A round of Craps consists of a roll or multiple rolls of dice. The person rolling the dice is known as the shooter. The initial roll, known as the comeout roll, determines much of the direction of the game for that shooter’s turn. If the shooter’s comeout roll equals 7 or 11, players who bet the pass line automatically win. If the comeout roll equals 2, 3 or 12, players who bet the pass line automatically lose. If the comeout roll is any other number, that number becomes the point, or the number the shooter must match in a subsequent roll.
Once the point is established, the shooter must roll that number before rolling a 7. If the shooter rolls a 7 before the point, their round is over, and the next shooter takes their place.
Players who bet on the previous roll are eligible to become the shooter as the dice move around the table. When it is your turn to be the shooter, you can either take your turn or pass to the next shooter.
Gameplay Mechanics
Craps offers more than forty different bets. The most commonly placed bets include:
- Pass Line: The pass line bet offers an automatic win or lose scenario. If the shooter rolls a 7 or 11 on the comeout roll, you automatically win. If the comeout roll is a 2, 3 or 12, you automatically lose. Any other number becomes the point. If the shooter rolls the point before rolling a 7, you win. If the shooter rolls a 7 before the point, you lose.
- Come Bet: The come bet is a variation of the pass line bet that treats the next roll the same as a comeout bet. If the shooter rolls a 7 or 11 on the next roll, you automatically win. If the next roll is a 2, 3 or 12, you automatically lose. Any other number rolls and bet travels to that number. If you roll that number before a 7, you win. If you roll 7 before that number, you lose.
- Don’t Pass Line: The exact opposite of the pass line bet, the don’t pass line is a bet against the shooter’s ability to roll the point before rolling a 7. In the don’t pass line bet, 2 and 3 become automatic winners, while 7 and 11 become automatic losers on the comeout roll. A roll of 12 pushes. If the shooter rolls a 7 before the point, you win. If the shooter rolls the point before a 7, you lose.
- Don’t Come Bet: The don’t come bet treats the next roll exactly like the comeout roll, with the terms of the don’t pass line bet in play. On the very next roll, 2 and 3 become automatic winners, while 7 and 11 become automatic losers. A roll of 12 pushes. If the shooter rolls a 7 before the number, you win. If the shooter rolls the number before a 7, you lose.
- Place Bets: At any time in a shooter’s round, players may bet on an individual number. If the number you select is rolled before a 7, you win. Players can increase, decrease or remove a place bet at any point in a shooter’s round.
- Field Bet: Similar to place bets, field bets allow the player to wager on a range of numbers. If a 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 or 12 is rolled, you win. If any other number is rolled, you lose. The field is a one-roll, self-service bet