Master the craps puck. Learn what ON and OFF mean, how the Comeout and Intermediate rolls work, and protect your bets online in Canada.
Published:Craps trips up beginners for one simple reason: the rules change mid-game. In Roulette, every spin is the same story. Craps splits into two separate phases, the Comeout Roll and the Intermediate Roll. The software tracks this shift with a single digital marker called the Puck. Check the Puck, and you know right away which bets stand to win or lose – and once this part clicks, the rest of our craps guides fall into place a lot faster.
The Puck Explained: Reading ON and OFF States
The Puck sits right on the virtual felt and flips between two sides to show the current phase:
- Puck OFF (Black Side): The table is on the Comeout Roll. The Puck sits idle in the Don’t Come area.
- Puck ON (White Side): The game moved to the Intermediate stage. The Puck now rests on top of one of the six Point numbers (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10).
Stage 1: The Comeout Roll (Puck OFF)
Every new round kicks off with the Comeout Roll while the Puck says OFF. If you bet on the Pass Line, you want to win instantly or set a solid Point. Only three things can happen here:
- Natural (7 or 11): Pass Line bets win on the spot at 1:1.
- Craps (2, 3, or 12): Pass Line bets lose immediately, also called a Crap Out.
- Establishing a Point (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10): Hit any of these numbers, and it becomes the Point for the rest of the round. The software flips the Puck to ON and slides it directly over that box.
Stage 2: The Intermediate Roll (Puck ON)
Once the Point is set, the target flips. The Puck stays ON right above the target number, and the objective narrows down to a race:
- Winning the Point: Hit that exact Point number again before rolling a 7. Pass Line bets cash out at 1:1, the Puck flips back to OFF, and a fresh round starts.
- Seven Out (7): Roll a 7 before hitting the Point number, and the Pass Line loses. The round ends, the Puck resets to OFF, and the game moves on to the next round.
Working vs. Inactive Bets: Understanding the OFF Status
You also need to watch which bets actually stay live when the round resets. By default, online tables automatically turn certain bets OFF when the Puck reads OFF. This covers Place Bets, Come Bet Odds, and Hardways. It keeps a random Comeout 7 from wiping out your established wagers. That said, most software lets you toggle these bets to Working if you prefer to keep your money on the line through every single roll.
Keep your eyes on the Puck. Once you get used to watching that black and white disc flip, reading the action on your screen becomes second nature.
Author:
Lucas Portela
Owner, BoldGambler • Avanhandava/SP
Oddsmaker, affiliate and content creator in the iGaming industry.