The craps table can look bewildering, with dozens of betting areas, but most bets fall into a few groups, and only a handful offer good value. This guide explains the craps bets, from the simple line bets to the proposition bets best avoided. It is general information and not betting advice, so always gamble responsibly and only stake money you can comfortably afford to lose.
A quick recap
Craps revolves around rolls of two dice. A round starts with a come-out roll, and if a point number is set, the shooter aims to roll it again before a seven. Our guide on how to play craps covers the basics. Understanding this basic structure, the come-out roll and the point, is needed to follow the bets, as most craps bets relate to whether certain numbers are rolled before others as the round unfolds.
The pass line bet
The pass line is the most popular and beginner-friendly bet, made before the come-out roll. You win on a come-out seven or eleven, lose on two, three or twelve, and otherwise win if the point is rolled again before a seven. It has a low house edge of around 1.4 per cent. Understanding the pass line, the cornerstone bet of craps with good value, gives you everything you need to play with a single sensible bet, betting with the shooter.
The don't pass bet
The don't pass bet is roughly the opposite of the pass line, betting against the shooter. You win when the pass line loses, with a couple of small differences, and it has a similarly low house edge. Understanding that don't pass is the mirror image of the pass line, with comparably good value, gives you a second simple, low-edge option. Some find betting against the table less sociable, but it is a perfectly valid and good-value bet.
Come and don't come bets
Come and don't come bets work like the pass and don't pass bets but are made after the point is established, starting their own mini-round on the next roll. They share the same low house edges. Understanding that come bets let you make further pass-line-style bets during a round, with the same good value, helps you build on the basic bets, as they effectively let you back additional numbers using the same low-edge mechanics as the line bets.
Odds bets
Once a point is set, you can back it with an odds bet behind your pass or come bet. The odds bet is paid at true odds with no house edge at all, making it the best bet in the casino in value terms. Our guide on casino games with the best odds covers this. Understanding that the odds bet has no house edge, lowering your overall edge, is the most valuable piece of craps knowledge, so back your line bets with odds where you can.
Place bets
Place bets let you bet that a specific number, such as six or eight, will be rolled before a seven. They pay at set odds and have a moderate house edge, higher than the line and odds bets but lower than the proposition bets. Understanding that place bets offer a way to back individual numbers at reasonable but not great value helps you weigh them up: they are popular and flexible, but not as good value as sticking to the line and odds bets.
The field bet
The field bet is a one-roll bet that the next roll will be one of several numbers shown in the field area, paying even money or more on certain numbers. It has a higher house edge than the line bets. Understanding that the field is a simple one-roll bet with worse value than the line bets helps you see it as a tempting but less favourable option, paying out often enough to feel rewarding while quietly costing more over time than the best bets.
Big 6 and big 8
The big 6 and big 8 bets are that a six or eight will be rolled before a seven, similar to place bets but usually paying less, giving them a higher house edge. They are generally poor value compared with placing the same numbers. Understanding that big 6 and big 8 are worse-value versions of place bets helps you avoid them, as you can usually back the same numbers more favourably through a place bet, making the big 6 and 8 bets best left alone.
Proposition bets
The proposition bets in the centre of the table, such as betting on a specific number on the next roll, offer big payouts but carry very high house edges, making them the worst value on the table. Understanding that the exciting-looking central proposition bets are poor value, with high house edges, helps you avoid the part of the table designed to look thrilling but cost the most, keeping you on the far better-value line and odds bets instead.
Hardways
Hardway bets are that a number like four, six, eight or ten will be rolled as a pair (the "hard" way) before it is rolled any other way or before a seven. They pay well but carry a high house edge. Understanding that hardways are tempting but high-edge proposition-style bets helps you treat them with caution, as their attractive payouts come at the cost of much worse value than the simple line and odds bets that form the core of sensible craps play.
Sticking to the best bets
The practical lesson is to stick to the low-edge bets, the pass line, don't pass, come and don't come, backed with odds, and to avoid the high-edge field, big 6 and 8, proposition and hardway bets. Our guide on the house edge explains the differences. Understanding that a few simple bets offer good value while the flashy ones cost more lets you play craps sensibly, getting the best odds the game offers by ignoring most of the busy table.
A simple approach to craps
For beginners, the simplest sensible approach is to make a pass line bet, back it with the maximum odds bet you can afford within your budget, and ignore everything else on the table. This gives you among the best odds in the casino with very little to learn. Our guide on how to play craps covers the basics. Understanding that you can play craps well with just the pass line and odds bet means the game's intimidating layout need not put you off, as good play comes down to a couple of simple, low-edge bets.
Betting responsibly
Craps is fast and exciting, with many tempting bets, so treat it as entertainment, not income. Stick to the low-edge bets, set a budget, only stake what you can afford, and never chase losses. Our guide on how to gamble responsibly has practical tools. Understanding the bets helps you play well, but keeping your stakes within your means matters far more than any bet on the table.
In short
Craps bets range from the low-edge pass line, don't pass, come and don't come bets, best backed with the no-edge odds bet, to moderate place bets, and the poor-value field, big 6 and 8, proposition and hardway bets. The odds bet is the best in the casino, paid at true odds. Stick to the simple line bets with odds and avoid the high-edge centre of the table. Set a budget and always gamble responsibly.
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