Craps Table And Game Rules Explained [Beginners]

Updated: August 2, 2023

Who hasn’t heard of craps? We all know a bit about it but not enough to enjoy the game properly. The game is based on throwing two dice by consecutive players while betting on the expected results of these throws. Below we present the instructions for winning and losing hands.

Craps Table

1. Pass line: You win with a 7 or 11 and you lose with a 2, 3 or 12 on the first throw. If a different value comes up, this is your “point”. If your point comes up on the next roll before rolling a 7, you win half the stake. If on the next roll 7 is ahead of your “point” – you lose and the dice go to the next player.

2. Don’t pass: If you bet on “don’t pass”, you play the opposite way, you lose on 7 and 11, and win with a 3 or 12 (if you roll a 2, nobody wins). If the roll is 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10, your bet is transferred to that number and you will now win half your stake if you roll a 7 before that number.

3. Come: You may bet “come” at any time after the first roll and this bet is equivalent to a pass line bet. This also applies to the queues of other throwers. The win is half the stake.

4. Don’t come: Analogous to “don’t pass”, this is the opposite of “come”. The win is half the stake.

5. Field: You can bet on any round. If it comes up 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 or 12. These numbers all win half the stake except 2 (paid twice) and 12 (paid three times). If the roll is 5, 6, 7 or 8 – you lost. “Field” is a bet for one spinning round only.

6. Big 6 or 8: You bet on numbers 6 and 8 and win half your stake if they come out earlier than 7. You can make this bet before each throw and withdraw it after each throw.

7. Any 7: You may bet on “any 7” on every throw of the dice. If the roll is 7, you win four times. “Any 7” is a bet on one roll of the dice only.

8. Any Craps: This is a bet on every single throw. If the roll is 2, 3 or 12 you win seven times. For every other result – you lose.

9. Hard Ways: These are combinations of bets to roll two of the same values on the dice (2 and 2, 3 and 3, 4 and 4, 5 and 5). They can be placed at any time during the game. You win, for example on hands 3 and 3 if they come before 7 or the “easy” 6 (5 and 1 or 2 and 4). Otherwise, you lose.

10. Bet the Horn: You can bet on hands of 2, 3, 11 or 12 each turn (single roll bet). If this is a hand, you get the highest winning stakes.