How to Play Craps like an Expert

  • We explore How To Play Craps.
  • Read all about Pass Lines and Don't Pass Bars.
  • Explore the Odds behind your Craps Bets. 

Craps is not a simple Game. In fact, most consider it to be the most complicated Game to master on the entire Casino Floor. Luckily, you don’t have to be a master to start playing this exhilarating Game. All you need is to understand the goal of Craps, a few basic bets that will be the most beneficial to you and the Odds attached to them.

How to Play Online Craps

Craps is a betting Game where bets and winnings are dependent on the outcome of the roll of two six-sided die. The most intricate feature of learning how to play Craps is the table itself where all of your possible bets are laid out before you. Each section of the confusing Table Layout represents a different bet that you can make. Take the time to learn these bets one by one and you’ll soon be feverishly rolling the dice yourself hoping for the best.

Bets

Let’s start with the simplest bets to understand, which also happen to be the most beneficial for a Craps Player. You can tackle the Odds and strategy behind more advanced bets later, but these are the bets you should be familiar with in order to begin your Craps fun.

  • Pass Line

Play this bet by placing your desired number of chips in the section marked Pass Line. The dice are then rolled for the first time. A ‘Natural’ or total of 7 or 11 means your Pass Line bet wins at a ratio of 1:1. ‘Craps’ or a roll equal to 2,3, or 12 automatically means you’ve lost 100% of your bet. If a 4,5,6,7,9, or 10 is rolled, that number becomes the ‘Point’. A chip that says ‘On’ is placed next to the corresponding number. The dice are rolled over and over again until the ‘Point’ (the number received on the first roll) or a 7 is rolled. If the ‘Point’ is rolled before 7, you win 1:1. If the 7 is rolled first, you lose all of your bet.

  • Don’t Pass Bar

If you understand the Pass Line bet, then the Don’t Pass Bar should be a piece of cake. The Don’t Pass Bar is the exact opposite of the Pass Line. This means a natural on the first roll means you lose while a roll of 2 or 3 pays 1:1. A 12 acts as a push like in Blackjack (a possibility not present when making a Pass Line bet). Rolling any other number sets a ‘Point’. A 7 must then be rolled before the ‘Point’ in order to win.

Additional Bets

After your initial bets, you can increase your opportunities for wins in Craps by adding additional bets under certain circumstances. There are two additional bets that correspond to the Pass Line and Don’t Pass Bar that can help you increase your profit on both of these bets. Always remember that the amount put on an additional bet cannot in any case be more than double the amount of your original bet.

  • Odd on Pass Line

This additional bet can only be played after a ‘Point’ has already been set by the first roll of the die. In effect, this bet means that you are putting additional money on rolling the ‘Point’ for a second time before rolling a seven. This bet pays differently depending on the ‘Point’. A 4 or 10 will pay 2:1, a 5 or 9 pays 3:2, while a 6 or 8 pays 6:5. If a 7 is rolled however, you will lose both your original bet and your Odd on Pass Line bet.

  • Odds on Don’t Pass Bar

This bet can be made after the ‘Point’ has been set for a Don’t Pass Bar bet. The rules and payouts are exactly the same as ‘Odd on Pass Line’.

While there are a great many extra bets to be made and considered while playing Craps, these are the most basic and the most beneficial options a player has. In fact these bets have some of the best Odds on the entire Casino Floor. So if your lack of knowledge is discouraging you, don’t let it! These basic bets are enough to get you started at the Craps Tables where you’ll soon pick up the rest. If you still aren’t comfortable playing at a real Casino, try playing first at an Online Casino to test your different options and until you feel confident with a few basic moves.