Today, we’ll explore craps for beginners. What is craps? We’ll look at basic craps rules, the craps table layout, the pass line and don’t pass bar, the big 6 and big 8, the field, the come and don’t come, the place and proposition bets. 

By the time you finish reading this guide, you’ll have a fair idea of how to play a game of craps and a few tips and tricks to give you an edge. 

What is Craps?

Craps is a game that allows players to bet on the outcome of the roll of a pair of dice. Players can bet against each other, or they can bet against the house. For each roll, the player bets on what they think the outcome of the roll of the dice will be. 

As it is so simple, it doesn’t require much skill or strategy. So long as you can roll the dice and you know how to wager, you can enjoy the game. Some people avoid craps because they assume that it is complicated compared to games like blackjack or poker, but it is easier to play than both of those. 

Whether you want to enjoy craps in a land-based casino or online, as soon as you get into it, you’ll quickly realize that there isn’t much to it. That isn’t to say craps is boring; because it is so fast and action-packed, it is one of the most popular casino games in the US. 

A little bit of strategy will help you win at craps, so it’s important to take some time to understand the nuances of the game. 

Before you play your first game, you should make sure you understand craps rules and common craps terms. Remember that it is a gambling game, so there are no guaranteed outcomes, but there are certain strategies you can use to increase your chances of winning when you are learning how to play craps. 

Basic Craps Rules

To best understand online craps rules, it is important to first be clear on how it is played in a brick-and-mortar casino. 

The game starts with a come-out roll, which is the first roll of the dice for the game, or the first roll of the dice after the previous game is finished. This roll is thrown by the shooter, which can be anyone who is playing the game. 

Assume that you’re the shooter. To get the game started, you’ll take a pair of dice and throw them on the craps table. There are three outcomes you can expect; you can get a natural, a craps or a point. 

A natural is when the combination of the dice ends up in either a 7 or an 11. If you get either of these two, you win, which automatically means that you get to throw the dice again. 

Craps is also referred to as crapping out, and it happens when the shooter rolls a two (called snake eyes because the single dots on the dice look like a snake’s eyes), a 3 or a 12 on the craps table. However, if this happens, you get a chance to roll again. 

A point is when the shooter rolls a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or a 10. If you are playing in a real casino, the dealer at the craps table marks your point. You are allowed to roll the dice once more, and if you come up with the same number as before, you win. You don’t have to have the same dice; so long as the combined number of your dice comes up the same as what you got before, you win. 

You may notice that the sequence for a point doesn’t have a 7. This is because in this particular game, 7 isn’t considered a lucky number, and if you roll your dice and get a combination that adds up to 7, you lose the round. 

Online craps follows the same rules except for a couple of differences: instead of throwing your dice on a craps table, you press a “roll” button, and to mark your point, there is a small “on” button that lights up to highlight points so that you can have another roll. 

As you can see, it is a rather uncomplicated game; you don’t need any experience with casino games to take part in a good game of craps. 

However, there are some rules that you should keep in mind whether you are playing craps online or in a live casino:

Rule 1 – Start with a bet

Every round in this game is started with a bet. All bets are placed on the craps table, and there are 10 different types of bets that players can choose from. 

The thing to remember is that unlike in other casino games, these bets tend to lean more towards the house. It’s easy to see why; the game is rather straight-forward, and it only makes sense for the casino if more bets are in favor of the house. 

Rule 2 – Come-Out roll

Think of this as the first throw of the dice in any game of craps. The come-out roll is important because it determines the pattern of the game. In any game, no one can tell how the game will go until the first roll of the dice is thrown. 

Before the come-out roll is thrown, players can place bets on the pass line. The outcome of this initial throw of the dice determines which numbers need to be thrown after that to win. 

There is a certain etiquette that is expected of this initial roll of the dice. Only two dice may be used, and the player is expected to handle them both in one hand. The dice must hit the wall at the opposite end of the table, and if one should go over and fall on the floor, it has to be inspected by a casino employee before it is returned to the table. 

Casinos inspect the dice quite often to make sure that they don’t tend to fall on any particular number too frequently, and they are changed every eight hours. 

Rule 3 – Check your first bets

If you are the one doing the come-out roll, you want your dice to give you either a 7 or an 11. These are called the pass line bets, and they are instant winners. Your dice may land on a 2, 3 or a 12. These are called don’t pass bets, and although you don’t win, you get another chance to throw the dice. 

Rule 4 – Betting and Point Establishment

If you throw your dice and you get a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10, that number is the point, and the game keeps going until the shooter throws the dice and gets that same number. They win, and the game can move to another round. 

Rule 5 – Continued Gameplay

This is simply the way the game continues after a point is established. If, for example, a player throws a 10, the gameplay is what happens until they can throw a 10 again. 

Rule 6 – Wrapping up the round

Should a point be rolled before a 10, the pass line bets win. If a 10 is rolled before the point, the pass line bets lose and don’t pass bets win. 

Craps Table Layout

There are two sides to a craps table layout: the first is the side section, which is the two identical sides on each end of the table, and the other side is the center section. 

There are two dealers at a table, one on each side, and the center is overseen by a stickman. It doesn’t matter which side you play on as both are the same, but if you are a smoker, for example, you may want to play on the side where the smokers are. 

On each side, there is a player’s area and a dealer’s area. On the player’s side is the pass line, the don’t pass, the come and don’t come, the field, and on some craps tables, you’ll find the big 6 and big 8 (more on this a little later). 

The Pass Line & Don’t Pass Bar

The pass line is on the low corners of the craps table, and its low house edge of 1.41% makes it popular for beginners and seasoned players alike. 

If you are the shooter and you think there is a good chance of landing a 7 or 11, your bets should be in the pass line box. If you think you will get a 2, 3 or 12, these are called don’t pass bets and appear above the pass line. 

Big 6 & Big 8

These are the most popular bets for craps players, and they are near the pass line (they don’t pass the bottom bar). If you think there are good odds that you’ll land a 6 or an 8 before you hit the 7, you can place a bet on either of these two. However, be warned because they have a house edge of 9.1%. 

The Field

This is the middle section of the craps table, and here, you can wager on whether you’ll land a 3, 4, 9, 10 or 11 with one roll of the dice. If you bet on landing 2 or 12 and win, you may double or triple your bet. 

Come & Don’t Come

After the point is established, it usually takes a few throws of the dice to end the game. If you think you can get a 7 or 11, you can place your wager on the come box. If it looks like you may get a 2, 3 or 12, it’s best to place your bet on the don’t come box. If you do either of these and the next throw of the dice brings up a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10, you double your chances of winning. 

The Place

This is near the Boxman, and it is one of the fastest moving areas in the game. You can place wagers to win should you throw a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 before you land a 7. 

If you think you’ll land a 7 before you hit any of these numbers, place a “to lose” bet. 

Proposition Bets

These are wagers that are made in the very center of the craps table. 

If you are looking for a secure website to play online craps, Resorts Casino comes highly recommended. It is one of the oldest casinos in New Jersey and has a great reputation for its variety of games and top-notch player security. 

Opening an account at Resorts Casino is a straight-forward process, and all new players get a bonus when signing up. The casino matches whatever amount you have deposited into your player account, and you can use your bonus to play any game, including craps.