Craps for beginners: the bets, the odds and the table

Craps is the loudest table on the floor, and from the rail it looks impossible — a felt covered in dozens of bets, players shouting, chips flying in every direction. But almost all of that noise comes from bets a beginner never has to make. Learn one wager and how the dice decide it, and the whole game suddenly makes sense.

This guide walks through the core bet, the roll that starts every round, and the one wager in the entire casino that carries no house edge at all. It also marks out the bets to avoid — the flashy centre-of-the-table propositions that cost the most. No promises of winning here; craps, like every casino game, is built to make money for the house over time. The aim is simply to play the cheap parts of the table and skip the expensive ones.

Why craps looks chaotic but is simple at its core

The complexity of a craps layout is an illusion. The felt is crowded because it offers a long menu of bets, but a player is free to ignore nearly all of them. At its heart, craps is one thing: two dice are rolled, and a small number of bets pay out based on the total.

The single most important bet — the pass line — is also the simplest, and it happens to be one of the cheapest bets in the building. Most of the shouting around a table comes from players making side bets and one-roll long shots that have nothing to do with the main game. A beginner who sticks to the pass line and one supporting bet is playing the most sensible version of craps that exists.

If the wider idea of a built-in cost is new, the explainer on what house edge means is a useful companion to this piece, and the Casino Insights section covers the rest of the floor.

The come-out roll and the “point”

Every round of craps starts with a come-out roll — the first roll of a new sequence. What happens next depends entirely on that roll:

• A 7 or 11 is an immediate win for the pass line.
• A 2, 3 or 12 (called “craps”) is an immediate loss for the pass line.
• Any other number — 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 — becomes the point.

Once a point is set, the dealer marks that number, and the shooter keeps rolling. Now the goal flips: the shooter is trying to roll the point number again before rolling a 7. Roll the point first, the pass line wins. Roll a 7 first (a “seven-out”), the pass line loses and the round ends. That back-and-forth is the engine of the entire game.

The pass line — the beginner’s bet — and don’t pass

The pass line bet is where most players, and every beginner, should start. It is placed before the come-out roll and follows the rules above: win on 7 or 11, lose on 2/3/12, otherwise chase the point. Its house edge is about 1.41%, which makes it one of the better-value bets anywhere in the casino.

The don’t pass bet is the mirror image — it bets against the shooter. It loses on a come-out 7 or 11, wins on 2 or 3 (12 is usually a push, a tie, which is precisely how the casino keeps its edge), and after a point is set it wins if a 7 comes before the point. Its house edge is marginally lower, about 1.36%.

So why doesn’t everyone bet don’t pass for the slightly better number? Mostly social reasons: a don’t pass bettor is wagering against the rest of the table, which can feel awkward at a busy, cheering table. Both bets are excellent value; the difference between them is tiny.

Come and don’t come

Once a point is established, the pass line is “locked in” until the round ends — a player can’t make a fresh pass line bet mid-round. The come bet solves that. It works exactly like the pass line, but it can be placed on any roll after the come-out. The next roll becomes its own personal come-out: 7 or 11 wins, 2/3/12 loses, anything else becomes that bet’s own point.

The don’t come bet is to the come bet what don’t pass is to the pass line — the opposing side, with a near-identical low edge. Come and don’t come carry essentially the same house edges as their pass line counterparts (roughly 1.41% and 1.36%). They let a player put more money in play on the same favourable terms, rather than reaching for the expensive bets in the centre.

The free odds bet — the only zero-edge bet in the casino

Here is the piece of craps almost nobody explains to beginners, and it is the best deal on any casino floor.

Once a point is set, a player who has a pass line (or come) bet can place an additional wager called free odds, physically placed behind the original bet. The free odds bet pays true odds — the exact mathematical odds of the point being rolled before a 7, with no markup at all. That means the free odds bet has a house edge of 0%.

That number is not a typo and not an exaggeration. The free odds bet is the only wager in the casino where the house keeps nothing over the long run. It cannot be bet on its own — it can only be added on top of a pass/come bet that already carries the small ~1.41% edge — but because the odds portion is free, the more a player backs with odds, the lower the combined edge on their total wager. A pass line bet plus a generous odds bet behind it has a blended edge well below the 1.41% of the line bet alone.

How much odds a player can take (“2x odds,” “3x-4x-5x odds,” and so on) varies by casino and is posted at the table. Taking the maximum odds offered is the single most effective way to play craps cheaply.

Place bets and field bets

Beyond the line, the felt offers quicker, more direct ways to bet on numbers — and they come at a higher price.

A place bet backs a specific number (say, 6 or 8) to be rolled before a 7, paying out immediately if it hits. It skips the come-out structure, which is convenient, but it carries a noticeably higher house edge than the pass line — and the edge varies a lot depending on which number is backed. Some place bets are far worse value than others.

The field bet is a one-roll bet: it wins if the next roll is one of a listed group of numbers (typically 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 12) and loses on the rest. It pays instantly, which feels exciting, but it also carries a higher edge than the line bets, and the exact figure depends on the table’s payout rules for 2 and 12. Both place and field bets are playable for variety, but neither is in the same value league as pass line plus odds.

The proposition and centre bets to avoid

The middle of the table — the cluster of bets the stickman manages, with names like Any 7, Any Craps, Hardways, and the Horn — is where the casino makes its real money from craps. These proposition bets are mostly one-roll long shots with eye-catching payouts and much higher house edges, often well above 5% and, in some cases, into double digits.

They are tempting precisely because the payouts look big. But a beginner gives up far more to the house on these than on any line bet. The simplest rule for the centre of the table is the same one good baccarat players use for the tie bet, covered in the piece on baccarat tips: treat it as an occasional entertainment cost, never as a strategy, and ideally skip it altogether.

Table etiquette basics

Craps has a few customs worth knowing so a first visit feels comfortable:

• Handle the dice with one hand, and when shooting, throw hard enough to hit the far wall — the bouncy back wall is there to keep the throw fair.
• Keep hands clear of the table when the dice are out; a dealer will say “no bet” if a thrown die hits a hand.
• Buy in between rolls, placing cash on the felt rather than handing it to the dealer.
• Let the dealers place certain bets for you. Pass line and odds are self-service, but place and proposition bets are positioned by the crew — just announce them clearly.
• Tipping the crew is customary, often by making a small bet “for the dealers.”

None of this affects the odds, but knowing the rhythm makes the loud table much less intimidating.

A simple low-edge strategy: pass line plus odds

For a beginner who wants the cheapest, calmest way to play, the approach is short:

1. Make a pass line bet (~1.41% edge) on the come-out.
2. Once a point is set, back it with the maximum free odds the table allows (0% edge on that portion), lowering the combined edge on the wager.
3. Optionally add a come bet or two, each backed with odds, to keep more money working on the same favourable terms.
4. Ignore the centre of the table entirely.

That’s the whole strategy. It will not beat the house — nothing does over time — but it keeps a player exposed to the lowest edges craps offers, which is the most any strategy can honestly promise.

Bankroll and pace

Since the edge can’t be beaten, the useful levers are about how a session is played:

• Set a session budget before approaching the table and treat it as the cost of an evening’s entertainment.
• Size bets so the odds are affordable. Backing the line with full odds takes more chips per round, so plan the unit size around that.
• Decide a stop both ways — a loss limit and a win target. Walking away with a win is the only way the house’s grind doesn’t eventually claw it back.
• Mind the pace. A fast, crowded table means more rolls per hour and more total exposure to the edge. The same logic that separates table games from slots applies: fewer, cheaper bets cost less over a night. A broader look at session control lives in the guide to bankroll management.

Remember that each roll of the dice is independent: dice have no memory, so a long run without a 7 does nothing to make a 7 more or less likely on the next throw. No betting pattern changes that.

Common craps bets at a glance

The takeaway is the same as the chart: the cheap bets sit on the left, the expensive ones spread out to the right, and a beginner who stays on the left side of that picture is playing craps about as well as it can be played.

The short version

• The pass line (~1.41%) is the beginner’s bet and one of the best values in the casino.
• Don’t pass (~1.36%) is a touch cheaper but bets against the table.
• Free odds behind the line is the only 0% edge bet anywhere — take the maximum the table allows.
• Come / don’t come extend the same low-edge bets to more rolls.
• Place and field bets cost more; proposition / centre bets cost the most — skip them.
• Dice rolls are independent, so no streak predicts the next throw.

Play the left side of the table — pass line, a come bet or two, and full odds behind each — and craps becomes one of the cheaper, friendlier games on the floor despite all the noise.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best bet for a beginner in craps?

The pass line. It is the simplest bet to follow, it drives the main game, and its house edge is about 1.41% — among the lowest in the casino. A beginner who sticks to the pass line is playing the cheap part of the table.

What is the come-out roll?

It is the first roll of a new round. A 7 or 11 wins the pass line immediately, a 2, 3 or 12 loses, and any other number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10) becomes the "point" that the shooter then tries to roll again before a 7.

What is the point in craps?

The point is the number set on the come-out roll. After it is established, the pass line wins if that number is rolled again before a 7, and loses if a 7 comes first.

What is the free odds bet?

An extra bet placed behind a pass or come bet once a point is set. It pays true odds, which gives it a 0% house edge — the only such bet in the casino. It can't be made on its own, but adding it lowers the combined edge on the wager.

Why does the free odds bet have no house edge?

Because it pays the exact mathematical odds of the point being rolled before a 7, with no markup. The house keeps nothing on that portion over the long run, so the more a player backs with odds, the lower the blended edge on their total wager.

What is the difference between pass and don't pass?

Pass bets with the shooter (about 1.41% edge); don't pass bets against the shooter (about 1.36%). Don't pass is marginally cheaper, but it wagers against the rest of the table, which some players find awkward at a busy table.

Are place bets and field bets good value?

They are convenient but cost more than the line bets. Both carry a higher house edge than the pass line, and the exact figure depends on which number is backed and the table's payout rules. They are fine for variety, not for value.

Which craps bets should beginners avoid?

The proposition and centre bets — Any 7, Any Craps, Hardways, the Horn and similar one-roll long shots. Their house edges are much higher, often well above 5% and sometimes into double digits, despite the big payouts.

Does a previous roll affect the next one?

No. Each roll of the dice is independent, so a long run without a 7 does nothing to change the odds of the next throw. No betting pattern can exploit a "due" number.

Can any strategy beat the house at craps?

No. Over time the house edge can't be overcome. The best a player can do is play the lowest-edge bets — pass line backed with maximum free odds — and control pace and bankroll to lose more slowly.