Craps
The loudest table in the building. Also, quietly, the one with the best odds — if you know which bets to make and which ones to ignore.
How the game flows
A shooter throws two dice. The first roll of a new round is the come-out roll. On the come-out:
- Rolls of 7 or 11: pass-line wins.
- Rolls of 2, 3, or 12: pass-line loses ("craps").
- Any other number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10) becomes the point.
Once a point is set, the shooter keeps rolling. The pass line wins if the point is rolled again before a 7. Roll a 7 first and the pass line loses — this is why the whole table groans on a 7 after the point is set.
The best bets
- Pass line: 1:1 payout. House edge 1.41%.
- Don't pass: 1:1 payout. House edge 1.36%. You're betting against the shooter — awkward but mathematically sound.
- Odds bet (behind pass line): zero house edge. The only true-odds bet in any casino. Always take max odds when you can.
- Come bet: same odds as pass line, just placed after a point is established.
The worst bets
- Any 7: pays 4:1. House edge 16.67%.
- Hardways: pay 7:1 or 9:1. House edge 9%–11%.
- Big 6 / Big 8: same as place bets but worse payouts. Never.
- Field bet with 2 and 12 paying 2:1: 5.56% edge.
Strategy in one sentence
Pass line, take max odds, ignore everything the stickman is selling you in the middle of the table.