How to Play Craps 2026 | Craps Rules, Bets & Strategy

Craps is one of the oldest and most social casino games in existence, with a history that traces back to the Crusades and a modern form that has been a fixture of casino floors since the early twentieth century. Unlike most casino table games where each player competes independently, craps brings multiple players together around the same table, all betting on the outcome of the same dice roll. This shared experience gives craps a unique energy that few other games can match - and when the table is running hot, it is one of the most exciting environments in any casino. Online craps captures the same mechanics in a format accessible from anywhere.

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A Brief History of Craps

Craps is widely believed to have evolved from an English dice game called Hazard, which itself dates back to the Crusades of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The game was popular throughout Europe during the Middle Ages and was brought to America by French colonists in the eighteenth century, where it developed into the modern form of craps we recognise today. The name is thought to derive from the French word "crapaud" meaning toad, a reference to the way early players crouched over the dice on streets and pavements. By the early twentieth century, craps had become the dominant dice game in American casinos and remains so to this day.

How Craps Works – The Basics

Craps is played with two standard six-sided dice. One player, called the shooter, rolls both dice. All other players at the table bet on the outcome of that roll. The game proceeds in two phases: the come-out roll and the point phase.

The come-out roll is the first roll of a new round. If the shooter rolls a 7 or 11, all Pass Line bets win immediately and the round ends. If the shooter rolls a 2, 3 or 12 (collectively known as craps), all Pass Line bets lose and the round ends. Any other number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10) becomes the point.

The point phase begins once a point number has been established. The shooter continues rolling until either the point number is rolled again (in which case Pass Line bets win) or a 7 is rolled (in which case Pass Line bets lose and the shooter passes the dice to the next player). This sequence of rolling until a decision is reached is what makes craps distinct from single-roll games.

The Most Important Craps Bets

Pass Line: The most fundamental bet in craps. You win if the come-out roll is 7 or 11, and lose if it is 2, 3 or 12. If a point is established, you win if the point is rolled again before a 7. The house edge on the Pass Line is approximately 1.41%, making it one of the better bets on the table.

Don't Pass Line: The opposite of the Pass Line. You win on a come-out 2 or 3, lose on a 7 or 11, and push (no win or loss) on a 12. Once a point is set, you win if a 7 is rolled before the point. The house edge is approximately 1.36%, marginally lower than the Pass Line.

Odds Bets: The single best bet in the casino. Once a point is established, Pass Line and Don't Pass Line players can take or lay additional odds behind their original bet. Odds bets pay at true odds with zero house edge - the casino makes no profit on them at all. Most casinos allow odds of 2x, 3x or higher. Always take the maximum odds your bankroll allows.

Come and Don't Come: These bets work identically to the Pass Line and Don't Pass Line, but are placed after the point has been established. They allow you to effectively create multiple Pass Line bets on a single roll sequence.

Place Bets: You can place a bet on any of the point numbers (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10) winning before a 7. The house edge varies by number - 6 and 8 carry the lowest house edge at 1.52%, while 4 and 10 carry the highest at 6.67%.

Bets to Avoid

High House Edge Bets The craps table offers a wide range of bets but not all of them are worth taking. The following bets carry house edges that make them poor choices for any player focused on value: Any 7 (16.67% house edge), Any Craps (11.11%), Hardways (9.09% to 11.11%), Horn Bets (12.5% to 16.67%), and Big 6/Big 8 (9.09%). Stick to Pass Line, Don't Pass, Come, Don't Come and Odds bets for the best long-term value.

Hedge Bets in Craps

A hedge bet is a secondary bet placed to protect a primary bet from certain losing outcomes. A common example is pairing a Pass Line bet with an Any Craps bet. The logic is that if the come-out roll results in craps (2, 3 or 12), the Pass Line bet loses but the Any Craps bet wins at 7-1 odds, partially offsetting the loss.

In practice, hedge bets do not improve your long-term results and almost always make things worse. Combining two negative expected value bets does not produce a positive expected value bet - it produces a combined bet with a higher overall house edge than either component on its own. The Any Craps bet carries a house edge of 11.11%, which is far higher than the 1.41% of the Pass Line. Using it as a hedge simply adds a worse bet on top of a reasonably good one.

If hedge bets make the game more enjoyable for you, there is nothing wrong with using them occasionally - but do so with an understanding of their mathematical cost rather than the belief that they give you a strategic advantage.

Online Craps vs Live Craps

Online craps uses a random number generator (RNG) to determine dice outcomes, providing the same statistical probabilities as physical dice over a large number of rolls. The experience is faster than live craps as there is no time spent waiting for other players to bet or for the dealer to pay out. Most online casinos that carry craps offer a standard Pass Line format with full odds betting available.

Live dealer craps, available at some online casinos including those powered by Evolution Gaming, brings a physical dice game to your screen via a video stream. A live dealer handles the table, real dice are used, and the social element of the game is partially recreated through a chat interface. For players who want the atmosphere of a casino craps table from home, live craps is the closest available equivalent.

How to Play Craps 2026 – Rules, Bets & Strategy