Craps rules: the basics
Craps is played with two dice. The player rolling them is the shooter, and every roll is settled by the total of both dice. The core wager is the pass line bet, which backs the shooter to succeed in the current round.
Each round has two stages: the come out roll that opens it, and the point phase, which only happens if the first roll does not settle the bet. The table offers plenty of other wagers, but pass and don't pass are the foundation of everything else.
The come out roll
The first roll of a round settles the pass line bet in one of three ways:
- 7 or 11: the pass line wins straight away. This is called a natural.
- 2, 3 or 12: the pass line loses straight away. This is called craps.
- 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10: that total becomes the point and the round moves on.
Once a point is set, the dealer marks it by placing a puck showing ON over that number.
The point phase and seven out
During the point phase the shooter keeps rolling until either the point or a 7 appears. If the point comes first, the pass line wins and pays even money. If a 7 comes first, that is a seven out: the pass line loses and the dice pass to the next shooter. Every other total in this phase, including 2, 3, 11 and 12, has no effect on the pass line bet.
The house edge on the pass line is about 1.41 percent, one of the lowest in the casino. On the come out roll the 7 is your friend; once a point is set, it becomes your enemy.
Don't pass, odds and come bets
- Don't pass: the opposite of the pass line. On the come out roll 2 or 3 wins, 7 or 11 loses, and 12 is usually a push. Some tables bar the 2 instead of the 12. In the point phase don't pass wins if a 7 arrives before the point. The house edge is about 1.36 percent.
- Odds bet: once a point is set, you can back a pass or don't pass bet with an odds bet. It pays at true odds, so it carries no house edge at all. Behind the pass line it pays 2:1 on a point of 4 or 10, 3:2 on 5 or 9 and 6:5 on 6 or 8. The maximum is set by the table, for example double or five times your line bet.
- Come bet: works like a pass line bet but is placed after a point is already set. The next roll acts as its own come out roll. Don't come is the mirror image, just as don't pass mirrors the pass line.
The table also offers one roll proposition bets with a much bigger edge. Any seven typically pays 4:1 when the true odds are 5:1, giving the house an edge of about 16.67 percent.
Dice probabilities for totals 2 to 12
Two dice produce 36 equally likely combinations. The table shows how many of them make each total:
| Total | Ways out of 36 | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 2.78% |
| 3 | 2 | 5.56% |
| 4 | 3 | 8.33% |
| 5 | 4 | 11.11% |
| 6 | 5 | 13.89% |
| 7 | 6 | 16.67% |
| 8 | 5 | 13.89% |
| 9 | 4 | 11.11% |
| 10 | 3 | 8.33% |
| 11 | 2 | 5.56% |
| 12 | 1 | 2.78% |
The 7 is the most common total, which is why seven out is the usual end of a round. Take a point of 4: it can be rolled 3 ways against 6 ways for a 7, so the chance of hitting the 4 first is 1 in 3. That is exactly why the odds bet on 4 pays 2:1.
Sic bo: the three dice game
Sic bo comes from China and uses three dice shaken in a covered bowl or a machine. There is no shooter and no phases: players place their bets on the layout, the dice are revealed, and each roll is a complete round.
Three dice give 216 possible outcomes with totals from 3 to 18. The middle totals of 10 and 11 are the most common, while 3 and 18 can each be made only one way.
Small and big bets
- Small: a total of 4 to 10, paying 1:1.
- Big: a total of 11 to 17, paying 1:1.
Both bets lose on any triple, meaning all three dice show the same number. Three fours total 12, yet a big bet still loses. The chance of any triple is 1 in 36, and that rule gives the house an edge of about 2.78 percent on small and big.
Other sic bo bets
- Specific triple: all three dice show the number you chose. The chance is 1 in 216.
- Any triple: wins on any triple, with a chance of 1 in 36.
- Specific double: at least two dice show your chosen number.
- Total: an exact total from 4 to 17, with bigger payouts for rarer totals.
- Combination: two different chosen numbers both appear on the dice.
- Single number: the payout grows if your number shows on two or three dice.
Payouts for these bets vary from table to table, and bigger payouts usually come with a bigger house edge. Check the paytable inside the game before you play.
Dice games on this site
On besplatnikazino.com you play craps, sic bo and the other dice games with virtual credits only. There are no deposits, prizes or payouts, so it is a calm place to learn how a round flows and what each bet means. Every roll is random, and no betting system changes the house edge.
Common questions
What wins on the first roll in craps?
On the come out roll a 7 or 11 wins for the pass line, while 2, 3 or 12 loses. Any other total becomes the point.
What does seven out mean in craps?
A seven out happens when a 7 is rolled before the point during the point phase. The pass line loses and the dice move to the next shooter.
Which craps bet has no house edge?
The odds bet placed behind a pass or don't pass bet pays at true odds, so it has no house edge. You can only make it once a point is set.
Why do small and big lose on a triple in sic bo?
That rule is what gives the house its edge on bets that pay even money. Without it the edge would be much smaller.
Is there a system that beats dice games?
No. Every roll is independent, and no betting system can change the house edge built into the payouts.