Complete Craps Strategy, Rules & Betting Guide Hub
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Craps has more moving parts than any other game in this section, so instead of one long page, it’s broken into focused guides. Start with the complete rules and layout guide if you’re new to the table – it covers the dice math, the screen layout and the basic controls in one pass. Everything below goes deeper on one specific piece of it.
How a Round Works
Every craps round runs through two phases, tracked on screen by a marker called the puck: the Comeout Roll, where the shooter tries to set a Point, and the Intermediate Roll, where the whole table wants that number to hit again before a 7. Get this part down first – it decides which bets are even active at any given moment.
Line Bets: Pass, Don’t Pass and Come
These are the bets that open and carry most rounds. The Pass Line rides with the shooter and unlocks Odds, the only true zero-edge bet in the house; Don’t Pass plays the exact opposite side; and Come Bets repeat the same math mid-round, opening a fresh Point of your own. Pick a side once you understand both.
- Pass Line and Odds: The Real Zero-Edge Bet
- Come Bets and Odds
- Don’t Pass and Lay Odds: Playing the Dark Side
Place and Buy Bets
Once a Point is set, these let you bet on any number directly, without waiting for the Pass Line to get there. Place Bets spread money across several numbers at once and pay every time the dice cooperate; Buying the 4 and 10 pays a 5% commission for true 2:1 odds instead of the shorted 9:5 payout.
Betting Systems
Structured ways to combine the bets above into a full approach. The Iron Cross chases action on almost every roll, while the 3 Point Molly leans straight into the math – two very different philosophies built from the same core bets.
Proposition Bets, Hardways and Side Bets
The one-roll, center-table and bonus wagers – bigger payouts, worse math. Proposition bets and Hardways carry the highest house edge on the layout, while side bets like All Tall Small and the Fire Bet chase rare, high-multiplier outcomes. Useful to understand even if you rarely play them.
Table Variants
Not every craps table runs standard rules. Crapless Craps removes the Comeout loss on 2, 3 and 12 (at a cost of its own), and electronic Bubble Craps swaps the live crew for a self-contained machine – two formats you’ll run into across US casinos and apps.
At a Live Table
Playing in person in Las Vegas or any other US casino comes with its own etiquette you won’t find in the online interface.
Reference
Where to Play Craps Online
Not every US online casino carries craps, and live-dealer tables are rarer still. These are the regulated operators we’ve reviewed where the craps table is actually worth your time:
bet365casino
Author:
Lucas Portela
Owner, BoldGambler • Avanhandava/SP
Oddsmaker, affiliate and content creator in the iGaming industry.